And at the wall there was a bed-place with fair white linen sheets, wondrous designs were woven upon them.
Then came both those hosts together into the midst of the house, and much of death befell. Cobhtach the fair-skinned, he who was the son of Gerg, after that he had smitten the Fomorians, came to that part of the fight where Berngal the Freckled was raging and smiting the heads off the warriors of Connaught. And Berngal became weary in the strife, and he fell by the hand of Cobhtach. In another part of the palace Buri of the Cruel Speech died at the hand of Mani, who then fell into a wild frenzy, and raged among the Fomorians throughout the palace, thirty falling at his hand. But when that valiant hero Conor, the ever-victorious in war, saw the fury of Mani, he turned to meet him, and Mani awaited him, vigilant in his wrath; and they fought a long time together, and they trampled nine young men under foot. Mani hurled his spear the breadth of a spear-cast with wrath and fury, so that it made a cross passing through the body of Conor. And as Conor struggled to draw out the spear, Mani wounded him again with the bright green spear that was in his hand. And Brod came up to aid Conor, and Mani fetched him three grievous wounds, and Brod was after that unfit for war. Conor turned him again upon Mani, and over-whelmed him with crushing blows, so that he fell lifeless
29
