But ere Conall buried the head of Mesgedra he caused the brain to be
taken out and mixed with lime to make a bullet for a sling, for so it
was customary to do when a great warrior had been killed; and the
brain-balls thus made were accounted to be the deadliest of missiles.
So when Leinster had been harried and plundered and its king and queen
thus slain, the Ulstermen drew northward again, and the brain-ball was
laid up in the Dun of King Conor at Emania.
Years afterwards it happened that the Wolf of Connacht, namely Ket,
son of Maga, came disguised within the borders of Ulster in search of
prey, and he entered the palace precincts of Conor in Emania. There he
saw two jesters of the King, who had gotten the brain-ball from the
shelf where it lay, and were rolling it about the courtyard. Ket knew
it for what it was, and put it out of sight of the jesters and took it
away with him while they made search for it. Thenceforth Ket carried
it ever about with him in his girdle, hoping that he might yet use it
to destroy some great warrior among the Ulstermen.
One day thereafter Ket made a foray on the men of Ross, and carried
away a spoil of cattle. The host of Ulster and King Conor with them
overtook him as he went homeward. The men of Connacht had also
mustered to the help of Ket, and both sides made them ready for
battle.
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