Royal Irish Academy Ireland) School of Irish Learning

“ Eochaid Dala grew jealous because of this, and all the Fir Domnand shared in his jealousy through affection, so that they thought to banish Ailill, and all the Erna who were with him, out of Connacht; but Meadb did not permit the doing of that deed, for she loved Ailill better than Eochaid. When Eochaid saw Meadb’s partiality, he challenged Ailill to fight for the kingdom and his wife. They fought a fierce fight, and Eochaid Dala fell in that conflict by Ailill mac Mata through the wiles (?) of Meadb. Ailill assumed the kingship of Connacht thereafter, with the consent of Meadb ”

“ If thou art a husbandman, be prudent, be benign unto all; bid guests welcome, though they should come at every hour.
2. Since every guest is Christ,—no trifling saying! better is humility, better gentleness, better liberality towards him. ”

“ Meadb consents to that on condition that he should marry her, and that he should have neither jealousy, fear, nor niggardliness, for it was ‘geis’ to her to marry a man who should have these three qualities. [25] Eochaid Dala was crowned through this, and was a while in Cruachan, as Meadb’s husband. At that time Ailill the son of Mata, the son of Sraibgend of the Erna, came to Cruachan, and Ailill was then a young child, and the remnant of Sraibgend’s children were along with him that they might be reared by Meadb, because of Meadb’s relationship to him, i.e. ”

“ MS. B. 512, fo. 1a1–fo. 2a2, described by Stokes in the Introduction to his edition of the "Tripartite Life of St. Patrick," where it is called "Ferchuitred Medba." Nearly all the variants of the second text have been added at bottom from photos. ”