Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition

The Metrical Dindshenchas (Author: [unknown])

poem 9

Belach Durgein

1. Durgen found suffering on every side
   by the hand of Indech, who traversed the battle-field,
   she was daughter of Luath, bloody in combat,
   overcomer of a hundred warriors, one that knit strife.
2. 5] Known to me is the mother who wrought her ruin;
   by her falseness the false woman destroyed her;
   'tis she was an axe-haft for cleaving
   on the soil of Belach da Bend.
3. Herccad, the mother who wrought her ruin,
   10] excellent in disposition at all times,
   was daughter of Trescu, with floods of waves; —
   perpetrated the deed that was done there!
4. She went to her slave — this is truth for you —
   (it was a madman's choice, when she had tasted him:)
   15] in spite of Luath — daring was the desire —
   came the slave to the first original crime.
5. Sharply the daughter watched:
   the alert hawk of the host revealed the secret:
   to a tryst with Herccad was coming
   20] a slave without repute, into Luath's bed.

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p.87

6. From that tryst which she arranged in the East
   with Indech on account of Herccad
   the prosperous folk,
   Durgen has a claim on them.

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p.89