The figures beneath each entry give reference numbers for the Bibliography
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The Lord of Malehaut.
# 156
# 562: Irish monuments plundered by Danes. # 100: There is a certain amont of confusion in Somerset between the Danes, whose incursions are still remembered, and the fairies. The name 'Danes' may be connected, in this Celtic pocket of England, with the Daoine Sidhe, the children of Dana. The Leicestershire Dane Hills may have the same origin. Ruth Tongue in COUNTY FOLK LORE VIII quotes an informant at Ashridge in 1907 who was convinced that the traditional buried treasure on Dolbury Camp was put there by the fairies, not by the Danes. There be a bit of verse as do go
If Dolbury digged were Of gold should be the share, but nobody hasn't found the treasure yet. And for why?Well, to start up with it don't belong to they, and so they won't never meet up with it. 'Twill go on sinking down below never mind how deep they do dig. I tell 'ee 'tis the gold of they Redshanks as used to be seed on Dolbury top. To be sure there's clever, book-read gentlemen as tell as they was Danes, and another say 'twere all on account of their bare legs being red with the wind, but don't mind they. My granny she did tell they was fairies, ah, and all dressed in red, and if so the treasure med be theirs. If they was Danes how do 'ee explain all they little clay pipes as 'ee can find on Dolbury Camp. They did call 'em 'fairy pipes', old miners did. An' if there be fairy pipes then there was fairies, and nobody need doubt thay was the Redshanks.'
# 100 - 562 - 675
In the TAVOLA RITONDA, a knight, brother of Dinadan, leader of the knights who discovered Lancelot and Guinevere together in compromising circumstances. Daniel was also the name of an Arthurian knight in a thirteenth-century German poem by Der Stricker. See: BREUNOR.
# 156 - 238
The ancestress of the Tuatha de Danaan. So antique is her legend that no stories have survived. She is analogous with Anu, and may survive in BLACK ANNIS. See: DANA DANU.
# 454 - 548
Sources of Danube, place of origin of Celts.
# 562
(theena shee) # 454: The people of the Sidhe or hollow hills. The inhabitants of the Otherworld who, like the Fairies, live behind the world of men but sometimes co-exist peacefully with them. There is a long tradition that the ancient gods and heroes entered the sidhe and lived there. See AES SIDHE.
# 100: The Daoine Sidhe are the fairy people of Ireland, generally supposed to be the dwindled gods of the early inhabitants of Ireland, the Tuatha Da Danann, who became first the Fenian heroes and then the fairies. Other names are however given them for safety's sake, the 'Wee folks', 'the People of That Town', 'the Gentry', 'the Good People, or other euphemistic names. A good account of these Irish fairies is given by Yeats in the first few pages of his IRISH FAIRY AND FOLK TALES.
They are the typical heroic fairies, enjoying the pleasures and occupations of the medieval chivalry. Even in modern times their small size is not invariable; they are occasionally of human or more than human stature. Their habitations are generally underground or underwater, in the green raths or under the loughs or in the sea. These underwater fairies are well described by Lady Wilde in ANCIENT LEGENDS OF IRELAND VOL.I. They are supposed to be those of the Fallen Angels, too good for Hell: 'Some fell to earth, and dwelt there, long before man was created, as the first gods of the earth. Others fell into the sea.'
# 100 - 454 - 711 - 728 - 756
Son of Fachtna, owner of Brown Bull of Quelgny;
# 562
The sister of St Patrick in Jocelyn's LIFE OF ST PATRICK. She was said to have been Patrick's youngest sister and to have had seventeen sons. Gallet makes her an ancestor of Arthur in the following fashion: Darerca married to Conan their son Urbien had a son, Solomon, which had a son, Constantine, grandfather of Arthur. Gallet makes Darerca's sister Tigridia marry Grallo, Conan's grandson, thus connecting her with Arthur.
# 156
Changes Sadbh into a fawn; When Finn and his two enchanted dogs, Bran and Sceolawn, was on a chase,a beautiful fawn started up on their path, and the chase swept after her. At last, as the chase went on down a valley-side, Finn saw the fawn stop and lie down, while the two hounds began to play around her, and to lick her face and limbs. So he gave commandment that none should hurt her, and she followed them to the Dun of Allen, playing with the hounds as she went. - The same night Finn awoke and saw standing by his bed the fairest woman his eyes had ever beheld. 'I am Sadbh, O Finn,' she said, 'and I was the fawn ye chased to-day. Because I would not give my love to the Druid of the Fairy Folk, who is named the Dark, he put that shape upon me by his sorceries, and I have borne it these three years. But a slave of his, pitying me, once revealed to me that if I could win to thy great Dun of Allen, O Finn, I should be safe from all enchantments, and my natural shape would come to me again.' - So Sadbh dwelt with Finn, and he made her his wife; But later, when Finn was out on warfare, the Dark Druid came to the castle, and in the phantom-shape of Finn, he succeeded in smitten Sadbh with his hazel wand, and lo, there was no woman there any more, but a deer. Finn and the Fianna was then searching for seven years for Sadbh throughout the whole of Ireland, but didn't find a trace of her. See also: FINN and FINN MAC CUMHAL and OISIN.
