

#King Eochaid has horse's ears


<!-- // 
 function footNote(link) {
 openpopup = window.open(link,"openpopup","width=512,height=128,left=256,top=256,resizable=no,scrollbars=1,menubar=1,statusbar=0,toolbar=0");
}
// -->



#### Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition


### Background details and bibliographic information


King Eochaid has horse's ears
=============================


Author: Unknown
---------------


### File Description

Kuno MeyerElectronic edition compiled by Beatrix Färber

Funded by University College, Cork, School of History 1. First draft.Extent of text: 2290 words#### Publication


CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts: a Department of History project at University College, Cork  
College Road, Cork, Ireland—http://www.ucc.ie/celt

 (2016) Distributed by CELT online at University College, Cork, Ireland.  
Text ID Number: G302002Availability 
Available with prior consent of the CELT programme for purposes of academic research and teaching only.


#### Sources


**Manuscript Source**2. Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, RIA D 4. 2, 15th century, scribe Eoghain Ó Hachoideirn, fo 52b1–53b2. For a manuscript description see the ISOS online catalogue at https://www.isos.dias.ie.
**Literature, editions, translations**2. Whitley Stokes, Mythological Notes: VII. Labraid Lorc and his Ears, Revue Celtique 2 (1870) 197–199 (from H 2 16, the Yellow Book of Lecan, col. 690, 691).
3. Käte Müller-Lisowski, Irische Volksmärchen (Jena 1923) (German translation).
4. Rudolf Thurneysen, 'Die Flöte von Mac Díchoeme', Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 19 (1932) 117–124. (Based on the second part of the manuscript).
5. Tristano Bolelli (ed), 'La leggenda del re dalle orecchie di cavallo in Irlanda'. In: Due studi irlandesi. Preistoria della poesia irlandese. La leggenda del re dalle orecchie di cavallo in Irlanda. (Pisa 1950) 43–98. (Based on the stories 'Labraid Lorc and his ears' and 'King Eochaid has horse's ears). With Italian translation and glossary.
6. Máirtín Ó Briain, 'Cluasa capaill ar an rí: AT 782 i dtraidisiún na hÉireann', Béaloideas 53 (1985) 11–74.
7. Gaël Milin, Le roi Marc aux oreilles de cheval, vol. 197, Publications romanes et françaises (Geneva 1991).
8. John Carey, 'From David to Labraid: sacral kingship and the emergence of monotheism in Israel and Ireland, in: Katja Ritari and Alexandra Bergholm (eds), Approaches to religion and mythology in Celtic studies. (Newcastle upon Tyne 2008) 2–27.
9. Ralph O'Connor, Classical Literature and Learning in Medieval Irish Narrative (Woodbridge 2014).
10. Otia Merseiana 3 is available on www.archive.org.
**The edition used in the digital edition**2. **Kuno Meyer**, Stories and songs from Irish manuscripts VII: King Eochaid has horse's ears in Otia Merseiana. volume 3, London, Th. Wohlleben (1903) page 46–50

### Encoding


#### Project Description


CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts


#### Sampling Declaration


The electronic text covers pages 46–50. The English translation is available in a separate file, T302002.


#### Editorial Declaration


##### Correction


Text has been checked and proof-read twice.


##### Normalization


The electronic text represents the edited text. Meyer's introduction is integrated. Names are capitalized in line with CELT practice. In Meyer's edition, the acute accent and macron are used to mark long vowels. Both are retained. Meyer's corrections are marked corr sic="" resp="KM". Text supplied by him is marked sup resp="KM"; editorial expansions are marked ex. Editorial footnotes are integrated into the electronic edition.


##### Quotation


Direct speech is marked q.


##### Hyphenation


Soft hyphens are silently removed. When a hyphenated word (hard or soft) crosses a page-break, this break is marked after completion of the hyphenated word.


##### Segmentation


div0=the whole text; p=the editor's paragraph; page-breaks are marked pb n="".


##### Interpretation


Names are not tagged, nor are terms for cultural and social roles.


#### Canonical References


This text uses the P element to represent the paragraph. ### Profile Description


Created: Date range: 900–1000 (poem 9th century; prose later).#### Use of language


##### Language: [GA] The text is in Old Irish.


##### Language: [EN] The Introduction is in English.


### Revision History


* (2016-05-03) Beatrix Färber (ed.)

