Fenla, the
third son of Nectan, is preparing himself for battle. He is called
the Swallow, because there is not a man in the world swifter to
retreat, or swifter to pursue. He is more at home in the water
than on the dry land, for through it he dives like a water-dog,
and glides like an eel, and rushes like a salmon when in the
spring-time he seeks the upper pools. Greatly I fear that his
challenge and defiance will be to do battle with him there, where
no man born of woman can meet him and live."
"Say not so, O Laeg," said Cuculain, "and be not so afraid and
cast down, but still keep a cheerful heart in thy breast and a
high and brave countenance before the people of the dun. For my
tutor Fergus paid a good heed to my education in the whole art of
war and especially as to swimming. He is himself a most noble
swimmer and I have profited by his instructions. Once he put me to
the test. It was in the great swimming bath in the Callan, dug
out, it is said, by the Firbolgs in the ancient days, and the
trial was in secret and its issue has not been revealed to this
day.
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