Page:The Mythology of All Races Vol 3 (Celtic and Slavic).djvu/128

82 in Etain's form, among them Ess, Eochaid's daughter; but Eochald mistook her for Etain and by her had a daughter Mess Buachalla, mother of Conaire. Recognizing his mistake, he went to Midir, who restored Etain to him; and in revenge Siugmall, Midir's grandson, afterwards killed Eochaid.$6$

Although folk-tale formulae are found in this story, it is based on myths of divine love and magic power and of a goddess's rebirth as a mortal. Midir's poetic description of the gods' land is archaic and may only later have been connected with the underground síd. Curious, too, is the idea, which we have noted above, of the subjection of gods to mortals— performing tasks and permitting their abode to be spoiled or a consort taken from them—but it may reflect the belief in magic power to which even divinities must yield. Nevertheless, the deities get their own back: Etain's recapture is preceded by the incest incident; Midir is slain; and his descendant, Conaire, dies because the god causes him to break his tabus, as already described.

The story of the birth of the hero Cúchulainn is based on the love of a god. Lug, for a mortal, Dechtere, sister of Conchobar. King of Ulster. It Is told In two versions, one found in two recensions, the Leahhar na hllidre and the Egerton Manuscript; the other is also given in the Egerton Manuscript. We follow the latter (c), noting the chief points of dlfi^erence between it and the others (a and b). Dechtere, with fifty maidens, left Conchobar's house for three years, at last returning in the form of birds which devoured everything, so that Conchobar organized a hunt which continued unsuccessfully till nightfall. The other version begins with the devastation wrought by nine flocks of mysterious birds, joined two and two by silver chains, the leading pair in each group being many-coloured; but these birds are not Dechtere and her companions, for she accompanies Conchobar in his chariot on the hunt. The next incident is obscurely told In version c, but comparing it with the other, it is evident that the hunters