Attached: 1 image #NationalStoryTellingWeek #BookologyThursday: `#Celtic myths are symbolic, so we need to interpret them to draw out their wisdom. As a result, it's probably worth asking if interpretation was ever a part of the Celtic storytelling tradition? Cormac is led into the land of paradise, the land of wonder, the #Otherworld, and there he witnesses strange things. He finds himself in the midst of a great plain, having passed through mists into this other realm, where visions unfold before him. „Then Cormac found himself in the midst of a great plain. There was a great stronghold in the midst of the plain, and a silver rampart around it, and a house half of gold in the midst of the stronghold half-thatched with the wings of birds, and a troop of horsemen of the sid gathering the wings of many-coloured birds for the house. And they put those wings upon the house without a splinter [to fasten them), and they were falling off that troop of horsemen did from the beginning of the world until its end … After Cormac had gone on he saw a warrior kindling a fire. He would fetch a great tree-trunk, root, and crown, and would put the trunk on the fire and go to fetch another; and nothing of the first tree-trunk would be left when he returned. And this was the business and labour of that man from the beginning of the world until ist end.“ As Cormac journeys further through the Otherworld, he meets Manannán Mac Lir and his wife, with whom he shares food. A central theme of this meeting is truth-telling, which becomes linked to the interpretation of the visions. Manannán explains`: "The world from which you have come is the present world. The horsemen you saw thatching the house are the skilled professionals of the world ... : and everything which they bring home after going on a circuit melts away and decomposes into nothing while they are on the next circuit, without profit or prosperity (remaining). As for the man kindling a fire, he is the victuallers and young noblemen of the world: it is they themselves who consume everything which they labour to produce. ... , and whatever they consume this year, often they pay for it the next year." Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RFz5ygHIw8

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Attached: 1 image #NationalStoryTellingWeek #BookologyThursday: `#Celtic myths are symbolic, so we need to interpret them to draw out their wisdom. As a result, it's probably worth asking if interpretation was ever a part of the Celtic storytelling tradition? Cormac is led into the land of paradise, the land of wonder, the #Otherworld, and there he witnesses strange things. He finds himself in the midst of a great plain, having passed through mists into this other realm, where visions unfold before him. „Then Cormac found himself in the midst of a great plain. There was a great stronghold in the midst of the plain, and a silver rampart around it, and a house half of gold in the midst of the stronghold half-thatched with the wings of birds, and a troop of horsemen of the sid gathering the wings of many-coloured birds for the house. And they put those wings upon the house without a splinter [to fasten them), and they were falling off that troop of horsemen did from the beginning of the world until its end … After Cormac had gone on he saw a warrior kindling a fire. He would fetch a great tree-trunk, root, and crown, and would put the trunk on the fire and go to fetch another; and nothing of the first tree-trunk would be left when he returned. And this was the business and labour of that man from the beginning of the world until ist end.“ As Cormac journeys further through the Otherworld, he meets Manannán Mac Lir and his wife, with whom he shares food. A central theme of this meeting is truth-telling, which becomes linked to the interpretation of the visions. Manannán explains`: "The world from which you have come is the present world. The horsemen you saw thatching the house are the skilled professionals of the world ... : and everything which they bring home after going on a circuit melts away and decomposes into nothing while they are on the next circuit, without profit or prosperity (remaining). As for the man kindling a fire, he is the victuallers and young noblemen of the world: it is they themselves who consume everything which they labour to produce. ... , and whatever they consume this year, often they pay for it the next year." Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RFz5ygHIw8

Attached: 1 image #NationalStoryTellingWeek #BookologyThursday #Celtic: `Whence is the tragical death of Fergus mac Róich? Not hard to tell. Fergus was in exile in Connacht after his honour had been violated in the matter of the sons of Usnech; for he was one of the three guarantors that were given to them, the other two being Dubthach Chafertongue and Cormac Conlonges the son of Conchobar. These were all in exile in the west to the end of fourteen years, and (during all that time) wailing and trembling in Ulster never ceased through them [i.e. through their deeds of vengeance], but there were wailing and trembling every night. ’Tis he who slew Fiachra the son of Conchobar, and Gerg the son of Illand, and Eogan the son of Durthacht [i.e. the murderer of the sons of Usnech]. By him, even Fergus, the Táin was brought. Many deeds he did while in the household of Ailill and Medb; and he and his people were more often abroad in the land than in Ailill’s household. Three thousand was the number of the exiled company; and his comrade in Ailill’s household was Lugaid the blind poet, to wit, a brother of Ailill’s was that Lugaid. Once after deeds of valour they were by the lake [i.e. Findloch (= Lough Carra)] on Mag Ai, where they had a large encampment, in which games and gatherings were held. Now on a certain day the whole host went into the lake to bathe. “Go down, O Fergus,” said Ailill, “and drown the men!” “They are not good in water,” said Fergus. Nevertheless he went down. Medb’s heart could not bear that, so that she went into the lake. As Fergus entered the lake, all there was of gravel and of stones at the bottom of the lake came to the surface. Then Medb went till she was on the breast of Fergus, with her legs entwined around him, and then he swam around the lake. And jealousy seized Ailill. Then Medb went up. “It is delightful what the hart and the doe are doing in the lake, O Lugaid,” said Ailill. “Why not kill them?” said Lugaid, who had never missed his aim. “Do thou have a cast at them!” said Ailill. “Turn my face towards them,” said Lugaid, “and bring a lance to me.” Fergus was washing himself in the lake, and his breast was towards them. And his chariot is brought to Ailill, so that it was near him; and Lugaid threw the lance, so that it passed out through his back behind. “The cast has gone home!” said Lugaid. “That is true,” said all; “it is the end of Fergus.” “How sad,” said Lugaid, “if I should have killed my foster-brother and comrade innocently.” “My chariot to me!” said Ailill. All the host began to flee, each man towards the shore, both the exiled and the men of Connacht. Fergus draws out the lance and hurls it after Ailill, so that it passed through the deerhound which was between the two hind-shafts of the chariot. Thereupon Fergus came out of the lake, and straightens himself out upon the hill by the side of the lake; and his soul passed out of him forthwith. And his grave is there still. So this is the tragical Death of Fergus so far.` Source: https://iso.ucc.ie/Aided-fergusa/Aided-fergusa-text.pdf