Nad Crantail facts for kids
Nad Crantail was a brave warrior from ancient Irish legends. He is known for his part in the famous story called the Táin Bó Cuailnge, also known as the Cattle Raid of Cooley. In this epic tale, Nad Crantail faces off against the legendary hero Cú Chulainn. Their fight was part of a bigger plan by Medb, the powerful queen of Connacht, to keep Cú Chulainn busy. This allowed her army to invade Ulster without Cú Chulainn stopping them.
Why Nad Crantail Fought
Queen Medb was looking for a warrior strong enough to challenge Cú Chulainn. She sent for Nad Crantail because she believed he could be a match for the hero. Nad Crantail agreed to fight, but he had one condition. He would only join the battle if Queen Medb promised him her daughter, Findabair, in marriage. Medb agreed to his request.
The First Encounter
Cú Chulainn was warned about the upcoming fight by a man named Lugaid. However, Cú Chulainn was not worried at all. When Nad Crantail arrived, Cú Chulainn was busy hunting birds. Nad Crantail came ready to fight, carrying nine sharp holly stakes.
Nad Crantail threw all nine stakes at Cú Chulainn. But Cú Chulainn was incredibly quick and agile. He managed to jump up onto the tip of each stake as it flew past him. As the last stake was thrown, the birds Cú Chulainn was hunting flew away. He chased after them, which made it look like he was running from the fight.
When people questioned him, Cú Chulainn explained his actions. He said that Nad Crantail had not used a real weapon. Cú Chulainn refused to kill someone who was not properly armed. He then challenged Nad Crantail to a proper fight the very next day.
The Second Challenge
The next day, Nad Crantail met Cú Chulainn for their agreed-upon battle. Nad Crantail saw that Cú Chulainn looked like a "beardless boy" and refused to fight him. He felt it would be unfair to fight someone so young.
To solve this, Cú Chulainn played a trick. He pretended not to be himself and led Nad Crantail away. Then, Cú Chulainn quickly put on a fake beard made from blackberries. With his new "beard," Nad Crantail was willing to fight him.
The Final Battle
Nad Crantail and Cú Chulainn agreed on the rules for their fight. They would throw spears at each other, and the only way to dodge was to jump upwards.
Nad Crantail took the first shot, throwing his spear at Cú Chulainn. But Cú Chulainn easily jumped over it, avoiding the attack. Then it was Cú Chulainn's turn. He threw his spear, and it struck Nad Crantail in the head.
After being hit, Nad Crantail asked for a moment. He wanted to tell his sons about his hidden treasure before Cú Chulainn finished him off. Cú Chulainn agreed to this request. Nad Crantail went back to his camp to speak with his sons.
He then returned to finish the fight. Nad Crantail threw his sword at Cú Chulainn, who again dodged it by jumping. Finally, Cú Chulainn entered a special battle frenzy. He landed on Nad Crantail's shield and quickly cut off his head. Cú Chulainn then cut Nad Crantail's body into four pieces. He spoke a verse to mark the end of the battle.
