Brigit
promised, Bricriu left the hall before the start of the great feast. But before departing, he turned and told the guests that they should decide among themselves who deserved the champion's portion. Bricriu and his wife then crept up into a balcony to watch and enjoy the chaos.
As expected, each of the three Ulstermen announced his claim to the champion's portion. The argument soon became a fistfight. A wise Ulsterman, Sencha mac Ailella, ended the fight by suggesting that each guest get an equal amount of meat. He proposed that they should decide later, once they had left Bricriu's feast, which portion had actually been the best. This solution pleased everyone, for they were all anxious to finish the feast and to bid farewell to their mischievous host. They all sat down to enjoy the fine food and ale.
Thus the question of the champion's portion remained unresolved. Unsatisfied, Lóegaire, Conall, and Cúchulainn went before Cú Roí, the Irish sorcerer and warrior. He declared Cúchulainn the greatest of the three champions, but the other two champions refused to accept his ruling. The three men went before various judges and performed various feats in order to settle the question. Cúchulainn won every time, but Lóegaire and Conall always disputed the results. The three heroes returned to Emain Macha, the royal seat of Ulster, with the dispute still unsettled.
A short time later, when the champions were arguing once again about who was the most heroic, a horrible giant burst into the court of the king of Ulster. The giant shouted a challenge to all assembled there. The giant dared anyone present to chop off his head, as long as the giant could return the favor in the morning. This challenge seemed to be the perfect opportunity for the friendly rivals Lóegaire, Conall, and Cúchulainn to settle their longstanding dispute.
Lóegaire offered to go first. The giant handed Lóegaire an ax and placed his own head upon the table. Lóegaire took a mighty swing, and the giant's head rolled across the floor. But the crowd's cheer died out when the giant stood up, walked over to his head, picked it up, and placed it on his shoulders again. He then left the hall, promising to return for Lóegaire's head in the morning.
Lóegaire was faint with fear. In the morning, when the giant returned to Emain Macha to collect upon Lóegaire's oath, Lóegaire was nowhere to be found.
Conall, however, was present in the hall. Seeing his chance at the champion's portion, he agreed to meet the giant's challenge. He thought that there must have been some fault with Lóegaire's swing and that the giant's head had not been properly severed the first night. The giant handed Conall the ax and placed his head upon the table. Conall checked the weapon closely and found it sharp enough to split a single hair lengthwise. The hero took a mighty swing and the giant's head rolled across the floor. Conall's smile of triumph quickly disappeared, however, when the giant stood, picked up his head, and placed it on his shoulders again. In the morning, when the giant returned to cut off Conall's head, Conall was nowhere to be found.
Cúchulainn, however, was present in the hall. The giant turned to him and made the same challenge as before. Cúchulainn accepted. The giant handed Cúchulainn the ax and placed his head upon the table. Cúchulainn raised the ax and took a mighty swing. When the giant's head rolled across the floor, Cúchulainn said nothing. He only waited for the giant to collect his head and leave the hall.
The next morning, Cúchulainn was waiting when the giant returned to make good on the second half of the bargain. Lóegaire and Conall also returned, eager to see what would happen to their friend and rival. Cúchulainn handed the giant the ax and placed his own head upon the table. Taking a deep breath, the giant lifted the ax in his powerful arms. He took a mighty swing, and the ax fell upon the table, landing mere inches from Cúchulainn's neck.
To everyone's amazement, the giant revealed that he was actually the sorcerer-warrior Cú Roí in disguise. He reminded everyone that he had judged Cúchulainn the greatest champion before. Now, he said, he had proved it.
Brigid One of three patron saints of Ireland, along with Saint Patrick and Saint Colum Cille. Brigid was a real person, born in the fifth century a.d. Little is known about her, however, as much of her story is lost or confused amid folklore, legend, and myth. She may be based upon the pre-Christian (pagan) goddess Brigit. The most popular version of her story has her refusing her father's arrangements for her marriage. Instead, she became a nun and cared for the poor and the needy. She founded a convent and church in Kildare.
Brigit (Brighid, Brid, Brigid) An Irish goddess of many names, many regions, and many virtues. In Wales, she is known as Bride. In Britain, she is called Brigantia. Her name could mean "fiery arrow" or "exalted one." Brigit is the goddess of fire, fertil
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