#NationalStoryTellingWeek #BookologyThursday: `#Celtic myths are symbolic, so we need to interpret them to draw out their wisdom. As a result, it's probably worth asking if interpretation was ever a part of the Celtic storytelling tradition?
Cormac is led into the land of paradise, the land of wonder, the #Otherworld, and there he witnesses strange things. He finds himself in the midst of a great plain, having passed through mists into this other realm, where visions unfold before him.
„Then Cormac found himself in the midst of a great plain. There was a great stronghold in the midst of the plain, and a silver rampart around it, and a house half of gold in the midst of the stronghold half-thatched with the wings of birds, and a troop of horsemen of the sid gathering the wings of many-coloured birds for the house. And they put those wings upon the house without a splinter [to fasten them), and they were falling off that troop of horsemen did from the beginning of the world until its end …
After Cormac had gone on he saw a warrior kindling a fire. He would fetch a great tree-trunk, root, and crown, and would put the trunk on the fire and go to fetch another; and nothing of the first tree-trunk would be left when he returned. And this was the business and labour of that man from the beginning of the world until ist end.“
As Cormac journeys further through the Otherworld, he meets Manannán Mac Lir and his wife, with whom he shares food. A central theme of this meeting is truth-telling, which becomes linked to the interpretation of the visions. Manannán explains`:
"The world from which you have come is the present world. The horsemen you saw thatching the house are the skilled professionals of the world ... : and everything which they bring home after going on a circuit melts away and decomposes into nothing while they are on the next circuit, without profit or prosperity (remaining). As for the man kindling a fire, he is the victuallers and young noblemen of the world: it is they themselves who consume everything which they labour to produce. ... , and whatever they consume this year, often they pay for it the next year."
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RFz5ygHIw8

#NationalStoryTellingWeek #BookologyThursday #Celtic: `Whence is the tragical death of Fergus mac Róich? Not hard to tell. Fergus was in exile in Connacht after his honour had been violated in the matter of the sons of Usnech; for he was one of the three guarantors that were given to them, the other two being Dubthach Chafertongue and Cormac Conlonges the son of Conchobar. These were all in exile in the west to the end of fourteen years, and (during all that time) wailing and trembling in Ulster never ceased through them [i.e. through their deeds of vengeance], but there were wailing and trembling every night. ’Tis he who slew Fiachra the son of Conchobar, and Gerg the son of Illand, and Eogan the son of Durthacht [i.e. the murderer of the sons of Usnech]. By him, even Fergus, the Táin was brought. Many deeds he did while in the household of Ailill and Medb; and he and his people were more often abroad in the land than in Ailill’s household. Three thousand was the number of the exiled company; and his comrade in Ailill’s household was Lugaid the blind poet, to wit, a brother of Ailill’s was that Lugaid. Once after deeds of valour they were by the lake [i.e. Findloch (= Lough Carra)] on Mag Ai, where they had a large encampment, in which games and gatherings were held. Now on a certain day the whole host went into the lake to bathe.
“Go down, O Fergus,” said Ailill, “and drown the men!”
“They are not good in water,” said Fergus. Nevertheless he went down.
Medb’s heart could not bear that, so that she went into the lake. As Fergus entered the lake, all there was of gravel and of stones at the bottom of the lake came to the surface. Then Medb went till she was on the breast of Fergus, with her legs entwined around him, and then he swam around the lake. And jealousy seized Ailill. Then Medb went up.
“It is delightful what the hart and the doe are doing in the lake, O Lugaid,” said Ailill.
“Why not kill them?” said Lugaid, who had never missed his aim.
“Do thou have a cast at them!” said Ailill.
“Turn my face towards them,” said Lugaid, “and bring a lance to me.”
Fergus was washing himself in the lake, and his breast was towards them. And his chariot is brought to Ailill, so that it was near him; and Lugaid threw the lance, so that it passed out through his back behind. “The cast has gone home!” said Lugaid.
“That is true,” said all; “it is the end of Fergus.”
“How sad,” said Lugaid, “if I should have killed my foster-brother and comrade innocently.”
“My chariot to me!” said Ailill.
All the host began to flee, each man towards the shore, both the exiled and the men of Connacht. Fergus draws out the lance and hurls it after Ailill, so that it passed through the deerhound which was between the two hind-shafts of the chariot. Thereupon Fergus came out of the lake, and straightens himself out upon the hill by the side of the lake; and his soul passed out of him forthwith. And his grave is there still. So this is the tragical Death of Fergus so far.`
Source: https://iso.ucc.ie/Aided-fergusa/Aided-fergusa-text.pdf