* SGML and HTML files created.
* (2016-03-16) Beatrix Färber (ed.)

* Header completed; remaining structural and content encoding applied to whole file; file proofed (2), parsed and validated.
* (2016-03-15) Beatrix Färber (ed.)

* Header created. Introduction and missing text scanned in and proofed (1).
* (1996) Students of the CURIA Project (ed.)

* File proofed (1, 2); some structural markup added.
* (1996) Students of the CURIA Project (data capture)

* File scanned.




---


#### Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition: G302002


### King Eochaid has horse's ears: Author: Unknown




---

p.46


### VII

### King Eochaid has Horse's Ears


The following story, now edited for the first time, will interest 
folklorists as an early Irish setting of two well-known and widely 
spread motives — the king with horse's ears, and the disclosure 
of a secret by musical instruments. A similar Irish story containing 
the same fusion of these two motives was published by **Whitley 
Stokes** in the second volume of the Revue Celtique, pp. 197 seq., from 
the commentary on the Amra Coluimb Chille in the Yellow Book of Lecan. Our version, which I would ascribe to the 10th century, is 
found in the Stowe manuscript D. 4. 2, fo. 32b1–53b2. It is entitled: Inni diata cuslinn Brighde & Aidhed mic Dhíchóime 
'Whence is (St.) Brigit's pipe, and the Death of Dichoim's Son.'


I give here only the first part of this story leaving out the end 
which tells how St. Brigit took the pipe away from Mac Dichoime for 
having abducted a maiden in the service of her namesake Sen-Brigit, 
and how Mac Dichoime, deprived at the same time of his paramour 
and his beloved pipe, died.


The manuscript is carelessly written and requires numerous corrections.


*[B]*ái rí amra for h-Ib Failgi fecht n-aill .i. Eoch*aid* a ainm. Búi ainim mór forsin rígh .i. dá n-óó eich (*nó* pill) fair. Is aml*aid* *immorro* boí in rí & mind n-órdha 'na urthócbálta úas a chind do *díchleith* a ainmbe. In inbuidh *immorro* a berrtha no théghed i fássaigibh & díambraib & i n-áiddib dícheltaibh dia berrad. In berrthaid



---

p.47


*immorro* ní thiced cen a marb*ad*. Ba sí insin dúass & duilgine a berrthadha.Boí *immorro* m*a*c bráthar dó ina thegluch. Óengus a ainm & ní h-ed don-gairthi *acht* Mac Díchóime, ar bá Díchóem ainm a m*átha*r & is úaithi no ainmnigthe a m-m*a*c, ar ba maith in m*áthai*r, cíarbo díchóem. Occláech do*no* án amnass airgech é-s*ed*e & is é no b*er*radh in slúagh & is lais no bíd cerd glésta a n-ech. h-É do*no* no indsmad a slegha & a sithslata & a n-goí & a l-laghna lethangéra. h-É da*no* nodas-pettad di fhethchoisig & timpánacht, do dhúanaibh & duchannaibh, do fáthrannaib h-espa & airchetail. Bá án da*no* h-ellomglicc int í-ssiu h-ic snám & h-ic selgairecht. Ba h-urdairc i cerdaibh gaile & gaiscid int í-siu .i. Óengus mac Díchóeme, co m-ba serc*aid*{MS folio 52b2}
sænimail ar g*rá*dh & inmhaine do feraibh & do mnáib. Oc*us* cid in ríghan .i. bean Eochadha ní fhúathaighedh a h-urscéla & ar-fæmfad a chomlaige, día m-bad chumma thol dia fir feisin & díssi.Ro líad ttra ind ríghan fon scéim sin for mac féta fin*[d]* Díchóeme, co cúala cách & co cúala in rí .i. Eoch*aid*. Tnúthaighis tra in rí fria *[mac a]* bráth*ar* & míannaighis dia mharbad. Ba meabul lais do*no* a marbad tria ét, co táncatar techtaire a dochum m*ai*c Díchóem*[e]* ara tíssadh lais di chúairt araile fássaigh. Et dí fáthaib do*no* do-cúas cuca-som sech cách ar mhían a berrt*[h]*a, h-úair táinicc impach in berrtha, oc*us* do dhígail & do h-indechadh a fergi & a h-eóit fair íarma íarna berradh. Bá tár mór laisna slóghaib a n-ní-sin, ar ba derb lethu ar ná tíssa*[d]* int í-sin Mac Findchóem*e* íar m-*[be]*arb*ad* in rígh, feib ná tor*acht* ne*ch* ríam reme.Luidis in gilla lais insin fássa*ch* & fo-gabat fástech and. ‘Ba ferr dún ar m-berradh’, for in rí, ‘fo bíth is ar n-úathadh.’ ‘Am imtúailnge-se do*no*’, ar in gilla, ‘do dagh-berrtha’, & no-mberrand íarsin. ‘In maith & in maissech fil in cenn-sin íarna núaberrad?’ ol sé. ‘Is maith da*no*’, ol in gilla, ‘& rop ferr ar cá*ch* bess.’ Righidh in rí a láim do *indsaigid* a claidhib do marbad in gilla. ‘Meise no-mb*ér*a’, ar in gilda, ‘& do-b*ér*a béim de h-it *chend-siu*, a fhinghalaigh, co ná derna finghail for nech n-aile dom h-éissi. Faicfe do mnái & do h-orbhai & t' atharthir & do ríghi donn ló-so, a capaill chlúasmhár brénchinn! Do-cicheta ilslóigh & sochaidi lium-sa do chenn íarna bein dít’, & nochtais in gilla in claidheb & tócbaiss úass a chind dia thairb*er*t fair & dia marbad. ‘Dess Dé thairiss’, ol Eochaidh. ‘Ní h-eadh {MS folio 53a1} bías etrunn, a gillai. For-bía-ssa h-i comtomailt ma gráda-sa & tussa nom-berrfa dogrés, acht ba maith



