Cú Chulainn, renowned for his strength and heroism, was educated by warriors and poets at the court of his uncle, King Chonchobor of Ulster. The Cattle Raid of Cooley is one of many stories about the Red Branch Knights and the Hound of Ulster. Is this history or just another faery tale?
One evening while in bed, Queen Maeve of Connacht quarreled with her husband Ailill. They argued over who was the wealthiest and she taunted him unmercifully, calling him names and saying he was just a kept man. But being the owner of a magnificent White Bull gave Ailill some headway, and so it was that he won the argument.
Maeve was outraged and ordered Mac Roth, her messenger, to Cooley to rent the famed Brown Bull for a year, thus giving her the advantage. The Bull's owner was agreeable until Mac Roth and his men, drunk, revealed that had they not been allowed to borrow the bull, they would have simply taken it from him by force. The man naturally became enraged and so they ended up leaving empty-handed. Maeve declared war.
Calling together her force of warriors and allies from Munster and Tara, she awaited a sign from the Druids. Once the signs became favorable, the long march to Cooley began.
Along the way, however, a sorceress appeared before them and warned of the upcoming defeat at the hand of Cuchulainn, Champion of Ulster. Maeve blithely ignored the warning.
In Ulster, unfortunately, all the men had become ill due to a curse put on them for their cruel treatment of a pregnant woman. The men of Ulster were in labour. The only man among them who was exempt from the curse was Cuchulainn. Single-handed, he took up arms for Ulster, harassing Maeve's soldiers, swooping down upon them again and again, beheading any who dared stray from the large band of soldiers. Cuchulainn, originally known as Setanta, became known as Cu Chulainn that day, the Hound of Culann. His mastery was legend.
As the Connacht losses grew, the deposed King of Ulster, Fergus MacRoich, who is secretly Maeve's lover, meets Cuchulainn and discusses a treaty. Cuchulainn agrees to fight one on one any Connacht champion that is able, provided Maeve's army does not advance in the meantime.
One by one, day after day, Cuchulainn defeated each champion they sent, until he came face to face with Ferdia, his friend and foster-brother. Cuchulainn begged Ferdia to leave, but Ferdia refused, laughing at him. For three days they fought. On the third day, Cuchulainn flew into a killing rage and let fly his supernatural javelin. The deadly GaeBolga destroyed his friend. As Ferdia fell, Cuchulainn caught him and carried him to the riverbank, openly wailing. Overcome by despair, he turned his back on the fighting. Bouyant over this turn of events, Maeve's army moved south with the stolen bull.
Not long afterwards, the Ulster men rallied. With Cuchulainn among them, they went after her. Then Morrigan, the Queen of Demons, who has been encouraging the slaughter all along, foretold the outcome. In the battle which followed, the Connacht army was defeated, but Cuchulainn spared Maeve's life.
As the Ulstermen are escorting the Brown Bull home, they meet up with Ailill's White-Horned Bull. The Brown Bull of Donn immediately attacks the White. All day and night they locked horns in terrible combat. Come morning, the Donn is victorious. The armies consider destroying him, the cause of all their troubles, but leave him as, dying, he staggers homewards.
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