Cult Accessories CT054
Celtic Tomes
This chapter covers Temples, Altars, Images, Symbols, and the Cult of Weapons of the Ancient Celts.
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Festivals CT053
Celtic Tomes
The Celtic year was not at first regulated by the solstices and equinoxes, but by some method connected with agriculture or with the seasons.
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Tabu CT052
Celtic Tomes
The Irish geis, pl. geasa, which may be rendered by Tabu, had two senses. It meant something which must not be done for fear of disastrous consequences, and also an obligation to do something commanded by another.
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Sacrifice and Prayer CT051
Celtic Tomes
The Celts offered human victims on the principle of a life for a life, or to propitiate the gods, or in order to divine the future from the entrails of the victim. We shall examine the Celtic custom of human sacrifice from these points of view first.
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Cosmogony CT050
Celtic Tomes
The Celts may have possessed the Heaven and Earth myth, but all trace of it has perished. There are, however, remnants of myths showing how the sky is supported by trees, a mountain, or by pillars.
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Animal Worship CT049
Celtic Tomes
Animal worship pure and simple had declined among the Celts of historic times, and animals were now regarded mainly as symbols or attributes of divinities.
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Tree and Plant Worship CT048
Celtic Tomes
The Celts had their own cult of trees, but they adopted local cults. This chapter also details how the Celts made their sacred places in dark groves, the trees being hung with offerings or with the heads of victims.
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River and Well Worship CT047
Celtic Tomes
Among the Celts the testimony of contemporary witnesses, inscriptions, votive offerings, and survivals, shows the importance of the cult of waters and of water divinities. This chapter also details the many fairies and folklore creatures associated with water.
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Primitive Nature Worship CT046
Celtic Tomes
McCulloch talks about animism, where everything was a person and the greater objects of nature were worshiped for themselves alone.
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The Cult of the Dead CT045
Celtic Tomes
The custom of burying grave-goods with the dead and other grave customs is the subject of this chapter. McCulloch also talks about the role of fairies and the festival of Samhain.
info_outlineLake Fairies
British Goblins: Welsh Folk Lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions (1881)
Book 1 Chapter 3 by Wirt Sikes
All about Lake Fairies. the Gwragedd Annwn or Women of the lakes, a legend of Crumlyn Lake, the elfin cow of Llyn Barfog, the Legend of the Meddygon Myddfai and much more.
'British Goblins' is packed with information on fairy mythology. All proper names, and words in Welsh or other languages, will be found recorded in the show-notes below and we've done our best to get the pronounciations right for you.
Running Order:
- Section 1 0:42
- The Gwragedd Annwn, or Dames of Elfin Land 1:53
- Section 2 5:38
- St Patrick and the Welshmen; a Legend of Crumlyn Lake 7:41
- Section 3 8:28
- The Elfin Cow of Lyn Barfog 9:24
- Y Fuwch Laethwen Lefrith 12:22
- The Legend of the Meddygon Myddfai 12:22
- The Elfin Cow of Lyn Barfog 9:24
- Section 4 13:42
- The Wife of Supernatural Race 13:33
- The Three Blows; a Carmathenshire Legend 13:44
- The Wife of Supernatural Race 13:33
- Section 5 17:19
- Cheese and the Didactic Purpose in Welsh Folk-Lore 17:20
- Section 6 21:43
- The Fairy Maiden's Papa 21:44
- Section 7 22:44
- The Enchanted Isle in the Mountain Lake 22:46
- Section 8 24:14
- Legend of the Men of Ardudwy 24:18
- Section 9 28:54
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- Origin of the Water Fairies 29:20
- Their prevalence in many Lands 30:29
The Gwraig of the Golden Boat
Names Used in this Section
All proper names, and words in Welsh or other languages, are recorded here in the show-notes and we've done our best to get the pronounciations right for you.
- Gwragedd Annwn
- Llyn Barfog
- Y Fuwch Laethwen Lefrith
- Meddygon Myddfai
- Ardudwy
- Gwyn ap Nudd
- Plant Annwn
- Archaeologia Cambrensis
- Drayton's account of the Battle of Agincourt
- 'Cymru Fu'
- Cardiganshire
- Crumlyn Lake
- Briton Ferry
- St. Patrick
- St. David of Wales
- 'Sut yr y'ch chwi?' (How d'ye do?)
- Cambria
- Erin
- Aberdovey
- Carmarthenshire
- Gwartheg y Llyn
- Dyssyrnant
- Fuwch Gyfeiliorn
- Dere di felen Emion,
- Cyrn Cyfeiliorn-braith y Llyn,
- A'r foci Dodin,
- Codwch, dewch adre.
- Iolu MSS
- Taliesin Williams
- Merthyr
- Llandovery, published for the Welsh MSS. Society, 1848
- Vale of Towy
- Cras dy fara,
- Anhawdd ein dala;
- Dos, dos, dos!
- Gwraig annwn
- Cwm Meddygon
- Cadogan, Gruffydd and Emion
- Rhiwallon
- Rhys Gryg, Lord of Dynevor
- Gray's Inn Lane
- Cambro Briton
- diawl
- Mabinogion
- Falstaff
- Drws Coed
- Turf Lake (Llyn y Dywarchen)
- Cymry
- Undine, Melusina, Nausicaa
- Vale of Clwyd
- Maidens Lake, or Llyn y Morwynion
- Cynwal
- Dracae
- Nymph of the Lurley
- Morgan
- môr
- gân
- Faro Islands
- In China, the superstition appears in a Lew-chewan legend mentioned by Dr. Dennys
British Goblins can be found on Sacred Texts.
You can find out more about Wirt Sikes on Wikipedia.
Try the Celtic Myth Podshow for the Tales and Stories of the Ancient Celts at http://celticmythpodshow.com or on Apple Podcasts.
Our theme music is "Gander at the Pratie Hole" by Sláinte. You can find their music on the Free Music Archive.