Emer

Family: Ulstermen · First appears: The Sick-bed of Cuchulain · Part 2

At the Bull-Feast, the account marks a break and resumes from another version; the events that follow belong to that second version, not a continuous sequence with Laeg’s earlier return to Emain. There, Laeg told Emer of Cuchulain’s condition. Emer was his real wife, and her song roused him from his sickbed: “And Cuchulain at her word stood up; and he passed his hand over his face, and he cast all his heaviness and his weariness away from him, and then he arose”.

When Emer learned of Cuchulain’s tryst with Fand, she came to the Strand of the Yew-Tree’s Head with knives whetted and fifty women, intending to kill Fand. Cuchulain told her, “thou dost find favour, and thou shalt find it so long as I am in life.” Emer then went to Conor at Emain and told him of Cuchulain’s state. She was given a drink of forgetfulness so that she might forget her jealousy; the account also identifies her as Forgall’s daughter.

Relationship record

Life events

• In the second version, Laeg told Emer about Cuchulain's condition.(The Sick-bed of Cuchulain · Part 2)
  • With: Laeg
  • “and he told her of the state of Cuchulain:”
• In the second version, emer's song rouses Cuchulain from his sickbed, and he stands up.(The Sick-bed of Cuchulain · Part 3 · 📍 Emain)
  • With: Cuchulain
  • “And Cuchulain at her word stood up; and he passed his hand over his face, and he cast all his heaviness and his weariness away from him, and then he arose”
• Emer came to the tryst with knives whetted and fifty women accompanying her, intending to slay Fand.(The Sick-bed of Cuchulain · Part 4 · 📍 the Strand of the Yew-Tree's Head)
  • With: Fand
  • “Now word was brought to Emer of that tryst, and knives were whetted by Emer to slay the lady; and she came to the place of the tryst, and fifty women were with her.”
• Cuchulain told Emer she would continue to find favour with him for as long as he lived.(The Sick-bed of Cuchulain · Part 4 · 📍 the Strand of the Yew-Tree's Head)
  • With: Cuchulain
  • “‘By my word,’ said Cuchulain, ‘thou dost find favour, and thou shalt find it so long as I am in life.’”
• Emer told Conor of Cuchulain's state.(The Sick-bed of Cuchulain · Part 5 · 📍 Emain)
  • With: Conor
  • “Then Emer went on to Emain, and there she sought out king Conor, and she told Conor of Cuchulain's state,”
• Emer drank a potion of forgetfulness so that she would forget her jealousy.(The Sick-bed of Cuchulain · Part 5)
  • “and they also gave a drink of forgetfulness to Emer that she might forget her jealousy,”

The Sick-bed of Cuchulain · Part 2

• married with Cuchulain “her place is taken by Emer, Cuchulain's real wife”

The Sick-bed of Cuchulain · Part 4

• married with Cuchulain (This quote does not establish marriage.) “Oft in shelters hidden Men to seek me came; None could win my trysting, I myself was flame. Ah! no maid her longing On a man should set Till a love full equal To her own she get. Fifty women hither, Emer! thou hast brought Thou wouldst Fand make captive, Hast on murder thought.”
• rivals with Fand “Now word was brought to Emer of that tryst, and knives were whetted by Emer to slay the lady; and she came to the place of the tryst, and fifty women were with her.”
• parent: Forgall “As for the slaughter chariot chiefs race, Comes Forgall's daughter; changed is her face.”

The Sick-bed of Cuchulain · Part 5

• with Conor (Emer tells Conor about Cuchulain's state.) “Then Emer went on to Emain, and there she sought out king Conor, and she told Conor of Cuchulain's state”

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Extracted from the original text of Heroic Romances of Ireland. Made with Rho MD.