The Tain

Lugaid goes to ask Cúchulainn for a truce on behalf of Medb and Ailill, which he grants, but then six warriors attack him. Medb invites him for a false parlay, intending for her men to attack him. Cúchulainn agrees to meet her unarmed, but Laeg advises against it, saying, “a warrior without his weapons is not under warrior’s law; he is treated under the rule for cowards” (138). Cúchulainn agrees, and when he meets Medb he is set upon by 14 warriors; Cúchulainn kills them all. They again “fought him foul” (139), breaking the rules of a fair fight, but he wins nonetheless, killing hundreds of people.

As a delay tactic, Ailill promises him Finnabair if he leaves them alone. Cúchulainn is skeptical yet accepts, but it is another trick. They send the camp fool Tamun dressed as Ailill along with Finnabair, hoping this will distract Cúchulainn until the Ulstermen arrive for the last battle. Cúchulainn can tell from Tamun’s speech that he is the fool; he kills Tamun and cuts off Finnabair’s hair, then shoves a pillar stone under her clothes and up through the fool. That ends the truces between them.