Nad Crantail
Encyclopedia
Nad Crantail is one of the warriors that Cú Chulainn
fights with in single combat to delay Medb
's army in attaching Ulster in the Táin Bó Cuailnge
(Cattle Raid of Cooley). In looking for someone who might be a match for Cú Chulainn
, Medb
sends for Nad Crantail. He will only agree to fight if promised Medb
's daughter Findabair
, which Medb
agrees to. Cú Chulainn
is warned of his impending fight by Lugaid, but is unconcerned. Cú Chulainn
is hunting birds when Nad Crantail comes to fight him wielding nine holly stakes. Nad Crantail throws all nine stakes at Cú Chulainn
, but Cú Chulainn
manages to jump up onto the point of each stake. While the last of the nine stakes is being fired at Cú Chulainn
, the birds he is hunting fly away. He chases after the birds, but appeared to everyone else to be fleeing from the fight. When confronted with this, Cú Chulainn
claimes that Nad Crantail had not come to fight him with a real weapon, and he would not kill someone who was not armed. He issues a challenge for Nad Crantail to come fight him the next day. When Nad Crantail meets Cú Chulainn
for that fight, he sees that Cú Chulainn
is just a “beardless boy” and refuses to fight him. In response to this, Cú Chulainn
claims not to be himself, lures Nad Craintail away, and dons a fake beard made from blackberries. Now that Cú Chulainn
has a beard Nad Crantail is willing to fight him. They agree on a fight consisting of spear throwing, where only upward dodging is allowed. Nad Crantail takes the first shoot, but Cú Chulainn
jumps over it. Next, Cú Chulainn
throws a spear that hits Nad Crantail in the head. After this, Nad Crantail requests to be allowed to tell his sons about his hidden treasure before Cú Chulainn
finishes him off. Cú Chulainn
agrees, and after Nad Crantail goes back to his camp to speak to his sons, he comes back to finish the fight. He throws his sword at Cú Chulainn
, which is doged by jumping. Cú Chulainn
then enters a torque state, landing on Nad Craintail’s shield before cutting off his head. Cú Chulainn
further cuts up Nad Craintail’s body into four pieces before chanting a verse to mark the occasion.
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
fights with in single combat to delay Medb
Medb
Medb – Middle Irish: Meḋḃ, Meaḋḃ; early modern Irish: Meadhbh ; reformed modern Irish Méabh, Medbh; sometimes Anglicised Maeve, Maev or Maive – is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
's army in attaching Ulster in the Táin Bó Cuailnge
Táin Bó Cúailnge
is a legendary tale from early Irish literature, often considered an epic, although it is written primarily in prose rather than verse. It tells of a war against Ulster by the Connacht queen Medb and her husband Ailill, who intend to steal the stud bull Donn Cuailnge, opposed only by the teenage...
(Cattle Raid of Cooley). In looking for someone who might be a match for Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
, Medb
Medb
Medb – Middle Irish: Meḋḃ, Meaḋḃ; early modern Irish: Meadhbh ; reformed modern Irish Méabh, Medbh; sometimes Anglicised Maeve, Maev or Maive – is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
sends for Nad Crantail. He will only agree to fight if promised Medb
Medb
Medb – Middle Irish: Meḋḃ, Meaḋḃ; early modern Irish: Meadhbh ; reformed modern Irish Méabh, Medbh; sometimes Anglicised Maeve, Maev or Maive – is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
's daughter Findabair
Findabair
In Irish mythology, Findabair or Finnabair , whose name likely means "White Phantom" and is etymologically related to Gwenhwyfar, the Welsh original of Guinevere, was the daughter of Ailill and Medb of Connacht....
, which Medb
Medb
Medb – Middle Irish: Meḋḃ, Meaḋḃ; early modern Irish: Meadhbh ; reformed modern Irish Méabh, Medbh; sometimes Anglicised Maeve, Maev or Maive – is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
agrees to. Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
is warned of his impending fight by Lugaid, but is unconcerned. Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
is hunting birds when Nad Crantail comes to fight him wielding nine holly stakes. Nad Crantail throws all nine stakes at Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
, but Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
manages to jump up onto the point of each stake. While the last of the nine stakes is being fired at Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
, the birds he is hunting fly away. He chases after the birds, but appeared to everyone else to be fleeing from the fight. When confronted with this, Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
claimes that Nad Crantail had not come to fight him with a real weapon, and he would not kill someone who was not armed. He issues a challenge for Nad Crantail to come fight him the next day. When Nad Crantail meets Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
for that fight, he sees that Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
is just a “beardless boy” and refuses to fight him. In response to this, Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
claims not to be himself, lures Nad Craintail away, and dons a fake beard made from blackberries. Now that Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
has a beard Nad Crantail is willing to fight him. They agree on a fight consisting of spear throwing, where only upward dodging is allowed. Nad Crantail takes the first shoot, but Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
jumps over it. Next, Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
throws a spear that hits Nad Crantail in the head. After this, Nad Crantail requests to be allowed to tell his sons about his hidden treasure before Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
finishes him off. Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
agrees, and after Nad Crantail goes back to his camp to speak to his sons, he comes back to finish the fight. He throws his sword at Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
, which is doged by jumping. Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
then enters a torque state, landing on Nad Craintail’s shield before cutting off his head. Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
further cuts up Nad Craintail’s body into four pieces before chanting a verse to mark the occasion.