#BookologyThursday #Celtic: `When #Ferdiad was come into the camp, Medb and Ailill beheld him, and great and most wonderful joy possessed them, and they sent him to where their trusty people were, and he was honoured and waited on, and choice, well-flavoured strong liquor was poured out for him till he became drunken and merry. Finnabair, daughter of Ailill and Medb, was seated at his side. It was Finnabair that placed her hand on every goblet and cup Ferdiad quaffed. She it was that gave him three kisses with every cup that he took. She it was that passed him sweet-smelling apples over the bosom of her tunic. This is what she ceased not to say, that her darling and her chosen sweetheart of the world's men was Ferdiad. And when Medb got Ferdiad drunken and merry, great rewards were promised him if he would make the fight and combat.`
Source: Táin Bó Cúalnge, The Ancient Irish Epic Tale_Project Gutenberg
Here`s the backstory: https://hear-me.social/@NeuKelte/115622533111296276

#BookologyThursday #Celtic: `Messengers and envoys were sent from Medb and Ailill to Ferdiad. #Ferdiad denied them their will, and dismissed and sent back the messengers, and he went not with them, for he knew wherefore they would have him, to fight and combat with his friend, with his comrade and foster-brother, #Cuchulain.
Then did Medb despatch the druids and the poets of the camp, the lampoonists and hard-attackers, for Ferdiad, to the end that they might make three satires to stay him and three scoffing speeches against him, to mock at him and revile and disgrace him, that they might raise three blisters on his face, Blame, Blemish and Disgrace, that he might not find a place in the world to lay his head, if he came not with them to the tent of Medb and Ailill on the foray.
Ferdiad came with them for the sake of his own honour and for fear of their bringing shame on him, forasmuch as he deemed it better to fall by the shafts of valour and bravery and skill, than to fall by the shafts of satire, abuse and reproach.`
Source: Táin Bó Cúalnge, The Ancient Irish Epic Tale_Project Gutenberg
Here`s the backstory: https://hear-me.social/@NeuKelte/115622170522393404

#BookologyThursday #Celtic: `The men of Erin took counsel who would be fit to send to the ford to fight and do battle with #Cuchulain, to drive him off from them at the morning hour early on the morrow.
With one accord they declared that it should be #Ferdiad son of Daman son of Darè, the great and valiant warrior of the men of Domnann, the horn-skin from Irrus Domnann, the irresistible force, and the battle-rock of destruction, the own, dear, foster-brother of Cuchulain. And fitting it was for him to go thither, for well-matched and alike was their manner of fight and of combat. Under the same instructresses had they done skilful deeds of valour and arms, when learning the art with Scathach ('the Modest') and with Uathach ('the Dreadful') and with Aifè ('the Handsome'). Yet was it the felling of an oak with one's fists, and the stretching of the hand into a serpent's nest, and a spring into the lair of a lion, for hero or champion in the world, aside from Cuchulain, to fight or combat with Ferdiad on whatever ford or river or mere he set his shield. And neither of them overmatched the other, save in the feat of the Gae Bulga ('the Barbed Spear') which Cuchulain possessed. Howbeit, against this, Ferdiad was horn-skinned when fighting and in combat with a warrior on the ford; and they thought he could avoid the Gae Bulga and defend himself against it, because of the horn about him of such kind that neither arms nor multitude of edges could pierce it.`
Source: Táin Bó Cúalnge, The Ancient Irish Epic Tale_Project Gutenberg
Here`s the backstory: https://hear-me.social/@NeuKelte/115621805026677901

#FolkloreSunday #Celtic: `About his head #Ferdiad put his crested war-cap of battle and fight and combat, whereon were forty carbuncle-gems beautifully adorning it and studded with red-enamel and crystal and rubies and with shining stones of the Eastern world. His angry, fierce-striking spear he seized in his right hand. On his left side he hung his curved battle-sword, which would cut a hair against the stream with its keenness and sharpness, with its gold pommel and its rounded hilt of red gold.`
Source: Ancient Irish Tales, ed. by Tom P. Cross & Clark H. Slover