---

p.48




do rún arna facca lim-sa.’ ‘Bidh maith’, ol in gilla, ‘& iss *ed* bías and cairrdine tuillid don sceól-sa.’Dolotar íarum dia tig a ndís & ba fáilidh in slúagh di sain. Ba galar mór *immorro* don gillu gabáil im a rún, *condarulád* h-i serc sílige & h-i mbruth & i clamsaine & h-isin tróge cen nert, cen láthar. Luidh in gillai laa n-óen ann do íarair leigis & lesaigthi do thig 
araile fáthlegha bói h-i nGensilliu. Occ techt dó dar Móna*[i]*d Cóemtechta h-i nGensiulliu dofuit for a béolu, co róemdetar teóra fetána fola asa bélaib & assa srónaib & bá slán di sain in gilla.In lá aile h-i cind blíadna *dochóid* in slógh & intí mac Dícóema 
cosin maghin cétna i torch*air* & in ro-scé a rún & h-incoisscid don slúagh: ‘Sunna’ ar sé ‘romícad-sa & ro-scéos trí srotha fola,’ & turcbais r*[a]*i*n*d: 


> 1. 1] Sunna ro-híccad amne
>   
> 2] intí siu mac Díchóeme
>   
> 3] do scéith 'ma rúin, rúathar ngarb,
>   
> 4] for Eoch*aid* n-úathmar n-agarb.
> 2. 5] Día lod d'íarair mo leigis
>   
> 6] íar mbliadain rúin ro-gab*us*
>   
> 7] romchuir h-i seirg seimne sé
>   
> 8] h-im-meirbe *ocus* h-im-mígné.
> 3. 9] Fetdáin fola, ferrde dam,
>   
> 10] darm bél, darm sróin ros-ralad,
>   
> 11] rodáil mo Día h-i crunna
>   
> 12] condat cia filet sunna.
> S.
> 
> 



At-conncatar tra na slúaig na téora flesca fhírdírghe & ní fetatar cía at-feta. Lécais in slógh remi de & anais fri cró comcruind do gním 
impu & cingis i ndegaid in tslóigh íar scaich & íar scuir a h-opra.Iar sin tra doroacht aroile fer cerddha do h-innagaid Eochach a 
tírib *Muman* .i. cruitt*ire* amra és*ide* co aithib aurchetail. Iss *ed* do*no* 
do-rala, for cói don crú cusna flescaibh & bátar h-i comdéscin na flesc. 
Co n-epert ind flesc fri araile: ‘Eoch*aid* fer scéith, dá n-óe n-eich 
fair.’ Ráidsit in sin fo trí. ‘Is maith dún adhbunn de-seo for ar cruit,’ co n-epert: 


