The figures beneath each entry give reference numbers for the Bibliography
(cait shee) The Highland fairy cat. J. G. Campbell describes it as being as large as a dog, black with a white spot on its breast, with an arched back and erect bristles. This, probably, would be when it was angry. He says that many Highlanders believed that these cats were transformed witches, not fairies. An even larger and more ferocious cat, the demonic god of the cats, appeared in answer to the wicked and ferocious ceremony of the Taghairm, which consisted in roasting successive cats alive on spits for four days and nights until Big Ears appeared and granted the wishes of the torturers. The last ceremony of Taghairm was said to have been performed in Mull and was described in detail in the London Literary Gazette (March 1824). The account is quoted by D. A. Mackenzie in SCOTTISH FOLK LORE AND FOLK LIFE. But Big Ears was a monstrous demon cat who had only a slight connection with the Cait Sith.
# 100 - 131 - 415
See: EXCALIBUR.
CuChulain killed Calatin and his sons at the ford, but Calatin's wife had three daughters, each with one eye, who avenged their family. They were skilled in enchantment and caused CuChulain to see and hear a phantom host fighting against his countrymen which spurred him on to his death at the hands of Lugaid, whom they helped.
# 266 - 454
(Welsh CALADVWLCH) Magic sword of King Arthur.
# 562
The Ulster version of the Highland Cailleach Bheur. The Cally Berry is not, as in the Highlands, a nature spirit, the personification of winter and the guardian of the wild deer, but a malignant supernatural Hag. See also: CAILLEACH BHEUR.
# 100
A river in Somerset, near Cadbury Castle. In a nearby field, Westwoods, a large number of skeletons bear grim testimony to a battle and it has been suggested that this was the site of Camlann. See also: ELY, and TROY.
# 156
A suitor of Hermondine, killed by Meliador.
# 156
Second son of Brutus, after whom Wales or Cambria is named.
# 243 - 454
The true Celts were certainly fair. Giraldus Cambrensis described even the Irish Celts of the twelfth century as a fair race. See Appendix 1, BIOGRAPHY: GERALD OF WALES.
# 562
The site of one of England's major universities, which, according to Prior Nicholas Cantelupe (died 1441), received its charter from Arthur (# 476). An even less likely tradition, current in Elizabethan times, was that the university had been founded by the Spanish Prince Cantaber in Anno Mundi 3588.*
*Since the creation of the world.
# 156 - 476
A river, the possible site of Camlann battle.
# 156
The kingdom of Leodegrance, who was Guinevere's father. It has been suggested that it was in Scotland or else in south-west England. One of its important cities was Carolhaise.
# 156 - 418
Arthur's capital. According to the romances, it was named after a pagan king called Camaalis. At the time when Joseph of Arimathea arrived in Britain, it was the chief city of the country. In Joseph's time, King Agrestes ruled it. He seemed to embrace Christianity but, after Joseph's departure, persecuted the Christians until God drove him mad. The city is first mentioned by Chrétien in his LANCELOT. Malory tells us the chief church was St. Stephen's. Attempts have been made to identify Camelot. In Roman times Colchester was called Camulodunum, which has a not-too-dissimilar sound. In modern times, some have thought it was Cadbury Castle (Somerset) where, as we know from archaeology, there was a leader's fortified dwelling during the Arthurian period. A tradition that Camelot was Cadbury Castle also existed in the sixteenth century. See: WINCHESTER.
# 156
Enamoured of Arthur, this sorceress of Saxon ancestry captured him. Lancelot rescued him and Camille killed herself.
# 156
The site of Arthur's final battle. Malory has only Arthur, Bedivere and, for a very brief period, Lucan survive this battle. Arthur was sorely, perhaps mortally, wounded. In CULHWCH, a number of other survivors are mentioned - Sandav, because he was so beautiful that all mistook him for an angel, and Morvran, because he was so ugly that all supposed him a devil. We are also told in CULHWCH that the battle was planned by nine people, one of whom was Gwynn Hyvar, the steward of Cornwall and Devon. Others thought to have survived the battle were Saint Derfel and Saint Petroc. Welsh tradition spoke of seven survivors. The date of the battle has caused some debate. The ANNALES CAMBRIAE state it was twenty-one years after Badon, perhaps intending AD 515, 520 0r 539. Geoffrey claims it was in 542. The Irish ANNALS OF TIGERNACH place it in 541 and the Spanish ANALES TOLEDANOS much later, in 580. As to the site, Malory favours Salisbury Plain. Slaughter Bridge on the River Camel (Cornwall) is a traditional site, while Blackett and Wilson identify it with Camlan (Wales). The DIDOT PERCEVAL places it in Ireland. See also: ODBRICT and TREGALEN.
