of interest in itself to make it an independent tale, and is as long as
the four put together. All the five tales have been rendered into
verse, with a prose literal translation opposite to the verse
rendering, for reasons already given in the preface to the first
volume. A short introduction, describing the manuscript authority, is
prefixed to each; they all seem to go back in date to the best literary
period, but appear to have been at any rate put into their present form
later than the Great Tain, in order to lead up to it. A possible
exception to this may be found at the end of the Tain bo Flidais, which
seems to give a different account of the end of the war of Cualgne, and
to claim that Cuchulain was defeated, and that Connaught gained his
land for its allies. It may be mentioned that the last four tales are
expressly stated in the text to be "remscela" to the Great Tain.




INTRODUCTION IN VERSE



When to an Irish court of old
Came men, who flocked from near and far
To hear the ancient tale that told
Cuchulain's deeds in Cualgne's War;

Oft, ere that famous tale began,
Before their chiefest bard they hail,
Amid the throng some lesser man
Arose, to tell a lighter tale;