Some poems describing cattle, ripe and fit for raiding...
This was the Brown Bull of Cuailnge--
dark brown dire haughty with young health
horrific overwhelming ferocious
full of craft
furious fiery flanks narrow
brave brutal thick breasted
curly browed head cocked high
growling and eyes glaring
tough maned neck thick and strong
snorting mighty in muzzle and eye
with a true bull's brow
and a wave's charge
and a royal wrath
and the rush of a bear
and a beast's rage
and a bandit's stab
and a lion's fury.
Thirty grown boys could take
their place from rump to nape
- a hero to his herd at morning
foolhardy at the herd's head
to his cows the beloved
to husbandmen a prop
the father of great beasts
overlooks the ox of the earth.
And its rival, the beast that inspires the entire Tain...
A white head and white feet
had the bull Finnbennach
and a red body the colour of blood
as if bathed in blood
or dyed in the red bog
or pounded in purple
with his blank paps
under breast and back
and his heavy mane and great hooves
the beloved of the cows of Ai
with ponderous tail
and a stallion's breast
and a cow's eye apple
and a salmon's snout
and hinder haunch
he romps in rut
born to bear victory
bellowing in greatness
idol of the ox herd
the prime demon Finnbennach.
John
nysalor_at_... John Hughes
... a flying arrow, a crashing wave, night old ice, a coiled snake, a bride's bed talk, a broken sword, the play of bears, a king's son.
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