Fenian Cycle
myths of Finn MacCool and the Fenians, the band of elite soldiers that protected Ireland. This cycle covers a time period of about a century and a half beginning in 177 AD
Finn McCool (Fion McCumhaill)
Finn travelled across Ireland and asked a druid to teach him poetry and magic. The druid caught the Salmon of Knowledge and told Finn to cook it. Finn accidentally tasted the fish.
The Story of Diarmaid and Grainne
Finn, the aging chief of the Fianna
Cormac the Magnificent, part-hitoric, part mythic king of Ireland
Grainne, Cormac's daughter
Diarmaid, Finn's nephew
Grainne concocts a sleeping potion
Everybody but Diarmaid drinks
Grainne proposes
Diarmaid refuses
Grainne places a Geis on him
Diarmaid seeks advice from Finn and Fianna
Loveless, Diarmaid follows Grainne
Thus begins the story called «The pursuit of Diarmaid and Grainne»
The pursuit of Diarmaid and Grainne
The pursuit takes 16 years
Aonghus, the Celtic love-god, helps them
The story of Aounghus himself is brought forth in this tale
Aounghus is usually associated with the spiral — a chief celtic symbol
Aonghus is the son of Dagda and Boyne — the water goddess
The beds of Diarmaid and Grainne — dolmens — are scattered all over Irish countryside
The pursuit of Diarmaid and Grainne
Diarmaid and Grainne come to a garden with a magic rowan-tree
The Magic Rowan is guarded by a Fomor, Searbhan
Grainne gets the fruit
Diarmaid goes boar-hunting
Finn finally marries Grainne
Historic Cycle — legends associated with historical figures in Ireland (St. Patrick (5th century AD), Brian Boru, the Irish king who drove out the Vikings in 1014.
Welsh Mythology — Mabinogion
«Мабиногион» - сборник, включающий в себя 11 легенд
«Мабиноги» - «Повесть о юности»
Язык отдельных легенд сборника, как и их сюжеты, относится к разному времени. Записаны в 11 — 12 веках.
Перевод на английский (1849)
PWYLL PRINCE OF DYFED. THE FIRST BRANCH OF THE MABINOGI
«Chieftain», said he, «I know who thou art, and I greet thee not».
«Peradventure», said Pwyll, «thou art of such dignity that thou shouldest not do so».
«Verily», answered he, «it is not my dignity that prevents me».
«What is it then, O Chieftain?», asked he.
«By Heaven, it is by reason of thine own ignorance and want of courtesy».
«What discourtesy, Chieftain, hast thou seen in me?»
Pwyll watches Rhiannon from the Enchanted Hill
No one can chase her for several days
She tells him she loves him
They agree to marry in a year and a day
Gwawl comes and claims her
Another year passes
Gwawl is trapped in the bag (the cauldron of Dagda)
The Shape and the Soul of the Welsh Myth
In form the Mabinogion is basically courteous, conventional and Medieaval.
In essence, it reflects the Celtic mystical soul: space-time relationships are distorted, cause — effect aspect is virtually irrelevant for a modern mind.
Picts' Chronicles
Написаны в правление Кеннета Второго (971 — 995). Дошедшая до нас копия рукописи была сделана в 14 веке.
Список королей
«Киркин правил 40 лет.
Фидах правил 40 лет.
Фортренн правил 70 лет.
Флоклэйд правил 30 лет.
Гот правил 12 лет...»