Táin Bó Dartada

Abstract

This article presents a new edition and translation of the much neglected Ulster Cycle tale, Táin Bó Dartada ‘The cattle-raid of Dartaid’. It is here edited from British Library MS Egerton 1782 (E) with readings from the Yellow Book of Lecan (Y) and British Library MS Additional 33993 (A). E is shown to be the best representative of an archetype which is no later than the tenth century but may have drawn on earlier sources. An examination of Y suggests that that version was somewhat modernised and reorganised by c. 1100, although the analysis suggests that E also underwent some abridgement. Problems of interpretation of the text that have previously been glossed over are explored in detail. An interesting picture of the nature of the áes síde emerges, notably as regards their invisibility and close proximity to humans and their use of wordplay and lavish gifts in acts of egregious deceit.