As a shape-changer she can transform from ravishing beauty to hag — or battle crow to BEAN-NIGHE — in triple time. This has caused a great deal of confusion to careless mythologists and innocent Godcheckers. Some sources claim there are three of her.
- TUATHA-DE-DANANN
Born of the Mother Goddess DANU.
They used to live in the Western Isles, until they traveled to Ireland on a big cloud and began beating up baddies.
Their leader is DAGDA, and their number includes MANANNAN-MACLIR, NUADA and the MORRIGAN.
She was the second wife of MIDIR, and their marriage caused no little jealousy in the heart of his ex, FUAMNACH. With a little help from friends, she magically changed ETAIN into a pool of water.
- ARAWN - Celtic Underworld God
The Cymric god who rules the nether-realm of Annwfn (literally the un-deep). A labyrinthine realm of mysteries, dead souls and great treasures.
Arawn is truly an ancient deity, and as he fought against the Plant Dô in the Câd Goddeu, the battle of the trees, he may be counted amongst the giants of Plant Llŷr.
Arawn is mentioned in the epic poems Câd Goddeu and Preiddeu Annwfn (The spoils of Annwfn) where Arthur attempts to steal a magical cauldron from the nether-realm.
In a similar manner to Gwyn Arawn seen as the leader of the Wild Hunt which emerges into the realm of men at Calan Gaeaf and Calan Mai (All Hallows' Eve and May Eve). Before him there run a pack of spectral hounds with white fur and blood-red ears. The baying of these hounds sounds like the hooting of wild geese and their quarries are the souls of the damned whom they chase back to Annwfn to be lost in its labyrinths for all eternity.
In the first branch of the Mabinogi Pwyll mistakenly sets his hounds on a stag also being hunted by Arawn. In recompense for this misdeed Pwyll changes places with Arawn for a year and a day and defeats Arawn's enemy, Hafgan. As a result of their adventures in this tale the two become firm friends.
As permanent rest homes go, it has a five star rating. Amenities include a magic cauldron presided over by nine maidens which has total restorative properties. A fountain of wine. Splendid gardens and orchards. Excellent bird-spotting facilities. Unique weather settings which render central heating obsolete.
- AINE - Celtic Fertility Goddess
She chose a life of landlocked love. She killed a king who tried to rape her, then branched out into Irish Agriculture. She had her own Aine’s Hill in County Kerry, where Midsummer Revels were held when she took on a new identity as a Fairy Queen.
- LUGH - Celtic Craft God
Things started out badly when his evil grandpa BALOR tossed him out to sea, but Sea God MANANNAN-MACLIR was fed up with demons polluting his waters and came to the rescue.
Big Mac took the baby under his fin and raised LUGH as his child until he was old enough to stay with Uncle GOIBHNIU, the Great Smith. There he grew so strikingly handsome and amazingly skilled that he decided to apply for the post of apprentice God.
A year from the day of their first meeting and Pwyll came to the ford that Arawn had described and engaged Hafgan in single combat. So mighty was Pwyll's blow that it struck the boss of Hafgan's shield, cleaving it in two. The sword drove through his armour and bore Hafgan to the ground a full spear's length from his steed's crupper. Hafgan is mortally wounded and implores Pwyll (who is in the guise of Arawn) to properly dispose of him, but Pwyll refuses. Hafgan has his nobles bear him away and declares Pwyll the sole lord of Annwfn. Thus he received the homage of Hafgan's men and conquered his domains, uniting the two lands as one. Thus did Arawn recover his position as the lord of all Annwfn and because of this and the way that Pwyll had respected his wife, from that day forward was Pwyll Leader of Dyfed known as Pwyll Head of Annwfn. Arawn also gifts Pwyll with a herd of swine from Annwfn.
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