Uncovering Celtic Mythology by Russo Lucas

Author:Russo, Lucas
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-12-19T00:00:00+00:00

Deirdre of the Sorrows

When King Connor Mac Nessa was still a young king, he and his Red Branch warriors were invited to feast with Filimid the Harper. Filimid was in a wonderful mood, as his wife was very close to giving birth to their child. In his excitement, he asked the king if he was willing to have his Druid, Cathbad, to offer a prophecy about what lay ahead for the child. It was agreed and Cathbad laid his hands over the woman’s womb. He decried that the child was a girl, and would be the most beautiful who had ever walked the Earth, and that she would be named Deirdre. However, her beauty would be her curse, so much so that it would divide the Red Branch into two.

The warriors of the Red Branch demanded that the infant be put to death so that she could never have the opportunity to destroy them in such a way. Being a new king who wanted to be known as wise and merciful, King Connor refused. He would not allow for an infant to be killed in their father’s home. Instead, when the child was born, she was raised in secret by his nurse, Leabharcham. If she was so beautiful as Cathbad had claimed, he would simply marry her himself, and keep the prophecy from being fulfilled.

The nurse then whisked the child away to be raised in the valleys. King Connor would come to check in on the child, and as prophesied, Deirdre was as beautiful as Cathbad had said. However, despite the fact that King Connor was a very attractive man, she held no affection toward him.

Leabharcham became extremely protective of the girl as she grew; aside from King Connor, she would allow nobody into the valley to visit except for a mute old man. He could not tell a soul about the exceptional beauty living in the valley, making him the only help that she would accept. One day, the nurse requested that he slaughter a calf for herself and Deirdre. As he cut the calf in half, the blood spilled out onto the fresh winter snow and a raven descended to eat the fresh blood. Deirdre gasped, fainting when she saw the scene. Leabharcham rushed to her, thinking her to be upset by the death of the calf. Instead, Deirdre told her that she had just fallen in love. She would love no man unless he had hair as dark as a raven’s wings, cheeks as red as fresh blood, and skin as pale as new snow.

Deirdre demanded of Leabharcham if she knew of a man who fit the description she gave. The nurse didn’t want to answer, but could not deny this treasured child the information she wanted. She said that yes, there was a warrior of the Red Branch who fit that description, by the name of Naoise. Deirdre demanded to see this young man, but Leabharcham wouldn’t allow it, saying she would see him eventually when she became the king’s wife.

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