(November 15, 2024) This is a part of the longer story called Táin Bó Cúailnge or just the Tain. It is also mistakenly called the "Cattle Raid of Cooley." The traditional Christian translation tells of a conflict between the Irish provinces of Ulster and Connaught over possession of the brown bull of Cooley. The Táin has been influential on Irish literature and culture. It is often considered Ireland's national epic.
The Táin is traditionally set in the 1st century in a Pagan heroic age, and it is the central text of a group of tales known as the Ulster Cycle. The text survives in three written versions (recensions) in manuscripts of the 12th century and later, the first recensions is largely written in Old Irish, the second a more consistent recension was written in Middle Irish, and the third an Early Modern Irish version.
The first recension consists of a partial text in Lebor na hUidre (the "Book of the Dun Cow") and another partial text called the "Yellow Book of Lecan." These two sources overlap and to form a complete text. This recension was constructed from various earlier versions as indicated by the number of duplicated episodes and references to "other versions" in the text. The pieces of this recension can be dated from linguistic evidence to the 8th century yet the overlapping passages even older because they seem to represent independently orally transmitted versions of some original source.
A partial copy of the first recension is found in a late 1100's CE Middle Irish manuscript compiled in the monastery at Clonmacnoise called the Lebor na hUidre. The first recension's "Yellow Book of Lecan." comes from a manuscript dating to the 1300's.
The second recension is found in a manuscript dated to the 1300's known as the Book of Leinster. This appears to have been a syncretic exercise by a scribe who brought together the Lebor na hUidre materials and unknown sources for the Yellow Book of Lecan materials to create a coherent version of the epic. While the result is a satisfactory narrative whole, the language has been modernised into a much more florid style, with all of the spareness of expression of the earlier recension lost in the process.
The Book of Leinster version ends with a colophon in Latin which says:
Royal Irish Academy Collections: Lebor na hUidre / The Book of the Dun Cow. MS 23 E 25 (Cat. No. 1229). Middle Irish, written prior to 1106 CE. Online at: https://www.ria.ie/collections/manuscripts/irish-language-manuscripts/lebor-na-huidre-the-book-of-the-dun-cow/
Lebor na hUidre MS 23 E 25 (Scanned images). Online at Irish Scripts Onscreen: https://www.isos.dias.ie/RIA/RIA_MS_23_E_25.html#2
Olmsted, Garrett (1982) Morrigan's warning to Donn Cuailnge. Etudies Celtiques. Online at: https://www.academia.edu/83157459/Morrigans_warning_to_Donn_Cuailnge
Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%A1in_B%C3%B3_C%C3%BAailnge
(November 10, 2024) The story of the Táin relies on a range of independently transmitted back-stories, known as remscéla ('fore-tales'). Some may in fact have been composed independently of the Táin and subsequently linked with it later in their transmission. The first English translation was provided L. Winifred Faraday in 1904, based on the Lebor na hUidre and the Yellow Book of Lecan. As listed by Ruairí Ó hUiginn, the Remscéla are:
(November 11, 2024)
De = Du-E = Manifestations for making ineffective
Faillsigud = Pu-AYu-Lu-LS-IGu-UDu = the opening of Ayu's desire for activating the Eyes-of-Fate for crafting ("Eyes-of-Fate" = planets)
Tana = Tu-ANu-A = astrology-magic's considerations resulting in
Bó = Ba'u = nesting
Cúailnge = Ku-U-A ILu-NaGu-E = the involvement between the high-powers and an ineffective coastal-region (rain making sky-shell)
Tain = Tu-A-INu = Astrology-magic of the Moon-Eye
Regamna = Ru-EGu-AMu-Nu-A = the eagle-vulture's neglect of the Reed-Boat's revelations of that
Regamon = Ru-EGu-A-Ma'u-Nu = the eagle-vulture's neglect as a result of pushing-away the revelations
Fraich = PaRu-AYu-Ḫu = the emotional-coercion of Ayu for Hu (or "astrology-magic is nesting the praying for Hu")
Dartada = Du-ARu-Tu-ADu-A = the manifestations of the Controller's astrology-magic which is instigating that.