> 1. 1] Comrád na flesc, ce*ch* ladna,
>   
> 2] nipsam lesc ra lúathlabra,
>   
> 3] dogénath adhbann triam chruit
>   
> 4] corop adband ard urdairc.
> 
> 
> ---
> 
> p.49
> 
> 4. 5] Eochaid fer scéith scenmda a sccuir
>   
> 6] *dá* n-óe n-e*[i]*ch ro-glenamair,
>   
> 7] ráidsecha sain na slat slán,
>   
> 8] torud cocuir is *comrád*.
> C.
> 
> 

{MS folio 53a2}Luid 'ar sain in cruitire do thigh in ríg & ro-ferad 
fáilte mór fris lasin ríg. B*er*tair da*no* h-i tigh lighi ind ríg. ‘Sennaidh’ for sé, ol Eoch*aid* ‘cruit menmannraid dún!’ ‘Maith dún,’ ol séat. Insucut do senmaim dó & i*[s ed]* sennait íarum .i. ‘Eoch*aid* fer scéith, dá n-óe n-eich fair.’ ‘Tucthar tene & caindel isin tegh!’ ol in rí. Feib dorúacht in tene & doroc*ra*tar na caindle & na sutralla 
solasta: ‘Oirgidh’ ol sé ‘for broinne na cruit*ir*e & no-dos-cenglaid!’ 
& docúas ón focétóir co ro-cenglaid & bátar co matain 'na cengaltaib.Ticc in slúagh arabárach. ‘Robo ferr’ ol na cruit*ir*e ‘cen ar marbad co fessa tú ar cinaidh ríasiu ro-marbtha.’ ‘Oirged cách imach!’ ol Eoch*aid*. ‘Atmhaidh,’ ol sé, ‘cía ó tuccsaid in adhpund ucut.’ ‘Is *ed* inso,’ ol séat. ‘Na flescca ro-cansat dún, iss íat ro-hás*[a]*tar a scéith 
maic Díchóeme.’ ‘Is fír,’ for sé. ‘Is annssa do dáinib gabáil im rúnaib ro-dochtaibh, an tan nát cumgat cidh na crainn gab*áil* fair. Fúaslaicidh donaib cruitirib!’ for sé. *Gataid* a cathbar*[r]* dia 
chiunn: ‘Is so amail tú-ssa,’ ol sé, ‘a h-uu Failge!’ Co n-epert: 


> 1. 1] Cathbarr 'mom cenn, bá *mod* mór,
>   
> 2] do dhín mo locht for cach slógh:
>   
> 3] úand úair siu súas co lín mbla
>   
> 4] do dín mo clúas ní thiccfa.
> 2. 5] A h-úi Failge, fégaid *sein*
>   
> 6] clúassa Echach dá n-óe n-eich:
>   
> 7] ní ceiledh cách h-ic a thigh
>   
> 8] clúassa Echach d'fhírfaiccsin.
> 3. 9] Mór in monor rún im ní,
>   
> 10] dúr a *dénam* dom éissi,
>   
> 11] a aithle cáich ro-dass-marb
>   
> 12] ba h-aithne áigh, ba h-aggarb.
> 4. 13] Ní fétfa ne*ch* rún amne
>   
> 14] a aithle maic Dhíchóeme,
>   
> 15] ' sa h-aithle scéoil na trí crann 
>   
> 16] mé dom dheóin ní géb cathbharr.
> Cathb*arr*.
> 
> 




---

p.50



 

‘Ní ba lughaide ttra’ ol séat, ar h-úi Failge ‘do grádh-su *nó* do inmhuine dúin*[n]* & ní ba fainnide do recht *nó* do ríghe forn*[n]*'e.’ Dombert in cathbarr don cruit*ir*e i séot a imdergtha.Luid *immorro* *[mac]* Díchóeme cosna flescaibh íar d*[t]*ain, co ndergenai cuislind ndégabail díb. Oc*us* gab*ais* íar sin ríghe i ndegaid Eochach & cía ro-gab ríge, ní ro-scar fria chuisslind.











