The figures beneath each entry give reference numbers for the Bibliography
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King of soissons, later King of all the Franks. J. Morris (# 484) claims that Cunomorus (see MARK) fell in a rebellion against him in AD 560.
# 156 - 484
Shamrock. The national symbol of Ireland.
(kloor-a-cawn) One of the solitary fairies of Ireland. Thomas Crofton Croker has several stories of him as a kind of buttery spirit, feasting himself in the cellars of drunkards, or scaring dishonest servants who steal the wine. Sometimes he makes himself so objectionable that the owner decides to move, but the Cluricaune pops into a cask to move with him, as the boggart did in Lancashire. The Cluricaune described by Crofton Croker wore a red nightcap, a leather apron, pale-blue long stockings and silver-buckled, high-heeled shoes. Presumably his coat was red, for solitary fairies were generally supposed to be distinguished from trooping fairies by wearing red instead of green coats.
# 100 - 165
Siege of Clusium, Romans play Celts false. Vengeance exacted by Celts.
# 562
One of Arthur's warriors, father of Cynon in Welsh tradition.
# 156
The cauldron of Clydno Eiddyn was one of the Thirteen Treasures of Britain.
# 104 - 156
Kirk, in his SECRET COMMONWEALTH, names a double, such as the Germans call a DOPPELGÄNGER, a 'Co-walker'. In the North it is called a Waff and is said to be a death token. Kirk, however, considers it to be one of the fairies, and says: They are clearly seen by these Men of the Second Sight to eat at Funeralls (and) Banquets; hence many of the Scottish-Irish will not teast Meat at these Meittings, lest they have Communion with, or be poysoned by, them. So are they seen to carrie the Beer or Coffin with the Corps among the middle-earth Men to the Grave. Some men of that exalted Sight (whither by Art or Nature) have told me they have seen at these Meittings a Doubleman, or the Shape of some Man in two places; that is, a superterranean and a subterranean Inhabitant, perfectly resembling one another in all Points, whom he notwithstanding could easily distinguish one from another, by some secret Tockens and Operations, and so go speak to the Man his Neighbour and Familiar, passing by the Apparition or Resemblance of him.
On the next page he continues:
They call this Reflex-man a Co-walker, every way like the Man, as a Twin-brother and Companion, haunting him as his shadow, as is oft seen and known among Men (resembling the Originall), both before and after the Originall is dead; and wes also often seen of old to enter a Hous, by which the People knew that the Person of that Liknes wes to Visite them within a few days. This Copy, Echo, or living Picture, goes att last to his own Herd.
# 100 -370
A Northern war-god often associated by the Romans with Mars. He is depicted as a stylized Celtic warrior with spear and shield.
# 454 - 563 - 709
# 161: In Celtic tradition the Cock has chthonic associations as a bird of the underworld. Sacred in early Britain, the cock had the chthonic aspect of the Gallo-Roman Mercury, was an attribute of the gods of the underworld and of the Celtic Mother Goddess; the cock was sacrificed on Bride's Day. # 454: The cock has ever been the bird of dawning whose call dispels the horrors of the night. Numerous folk-songs and stories attest to this understanding, and in many night-visiting songs where by a dead lover comes to his woman's bed by night, his ghost is dispelled by the cock crowing.
# 161 - 454
According to a sixteenth-century manuscript, an ancestor of Arthur through his mother. Stuart-Knill also claims he was one of Arthur's ancestors. He was possibly a historical figure who flourished in the North Country in the early fifth century. Tradition gives him a wife named Stradwawl (road-well) and a daughter called Gwawl (wall), which tends to reinforce this. Gwawl may have been the wife of Cunedda. J. Morris suggests that he was the last Dux Brittaniarum. A great body of legend grew up about him. He was thought to have been the founder and ruler - king (Henry of Huntingdon), duke of Colchester (Geoffrey of Monmouth), - tradition pushing him back some centuries. His city, according to legend, was besieged by the Roman emperor Constantius Chlorus (ruled AD 305-306) for three years, after which Constantine married Helena, Coel's daughter. Their son was Constantine the Great (born AD 265). A fourteenth-century manuscript says Coel became king of all Britain and died in AD 267. The adjective HEN (old) was applied to him. There can be little doubt he was the Old King Cole of nursery rhyme.
