Tag: folklore

Long ago, when ancient Gods still controlled the lives of men, a great famine came over the kingdom of Gwynedd. Crops would not grow and wells ran dry. The people prayed to Brigid, goddess of healing, asking for the famine to end but their prayers went unanswered.
It was at this time that Rol, champion of the isles, was staying in the court of King Elis of Gwynedd.
Rol was deemed a warrior of great renown, who had battled the great serpent of Poseidon and bested the fiercest warriors of Europe in single combat. Above all Rol was a good man, he did not kill for sport and shared his triumphs willingly.
King Elis was an arrogant ruler and while his people starved, he feasted around his enormous hearth. While the revellers danced, the flames of hearth danced to and as the fiddles played the fire grew until the hearth roared in a sudden furry. They lifted towards the straw roof, sending the crows scattering for the heavens. The flames moved until they formed the shape of a woman. As tall as she was beautiful, and her burning eyes watched the crowd intently.  
Rol stood forward, ‘Welcome Brigid, goddess of hearth and healing, how may we serve?’
The king stood and waved his arm towards the goddess but did not bow, ‘What a blessing on my house lady, that you should join us. Clearly my rule is divine.’
‘Be silent.’ Brigid said in a voice that crackled like the fire that surrounded her, ‘The villagers starve and yet in this house you feast like winter will never come. Dagda stands against you. Is there none that would prove the worth of this land before it sinks into the abyss.’
‘We feast in front of the hearth in reverence to you lady.’ The king said.
She didn’t turn but her gaze moved through the flames to focus on the king, ‘I do not rest in the hearths of halls such as these. My blessings lay with those who crowd around my fires to survive and make memories in my warmth. Now those people starve. Is there none here who would seek to save them.’
The revellers did not move for they knew the games that Gods played and any request such as this would require a great sacrifice.
Rol though had battled Gods before and ever had his life been entwined with their games. He raised his hand, ‘lady of fire and heat. If there be a way one man can end the suffering of so many then I would gladly see it done.’
The Goddess of flame seemed to bow and then she said, ‘You seek the cauldron of Dagda. He has used it to curse this land and so it is barren. If you are pure of heart and keen of mind, the cauldron will grant any bounty you wish, for pauper or for kingdom.’ She crackled and swayed, ‘But beware, stumble from the path and take more than what is needed, and the cauldron will reject you. Want you will know ever after. Dagda will be aware of you, and he will defend his cauldron. Aid from the dead will come and from my sprits of fire. Be yourself Rol and bring prosperity back to this land.’
Brigid faded, and the fire returned to normal while everyone stared at Rol.
Undaunted he took up his armour ringed of iron. He took his bow of black yew and short sword before departing in the baking sun. In the tallest peak of Snowdonia Dagda kept his halls. For the north Rol went, through fen and barren field, through villages whose streets were lined with starving families. Soon he came to the edge of the mountains and into the enchanted wood of heaven. Here Cernunnos’s wild beasts roamed, and the dead wandered to be gathered in Arawn’s other world.
Rol drove on, succumb by hunger and weariness. He turned his mind to hunting and drawing his bow of black yew he sort food. Then he saw it, a white stag, beautiful and large. It was enough to feed a village and it wandered towards him, flank exposed. He drew the arrow to his cheek, the fletch like a gentle kiss. Then a wind roared through the woods, carrying scents of strength that cured his hunger. Cernunnos spoke through the trees, ‘Take no more than what is needed, or the cauldron will reject you.’
He stared at the stag. Such a beast would spoil quickly in this heat. He lowered the bow and with a nod the beast stalked away and Rol knew to follow. To Aber falls it led him, the water a raging torrent that cured his weariness. Under the falls the stag went and then faded. Rol followed and the waters parted, revealing a dark cave. Rol drew his sword and it glowed, lighting up the cave. Wights, soldiers of Arawn, gathered around him. Their eyes were blue flame, and their mail glowed a sickly green, but they did not attack. Seated upon a thrown of bones Arawn himself sat, cloaked in a blue mist.
‘Dagda judges your people to harshly, due to the actions of your king. Now my halls are crowded with those who should be living long lives. You must reach the cauldron and restore life to your lands.’
One of the wights bestowed to Rol a serpent helm with eyes that glowed a fervent blue, ‘Dagda has shielded his mountain in shadow. This helm will allow your eyes to see into our world and break his veil.’
Rol donned the helm and saw as the gods saw. He could see the wights spirits true form and could see the breath that gave this wood its glory. Rol left the cave and spirits of Brigid guided him to the mountain of Dagda. For seven days he climbed, until at last he reached the summit and the temple of Dagda. His helm pierced the darkness and Rol, sword readied, entered. There the cauldron stood, glowing with power and beside it, Dagda loomed. He swung his massive hammer and almost crushed Rol, whose blade of light broke in two. Then all Rol could do was duck and dive while Dagda laughed at the sport. The God tired and Rol saw the power bestowed upon the axe. He grabbed his bow and loosed and the arrow took upon it one of Brigid’s spirits. The war hammer exploded, and Dagda fell back into a deep sleep.
Exhausted and beaten, Rol grabbed the cauldron and Brigid came as a bird of flame and bore Rol and the cauldron back to Gwynedd. In the morning, amongst the burnt-out hearth, they found him.
The king snatched up the cauldron and declared the bounty for himself. At his high table he announced, ‘I wish for a full feast for all of time.’ The cauldron rumbled and red fire entered the kings mouth. Great hunger overcame him. The king went to his table but any food or drink that passed his mouth became dust and offered no sustenance. Maddened the king fell to ruin upon his table of dust. Then Rol awakened and taking the cauldron he placed it in the middle of the hearth and the fire around it roared into life. Rol brought the famine to an end and the kingdom had bounty for all of time.