of Ireland; he was Ket, the son of Mata, he came from the land of
Connaught. He hung up his weapons at a greater height than the weapons
of any one else who was there, he took a knife in his hand, and he
placed himself at the side of the Boar.

"Find ye now," said he, "one man among the men of Ireland who can equal
my renown, or else leave the division of the Boar to me."

All of the Ulstermen were thrown into amazement. "Seest thou that, O
Laegaire?"[FN#14] said Conor.


[FN#14] Pronounced Leary.


"Never shall it be," said Laegaire the Triumphant, "that Ket should
have the division of this Boar in the face of us all."

"Softly now, O Laegaire!" said Ket; "let me hold speech with thee.
With you men of Ulster it hath for long been a custom that each lad
among you who takes the arms of a warrior should play first with us the
game of war: thou, O Laegaire, like to the others didst come to the
border, and we rode against one another. And thou didst leave thy
charioteer, and thy chariot and thy horses behind thee, and thou didst
fly pierced through with a spear. Not with such a record as that shalt
thou obtain the Boar;" and Laegaire sat himself down.

"It shall never come to pass," said a great fair-haired warrior,
stepping forward from the bench whereon he had sat, "that the division
of the Boar shall be left to Ket before our very eyes."