# 562
Dartmoor is infamous for the so-called 'Whist Hounds', the 'Hounds of Hell', said to be a pack of spectral dogs which haunt the locality and inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to write THE HOUND OF BASKERVILLES. The Whist Hounds are associated with the demonic Wild Hunt, which has the devil as the night huntsman; in particular, legends tell how the pack chases benighted travellers to the edge of Dewerstone Rock on Dartmoor to drive them over the edge to their doom. The notion of 'spectral' or 'ghostly' dogs, whether single or in packs, is found throughout the British Isles even today, and may be demoted versions of the ancient 'Ride of the Valkyries' of Norse mythology. The tendency to introduce historical personages as an outer guise for the forgotten gods may be seen in the fact that some locals claim the Whist Hounds are led by none other than Sir Francis Drake. In the north of England the hell hounds are sometimes called 'Gabriel Hounds', but the name has nothing to do with the Archangel of the Annunciation for the word comes from the ancient term 'gabbara', which was the equivalent of a 'dead body'. In Cornwall the Whist Hounds are called Dandy Dogs. Whatever their names, it is widely believed that when the baying of the hounds is heard then disaster bodes for the one who is listening, and those who see them, with their slavering jaws and red-coal eyes, is bound for a sudden death. Ralph Whitlock's IN SEARCH OF LOST GODS suggests that the prevalence of black-dog ghosts might be a result of the ancient practice by which dogs were sacrificed and buried under the doorposts or walls of new buildings, that their spirits or souls might act as guardians of the place. Very many stories are told of black-dog hauntings, but the 'spectral hound' weather-vane on the parish church at Bungay must be unique. The demon hound of East Anglia is called Black Shuck.
# 702
In the romance of TYOLET, it was she who required a knight to cut off the white foot of a stag. This challenge was taken up successfully by Tyolet who became her husband.
# 156
In Welsh: Dewi. The Patron of Wales, who died in 601. Born in Dyfed, and founded twelve monasteries from Croyland to Pembrokeshire, where the regime was particularly austere, after the Celtic fashion. His habit of only drinking water supplied him with the nickname 'Aquaticus'. Even though he in Wales is remembered on March 1st with leeks, his actual emblem is the dove.
# 454 - 506
A sword belonging to the biblical King David. It was used by King Varlan to kill King Lambor in one version of the Dolorous Stroke.
# 156
A record of the life of David (Dewi), the patron saint of Wales, was written by Rhigyfarch, the eldest son of Sulien, Bishop of St David's in about AD 1090. The manuscript was written at Llanbadarn Fawr, near Aberystwyth. The birth of David was foretold by Gildas when he was preaching at Cae Morfa. A young woman called Non came into his church and he suddenly lost the power of speech. But later he was able to predict the important event that was about to take place. 'One Nonnita, a pious woman now present is great with child and will shortly be delivered of a son with a greater portion of the divine spirit than has ever yet fallen to the share of any preacher in this country. To him I resign my situation as better able to fill it, and this an angel of the Lord has delivered to me.' King Sant heard that a very important child was about to be born and he ordered his men to kill every new child in the area. However, a wild storm blew up and his men took shelter. St Non fought her way through the violent thunderstorm to collapse on the ground beside a huge stone. 'The place shone with so severe a light that it glistened as though the sun was visible and had brought it in front of the clouds.' In her pains of labour, St Non pressed her fingers into the stone which consequently bore their impression. The stone later became an altar table in the chapel built on this spot. At the moment of St David's birth the huge stone split into two. One part remained behind St Non's head and the other stood upright at her feet. (It is possible that she was sheltering under a cromlech.) It is believed that St Non retired to Brittany after David grew up and she is buried at Dirinian, Finisterre. A very fine sixteenthcentury shrine and effigy can be seen there in the chapel of St Non; close by is a holy well bearing her name and another, a mile away, is dedicated to St Patrick. Some writers have claimed that St David was related to King Arthur. It has been suggested that he was Arthur's uncle. It is also written that St David's father was a Prince of Ceredigion and that Non was the daughter of a chieftain in Mynyw, now Dewisland Peninsula. At the child's baptism by Elwin the Bishop of Munster a spring (Ffynnon Ddewi), suddenly appeared and Mafi, a blind monk, who was standing nearby, had his sight miraculously restored. David was raised at Henfynyw near Aberaeron and he became a priest at the small monastery of Ty Gwyn.