# 156 - 484 - 648
Keeper of the collection of Celtic antiquities in the National Museum, Dublin. He explored and described the Tumulus of New Grange thoroughly, and the facts about it is recorded in: Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, Vol. XXX, pt. i. (1892), and 'NEW GRANGE' from 1912.
# 562
The wife of Morgan, king of the Land of Wonders. She was the mother of Delbchaem, whom she kept guarded because of a prophecy that said on the marriage of her daughter, she herself would die. She kept the girl in a fortress palisaded with stakes upon each of which was the head of an unsuccessful suitor. She fought Art but was beheaded by him. This story corresponds to Gereint's adventure in Joy of the Court episode.
# 188 - 454 - 548
This was Camulodunum in Roman times. See: CAMELOT.
# 156
A Cornish example of the Captured Fairies, this is the name of a little Pisky boy who was adopted by a human. It is given by Hunt in POPULAR ROMANCES OF THE WEST OF ENGLAND, from T. Quiller Couch in NOTES AND QUERIES: 'There is a farmhouse of some antiquity with which my family have a close connection; and it is this circumstance, more than any other, that has rendered this tradition concerning it more interesting to us, and better remembered than many other equally romantic and authentic. Close to this house, one day, a little miserable-looking bantling was discovered alone, unknown, and incapable of making its wants understood. It was instantly remembered by the finder, that this was the way in which the piskies were accustomed to deal with those infants of their race for whom they sought human protection; and it would have been an awful circumstance if such a one were not received by the individual so visited. The anger of the piskies would be certain, and some direful calamity must be the result; whereas, a kind of welcome would probably be attended with great good fortune. The miserable plight of this stranger therefore attracted attention and sympathy. The little unconscious one was admitted as of the family. Its health was speedily restored, and its renewed strength, activity, intelligence and good-humour caused it to become a general favourite. It is true the stranger was often found to indulge in odd freaks; but this was accounted for by a recollection of its pedigree, which was not doubted to be of the piskie order. So the family prospered, and had banished the thought that the foundling would ever leave them. There was to the front door of this house a hatch, meaning a half-door that is kept closed when the whole door behind it is open, and which then serves as a guard against the intrusion of dogs, hogs, and ducks, while air and light are freely admitted. This little being was one day leaning over the top of this hatch, looking wistfully outward, when a clear voice was heard to proceed from a neighbouring part of the townplace, calling, 'Coleman Gray, Coleman Gray!' The piskie immediately started up, and with a sudden laugh, clapped its hands, exclaiming, 'Aha! my daddy is come!' It was gone in a moment, never to be seen again.
# 100 - 331
# 156: A Knight of the Round Table who hailed from Gore. There are different accounts of his death. In one version he was killed by Lionel, but in another he was one of those who surprised Lancelot and Guinevere together and was slain by the escaping Lancelot. # 454: Before becoming a Knight of the Round Table he first encountered the Adventure of the magic fountain in Broceliande. When water was poured from a basin over an emerald stone at its brim, a black knight appeared with a challenge. Colgrevance was defeated, though he managed to escape and it was his story which awakened the interest of Owain, who was successful and himself became guardian of the fountain for a time.
# 156 - 418 - 454
According to Geoffrey, he became leader of the Saxons when Uther died. Arthur defeated him at the River Douglas, so he fled to York where he was besieged by Arthur. His brother Baldulf joined him there. Reinforced by Cheldric, who brought Saxons with him from overseas, they fought Arthur unsuccessfully at Lincoln and Caledon Wood. They left for Germany but came back and landed in Britain again. They were defeated by Arthur at Bath (Badon) where Colgrin fell.
# 156 - 243
(kothlen) Saint Collen was a Welsh saint of the seventh century. Like many of the Celtic saints, he was of a pugnacious and restless disposition, and during his career he spent some time in Somerset. It was here that he encountered the fairy king. S. Baring-Gould, in his LIVES OF THE SAINTS, summarizes his story from a Welsh Life of Saint Collen, not translated into English at the time when Baring-Gould was writing. This accounts for the confusing statement that the king of the fairies on Glastonbury Tor was called Gwyn ap Nudd and his dominion was over Annwn.