Flidhais = PL-IDu-Ḫu-AYu-Ṣu = the rule over the life-channels by Hu's Ayu activity-level.
Echtrae = EḪu-TR-A = Shout-outs resulting in changes
Nerai = Nu-ERu-AYu = in the revelations about harboring Ayu
Aislinge = AYu-Ṣu-Lu-INu-Gi-E = Ayu's activity lacks the Moon-Eye's (Su) energy making it ineffective
Oengusa = A'e-NaGu-USu-A = to emotionally-power the coastal-region's traditions ("coastal region" = rain making sky shell)
Compert = Ka'u-Mu-Pu-ERu-Tu = Prodding the fertility-fluid openings by gathering-together (harboring) astrology-magic
Con = Ka'u-Nu = for prodding revelation's
Culainn = Ku-ULu-AYu-NuNu = involvements except for Ayu's chaos
Chophur = Ḫu'u-Pu-URu = the astrological-owls opening the dawn's
In = INu = Moon-Eye (Su)
Da = Du-A = which can manifest those
Mucado = Mu-UKu-A-D' = fertility-fluids shuttling those divine-motion-powers
Fochann = Pa'u-Ḫu-A-NuNu = Network-birds of Hu can be the result of chaos
Loingsi = Le'u-INu-Gi-ṢeYu = laying-out the Moon-Eye's (Su) energy blockages.
Fergusa = Pu-ERu-Gi-U-Ṣ-A = Openings can harbor the energy and activity for that.
Meic = Mu-E-IKu = Fertility-fluids are making ineffective the irrigation
Roig = Re'u-IGu = of the shepherd's (Su's priests) eye of fate (Su)
Longus = Le'u-NaGu-UṢu = The layout of the coastal-region is originating ("coastal-region" is the rain making sky shell)
Mac = Mu-A-Ku = the fertility-fluids resulting from involvement
Nuislenn = NaWu-Ya-SeLu-ENu-Nu = not being abandoned by Selu/Selene's reassignments of the revelations
Tochmarc = Ta'u-ḪaMu-ARu-Ku = The pasture is paralyzing the Controllers involvement ("Pasture" is starry night sky, "Controllers" are night deities of Su, Selene, Kate/Hecate)
Ferbe = Pu-ERu-Bu-E = in opening the harboring of ineffective nourishments
Ces = Ku-EṢu = Involving the shedding of
Ulad = U-Lu-ADu = and lack of the Instigator (Thu)
De = No Entry
Faillsigud = No Entry
Tana = thin, narrow, of the river,
Bo = ox, cow
Cúailnge = thought to be equivalent to Cúalnge - No Entry
Tain = to drive out, cattle-raid, plundering expedition, herd, flock,
Regamna = No Entry
Regamon = No Entry
Fraich = No Entry
Dartada = No Entry
Flidhais = No Entry
Echtrae = No Entry
Nerai = No Entry
Aislinge = vision, dream
Oengusa = No Entry
Compert = conception, offspring, legal decision
Con = of pure conscience
Culainn = No Entry
Chophur = No Entry
In = the
Da = the number 2
Mucado = No Entry
Fochann = ripe grain, ripe corn
Loingsi = No Entry
Fergusa = No Entry
Meic = No Entry
Roig = No Entry
Longus = No Entry
Mac = son of
Nuislenn = No Entry
Tochmarc = romancing
Ferbe = No Entry
Ces = debility, lethargy, sickness
Ulad = on this occasion
(November 14, 2024) Three manuscripts of Recension 1 exist. They are found in:
O'Curry, M.S. 1 (1965), edited by P.O. Fainachta 1 - (C)
Lebor na hUidre (1976) edited by C.O. O'Rahily (1 - LU) Online at: https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T301012.html
Yellow Book of Lecan (1912) edited by J. Strachan and J. O'Keeffe (1 - YBL).
