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He was the god of love himself, and he had fallen victim to passion. Angus Og, the Young God, had met the woman of his dreams...literally. A beautiful maiden visited him in a vision one night, and sang to him, and upon waking he could not get her out of his mind. For a year, he continued to dream of his love, and pined away, sinking into deep depression and ill health, for he did not know where she could be found.
He enlisted the aid of the other gods, and finally the maiden, Caer, was found at her father's castle. He asked her father, Etal Ambuel, for the maid's hand, but father replied that it was her choice. She would be hard to win; she was a swan-maiden, and every Samhain, she would travel to the lake Dragonmouth, where she and her maids would shapeshift into swans. Angus waited until Samhain, and traveled to the lake just after the women had become swans. He was able to pick her out of the crowd, on account of her surpassing beauty and the gold chain she wore about her neck. He declared his love, and she said she would become his lady if he changed shape as well. He did so, and the couple flew away to Angus's sidh. They sang as they flew, and their enchanting harmony put everyone in the land to sleep for three nights and three days. Then they arrived at the sidh, where they transformed again into woman and man, and lived happily ever after.
Caer's swan form, and especially the fact that she transforms at Samhain, the end of summer, suggest a possible sun-goddess origin. Certainly, her story is reminiscent of that of Bride, who is courted similarly by the Scottish version of Angus. His pining for the dream-lover is also echoed in the tale of Elen.
Caer is a goddess of dreams, of love, and of beauty. Call upon her in those hours when you despair of sleeping, or when you dread the dreams you are sure you will have. Caer will enfold you in her wings, and carry you to Faery.
