Étain

Étain

Thanks to Bard Mythologies, keepers of ancient wisdom, for this story of Étain. Click here to read the myth of Midir and Étain, retold by Karina Tynan from the perspective of the three women. 

Background:
Etain (Eadaoin) was a maiden of the Tuatha de Dannan, renowned for her beauty, who fell in love with Midir of the seven-pointed spear. Unfortunately for her, Midir’s wife took exception to this, and Etain had to endure terrible hardship.

Stories of Etain: 
Etain met Midir while he was staying with his foster-son, Aengus Óg, the god of love. Midir was wounded, losing an eye while under Aengus’ protection, and this was such a blow to his status that even after his eye was restored, he demanded that Aengus make it up to him. Now, being the god of love, Aengus made it up to Midir by introducing him to the beautiful Etain. The two began a passionate love affair, and all was well with them until the time came for Midir to return home. Midir was already married, to Fuamnach, a powerful woman and his equal in every way. She had raised children and foster-children with him, and was deeply insulted when he brought this strange woman home with him. She took her anger out on Etain, turning her into a shower of rain, which fell in a puddle and condensed into a jewelled fly. However, to Fuamnach’s surprise, the fly Etain did not leave Midir, and his love for her did not diminish. The sound of her wings was sweet music to him, and the fly perched on his shoulder wherever he went.

Fuamnach then sent a storm to blow Etain away. Aengus managed to rescue her for a short time, but the storm found her again, and Etain was blown and battered about for time out of mind. At last, she was blown in through the window of a mortal king’s hall and fell into the goblet of the king’s wife, who swallowed the fly Etain, and became pregnant at that instant. Born again as a mortal woman, Etain grew up with no memory of her past life, though her appearance was the same. When the High King of Ireland, Eochaid Airem, asked for her hand in marriage, she agreed, and was a loyal and good wife to him. At last, Midir found her. He had been searching for her for thousands of years, and begged her to run away with him, but Etain refused to break faith with her mortal husband, demanding that Midir get Eochaid’s permission before she so much as kissed him. Midir managed to trick King Eochaid into giving him permission to kiss and embrace his wife, but Eochaid spent a whole month training and equipping his army to prevent Midir from claiming this prize. This was no obstacle to a man of the Tuatha de Dannan, and Midir simply appeared in the king’s hall next to Etain on the appointed day. When he kissed her, Etain’s memories of him returned, and the two of them vanished from the king’s hall to live their immortal life together.

Conclusion: 
Etain was faced with terrible hardship, but held onto her essential self, and her love for Midir, through her transformation into a fly. Her integrity and strong sense of values come through in the story when she refuses the beguilement of her faery lover, and insists on keeping faith with her husband. But love wins out, and she follows her heart in the end.

Herstory is delighted to partner with Bard Mythologies, master storytellers and keepers of ancient wisdom. The primary purpose of the Bard is the re-engagement with a unique traditional heritage in order to help us reflect on where we are today. At the very start in August 1995 in the Pearse Museum, was Sandy Dunlop, his wife, Ellen O’Malley-Dunlop and Bill Felton, the creative talent who created all the wonderful images at the beginning of each story. Since then, Clare Island, Co. Mayo has been the location for the Bard Summer School week in July, and The Civic Theatre, Tallaght, plays host to monthly workshops. CandleLit Tales also host incredible nights of mythic storytelling and music around Ireland. Discover more: bardmythologies.com.

Click here to read the myth of Midir & Étain, retold by Karina Tynan from the perspective of the feminine. Herstory is delighted to collaborate with Karina Tynan; writer, psychotherapist and team member of the Bard Summer School. Karina has been inspired by our rich mythology to write a series of retellings of the Irish myths from the eyes and experience of the feminine. Through her empathy and imagination she seeks to meet the light, shadow, creativity and heroism of mythic women It is Karina’s belief that myths are boundless and will forever yield fresh wisdom as they encounter the human imagination. Each retelling is imaginatively recreated while being fundamentally true to the myths themselves. 

Scathach

Scathach

Thanks to Bard Mythologies, keepers of ancient wisdom, for this story of Scathach. Click here to read the myth of Scathach, retold by Karina Tynan from the perspective of the feminine. 

Background:

Scathach was a warrior queen whose name meant “The Shadowy One”.  She lived in Western Scotland and ran a training academy for young warriors.