Red lines are lines different from Recension 1-C. So far the differences are not copy errors but seem to represent similar meanings using different words. This is something one would expect from oral transmission.
Original Text (1-C)
(Starts at Line 140)Chapter 1
Equivalent Druid Akkadian Phrases
(Verbs in italic-bold, Large letters in text while small letters are inferred inner vowels.)(Irish Gaelic letter assignments are: /ae/ is A ; /o/ is ' ; /ei/ is Y/I ; /f/ is P ; /th/ is Ṭ ; /ch/ is Ḫ) ; /c/ is K)Original Text (1-LU)
(Starts at Line 957)Chapter 1
Equivalent Druid Akkadian Phrases
(Verbs in italic-bold, Large letters in text while small letters are inferred inner vowels.)(Irish Gaelic letter assignments are: /ae/ is A ; /o/ is ' ; /ei/ is Y/I ; /f/ is P ; /th/ is Ṭ ; /ch/ is Ḫ) ; /c/ is K)Original Text (1-YBL)
(Starts at Line 846)Chapter 1
Equivalent Druid Akkadian Phrases
(Verbs in italic-bold, Large letters in text while small letters are inferred inner vowels.)(Irish Gaelic letter assignments are: /ae/ is A ; /o/ is ' ; /ei/ is Y/I ; /f/ is P ; /th/ is Ṭ ; /ch/ is Ḫ) ; /c/ is K)Original Text (1-C)
Chapter 2
Equivalent Druid Akkadian Phrases
(Verbs in italic-bold, Large letters in text while small letters are inferred inner vowels.)(Irish Gaelic letter assignments are: /ae/ is A ; /o/ is ' ; /ei/ is Y/I ; /f/ is P ; /th/ is Ṭ ; /ch/ is Ḫ) ; /c/ is K)Original Text (1-LU)
Chapter 2
Equivalent Druid Akkadian Phrases
(Verbs in italic-bold, Large letters in text while small letters are inferred inner vowels.)(Irish Gaelic letter assignments are: /ae/ is A ; /o/ is ' ; /ei/ is Y/I ; /f/ is P ; /th/ is Ṭ ; /ch/ is Ḫ) ; /c/ is K)Original Text (1-YBL)
Chapter 2
Equivalent Druid Akkadian Phrases
(Verbs in italic-bold, Large letters in text while small letters are inferred inner vowels.)(Irish Gaelic letter assignments are: /ae/ is A ; /o/ is ' ; /ei/ is Y/I ; /f/ is P ; /th/ is Ṭ ; /ch/ is Ḫ) ; /c/ is K)Original Text (1-C)
Chapter 3
Equivalent Druid Akkadian Phrases
(Verbs in italic-bold, Large letters in text while small letters are inferred inner vowels.)(Irish Gaelic letter assignments are: /ae/ is A ; /o/ is ' ; /ei/ is Y/I ; /f/ is P ; /th/ is Ṭ ; /ch/ is Ḫ) ; /c/ is K)Original Text (1-LU)
Chapter 3
Equivalent Druid Akkadian Phrases
(Verbs in italic-bold, Large letters in text while small letters are inferred inner vowels.)(Irish Gaelic letter assignments are: /ae/ is A ; /o/ is ' ; /ei/ is Y/I ; /f/ is P ; /th/ is Ṭ ; /ch/ is Ḫ) ; /c/ is K)Original Text (1-YBL)
Chapter 3
Equivalent Druid Akkadian Phrases
(Verbs in italic-bold, Large letters in text while small letters are inferred inner vowels.)(Irish Gaelic letter assignments are: /ae/ is A ; /o/ is ' ; /ei/ is Y/I ; /f/ is P ; /th/ is Ṭ ; /ch/ is Ḫ) ; /c/ is K)