I am Cuchulain’s chariot-driver, and I say that my master is the best.
He is not, but Leagerie is.
No, but Conal is.
Make them listen to me, Cuchulain.
No, but listen to me.
When I said Cuchulain should have the Helmet, they blew the horns.
Conal has it. The best man has it.
Silence, all of you. What is all this uproar, Laeg, and who began it?
[The Scullions and the Horseboys point at LAEG and cry, ‘He began it.’ They keep up an all but continual murmur through what follows.
A man with a red beard came where we were sitting, and as he passed me he cried out that they were taking a golden helmet or some such thing from you and denying you the championship of Ireland. I stood up on that and I cried out that you were the best of the men of Ireland. But the others cried for Leagerie or Conal, and because I have a big voice they got down the horns to drown my voice, and as neither I nor they would keep silent we have come here to settle it. I demand that the Helmet be taken from Conal and be given to you.
It has not been given to Conal or to anyone. I have made it into a drinking-cup that it may belong to all. I drank and then Conal drank. Give it to Leagerie, Conal, that he may drink. That will make them see that it belongs to all of us.
Cuchulain is right.
Cuchulain is right, and I am tired blowing on the big horn.
Cuchulain, you drank first.
He gives it to Leagerie now, but he has taken the honour of it for himself. Did you hear him say he drank the first? He claimed to be the best by drinking first.
Did Cuchulain drink the first?
You drank the first, Cuchulain.
Did you claim to be better than us by drinking first?
Is it that old dried herring, that old red juggler who has made us quarrel for his own comfort? [The Horseboys and the Scullions murmur excitedly.] He gave the Helmet to set us by the ears, and because we would not quarrel over it, he goes to Laeg and tells him that I am wronged. Who knows where he is now, or who he is stirring up to make mischief between us? Go back to your work and do not stir from it whatever noise comes to you or whatever shape shows itself.
Cuchulain is right. I am tired blowing on the big horn.
Go in silence.
[The Scullions and Horseboys turn towards the door, but stand still on hearing the voice of LEAGERIE’S WIFE outside the door.
My man is the best. I will go in the first. I will go in the first.
My man is the best, and I will go in first.
No, for my man is the best, and it is I that should go first.
My man is the best.
What other has fought
The cat-headed men
That mew in the sea
And carried away
Their long-hidden gold?
They struck with their claws
And bit with their teeth,
But Leagerie my husband
Put all to the sword.
My husband has fought
With strong men in armour.
Had he a quarrel
With cats, it is certain
He’d war with none
But the stout and heavy
With good claws on them.
What glory in warring
With hollow shadows
That helplessly mew?
I am Emer, wife of Cuchulain, and no one shall go in front of me, or sing in front of me, or praise any that I have not a mind to hear praised.
All of our three wives shall come in together, and by three doors equal in height and in breadth and in honour. Break down the bottoms of the windows.
[While CONAL and LEAGERIE are breaking down the bottoms of the windows each of their wives goes to the window where her husband is.
My man is the best.
And Conal’s wife
And the wife of Leagerie
Know that they lie
When they praise their own
Out of envy of me.
My man is the best,
First for his own sake,
Being the bravest
And handsomest man
And the most beloved
By the women of Ireland
That envy me,
And then for his wife’s sake
Because I’m the youngest
And handsomest queen.
[When the windows have been made into doors, CUCHULAIN takes his spear from the door where EMER is, and all three come in at the same moment.
I am come to praise you and to put courage into you, Cuchulain, as a wife should, that they may not take the championship of the men of Ireland from you.
You lie, Emer, for it is Cuchulain and Conal who are taking the championship from my husband.
Cuchulain has taken it.
Townland against townland, barony against barony, kingdom against kingdom, province against province, and if there be but two door-posts to a door the one fighting against the other. [He takes up the Helmet which LEAGERIE had laid down upon the table when he went to break out the bottom of the window.] This Helmet will bring no more wars into Ireland. [He throws it into the sea.]
You have done that to rob my husband.
You could not keep it for yourself, and so you threw it away that nobody else might have it.
You should not have done that, Cuchulain.
You