"
"Why so?" replied Ket.
"Dost thou seek a contest from me?" said Conall; "verily thou shalt
have it. By the gods of my nation I swear that since I first took
weapons in my hand I have never passed one day that I did not slay a
Connachtman, nor one night that I did not make a foray on them, nor
have I ever slept but I had the head of a Connachtman under my knee."
"I confess," then, said Ket, "that thou art a better man than I, and I
yield thee the boar. But if Anluan my brother were here, he would
match thee deed for deed, and sorrow and shame it is that he is not."
"Anluan is here," shouted Conall, and with that he drew from his
girdle the head of Anluan and dashed it in the face of Ket.
Then all sprang to their feet and a wild shouting and tumult arose,
and the swords flew out of themselves, and battle raged in the hall of
mac Datho. Soon the hosts burst out through the doors of the Dun and
smote and slew each other in the open field, until the Connacht host
were put to flight. The hound of mac Datho pursued them along with the
Ulstermen, and it came up with the chariot in which King Ailill was
driving, and seized the pole of the chariot, but the charioteer dealt
it a blow that cut off its head. When Ailill drew rein they found the
hound's head still clinging to the pole, whence that place is called
Ibar Cinn Chon, or the Yew Tree of the Hound's Head.
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