# 72 - 156
(1822-85) J. F. Campbell was the author of perhaps the most famous collection of Scottish Folktales, POPULAR TALES OF THE WEST HIGHLANDS, ORALLY COLLECTED. He was a cousin of the Duke of Argyll, a grandson of the Earl of Wemyss, was educated at Eton and Edinburgh University, and became a barrister. He had much practical work to do in the world; as Secretary to the Lighthouse Commision and Coal Commision he had detailed and voluminous reports to prepare, but as a child he had been brought up in Islay with a Gaelic-speaking nurse and had made many close friends among the island people. In a time when Gaelic was despised and suppressed by the village dominies, and often by the ministers as well, Campbell of Islay upheld it, and searched out the surviving storytellers and the traditions of history, legend and belief that were still lingering in the Highlands and Islands. His method of collection was an examplar to all later collectors, for he trained a team of Gaelic speakers and threw a great network over the whole area. Sometimes he travelled with his collectors and trained them assiduously to accurate and lively oral transmission. He published only the four volumes of his POPULAR TALES, but left behind him a vast manuscript collection, much of which has been translated and printed bilingually, according to the standard which he established. A full and lively account of his life and the impact he made on his contemporaries can be found in R. M. Dorson's classic work, THE BRITISH FOLKLORISTS.
# 100 - 191
(1836-91) Among the nineteenth century collectors of Highland tales and traditions, two of the name of Campbell are of outstanding importance: J. F. Campbell and J. G. Campbell. They were members of a band of collectors, among them J. Mc Dougall and D. McInnes, encouraged and directed by Lord Archibald Campbell. They pursued the same method of oral collection of Gaelic sources with translations into English. Campbell of Islay's POPULAR TALES OF THE WEST HIGHLANDS is well known, but Campbell of Tiree's contribution to folk knowledge is nearly as important. John Gregorson Campbell was born in Kingairloch, Argyllshire, the son of a sea-captain. His first schooling was in Appin, from which he went to high school at Glasgow, and later to the university, where he already began to collect oral traditions and cultivate the aquaintance of good storytellers. He was called to the ministry, and in 1860 the Duke of Argyll appointed him to the ministry of Tiree and Coll, where he worked for the rest of his life in a very happy relationship with his parishioners. In the course of his work he provided material for two volumes of the series WAIFS AND STRAYS OF CELTIC TRADITION, wrote SUPERSTITIONS OF THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS OF SCOTLAND, and contributed stories to various Celtic journals. He corresponded with his fellow collectors, and particularly with John Campbell of Islay. It was a time of keen intellectual activity in the Highlands, not rivalled until the School of Scottish Studies began its researches.
# 100
Belgic war-god, eponymous deity of Camulodunum (Colchester). Coins bearing his name have the symbol of the boar upon them.
# 454
The father of Lac and grandfather of Erec.
# 156
The son of King Apollo of Liones; in his day Liones and Cornwall were united.
# 156
A King of Cornwall who was aided by the Irish king Gonosor.
# 156
This city was called Durovernum by the ancient Romans. The archiepiscopal see was founded in AD 597. In Arthurian romance the Archbishop of Canterbury was one of Arthur's advisers; he survived his final battle but was subsequently murdered by Mark of Cornwall. The inclusion of an archbishop of Canterbury in Arthurian saga is probably an anacronism, rather than an assertion that there was a bishopric of Canterbury in pre-Saxon times. According to the Scandinavian BRETA SOGUR, Arthur was buried at Canterbury.
# 156
(kwel che moc ronan) One of the Fianna, and their best runner. He released Fionn from imprisonment by gathering two of every wild beast for his ransom.
# 454
(konyack) 'Weeper'. One of the names given to the Highland Banshee (Caointeach is another). She belonged to the class of Fuaths. Unlike the Bean-Nighe, she is not seen and cannot be approached to grant wishes. She is heard wailing in the darkness at a waterfall before any catastrophe overtakes a clan. Carmichael in CARMINA GADELICA, says that before the Massacre of Glencoe the Caoineag of the Macdonalds was heard to wail night after night.
# 100 - 136
(kondyuch) A localized form of the Caoineag, the Highland Banshee, which belongs to Argyllshire, Skye and some of the neighbouring islands, and was attached to the Macmillans, Mathisons, Kellys, Mackays, Macfarlanes, Shaws and Curries. The name means 'wailer', and she has a peculiarly loud and lamentable cry, rising at times to a kind of scream. Sometimes she beats clothes on a stone like the BeanNighe. She has been described as a child or a very little woman in a short green gown and petticoat with a high-crowned white cap. It is not certain whether she is like a banshee in having no nose and one monstrous tooth, but her habits seem to be the same. L. Spence gives an account of her, and there is a story about her in MacDougall and Calder's work. In this tale she wore a green shawl for mourning and served the Mackays. One wet cold night she was keening softly outside the door, and a member of the family put out a plaid for her. She was thus laid like a Brownie, and has never come back to the Mackays.
# 100 - 414 - 609
The name given to a Westmoreland local Bogie of the Black Dog type. He could apparently assume any form at will, but preferred that of the calf-sized black dog. There used to be a barn near Milnthorpe called Capelthwaite Barn which was the home of one of these creatures. He was well disposed towards the farm people, and used to round up their sheep and cattle for them.
# 100
Next Section
Table Of Contents