More Celtic Fairy Tales
The Farmer of Liddlesdale:
- I wonder why it was necessary to include that is wife and child died, is this to make us relate to him and create sympathy for him?
- "Only has much of the corn when it shall be dry as I can carry with me in one burden-withe." This is going to come back to haunt the Farmer.
- So the ploughman must be supernatural or something else that's NOT human, which means he'll most likely have super strength.
- "Then the corn spread over the field, and the ploughman went away in a white mist in the skies, and was seen no more." - I called it!
The Legend of Knockgrafton: Part I and II
- Envy is much a theme in Celtic stories, but I none of them really mention karma against those he who wronged the protagonist.
- NEVERMIND
- We immediately have sympathy for Lusmore, and know he is a kind soul.
- Singing within the moat, what an interesting description...
- ".. it was determined to bring the mortal among them whose musical skill so far exceeded theirs and little Lusmore was conveyed into their company with the eddying speed of a whirlwind." I am pleasantly surprised the fairies enjoyed Lusmore's singing - usually, if someone is better at an activity or has better luck then envy and hatred is thrust upon them. I like this twist!
- I find it funny how realistic it is that no one recognized Lusmore without his hump which reveals how shallow they are.
- "...up came an old woman to him, and asked him if he could direct her to Cappagh. 'I need give you no directions, my good woman,' said Lushmore, ' for this is Cappagh. And whom may you want here?'" I was so worried that he had done something to anger the fairies and they would cripple him again.
- I am also surprised and not, that Lusmore told his secret about the fairies.
- Usually when people tell others where they have been (supernaturally) then they are punished.
- "..who was peevish and cunning creature from his birth..." This is not going to go well for Jack Madden, I can already tell.
- Jack did not have much patience and got his 'reward' for badly interrupting the fairy music.
Elidore:
- I do not understand the reasoning behind mentioning his mother is a widow? Is this implying that the reason Elidore is such a fool is because he doesn't have a father figure in his life? That's ridiculous.
- "...Only this there curious about it, that the sun never shone and clouds were always over the sky, so that neither sun was seen by day, nor moon and stars at night." This is curious and there is no exclamation about why this is or am I missing it?
- They are Hobbits!
- I am surprised he is getting the best of both worlds, but I am sure it will not last long.
- Apparently, the yellow balls are very special to the Little Men.
- "... and though he searched again and again in the years to come, he could not get back to that fair country." This reminds me of Narnia.
- I am not sure I understand the ending.
How Cormac Mac Art went to Faery:
- "Cormac, so of Art, son of Conn of the Hundred Battle" Reminds me the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings with titles
- Nine apples of red creates the illusion of the forbidden fruit for me.
- I don't understand why Cormac did not ask what the youth wanted in return before agreeing to the trade.
- Dark magical mist sounds likes he is entering a different world.
- I actually thought the heads were actual human heads, so I laughed when I realized it was metaphorical.
- "There is meat; cook it for yourself." Cormac is a king! I did not expect that to happen, but this does confirm that he is not in a human world.
- They tell truths that should not be true, so they have to have magic in them or have magical cattle.
- I figured the events he saw before coming into the house were significant for a reason: they were lessons.
- So why did Manannan take away his family only to give them back? Was it to teach him a lesson? The tale never indicated why he would need a lesson..?
The Ridere of Riddles: Part I and II
- "Then it struck the queen that it was not her son who would come into the kingdom, and she set it before her that she would poison the eldest son." This is typical...
- I am very surprised no one told the guard or the King that the queen was wanting to poison his eldest. I mean the Cook would have been rewarded most likely if he had told the king the truth instead of following the queen.
- I am really surprised that they need more proof that this poison, is actually poison that they poison both their horses? Stupid.
- Their riddle is more of a trick question and that's why the King could not figure it out.
- How does someone have a wedding that lasts 366 days? That's a bit excessive.
- I was confused when the brothers started fighting, but then of course! They don't recognize each other somehow...? How? This story is full of plot holes.
- Wait, how did he get 12 sons?
More Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs (1895).
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