Old Irish Tale: "Mac Datho's Pig"

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the Old Irish tale: "Scela Muicce Meic Da Tho" or "Mac Datho's Pig", survives in only six manuscripts of which the earliest, the "Book of Leinster" (the earliest witness, c.1160), is used for this paper. The author points out that the primary significance of the 'scela' is as a negative exemplum of rulership and manhood, which critically acknowledged that Mac Datho is a weak ruler. The paper assesses that there is no evidence of any generosity on his part, that his poisoning of the pig crosses the line between legitimate deception and non-heroic treachery and that the tale does not ultimately reflect well on Leinster. The author relates that the tale is a critique of the undercurrent of excess and futility within the Irish heroic tradition, demonstrating that already the Irish epic is a genre of extremes and excesses, which this tale then amplifies in a well-executed burlesque of the heroic tradition.

From the Paper:

"The heroes do not act admirably either. Although Conall's defeat of Cet in the competition for the champion's portion leaves the reader with no doubt that he deserves the prize, his subsequent behavior is gluttinous: ..."he took then the belly in his mouth, he sucks on the belly--a load for nine men--[and] he left behind nothing of it." [section 17] Having devoured an enormous portion on his own, he insults the people of Connaught by leaving them only the two fore-quarters of the pig."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Buttimer, Cornelius. "Scela Muicce Meic Da Tho: A Reappraisal". Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium, vol. ii., ed. John Koch and Jean Mueller. Cambridge: Harvard University (1982). 61-74.
• Chadwick, Nora. Irish Sagas, ed. Myles Dillon [I can't find a town listed] Radio Eireann (1959). 79-93.
• Lehmann, R.P.M. and W.P. An Introduction to Old Irish. New York: MLA (2004).
• Mac Cana, Proinsias. "Notes on the Combination of Prose and Verse in Early Irish Narrative." Early Irish Literature--Media and Communication. Ed. Stephen Tranter and Hildegard Tristram. Darmstadt: Gunter Narr Verlag Tubingen (1989). 125-48.
• McCone, Kim. "Scela Mucce Meicc Da Tho". Pagan Past and Christian Present. Maynooth: An Sagart (1990). 77-8.

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