Cuchulainn.
In Irish mythology Cuchulainn is the champion warrior of Ulster. His name means “the Hound of Culann”, but he was usually called the Hound of Ulster. He gained it as a child after dashing out the brains of a massive guard dog with his bare hands. He offered his services to the smith Culann whose dog it was. Though Culann declined Cuchulainn’s services, he was henceforth branded with the title of Culann’s Hound. He was a monstrous fighter who was prone to bouts of irrational anger as well as passion. Cuchulainn’s grandmother, the druid Cathbad, foretold at his birth that he would be a great warrior and would die young.
A prophesy stated that anybody going to battle for the first time on a certain day was destined to die young, Cuchulainn lacked the patience to wait until the next day and took up arms against three semi-divine warriors. He killed them as well as their numerous followers. During the battle his body transformed, dreadfully warped by the fury of killing. His body trembled violently, his heels and calves spun to the front of his legs, one eye receded into his head, the other eye stood out enlarged on his cheek, his mouth grew large enough to swallow a man’s head, his hair bristled with a drop of blood at the end of each strand, and a thick column of blood arose from his head like the mast of a ship. He could only be calmed from the fight by being doused in three different vats of cold water.
For over a year Cuchulainn trained in the Land of Shadows with the warrior-princess Scathach. He returned to claim the hand of a woman he loved and when her father resisted Cuchulainn bested the man in combat. He was named champion of Ireland in a beheading contest and became unbeatable in combat.
Cuchulainn’s final campaign was the single-handed defense of Ulster against an evil invading queen. The enemy forces were bolstered by rebellious Ulstermen who were protesting the tyrannical rule of Cuchulainn’s lord. Although one prophecy claimed that Queen Medb’s forces would be crimson and red as a result of Cuchulainn’s prowess, she continued her advance. Three witches in her employ cast a spell that withered one of Cuchulainn’s shoulders and arm. Queen Medb and her forces attacked just as Ulster’s other forces were laid low by a curse that rendered them unable to fight for five days.
Despite these setbacks, Cuchulainn single-handedly defended Ulster using clever tactics and lightening-fast attacks for four days. Just as the effects of the curse wore off and the dazed warriors were able to come to Cuchulainn’s aid he found himself surrounded by enemies. Before his friends could save him, Cuchulainn suffered a severe stomach wound. He tied himself to a pillar so that he could fight to the last breath and died on his feet.