BRICRIU’S FEAST

(Fled Bricrenn)

(ca. eighth century)

Bricriu’s Feastis one of the longest tales in the group of early Irish narratives known as the ULSTER CYCLE, the cycle containing the exploits of the great Irish mythological hero CUCHULAIN. The story, which survives in several versions, probably dates back to the eighth century, though the earliest manuscript containing the tale is theBook of the Dun Cowfrom about 1100. Of special interest to students of medieval ROMANCE because of its relationship to the MIDDLE ENGLISH poemSIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT, Bricriu’s Feastmakes entertaining reading in itself because of its comic as well as heroic elements.

The plot of the tale revolves around the notion of the “hero’s portion”: It was customary among ancient Celtic peoples to present a “champion’s portion” of any feast to the acknowledged greatest warrior present—a custom that occasionally caused spontaneous battles among rival claimants at the feast. In this story Bricriu “of the poison tongue”—the Irish trickster figure—invites the heroes of Ulster to a feast at his newly built palace, but before the day of the feast he promises the hero’s portion to three different warriors (Lóegaire Buadach, Conall Cernach, and Cuchulain).When the feast day arrives, the three warriors rise to do battle in the hall in dispute over the portion. The Ulstermen’s King Conchobar stops them, and it is decided to submit the question to Ailill, king of Connacht. In the meantime Bricriu has stirred up a rivalry between the wives of the heroes as well, saying that the first one to enter the doors to the feast will be considered the preeminent woman in Ulster. The three women tuck up their skirts and race to the palace, while their husbands demolish Bricriu’s house trying to let the women in.

A series of tests follows: Ailill looses wild cats upon the heroes, and while Cuchulain alone stands his ground, Lóegaire and Conall refuse to accept the judgment that he receive the champion’s portion because it was not earned in battle against men.Ailill’s wife Medb gives the heroes trophies, the most valuable going to Cuchulain, but again the others refuse to accept the outcome. Finally they decide to submit the dispute to Cu Roi, a legendary wizard from the south of Ireland (probably not originally part of the northern Ulster cycle at all). At Cu Roi’s castle, the three warriors stand guard on successive nights. A giant easily defeats Lóegaire and Conall the first two nights, but on the third Cuchulain conquers the giant as well as a monstrous beast and nine other warriors.Cu Roi awards the prize to Cuchulain, but when the three arrive back at Conchobar’s court, Lóegaire and Conall again refuse to accept Cuchulain’s victory.

After this a large, hideous churl (orbachlach) appears at court carrying a great axe. The churl challenges the heroes of the court to a game:He will allow one of them to cut off his head with his axe so long as the warrior agrees to return the following night to allow his own head to be cut off.When Lóegaire takes up the challenge and beheads the intruder, the churl simply picks up his head and walks off. Lóegaire fails to appear the following night, and Conall takes up the challenge. But he has similar success and, like Lóegaire, does not appear the following night to take the churl’s return blow. Next Cuchulain, like the others, beheads the churl. But unlike anyone before him, Cuchulain has the courage to return the following night to receive the churl’s blow.When Cuchulain puts his own head on the chopping block, the churl tells him to rise up, declaring that there is no warrior in all Ireland that can match him, and awards him the hero’s portion— and awards his wife precedence over all other women in Ulster—forever after. The churl then disappears, and it is revealed that he was in fact Cu Roi in disguise, who had come to see that the Ulstermen adhered to his original judgment.

While the story has been criticized at times for being repetitious and rambling, it remains a fascinating look at an ancient Celtic custom. It has long been recognized that the “beheading game” ofBricriu’s Feastis a close analogue to that inSir Gawain and the Green Knight. Even the Green Knight’s name, Bercilak, seems clearly related to thebachlachinBricriu’s Feast. Thus the tale is important not only in its own right but also for its relationship to the Arthurian tradition.

■ Dillon, Myles.Early Irish Literature. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, 1948.

■ Cross, Tom Peete, and Clark Harris Slover.Ancient Irish Tales. 1936. Reprinted with a revised bibliography by Charles W. Dunn. New York: Barnes and Noble, 1969.