svartulvhjerte-blog

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Featured cabin 🌲

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Celtic Myths - Ireland: Fand The wife of Manannan mac Lir, who left her after an argument, after which she was attacked on her island by the Fomorii. Fand sent for Cuchulainn, who arrived and defeated her enemies, after which he remained for one month as her lover. When they arranged to meet one final time in Ireland, Cuchulainn’s wife, Emer, found out about the secret meeting and arranged for fifty of her hand-maidens to go, armed with sharp steel knives, to kill Fand. Manannan mac Lir also learned of the meeting, and when their paths crossed a confused argument took place between the four of them. Fand decided to forget Cuchulainn and return home with her husband, and so Manannan drew his magical cloak between them causing them to never again be able to see one another. To finish the affair, druids gave Cuchulainn and Emer drinks of forgetfulness. Illustration by Stephen Reid, 1912

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Artwork by Roger Dean

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Norse Myths: Fafnir (the original Smaug)

Corrupted by the cursed ring Andvarinaut and lusting after a fabulous ring-hoard, Fafnir slew his own father with the help of his brother Regin. His greed made him monstrous, in form as well as nature, and he became a dragon to guard his hoard. The legend of his treasure drew many heroes seeking their fortune, but most met their deaths. Only Sigurd, guided by Regin and armed with his fathers' sword, was able to slay Fafnir and claim his reward.Influenced by Fafnir, a young J.R.R.Tolkien practiced writing short stories about dragons, resulting in Smaug.

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A bit more about…

Midir 

Etain 

The Wooing of Étaín 

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“The King in Yellow” - Santiago Caruso

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Seven Sisters Waterfalls, Geirangerfjord, Norway

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What is new, my love, is sweet, and what is well known is sour.

Fand

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Celtic Myths - Wales: Peredur The seventh son of Evrawg and his only surviving male child, Peredur’s father and brothers were killed before he came of age, and he was raised by his mother in a remote cabin. Despite this Peredur became one of Arthur’s warriors and his adventures inspired the later stories about Percival.  Possibly because he was the seventh son, always a significant number, Peredur became adept at defeating witches, who were numerous on the battlefields of Wales. His tale in the Mabinogion ends with him dueling a powerful witch; “For the third time, the hag slew a man of Arthur’s before Peredur’s eyes, and Peredur drew his sword and smote the witch on the crest of her helmet, so that the helmet and all the armour were split in two. And she raised a shout and ordered the rest of the witches to flee, and said it was Peredur who was destined to slay all the witches of Caer Loyw.” Illustration by Alan Lee, 1984

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Étain depicted with her peers in power and beauty. (Left to right;  Étain, Helen,  Medb and Fand) Harry Clarke, stained-glass, c.1900