#NationalStoryTellingWeek #BookologyThursday #Celtic: `Now at that time, in order to incite champions to be brave in conflict, it was customary to give a champion’s prize as a token of victory to him who proved the stronger in single combat, and who vanquished his adversary in the field of valour. From this custom, there arose a contest for the champion’s prize between Conall Cearnach, and Cuchulainn and Laoghaire Buadhach in Eamhain. And Conall asked for the brain of Meisceadhra, a stout Leinster champion whom he had himself slain in single combat; and when the brain of that valiant man was exhibited, Laoghaire and Cuchulainn ceased from their contest with Conall, as they judged that neither of them had ever done so great a deed of bravery or valour. It was the custom at that time that when any champion slew in battle another champion of great fame, he took the brain out of his head and mixed it with lime, so that he had it in the shape of a hard round ball to show at meetings and public assemblies as a trophy of valour. And when two jesters whom Conchubhar kept noticed how highly everyone prized the brain, they stole it the next day from Conchubhar’s Craobhdhearg. Now there were three dwellings in Eamhain in Conchubhar’s time, namely, Broin Bhearg and Craobh Dhearg and Craobh Ruaidh. In the first house were their wounded; and it was called Broin Bhearg, because the wounded who were in it felt sorrow and distress from the piercing pain of the wounds, and of the distempers from which they suffered therein. In the second house, which was called Craobh Dhearg, were kept in safety the arms and precious valuables; and accordingly Meisceadhra’s brain was placed there for security as any other precious valuable. The third house that Conchubhar had was called the Craobh Ruaidh. It was in it himself and all his warriors used to be served. As to the two jesters, having carried off the brain of Meisceadhra from the Craobh Dhearg as we have said, they went on the green of Eamhain, and set to bandying the brain from hand to hand like a ball, when a fierce wolf of evil to the Ultonians, to wit, Ceat son of Magha, a valiant Connaughtman, came and coaxed the brain of Meisceadhra from the jesters, and took it with him to Connaught; and as often as he went to battle or contend against the Ultonians he was wont to have the brain of Meisceadhra at his girdle in the hope of bringing disaster on the Ultonians. For it was foretold that Meisceadhra would avenge himself on the Ultonians after his death; and he thought it was by means of the brain this prophecy would be fulfilled. Whence Ceat was wont to carry the brain of Meisceadhra about with him in the hope of slaying some one of the nobles of Ulster with it. Now Ceat, accompanied by a large host, went to plunder Ulster, and carried off a large herd of cattle from Feara Rois in Ulster; and he was pursued by a large force of Ultonians; and the men of Connaught flocked eastward to assist Ceat, and Conchubhar went westward to help the Ultonians. And when Ceat heard that Conchubhar was in pursuit, he sent word to the women of Connaught who were on a hill watching the two hosts asking them to entice Conchubhar to visit them, as he was a jovial, affable man, for the Ultonians would not permit him to take part in the battle against the men of Connaught. Now when Conchubhar heard that the women wished to see him, he set out alone from the height on which he was to visit them; while Ceat, on the other hand, went secretly and got into the midst of the women waiting in readiness to kill Conchubhar. When, therefore, Conchubhar was approaching the women, Ceat arose and arranged the brain of Meisceadhra in his sling to slay Conchubhar. But when the latter saw Ceat he retreated to the midst of his own people; and as he was proceeding to Doire Da Bhaoth, Ceat hurled the brain of Meisceadhra after him from his sling, and struck him on the crown; and his brain-pan was broken by that cast, and the brain of Meisceadhra clung to his skull; and thereupon his followers came up to protect him against Ceat. They then sent for Finghin Faithliaigh; and when he arrived, he said that if that ball were extracted from his head he would instantly die. ‘We had rather,’ said they all, ‘that our king should have a blemish than that he should die.’ Finghin cured him, and then told him not to get into a passion, to avoid sexual intercourse, to avoid riding on horseback, to abstain from violent exertion — otherwise, that by the repelling motion of his own brain, he would hurl the ball from his head and die. He was seven years in this state up to the Friday on which Christ was crucified, according to some seanchas. And when he saw the unwonted transformation of the elements and the darkening of the sun with the moon full, he inquired of Bacrach, a Leinster druid who was with him, what was the cause of that unwonted change in the luminaries of heaven and earth. ‘It is that Jesus Christ the Son of God is being put to death now by the Jews,’ replied the druid. ‘That is a pity,’ said Conchubhar; ‘and if I were present, I would slay all that are around my King putting Him to death.’ And with that he drew forth his sword, and went into an oak-wood hard by, and set to cutting and felling it, saying that, if he were amongst the Jews, he would treat them in the same way; and through the strength of the fury that seized him the ball bounded from his head, and a portion of his brain followed it, and with that he died. Coill Lamhruidhe in Feara Rois is the name of that wood-thicket.`
Source: https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T100054/text043.html

