| Cuchulain | Myrddin | Nimue | Morgan |
Cuchulain
is one of the most well-known Celtic heroes. He is the son of the Irish god
Lugh. Cuchulain gained his name through killing the dog of Culann, that attacked
him. Because Culann had no dog to protect him anymore. Cuchulain trained him
a new one and meanwhile guarded Culanns properties for him. Hence his name,
`Hound of Culann' Cuchulainn married Emer after having fought many fights
and done great deeds. From king Conor he got a chariot and two spears, the
king's own. For when Cuchulainn took up arms, all spears and chariot broke
in his hands, except for the Kings weapons.
Myrddin is the same as Merlin, the famous sourcerer from the legends of King Arthur. He was believed to have erected Stonehenge, and was worshipped there. In the Artur Saga, Merlin helps King Uther who had fallen in love with Igraine, wife of Gorlois. Uther waged war upon Gorlois, and thus while Gorlois was away from home, Uther and Merlin rode to Tintagel, where Igraine was held. Merlin used his sorceries to enchant Uther and cast an illusion to make him appear like Gorlois. Thus Uther could enter the castle. The abode of Merlin is described as a house of glass, a bush of whitethorn laden with bloom, a sort of smoke or mist in the air. Britain, before it was inhabited, was called `Clas Myrddin', Merlins Enclosure.
The
Lady of the Lake bears more than one name. She is either known as Morgan,
Nimue or Rhiannon, depending on which version of the legends she appears in.
Nimue was the maiden that led Merlin to his destruction. Merlin was besotted
with her and followed her wherever he could. As Nimue was afraid of Merlins
powers she didn't dare do anything against him. One day she travelled with
him, and he had promised not to use his powers on her. Nimue, wanting to rid
herself of him, led Merlin into a hole under a stone and locked the entrance
with a magic spell.
Morgan
le Fay was a fairy queen and a sorceress, who appears in the Arthurian legends
as Arthurs sister. Glamorgan in Wales is her sacred territory. She took Excalibur
and its scabbard from Arthur and exchanged it with forgeries. Arthur nearly
died because the scabbard didn't protect him anymore, but managed to retrieve
both sword and scabbard.
