108:, they are visited by a giant churl who challenges them each in turn to behead him, and then allow him to behead them the following day. Lóegaire, Conall and Cúchulainn all behead the churl, who picks up his head and leaves, but Lóegaire and Conall are nowhere to be found when he returns the following day. Only Cúchulainn keeps his side of the bargain. He stretches out his neck for the axe, but the churl spares him in recognition of his courage and honour. He reveals himself as Cú Roí, and announces that the Champion's Portion is indisputably Cúchulainn's.
91:, privately, and advises each of them to claim the Champion's Portion, which at this feast includes not only a roast boar but also a cauldron of wine and a hundred cakes of wheat baked in honey. All three stand up to claim it, and fighting nearly breaks out. To avoid violence the Champion's Portion is shared out among the Ulstermen, and
60:
arrives, and his boasts force Cet to give way to him. But he claims that Conall would have had to give way to his brother Anlúan had he been there. Conall responds by tossing Cet Anlúan's freshly severed head. Conall carves the pig, but gives the
Connachtmen such a small portion that battle breaks
103:
of
Munster, are asked to judge the dispute. A series of tests of skill and courage are set, and after each of them Cúchulainn is judged to have won, but Conall and Lóegaire refuse to accept the judgement, and the Champion's Portion goes unawarded. Then, when the three heroes are at
52:("The Story of Mac Dá Tho's Pig") features a dispute over the Champion's Portion between warriors of Ulster and Connacht who are guests at a feast in Leinster. They dispute it by boasting of their previous heroic deeds, and eventually the Connacht hero
30:, whereby the warrior acknowledged as the bravest present at a feast was given precedence and awarded the choicest cut of meat. This was often disputed violently. The custom appears most often in the legends of the
123:, says that it was formerly the custom among the Celts for the hind quarter of pork to be claimed by the bravest man, and disputes over who this was would be settled by single combat to the death.
260:
326:
146:, two warriors from Slaine's tribe fight over the hero's portion. Gwalchazad the Ram eventually stabs Dundan Skullsmasher with his knife.
153:. The two Belgian chiefs threaten to settle their differences with fists, until an equally large portion of meat is brought out.
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is acknowledged as the bravest man present. Just as he is about to carve the pig, the Ulster hero
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also says that the Celts gave the best joints of meat to the most distinguished men.
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invites the
Ulstermen to a feast. Before it starts he visits three heroes,
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A less violent quarrel over the hero's portion is featured in
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of continental Europe, as recorded by classical writers.
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79:("Bricriu's Feast"). The notorious troublemaker
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69:Another Ulster Cycle saga which involves the
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99:, king and queen of Connacht, and then
26:) was an ancient custom referred to in
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232:George Henderson (ed. & trans.),
194:, 1990, pp. 103, 465); modern Irish
180:), "of a hero, champion, warrior";
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187:Dictionary of the Irish Language
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200:Dictionary of Celtic Mythology
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809:Liath Macha and Dub Sainglend
184:, "morsel, ration, portion" (
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42:The Story of Mac Dá Tho's Pig
223:, Cambridge University Press
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985:Togail Bruidne Dá Derga
238:(The Feast of Bricriu)"
49:Scéla Mucce Meic Dá Thó
1024:Early Irish literature
46:The Ulster Cycle saga
28:early Irish literature
597:Conganchnes mac Dedad
221:An Early Irish Reader
211:N. Kershaw Chadwick,
87:, Conall Cernach and
22:, modern Curadhmhír (
997:part of a series on
950:Serglige Con Culainn
712:Supernatural figures
215:Scél Mucci mic Dathó
112:Classical references
915:Compert Con Culainn
658:Éogan mac Durthacht
389:Cethern mac Fintain
354:Conchobar mac Nessa
242:Irish Texts Society
192:Royal Irish Academy
190:, Compact Edition,
908:Aided Óenfhir Aífe
602:Lugaid mac Con Roí
500:Dubthach Dóeltenga
495:Cormac Cond Longas
298:Asterix in Belgium
276:Historical Library
202:, 1998, pp. 77-78)
198:(James MacKillop,
151:Asterix in Belgium
61:out between them.
24:Champion's Portion
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683:Lugaid Riab nDerg
648:Dáire mac Fiachna
359:Amergin mac Eccit
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999:Celtic mythology
964:Táin Bó Flidhais
957:Táin Bó Cúailnge
943:Scéla Conchobair
929:Mac Da Thó's Pig
840:Lúin of Celtchar
769:Manannán mac Lir
505:Fergus mac Roích
454:Lóegaire Búadach
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804:Finnbhennach
779:The Morrígan
340:Ulster Cycle
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633:Conaire Mór
526:Ailill Finn
449:Leabharcham
404:Cú Chulainn
369:Blaí Briugu
244:Vol 2, 1899
142:comic book
106:Emain Macha
1013:Categories
936:Mesca Ulad
886:Magh Meall
673:Fir Fálgae
196:curadhmhír
158:References
131:In fiction
121:Posidonius
85:Cúchulainn
849:Locations
830:Fragarach
825:Caladbolg
793:Creatures
571:Mac Cécht
556:Findabair
546:Etarcomol
434:Findchóem
414:Deichtine
399:Cruinniuc
254:Athenaeus
171:Old Irish
117:Athenaeus
891:Teamhair
866:Cuailghe
861:Cruachan
835:Gáe Bulg
698:Scáthach
688:Mesgegra
628:Bláthnat
514:Connacht
439:Furbaide
429:Fedlimid
409:Cúscraid
384:Celtchar
71:Curadmír
19:Curadmír
818:Weapons
749:Flidais
703:Uathach
585:Munster
561:Flidais
551:Ferdiad
479:Súaltam
419:Deirdre
379:Cathbad
374:Bricriu
364:Athirne
139:2000 AD
136:In the
81:Bricriu
871:Dealga
784:Nemain
754:Lí Ban
724:Bébinn
719:Aengus
668:Fedelm
643:Connla
618:Achall
611:Others
592:Cú Roí
566:Fráech
536:Bélchú
474:Sencha
469:Naoise
459:Mugain
424:Fedelm
347:Ulster
338:: the
101:Cú Roí
93:Ailill
900:Texts
774:Midir
764:Macha
739:Étaín
734:Dáire
729:Boann
174:curad
36:Celts
802:and
744:Fand
653:Emer
623:Aífe
576:Nera
521:Medb
464:Neas
444:Láeg
279:5.28
261:4.40
178:caur
97:Medb
95:and
16:The
759:Lug
182:mír
73:is
1015::
274:,
256:,
240:,
219:,
328:e
321:t
314:v
234:"
217:"
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