Few surviving Celtic myths bear any resemblance to their originals. In the course of time they have been infused with romance, pseudohistory and Christian theory. Stories of Ireland and Wales have been combined with tales of love, war and slaughterdeeds both noble and ignoble. In this classic study, MacCulloch proves that Celtic legend borrowed from preCeltic mythology, just as Christianity in Britain subsumed much of the Celtic past. J.A. MacCulloch was a scholar and author of several books, including The Misty Isle of Skye, The Childhood of Fiction and The Religion of the Ancient Celts. Celtic Mythology By J. A. MacCulloch Chicago Review Press Incorporated Copyright © 1918 J. A. MacCulloch All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-89733-433-4 Contents Author's Preface, Introduction, Chapter I. The Strife of the Gods, II. Tuatha Dé Danann and Milesians, III. The Division of the Síd, IV. Mythic Powers of the Gods, V. Gods Helping Mortals, VI. Divine Enmity and Punishment, VII. The Loves of the Gods, VIII. The Myths of the British Celts, IX. The Divine Land, X. Mythical Animals and Other Beings, XI. Myths of Origins, XII. The Heroic Myths — I. Cúchulainn and his Circle, XIII. The Heroic Myths — II. Fionn and the Féinn, XIV. The Heroic Myths — III. Arthur, XV. Paganism and Christianity, CHAPTER 1 THE STRIFE OF THE GODS THE annalistic account of the groups of people who successively came to Ireland, some to perish utterly, others to remain as colonists, represents the unscientific historian's attempt to explain the different races existing there in his time, or of whom tradition spoke. He wrote, too, with an eye upon Biblical story, and connected the descendants of the patriarchs with the folk of Ireland. Three different groups of Noah's lineage arrived in successive waves. The first of these, headed by Noah's granddaughter, Cessair, perished, with the exception of her husband. Then came the Fomorians, descendants of Ham; and finally the Nemedians, also of the stock of Noah, arrived. According to one tradition, they, like Cessair's people and another group unconnected with Noah — the race of Partholan (Bartholomew) — died to a man, although another legend says that they returned to Spain, whence they had come. Spain figures frequently in these annalistic stories, and a close connexion between it and Ireland is taken for granted. This may be a reminiscence of a link by way of trade between the two countries in prehistoric days, of which, indeed, archaeology presents some proof. Possibly, too, early Celtic colonists reached Ireland directly from Spain, rather than through Gaul and Britain. Still another tradition makes Nemedian survivors wander over the world, some of their descendants becoming the Britons, while others returned to Ireland as a new colonizing group — Firbolgs, Fir-Domnann, and Galioin. A third group of their descendants who had learned magic came to Ireland — the Tuatha Dé Danann. Finally the Milesians, the ancestors of the Irish, arrived and conquered the Tuatha Dé Danann, as these had defeated the Fomorians. Little of this is actual history, but how much of it is invention, and how much is based on mythic traditions floating down from the past, is uncertain. What is certain is that the annalists, partly as a result of the euhemerizing process, partly through misunderstanding, mingled groups of gods with tribes or races of men and regarded them as more or less human. These various traditions are introductory to the story of the two battles of Mag-Tured, enlarged from an earlier tale of a single conflict. An interval of twenty-seven years elapsed between the two battles, and they were fought in different parts of Ireland bearing the same name, one in Mayo and the other in Sligo, the first battle being fought against the Firbolgs, and the second against the Fomorians, by the Tuatha Dé Danann. Having reached Ireland, the Tuatha Dé Danann established themselves at Mag-Rein in Connaught. The Firbolgs sent a huge warrior, Sreng, to parley with them, and to him approached Bres, son of Elatha, of the Tuatha Dé Danann. The warriors gazed long upon each other; then they mutually admired their weapons, and finally exchanged them, Bres receiving the heavy, broad-pointed spears of the Firbolg, and Sreng the light, sharp-pointed lances of Bres. The demand of the invaders was surrender of the half of Ireland, but to this the Firbolgs would not agree. Meanwhile the Tuatha Dé Danann, terrified at the heavy Firbolg spears, retreated to Mag-Tured, Badb, Morrigan, and Macha, three of their women, producing frogs, rain of fire, and streams of blood against the Firbolgs. By mutual agreement an armistice was arranged for preparation, and some from each side even engaged in a hurling match. Such were the tactics of the time! Each party prepared a healing well for the wounded, in which medicinal herbs were placed. Dagda led the forces on the first day, when the Tuatha Dé Danan