#NationalStoryTellingWeek #BookologyThursday #Celtic: Macha Mhongruadh, daughter of Aodh Ruadh son of Badharn, … held the sovereignty of Ireland seven years, till Reachtaidh Righdhearg slew her. And it was in her time that Eamhain Mhacha was built. Now the reason why it is called Eamhain Mhacha is this: three kings out of Ulster held the sovereignty of Ireland, namely, Aodh Ruadh son of Badharn, from whom is named Eas Ruaidh, and Diothorba son of Deaman of Uisneach in Meath, and Ciombaoth son of Fionntan from Fionnabhair; and it was with this Ciombaoth that Ughaine Mor son of Eochaidh Buadhach was brought up. And each of these kings reigned seven years in succession, until each had held the sovereignty of Ireland thrice. And the first of them to die was Aodh Ruadh; and he left no issue but one daughter named Macha. Macha demanded the sovereignty in her turn after her father's death; and Diothorba and his children said that they would not cede sovereignty to a woman; and a battle was fought between themselves and Macha; and Macha triumphed over them in that battle, and held the sovereignty of Ireland seven years; and Diothorba died and left five sons, namely, Baoth, Bedach, Bras, Uallach, and Borbchas. These demanded the sovereignty of Ireland for themselves, as it was held by their ancestors before them. Macha said she would only give them battle for the sovereignty. A battle was fought between them, and Macha defeated them. The children of Diothorba fled for safety to dark and intricate woods; and Macha took Ciombaoth son of Fionntan as her husband, and made him leader of her warriors, and went herself in pursuit of the sons of Diothorba in the guise of a leper, having rubbed her body with the dough of rye, and found them in an intricate forest in Burenn, cooking a wild boar. The sons of Diothorba asked news of her, and gave her a portion of the meat. She told them all the news she had.
And then one of the men said that the leper had a beautiful eye, and that he desired to lie with her. Thereupon he and Macha retired into the recesses of the wood, and Macha bound this man and left him there, and returned to the rest. And they questioned her, ‘Where didst thou leave the man who went with thee?’ said they. ‘I know not,’ said she; ‘but I think he feels ashamed to come into your presence after embracing a leper.’ ‘It is not a shame,’ said they, ‘since we will do the same thing.’ Thus she went into the wood with each of them in turn; and she bound them all, and so took them bound together before the men of Ulster at Eamhain; and she asked the Ulster nobles what she should do with them. They all said with one accord that they should be put to death. ‘That is not just,’ said Macha, ‘for that would be contrary to law; but let them be made slaves of and let the task be imposed on them of building a fort for me which shall be the capital of the province for ever.’ Thereupon Macha undid the gold bodkin that was in the mantle on her breast, and with it measured the site of the fort which the sons of Diothorba were obliged to build. Now, the fort is called Eamhain eo being a word for ‘a bodkin’, while muin means ‘the neck’, and hence the fort is called Eamhain, that is, eo mhuin. Or, it is called Eamhain from Eamhain Mhacha, that is, the wife of Cronn son of Adhnaman. Now this woman was forced against her will to run with the horses of Conchubhar, king of Ulster; and she, though pregnant, outran them; and at the end of the race she gave birth to a son and a daughter; and she cursed the men of Ulster, whence they were visited with the pangs of labour; and these pangs continued to afflict them during nine reigns, that is, from Conchubhar to the reign of Mal son of Rochruidhe. Eamhain accordingly is the same as amhaon, amh denying that it was but one, it being two, Macha gave birth to on that occasion. And hence it was called Eamhain Mhacha, according to this opinion. After this, Macha Mhongruadh was slain by Reachtaidh Righdhearg. Reachtaidh Righdhearg … held the sovereignty of Ireland twenty years. He was called Reachtaidh Righdhearg from his having a red fore-arm, that is, the end of a red fore-arm; and he was slain by Ughaine Mor to avenge his foster-mother.
Source: https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T100054/text038.html

Been thinking about this a lot lately. Seventeen years ago, I was leaving the tube when a random woman came up to me, took a deep breath and said "Excuse me. This is going to sound REALLY weird but...
https://londondreamtime.com/the-secret-message/ #storytelling #NationalStorytellingWeek

I think our visitors agree that our Books with Bears picnic to mark #NationalStorytellingWeek went rather well! #Books #Reading #Toddlers #ToddlerLife

#NationalStorytellingWeek #FolkloreThursday: `When Fintan the Wise of the hundred lives came to Ireland before the flood he thought himself the first but found the #Cailleach living there, and knew her to be far more ancient than himself.
He asked of her, “Are you the one, the grandmother who ate the apples in the beginning?” but she gave him no answer.` #Celtic
Source: https://emeraldisle.ie/an-cailleach