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_outlineMountain Fairies
British Goblins: Welsh Folk Lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions (1881)
Book 1 Chapter 4
by
Wirt Sikes
Sikes brings us details of the Gwyllion, frightful female fairies, tells us the tale of John ap John meeting the Old Woman of the Mountain and explores the notion of Exorcism by Knife. He then talks about the magical properties of goats and tells us the fascinating story of Cadwaladr and his Fairy Goat!
Running Order:
- Section 1 0:50
- The Gwyllion 1:11
- The Old Woman of the Mountain 2:04
- Section 2 5:29
- The Black Mountain Gwyll 5:32
- Section 3 7:13
- Exorcism by Knife 7:18
- Section 4 10:27
- Occult Intellectual Powers of Welsh Goats 10:30
- The Legend of Cadwaladr's Goat 11:00
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.
Gwyllion
Gwyll
Cadwaladr
Hecate
Ellyllon
Puck
Prophet Jones
Lanhyddel Mountain in Monmouthshire
Wwb!
Ww-bwb!
Aberystruth
Juan White
Shui
Lasgarn hill near Pontypool
Breconshire
Robert Williams
Langattock, Crickhowel (Llangatwg in Welsh)
John ap John, of Cwm Celyn
Caerleon Fair
Milfre Mountain
Bryn Mawr
Bwlch y Llwyn
Gilfach fields
Indianapolis
Evan Thomas
Bedwellty Mountain
Ebwy Fawr
Excalibur
Tylwyth Teg
diawi
Yn awr maiden
Camarthen
Coblynau
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.