Cuchulainn

Cuchulainn is a hero with many stories. Is this story his final story?

Cuchulainn

Cuchulainn was ready for battle. His hair bristled and stood on end. One eye sunk into his head and the other became a big red, bulging orb. His foaming mouth spread from ear to ear and a column of blood shot out of his head. "The Hound of Culann" was ready to lead his Ulster men against the invasion by his bitterest enemy, Queen Medb. Unfortunately, Cuchulainn would have to advance alone — the Queen immobilized his army with a curse.

The mighty Irish warrior took up arms anyway. Single-handed, he tore through Medb's ranks, leaving broken bodies on either side of him. The queen was frantic. Cuchulainn must be defeated. She joined forces with Morrigan, goddess of war, whose love Cuchulainn had rashly spurned, and three sorcerer daughters of a warrior he had killed. Their magic and betrayal brought a madness upon the Celtic hero. He was mortally wounded with his own spear.

Bloody, pierced by spears, bruised by blows, Cuchulainn refused to fall in his final battle. He lashed himself to a stone pillar and died on his feet. Still, his enemies didn't dare approach his body, until three days later Morrigan flew down as a crow and settled on the corpse's shoulder.

• Taken from the Scholastic: Myths from around the world site.