Previous Part: Yew, Blindness of the Druids
A druid or phylid is the ruler of water, as well as of fire, and we can give more than one example that testifies to such power. Among others, an example of this kind is contained in The Death of Loegire, as is evident from the following comment: “How did Loegair the Victor die? It's not hard to say. Aed Mak Ainin met with Mugain Aitinhaircheh. She was the wife of Conchobar and it became known that they were together. The poet was seized by order of Conchobar, and he asked to drown him. Conchobar gave his consent to this. Then he was taken in turn to all the lakes of Ireland, but he cast a spell on the waters and every time he hit the shore, he did so that there was not a single drop of water, no river, no lake left to drown him. Finally, he was taken to Loch Lai, to the door of Loegire's house, and there he was unable to enchant the lake. They were already ready to drown him,when the manager of Loegaira left the fortress. “Woe to me, Loegire,” he said. "They didn't find another place in Ireland to drown the poet!" Then Loegair stood up and took his sword; but, rushing out, he hit the top of his head so hard on the lintel of the door that he blew off the whole back of his head, and his brains splattered all over his cloak. Then he killed thirty of those who drowned the poet, and Aed managed to escape. Thus Loegair perished …”[319 - Ogam, XI, 424.]XI, 424.]XI, 424.]
Blessed water
Druid Mog Ruith, correcting what his fellow craftsmen from Leinster had done, who “tied” all the waters in Munster province, performed the opposite operation: “When this was done, the people of Munster went all together to where Mog Ruith and the rulers were … Mog Ruith said to them: “If you think it's time for me to help you, then tell me what kind of help you want in your need? “Give us water,” they replied. - Where is Kenmhar? Mog Ruith asked then. “Here,” Kenmhar said. "Bring me my wonderful spears." They were served to him. They eclipsed space and sky, and everyone saw that a stream was pouring at their feet. - Where is Kenmhar? “Here,” Kenmhar replied. - Swarm the ground where the spearhead strikes. - What will be my reward for this? Kenmhar asked. “Your name will become the name of the river,” Mog Ruith said. Kenmhar began to dig and search for water. During the search, Mog Ruith uttered the following words: "Hello, wonderful stream, etc. …" When he finished, the water noisily broke through the earth's crust, and everyone barely managed to escape from it. Hearing the sound of the water, and before everyone else heard it, Kenmhar said: "A full cup, etc. …" your strength, and your ardor, and your military valor, and your firmness, and your dignity. " They hastened to the water, in whole armies and in crowds, and everyone had fully quenched their thirst, people, horses and cattle, so that there was enough water for everyone. Then the waters were divided and parted in all directions to their peoples; they spread from there along the valleys, along the channels and springs of the province and freed them from the druidic spells that bound them. Thus the waters appeared to all;the herds and cattle of the whole province were brought to them, and they drank their fill.”[320 - Rev. celt, 43, 74-76.]
Mog Ruith certainly resembles Moses here, who made the waters gush out of the earth, but the analogy, of course, was deliberately emphasized by the scribes of the legend, since the Irish motive for water within its context has nothing to do with the biblical one.
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Healing water
Here is another tradition, which also serves as an illustration of the "druidic baptism", according to which the water controlled by the druid acts as a healing agent. This is the story of the birth of Conall Kernach, elder or dairy, in different versions, brother of Cuchulainn. In the treatise "Correspondence of Names" it is given as follows: "Conall and Kernach, where did these names come from?" It's not hard to say. Findhoy, daughter of Katbad, Amorgen's wife was on the run. She met a druid who told her: "If there is a good reward for me, you will give Amorgen a good son." “You’re right,” she replied, “then you will receive a good reward from me.” "Go to the spring tomorrow," the druid told her, "and I will accompany you." The next morning they both came to the spring, and the druid ordered: “Wash yourself with this water, and you will bear a son; no child will be as disrespectful to the people of Connaught,who make up his mother's people. " The young woman drank a sip of water from the spring. She swallowed the glass along with the water. The glass fell into the hand of the fetus in the mother's womb; he pierced his hand and swallowed it. When his mother's brother, Keth Mac Magah, learned that his sister would give birth to a son who would kill more than half of all the people in Connacht, he did not leave her until she was relieved of the burden. The time came, and she gave birth. The Druids came to baptize the baby in paganism and sang the words of pagan baptism over him, saying: “No more sons will be born more disrespectful to the people of Connaught, he will not spend a night without putting the head of a Connaught man at his head, and he will kill more than half them … " [321 - Windisch, Ir. Texte, III, 392; 394.]The glass fell into the hand of the fetus in the mother's womb; he pierced his hand and swallowed it. When his mother's brother, Keth Mac Magah, learned that his sister would give birth to a son who would kill more than half of all the people in Connacht, he did not leave her until she was relieved of the burden. The time came, and she gave birth. The Druids came to baptize the baby in paganism and sang the words of pagan baptism over him, saying: “No more sons will be born more disrespectful to the people of Connaught, he will not spend a night without putting the head of a Connaught man at his head, and he will kill more than half them … " [321 - Windisch, Ir. Texte, III, 392; 394.]The glass fell into the hand of the fetus in the mother's womb; he pierced his hand and swallowed it. When his mother's brother, Keth Mac Magah, learned that his sister would give birth to a son who would kill more than half of all the people in Connacht, he did not leave her until she was relieved of the burden. The time came, and she gave birth. The Druids came to baptize the baby in paganism and sang the words of pagan baptism over him, saying: “No more sons will be born more disrespectful to the people of Connaught, he will not spend a night without putting the head of a Connaught man at his head, and he will kill more than half them … " [321 - Windisch, Ir. Texte, III, 392; 394.]The time came, and she gave birth. The Druids came to baptize the baby in paganism and sang the words of pagan baptism over him, saying: “No more sons will be born more disrespectful to the people of Connaught, he will not spend a night without putting the head of a Connaught man at his head, and he will kill more than half them … " [321 - Windisch, Ir. Texte, III, 392; 394.]The time came, and she gave birth. The Druids came to baptize the baby in paganism and sang the words of pagan baptism over him, saying: “No more sons will be born more disrespectful to the people of Connaught, he will not spend a night without putting the head of a Connaught man at his head, and he will kill more than half them … " [321 - Windisch, Ir. Texte, III, 392; 394.]
Prophetic Wave
In A Conversation of the Two Sages, one of the Philids has power over the waves of the sea: “Adna, son of Utidir of the Connacht, was the first among the Philids of Ireland in scholarship and the art of poetry. He had a son named Nede. Neda went to study the art of poetry in Alba with Eoh Ehbel and stayed with him until he succeeded. Once he was walking and came to the seashore, for the Philids believed that secret knowledge was revealed to them by the water. Suddenly he heard a sad and dreary song from the waves, and his surprise seized him. Then he pronounced spells on the wave, so that it was revealed to him what was the matter. And he learned that the waves were lamenting about the death of his father, Adna, and that his dress had been given to Verchertna, Philid, who became the first poet. " [322 - Per. S. V. Shkunaeva. Ed. Stokes, Rev. felt, 26, p. 8.]
Celtic Druids. Book by Françoise Leroux
Continued: Druid - Lord of Fire