Poems MacCarthy, Florence Denis
Poems MacCarthy, Florence Denis
Poems MacCarthy, Florence Denis
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74<br />
That battle suit of battle and of fight<br />
Was this: His apron of white silk, with fringe<br />
Of spangled gold around it, he put on<br />
Next his white skin. A leather apron then,<br />
Well sewn, upon his body's lower part<br />
He placed, and over it a mighty stone<br />
As large as any mill-stone was secured.<br />
His firm, deep, iron apron then he braced<br />
Over the mighty stone--an apron made<br />
Of iron purified from every dross--<br />
Such dread had he that day of the Gaebulg.<br />
His crested helm of battle on his head<br />
He last put on--a helmet all ablaze<br />
From forty gems in each compartment set,<br />
Cruan, and crystal, carbuncles of fire,<br />
And brilliant rubies of the Eastern world.<br />
In his right hand a mighty spear he seized,<br />
Destructive, sharply-pointed, straight and strong:--<br />
On his left side his sword of battle swung,<br />
Curved, with its hilt and pommel of red gold.<br />
Upon the slope of his broad back he placed<br />
His dazzling shield, around whose margin rose<br />
Fifty huge bosses, each of such a size<br />
That on it might a full-grown hog recline,<br />
Exclusive of the larger central boss<br />
That raised its prominent round of pure red gold.<br />
Full many noble, varied, wondrous feats<br />
Ferdiah on that day displayed, which he<br />
Had never learned at any tutor's hand,<br />
From Uatha, or from Aife, or from her,<br />
Scatha, his early nurse in lonely Skye:--<br />
But which were all invented by himself<br />
That day, to bring about Cuchullin's fall.<br />
Cuchullin to the Ford approached and saw<br />
The many noble, varied, wondrous feats<br />
Ferdiah on that day displayed on high.<br />
"O Laegh, my friend," Cuchullin thus addressed<br />
His charioteer, "I see the wondrous feats<br />
Ferdiah doth display on high to-day: