The Mammoth Book of Celtic Myths and Legends by Peter Berresford Ellis Page A

for English language primers. Many great works were probably destroyed, judging from that which has survived.
    The aisling or vision tale, The Vision of Tnugdal , a Cashelwarrior, was written in 1149 at Ratisbon (Regensburg) by an Irish monk named Marcus, carrying on the
Munster literary traditions. The saga enjoyed great fame in Europe and, as well as an Irish text, some 154 manuscripts of the Latin text dating from the twelfth to the nineteenth centuries have
been found in Europe, plus translations into Anglo-Norman, Belorussian, Catalan, Dutch, English, French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Portuguese, Provençal, Serbo-Croat, Spanish and
Swedish.
    My attempt to rescue one part of the epic of Cellachain, hopefully, puts the kingdom of Munster in its rightful place as having produced a literature equal with the Red Branch Cycle of Ulster.
It is my hope that much more of that literature will be recovered.

2 The Sons of Tuirenn
    N o one knew the reason of the feud between the sons of Cainte and the sons of Tuirenn. Perhaps it had its roots in a sharp word, some affront to
honour, but the result was that the three sons of Cainte and the three sons of Tuirenn had sworn to shed each other’s blood, should they ever meet with one another.
    So it came about that the eldest son of Cainte, Cian, whose name means “the enduring one”, was crossing the great plain of Muirthemne, on his way to join the Children of Danu at Magh
Tuireadh, for the news was that a great battle was being fought against the Fomorii. Cian was alone, for his two brothers, Cú and Céthen, had gone on before him.
    It was as he was on the open plain, some way from any shelter, that he saw three warriors heading towards him. Standing tall in his chariot, Cian narrowed his eyes to examine them. There was no
mistaking the grim visage of Brían, whose name means “exalted one”, and his brothers Iuchar and Iucharba.
    Now Cian realized, because he was outnumbered, that discretion was the better part of valour. But there was no cover on the plain, except for a herd of pigs feeding. Being one of the children of
Danu, Cian took a Druid wand and changed his shape into that of a pig, also causing his chariot and horses to be likewise transformed.
    Brían, son of Tuirenn, chieftain of Ben Eadair, paused and stared across the plain. “Brothers,” he said, turning to Iucharand Iucharba,
“wasn’t there a proud warrior crossing the plain, a moment ago?”
    They affirmed that their brother was right.
    Brían saw the herd of pigs and he realized that the warrior must have shape-changed. If this were so, then the warrior was no friend to the sons of Tuirenn. Now Brían realised that
the herd of pigs belonged to Nuada himself and, if he and his brothers harmed them, Nuada would punish them. So he took his own Druid wand and touched his brothers lightly. Iuchar and Iucharba were
changed into two great hounds and straightaway, baying eagerly, they made for the herd, keen noses to the ground.
    Cian realized that the hounds would sniff him out and so, still in the shape of a pig, he made a break from the herd. But Brían was standing ready and cast his spear through the pig
shape. Cian screamed in agony.
    “I am Cian, son of Cainte, and I plead for quarter,” cried the pig.
    Brían, now joined by his brothers in their true shapes, stood before the bleeding pig.
    “No quarter!” snapped Brían. “We have all sworn an oath that none would survive our encounters, should the sons of Cainte and the sons of Tuirenn meet.”
    “Then grant me a last request,” cried Cian in resignation. “Let me resume my human form before you kill me.”
    This Brían granted.
    Cian smiled triumphantly at him. “You may kill me now but remember this, sons of Tuirenn; had you killed me as a pig, your punishment would have only been the eric fine paid on the
unlawful slaughter of a pig. Since you now kill me as a man, then you will have to pay the eric fine of a man. Moreover, as I