Page:The courtship of Ferb (Leahy).djvu/114

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Notes

Page 59.—Mumain Aitenchaitrech.—This lady is called Mugain (Moogen) in the Book of Leinster version; also in the "Feast of Briccriu," where she appears as Conor's wife. In the tale called the "Sick Bed of Cuchulainn," the name of Conor's wife is Ethne Aitencaithrech, apparently the same lady. She was sister to Maev, and the tale of her death in the river Eithne, which was named after her, is given in the ancient compilation of the Coir Anmann or "Fitness of Names," a sort of classical dictionary for names occurring in Irish romance. The story is also in the Dinnshenchas, a mediaeval Irish collection of legends of places. These two works, the Coir Anmann and the Diniishenchas, are in effect a summary of the entire body of Irish legend, arranged according to persons or places.

Page 60.—Buan his wife.—The wife of Gerg is called Nuagel in the longer version. Another variation of names occurs in the name of Gerg's dwelling, Rath Ini, which in the Egerton version is called Raith Imbuee.

Page 62.Fergus and the exiles of Ulster.—This is Fergus MacRoy, formerly king of Ulster, one of the most picturesque figures in this cycle of romance, and the reputed author of the Tain bo Cualgne. The cause of his exile can be found in the well-known tale of the "Death of the Sons of Usnech."

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