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The boy sprang over moat and rampart at one bound and burst open the doors of the smith's house, breaking the bar. The noise of the riven beam was like the brattling of thunder. "That is an unusual way to enter a man's house," said Culain. He and his people were at supper. "It is," said Setanta. "Things more unusual will happen this night. Give me bridles that will hold the strongest horses."
There he gave a friendly and grave welcome to the King and to all the knights one by one. It was dusk when Concobar entered the dun. "Are all thy people arrived?" said the smith. "They are," said Concobar. Culain bade his people raise the drawbridge which spanned the deep black moat surrounding the city, and after that, with his own hands he unchained his one dog.
Culain sent a party of his men and those who were the best dressed and the most comely and who were the boldest and most eloquent in the presence of strangers, to meet the high King of the Ultonians on the moor, but he himself stood huge in the great doorway just beyond the threshold and in front of the bridge over which the Red Branch party was to pass.
Culain sat silent for a long time looking out before him with eyes like iron, and when at last he spoke his voice was charged with wrath and sorrow. "O Concobar," he said, "and you, the rest, nobles of the children of Rury.
When Culain saw far away the tall figures of the Ultonians against the sunset, and the flashing of their weapons and armour, he cried out with a loud voice to his people to stop working and slack the furnaces and make themselves ready to receive the Red Branch; and he bade the household thralls prepare the supper, roast, boiled and stewed, which he had previously ordered.
Culain gave him two bridles. "Will they hold the strongest horses?" said the boy. "Anything less than the Liath Macha they will hold," said the smith. The boy snapped the bridles and flung them aside. "I want bridles that will hold the Liath Macha and Black Shanglan," said he. "Fire all the furnaces," cried Culain. "Handle your tools; show your might. Work now, men, for your lives.
There unobserved he washed the cruel gashes cut by the hound's claws, and applied salves and stitched the skin over the wounds, and, as he did so, in a low voice he murmured healing songs of power. "Where is the boy?" said Culain. "He is reposing a little," said Concobar, "after his battle and his conflict."
Verily, if he get not the bridles, soon your dead will be more numerous than your living." Culain and his people made the bridles. He gave them to Cuculain. The smiths stood around in pallid groups. Cuculain took the bridles and went forth. He went south-westwards to Slieve Fuad, and came to the Grey Lake. The moon shone and the lake glowed like silver. There was a great horse feeding by the lake.
The smith and all his people were well pleased at that speech, and Culain bade his thralls serve supper, which proved to be a very noble repast. There was enough and to spare for all the Ultonians.
"Great deeds will be done in Erin this night," said Concobar. He went forth into the night. There was great power upon him. He crossed the Plain of the Hurlings and the Plain of the Assemblies and the open country and the great waste moor, going on to Dun- Culain. Culain's new hound cowered low when he saw him.
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