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The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó CúalngeOpenStories

The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge

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"The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge" by Joseph Dunn is a translation of an epic from Irish mythology, traditionally set in the 1st century. When Queen Medb of Connacht covets a legendary bull, she launches a war against Ulster. Due to a mysterious curse, only the seventeen-year-old demigod Cú Chulainn can defend his homeland. Through single combat at fords, supernatural interventions, and brutal battles, he wages a desperate guerrilla campaign against an overwhelming army, facing warriors, goddesses, and ultimately his own foster-brother in this tale often called "the Irish Iliad."

The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge, from the public domain. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #16464.

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34 Chapters

  1. 1.Front Matter513 words
  2. 2.Preface7,972 words
  3. 3.Chapter I: The Pillow-Talk1,014 words
  4. 4.Chapter II: 1the Occasion of the Táin11,529 words
  5. 5.Chapter III: 1the Rising-Out of the Men of Connacht at Cruachan Ai1643 words
  6. 6.Chapter IV: THE FORETELLINGa1,326 words
  7. 7.Chapter V: This Is the Route of the Táin390 words
  8. 8.Chapter VI: The March of the Host7,756 words
  9. 9.Chapter VII: The Youthful Exploits of Cuchulain (1)8,762 words
  10. 10.Chapter VII: The Youthful Exploits of Cuchulain (2)3,072 words
  11. 11.Chapter VIII: The Slaying of Orlam5,716 words
  12. 12.Chapter IX: The Proposals3,181 words
  13. 13.Chapter X: 1the Violent Death of Etarcumul13,394 words
  14. 14.Chapter XI: 1the Slaying of Nathcrantail11,858 words
  15. 15.Chapter XII: 1the Finding of the Bull13,058 words
  16. 16.Chapter XIII: 1the Combat of Cûr with Cuchulain11,026 words
  17. 17.Chapter XIV: 1the Slaying of Ferbaeth ('the Witless')13,515 words
  1. 18.Chapter XV3,766 words
  2. 19.Chapter XVI: 1the Violation of the Agreement11,008 words
  3. 20.Chapter XVII: The Great Rout on the Plain of Murthemne Followeth Here Below5,598 words
  4. 21.Chapter XVIII: 1the Slaying of Oengus Son of Oenlam1781 words
  5. 22.Chapter XIX: 1the Battle of Fergus and Cuchulain13,120 words
  6. 23.Chapter XX: The Combat of Ferdiad 1and Cuchulain1 (1)8,392 words
  7. 24.Chapter XX: The Combat of Ferdiad 1and Cuchulain1 (2)6,764 words
  8. 25.Chapter XXI: 1cuchulain and the Rivers1203 words
  9. 26.Chapter XXII: 1cethern's Strait-Fight14,081 words
  10. 27.Chapter XXIII: Here Followeth the Tooth-Fight of Fintan3,606 words
  11. 28.Chapter XXIV: The Repeated Warning of Sualtaim3,038 words
  12. 29.Chapter XXV: 1here Followeth the Array of the Host1 (1)8,743 words
  13. 30.Chapter XXV: 1here Followeth the Array of the Host1 (2)3,124 words
  14. 31.Chapter XXVI: 1the Decision of the Battle1753 words
  15. 32.Chapter XXVII: 1now of the Battle of Garech14,733 words
  16. 33.Chapter XXVIII: 1the Battle of the Bulls11,029 words
  17. 34.Chapter XXIX: 1account of the Brown Bull of Cualnge15,218 words