His tutor Paulinus was told by an angel to persuade David to travel widely. Consequently he visited many parts of Wales and founded monasteries at Llangyfelach and Raglan and also ventured into England to establish churches at Leominster and Glastonbury. On his return an angel told him to build a monastery at Glyn Rhosyn. An Irish chieftain called Boia tried to kill David and his followers but was struck by fever and his cattle were destroyed (this was attributed to the saint's powers). Boia later begged David's forgiveness and the cattle were brought back to life. However, Boia's wife still tried to make problems for David and eventually she became mad. Boia was killed by an Irish pirate, Liski. An inlet near St David's bears his name indicating the point were he landed. David founded his monastery in the most secluded and isolated spot that he could find. He led a very strict and spartan life consisting mainly of very simple food, hard work and devotion. His example had to be followed by all who joined him. They called him Dewi Ddyfrwr David the Water Drinker. He would drink no wine, eat no meat and did not use oxen to till the ground, but yoked his fellow monks to the plough. All work had to be carried out in silence and all property was held in common. No monk could call anything his own. St David sent his missionaries from here on many journeys to convert the pagans. His influence went out to people all over South and West Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Cornwall and Brittany. Villages named Llanddewi, which were originally churches founded by St David or his disciples, are to be found in many parts of South Wales. St David travelled to Jerusalem and also to Rome, where he was made a bishop. He was accompanied on this journey by Padarn and Teilo. Living to a great age, he eventually died on 1 March in the year 588 AD and it is claimed that his final words to his followers were: 'Preserve in these things which you have learned from me and have seen in me.' His bones were laid to rest behind the high altar in the cathedral (or they were hidden there at the time of the Reformation). Some of his remains were taken to Glastonbury for burial in 946. In 1120 he was canonized and over fifty medieval churches in Wales were dedicated to him.
# 49
The Irish Fairyland. Equivalent 'Spain'.
# 562
(DAL na)
# 562: The Celtic conception of Death contents an Otherworld which is not a place of gloom and suffering, but of light and liberation; the Sun was as much the god of that world as he was of this. Names of Balor and Bilé occur as god of death.
# 548: The circumstances of the hero's death have been foretold by druids or seers and in many cases he goes through life knowing precisely what his end will be. So fully are the incidents which culminate in the Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel and the death of Conaire prefigured by the wizards of the attackers that relatively few words are necessary to tell the story of the actual battle. This is no more than a repetition or a materialization of a story which has its origin and being in a world outside the limitations of here and now. One is reminded of the relationship between a sentence of death and an execution. The sentence has prescribed the form of death and nothing remains but to carry it out. CuChulain's journey to his last battle is a veritable 'death ride'. Before he sets forth, a number of omens warn him of impending doom. Weapons fall from their racks, and as he throws on his mantle the brooch falls and pierces his foot, and so on. He also encounters three crones, blind in the left eye, who with poisons and spells have cooked a dog on spits of rowan. The hero is thereby placed in a quandary: it is geis (a prohibition) for him to eat his namesake, the dog, and it is geis for him to pass a cooking-hearth without partaking of the fare. At first he refuses the invitation extended by one of the crones, but when she reproaches him for disdaining their humble meal he submits, and he eats it out of his hand and places it under his left thigh. Immediately the hand and the thigh lose their strength. The violation of geisa (or gessa) is a sure omen of approaching death.
The myths have a bearing on the meaning of death itself. They proclaim that death, however peaceful it may appear to be, is a work of violence, a cutting down. The myths do not mitigate the impact of death with soothing words; they present it in its grimmest brutality. And yet, the declamation of such stories at Samhain (31 october - beginning of winter), perhaps, and at wakes for the dead, had its proper function. They elevated death to the plane of the tragic and the heroic. From a human standpoint deaths may be dismissed as due to natural causes: accidents, diseases, and so on; some are expected, others are 'premature'. But mythologically speaking no death is natural, nothing is ever premature and there is no such thing as accident. Deaths are preordained; and the contingent causes are but the agents of pre-existent and precognizable destinies. It is noteworthy that folk-belief is in agreement with the myths. However 'sudden' the death, there will have been omens. An apple-tree will have blossomed out of season, a hen will have crowed like a cock, or a dog will have howled at night. Someone will have seen a corpse-candle or a phantomfuneral or there will have been a premonitory dream or an inexplicable uneasiness. These portents accentuate the eeriness and mystery of death; they enhance its meaning. It is a reality of whose imminence the natural and supernatural worlds are aware and of which they take cognisance. Unlike such contemporary banalities as 'Well, he had a happy life' or 'He did not suffer much' or 'He is better out of his misery', myth and folk-belief do not strip death of its significance and so do not depreciate the nobility of human beings.
# 548 - 562
The Celtic Death-Ritual as everybody can use in modern time, according to Dolores Ashcroft Nowicki, is fully described in her latest book THE NEW BOOK OF THE DEAD (1992).
# 23 pp 143-152
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