CELTIC WONDER TALES, Ella Young (1910)

This is a charming retelling of the myths. It begins with a
creation myth of Brigid leading others of the De Danaun to Earth
and how her mantle drove back chaos.

There is a delightful story of Angus turning into a turnip and a
good deed slipping into the mind of a Formorian prince, who leads
the Dagda to a special harp.

The son of the Gobhan Saor offers to help one who turns out to be
Mananaun. The Sea God gives him some wool that later aids in the
escape of the Smith and his son from the Formorians.

The son of the Gobhan Saor sells a sheepskin and obtains a bride.

Cian, son of Dian Cecht, goes to the Formorians seeking a lost cow,
whose guarding had been the price of Cian's sword. Cian begets a
child (Lugh) on the Formorian princess. Lugh is given to Mananaun.

Lugh, now grown and many talanted, has his dialogue with the gate
keeper.

There's a sensitive version of "The Sons of Turann" making Lugh a
more sympathetic figure and erasing questions concerning how the
children of Turann treated hosts.

There's the Great Battle between the Formorians and the De Danaun,
in which Lugh's spear strikes Balor.

There are the Milessians, singing Amergin and the entering of the De
Danaun into the mountain mist, the quiet of lakes, the cheering of
rivers, and other wondrous natural things.

There's the wooing of Ethaun, with its golden fly being drunk, the
birth of the beautiful girl, the games of chess, with Mide cleared
of stones and Midgir and Ethaun rising like light.

There's "The Children of Lir" changed to swans for so long that Tir
nan Og itself ages.

There's the lovely child growing up in the forest. She marries a
king who calls her Ethaun.

The book closes with the Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel: the Bull
Feast, the gessa of Conary, the reaver's report of the heroes of the
hostel, battle and Mac Cecht's obtaining a final drink for his king.

Michael McKenny February 26, 2001 C.E.


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