| Printable Version of Topic
Click here to view this topic in its original format |
| Celtic Radio Community > Short Stories > Looking For A Celtic Myth |
| Posted by: loxinthe 09-Nov-2008, 09:55 PM |
| I am writing my second novel and need to locate the text to a myth I once heard on celticradio.net. The myth is about a fishwife who temporarily adopts a fay's child to teach him certain things. The fay asks the fishwife to teach her child these things (I don't remember what they are.) and each time the fishwife tells the fay to leav the child with her for 7 years. After the third 7 years, the Fay comes back for her son and is ready to take him home. In her retrieval, she causes the adopted father's boat to wreck and the father and brother are going to drown. The Fay's child decides to stay with his adopted family and abandon his fairy heritage. My novel centers on a young man that is the descendent of this Fay who chose to be normal. The young man doesn't realize there is anything special about his past, but starts to find out bits and pieces through strange happenings. I am more than happy to share a tidbit with anyone who wishes, but please help me find this folk tale. |
| Posted by: morgana_l_f 10-Nov-2008, 09:57 AM |
| I think it is by Sharron Kennedy |
| Posted by: loxinthe 10-Nov-2008, 10:31 AM |
| Yes I think so too, but I even went through her web site and can't find the folk tale I am looking for. |
| Posted by: stoirmeil 13-Nov-2008, 02:40 PM |
| I know this story. I think it is traditional, although it may have had a retelling by some named author. I will try to have a look around to find it -- as I remember, the story tells of the good wife who brings him up as her own, even though he eats hugely and never gains weight, and stays ugly, but she keeps working on him seven years and then another seven and another, until he eventually sees himself as part of the family. Is it in the Dover Book of Celtic Fairy Tales? |
| Posted by: JayHenson 13-Nov-2008, 05:43 PM |
| It strikes a familiar chord but I can't place it. i went looking abit and ran across a nice site but it didn't seem to have that tale http://sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/cg1/index.htm (the complete texts of the Carmina Gadelica) http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/yeats/fip/ http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/ali/index.htm Peace Jay |
| Posted by: loxinthe 13-Nov-2008, 07:41 PM |
| Wow, even if it is not that specific folk tale, thanks for the references. There is a lot of good stuff there. |
| Posted by: JayHenson 13-Nov-2008, 10:25 PM |
| Your very welcome. The Carmina Gadelica is a fairly famous collection of old tales. The write up on Gaelsong.com reads; "During his travels in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland in the 1800s, Alexander Carmichael spent hours with Gaelic speakers in their huts in front of peat fires listening as they "intoned in a low, recitative manner" these ancient incantations. A unique collection of living spirituality drawn from the depths of Celtic Christianity, handed down through countless generations, the Carmina Gadelica is the most complete anthology of Celtic oral tradition ever assembled. 512 pages, paperback." I never expected to find the whole text online, thanks for asking for info, it is cool to come onto the forums, see a question and go search for the answer...you run across some real gems that you never would have went searching for. I may add this to the books forum as well. Peace Jay |