# 54 - 100
A collection of tales mentioning St Patrick and Cascorach. The interest of 'Colloquy' lies in the tales of Keelta. Of the tales there are about a hundred, telling of Fian raids and battles, but the great number of them have to do with the intercourse between the Fairy Folk and the Fianna. With these folk the Fianna have constant relations, both of love and war. One of the best is that of the fairy Brugh, or mansion of Slievenamon, which Keelta tells a story of.
# 562
Chief among the earlier tales dealing with Finn and his companions is the famous COLLOQUY OF THE OLD MEN. This long and elaborate piece, composed not far from AD 1200, is a framework story in which are embedded a large number of heroic tales and place-name legends.
At the beginning of the narrative Oisin (Ossian) son of Finn, and Cailte son of Crunnchu mac Ronain, accompanied by a small band, are represented as the only survivors of Finn mac Cumaill's great fian. A century and a half have elapsed since the death of Finn and the battles in which the fian met with destruction. After visiting Finn's old nurse, Oisin and Cailte separate, one going north to seek Oisin's mother, who is one of the Tuatha De Danann; the other moving south toward Tara. On the way Cailte and his companions meet with St Patrick and accept Christianity. St Patrick's interest in the traditions of Ireland elicits from Cailte many stories of the pagan heroic age. On arriving at Tara, Cailte and St Patrick find Oisin installed in the court of King Diarmuid mac Cerbaill. There the ancient heroes entertain the guests with tales of pagan Ireland. Whether the piece as a whole emanates from ecclesiastical or secular sources, it is both surprising and pleasant to find at such an early period a representation of friendly and sympathetic relations between pagan and Christian.
# 166 - 562
The lover of Lanceor, the son of the King of Ireland. When Lanceor was slain by Balin, she killed herself.
# 156 - 418
Colour was important in Celtic representations of the underworld, and the White Bull was the chief sacrifice of the Druids at the cutting of the mistletoe. White doves are an almost universal symbol of peace and are particularly associated with the Mother Goddesses and Queens of Heaven and were sacrificed to them; they were emblems of feminity and maternity.
# 161
See: DRESS AND APPEARANCE OF THE FAIRIES.
# 562: Symbol of the feet and St Columba in rockcarvings in Ireland.
# 454: (c.521-97) He was born in Donegal of the royal Ui Neill line and was trained as a monk under Saint Finnian of Moville. He borrowed a copy of Jerome's new translations of the Psalms from the Magh Bile monastery in order to copy it. The original owners judged that the copy should remain with them since 'every cow has its calf'. The resulting battle at Coodrebhne saw Columba as an opponent in arms, rather than in Christian temperance, and he sent himself into exile from Ireland, in remorse. He converted many of the Irish settlers in Scotland, as well as King Brude of the Picts. He founded his monastery on Iona which became in time the burial place and assembly of Scottish kings. Many monastic settlements sprang from the influence of Iona. Columba, although he swore never to see Ireland again, returned to champion the social obligations of the Irish in Scotland to the Irish High Kings. He also arbitrated between the Church and the bards, whose position was seriously endangered: Irish poets had become feared and hated due to their practice of satirizing ungenerous patrons (considered in its magical light, since satires could cause physical effects) and because of their extortionate retainers. Columba was himself a poet and his arbitration ensured that Irish poets should be allowed to exercise their ancient function. He is remembered on 9 June.
# 454 - 562
Celtic cult animals have horns, symbols of supernatural power or divinity, and are depicted as birds, horses, and serpents. Among northern nomadic people several heads may be portrayed as a single body.
# 161
'Lay of Oisin in the Land of Youth,' by Michael Comyn, was composed about 1750 and ended the long history of Gaelic literature. It has been estimated that if all the tales and poems of the Ossianic Cycle which still remain could be printed they would fill some twenty-five volumes of about 500 pages each. Moreover, it could have been recovered from the lips of what have been called an 'illiterate' peasantry in the Gaelic-speaking parts of Ireland and the Highlands.
# 562
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