Scathach: educator of warriors

The great Ulster warrior Cuchulainn was Scathach’s most famous student. He sought her out because the father of the woman he wished to marry, Emer, had said they could not wed until Cuchulainn had been trained as a champion by Scathach.  In this he was hoping to avoid giving his daughter to the hero, since it was notoriously difficult to find Scathach’s island and survive her training course.  Through his bravery and strength Cuchulainn found his way there and used his famous “salmon leap” to gain access to her stronghold.  He threatened her at sword point in order to persuade her to teach him everything she knew.  She granted the young warrior three wishes, to instruct him properly, to grant him her daughter without bride price and to foretell his future.  She told him she foresaw a great and glorious career for him but did not see him living any longer than thirty years of age.  Scathach did grant her daughter, Uathach, to Cuchulainn but it is said that she also lay with him.  She taught him his art carefully and at the same time she taught the young warrior Ferdia, who became Cuchulainn’s brother in arms.  Both were educated to an equal level, but Scathach gave Cuchulainn one gift in secret.  This was the legendary Gae Bolga, a spear which separated in to barbs on entering human flesh.  Its first strike was always fatal.  It was this weapon, which caused the death of Ferdia when the two men were forced to fight against each other in the saga of the Tain.

In return for this instruction, Cuchulainn stood against the enemies of Scathach led by the warrior queen, Aife.  He saved the lives of Scathach’s two sons and went into battle as her champion against Aife.  He held a sword at Aife s throat and made her promise to give hostages to Scathach, to keep peace forever more, and to bear him a son.  This Aife did and Cuchulainn returned to Scathach to rest after his great deeds.  He left her island after seven years fully trained in the arts of war and was famed as the greatest warrior Ireland has ever known as a result of her teaching.

Conclusion

Like her name suggests, Scathach  is a largely shadowy figure.  We have an impression of a strong and fiercly independent woman who was respected and revered by the warrior society.  She is an otherworldy character and her granting of the Gae Bolga to Cuchulainn is strongly reminiscent of the Lady of the Lake granting Excalibur to Arthur.  Through her instruction he became the champion for all Ireland while she herself remained famed for her own skills and magic.

The mythic biographies are from Bard Mythologies, master storytellers and keepers of ancient Irish wisdom. The Bard hosts a fascinating event series throughout the year, with a website full of epic mythic stories.

Deichtre

Art by Bill Felton

Deichtre

Thanks to Bard Mythologies, keepers of ancient wisdom, for this story of Deichtre. Click here to read the myth of Deichtre, retold by Karina Tynan from the perspective of the feminine.

Background:
Deichtre was the mother of Cuchulainn and the sister of the King of Ulster Concobhar Mac Nessa.

Stories of Deichtre:
One day Deichtre collected fifty maidens and left Ulster without telling the King. The men of Ulster looked for them for three years but could not find them. It was said that the women often took the form of a flock of birds who stripped the land of all vegetation. Deichtre and her companions found a new home for themselves in the land of the fairies. Story has it that Deichtre was sitting outside her house one day, drinking from a great goblet when a tiny fly settled on the rim. She swallowed the fly with her drink. That night she dreamt that a tall and beautiful man came to her and said that she would bear a son who was to be called Setanta. This vision was of the god Lugh and it is said that he was the divine father of Cuchulainn.

Meanwhile the men of Ulster had drawn near to the first stronghold where the women were staying. A fairy man, with Deichtre by his side, welcomed them and asked them why they came. They answered that they were missing fifty maidens for whom they had been searching for three years. The fairy lord invited them in, saying that they would find the women inside and Deichtre offered them hospitality. Concobhar claimed his right as king of Ulster to sleep with his host’s woman and so asked that Deichtre be sent to him in the night, without realising she was his own sister. The woman asked for a night’s respite, since she was in labour and Concobhar went to sleep. In the morning the infant was found in the folds of his cloak. Deichtre left the fairy land and returned to Ulster with her brother and he gave her the charge of bringing up the boy who was named Setanta. He was well trained and educated and later became known as Cuchulainn, a name he acquired from his boyhood deeds.

Conclusion:
Deichtre was an independent and fearless woman as shown by the way she left Ulster of her own accord and without the permission or knowledge of the king. It is said she used to drive his chariot for him when he went into battle. There was a strongly magical element to her in that she dwelt in the land of the fairies and attracted the god Luch. Once she gave birth to her son she was a devoted mother and loved him dearly.

The mythic biographies are from Bard Mythologies, master storytellers and keepers of ancient Irish wisdom. The Bard hosts a fascinating event series throughout the year, with a website full of epic mythic stories.