#Celtic#LegendaryWednesday for #MothersDay: As a child, Lugh was fostered by Queen Tailtiu of the Fir Bolg, a race defeated by the Tuatha de Danann. It is said that Lugh held his foster mother in great esteem, and that when she died, he set up the festival of Lughnasadh on August 1st in her honour. This took place every year in what is now known as Teltown in Co Meath, and involved horse races, Irish martial arts contests, feats of sportsmanship, and all manner of feasting, trading and entertainment. As a result, Lúnasa become the Irish name for the month of August.
Source: Ali Isaac
#WyrdWednesday#LegendaryWednesday: `At #Beltane there were great bonfires everywhere, the most important being in Uisnech, where an oenach ("reunion") was held, which was one of the most important festivals in #Ireland. There were banquets with potlatch activities, races on foot and with chariots, as well as the assessment of taxes for the following year'.
Source: Helmut Birkhan „#Kelten“
In early modern European folklore, witch's ointment is a salve by which witches could fly, rubbed on either their bodies or on objects like brooms. Made from the fat of children and various herbs, it is believed the real make of this is a hallucinogen. #LegendaryWednesday
Though the Norse term "Jotun" often gets translated as "giant," the Jotnar could be many different sizes, and many of them (Loki, Skadi, etc.) were no taller than the Aesir. They often seemed less like giants and more like simply a competing faction of gods.
#Celtic#LegendaryWednesday#WyrdWednesday: The renewal of the earth and thus of fertility and wealth is especially expressed by the stag because of the annual renewal of its antlers beginning with spring.
Source: Helmut Birkhan #Kelten
The Arthurian Romance "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" is about how much someone will sacrifice for honour. Sir Gawain swore an oath to the Green Knight so that King Arthur wouldn't be called a coward, and then was willing to die rather than break his oath. #LegendaryWednesday#WyrdWednesday
More than any other god of European origin, Odin is the god of sacrifice: he sacrificed his eye for wisdom, his life for knowledge, and his peace of mind for knowledge of the future. He could know the future, but never interfere in a meaningful way. #LegendaryWednesday
#Celtic#LegendaryWednesday: Some schools of thought perceive Amergin and Donn of the Milesians as divine twins in some kind of pagan creation story. Donn, who died on board before the battle for Ireland had even commenced, is thought to be the self-sacrificing dark lord of the dead, while the poet Amergin is seen as the child of light and inspiration. https://twitter.com/TheMythologyMa1/status/1360189076033462281
In the Welsh Arthurian stories, King Arthur's two best friends -- Bedwyr and Cai -- are inseparable. They always adventure together, for Bedwyr "would never shrink from a mission which Cai was going on." The bond sometimes has almost romantic overtones. #WyrdWednesday#LegendaryWednesday
#Celtic#WyrdWednesday#LegendaryWednesday: #Deirdre of the Sorrows eloped with #Naoise from her groom #Conchobar Mac Nessa. Because of the king's betrayal, Uisnech's son was killed. After a year of mourning #Deirdre was forced to marry the murderer of #Naoise. To prevent that, the Raving One threw herself on the way to the wedding from the chariot onto a rock to her death.
In a Czech fairy tale, a childless couple adopts a log and names it "Otesánek." When the log comes alive, the couple is unable to keep their new son fed. Eventually the growing Otesánek starts to eat humans. Czech director Jan Švankmajer adapted the fairy tale into a movie. #LegendaryWednesday
#Celtic#LegendaryWednesday#HillfortsWednesday: Brochs are among #Scotland`s most impressive prehistoric buildings, dating from about 2.300 to 1.900 years ago. Probably built to reflect the prestige and status of their inhabitants, brochs were primarily dwelling-places for the principal family in the area. They would have provided some protection against sporadic raiding, but were not purely defensive structures.
In Welsh myth, King Arthur leads an army to Caer Sidi (Castle Revolving), an Otherworldly castle made of glass and constantly rotating. He battles Caer Sidi's fairy guards to steal a magic cauldron and save a prisoner. Only seven of his warriors return alive.
🎨 Simone Bianchi #LegendaryWednesday
After the Irish hero Oisín feasted in the Otherworld for 3 days, he returned to Ireland to discover that 300 years had passed, and he was considered long dead. Though Oisín began to rapidly age, he was able to tell his story to St. Patrick before he died.
🎨 P. J. Lynch #LegendaryWednesday
In Latvian legends, rainbows are alive. They drink from rivers and lakes, and then release rain from their bodies. If you approach a water source during a rainbow, the rainbow might accidentally swallow you, and later your bones will fall down with the rain.
🎨 Christopher Martin #LegendaryWednesday
The Norwegian fairy tale "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" stars a young woman who must find her way to a castle "east of the sun and west of the moon" (i.e. a place impossibly far away) in order to rescue her true love from marriage to a wicked troll.
🎨 Mercer Mayer #LegendaryWednesday
In the Brothers Grimm fairy tale "Seven Ravens," a girl searches for her seven brothers. She asks the Sun for help, but he is boiling hot and devours children. Then the Moon, but he is also a cruel child-eater. Fortunately, the stars are benevolent, and help her quest.
🎨 Oskar Herrfurth #LegendaryWednesday
#Celtic#LegendaryWednesday: In #Irish Nollaíg in literal terms means ‘the hinge’ of the year, the turning point of the winter solstice. The solstice is also called Grianstad an Gheimhridh, although you may also hear references to Meán Gheimridh, which means ‘mid-winter’.
Source: Ali Isaac | Substack https://twitter.com/COBrolchain/status/943750742560604160
#LegendaryWednesday: On the #IsleofMan the goddess of winter is called Caillagh ny Groamagh (“gloomy old woman”).
Source: P. Monaghan Encyclopedia of #Celtic #Mythology and #Folklore
Photo: Cronk yn Irree Lhaa is traditionally her usual home.
The Yule Goat is a Northern European folkloric figure tied to Yule and Christmas. His role has changed dramatically over the centuries, and he was later mixed with Santa Claus. In Scandinavia, the "Jultomte" is accompanied by a goat when delivering presents.
🎨 Jenny Nyström #LegendaryWednesday
The Cailleach, a mythical figure in Celtic folklore, a divine hag, embodies winter's power and wisdom , shaping the landscape with icy winds and snow. She reigns over the season's magic. #LegendaryWednesday#mythology#folklore