Celtic Folklore

Tools of the Magical Art

The legends have within them many different magical items or tools, some of which will be discussed in this article. The old wisdom comes from the hearts and minds of the bardagh, a wisdom that can be unlocked by the symbols within these stories. This is a learned group of people whose words and phrases build a staircase to the realms of spirit. Where every sight, sound and colour reflect the state and knowledge of man himself. Each symbol, no matter how obscure, bears the truth to the inner eye.

The following writing picks out a few of these items that are known as inner symbology, seemingly fantastic items in the legends that cannot possibly exist. Yet the very fact that you can have thought about them, means that somewhere they do!

The magic rod is frequently mentioned in the legends, usually made from yew, rowan or hawthorn. This implement is accredited with many uses and effects. The main use being a channelling of the will to cast an enchantment. The most common uses are transformation and invocation.

Transformation being the theme in this example. Illan, a comrade of Finn, had a fairy sweetheart who was jealous of his wife. She then struck her rival with a druidic rod, turning her into the most beautiful wolf hound any eyes ever beheld. It was in this transformed state that she gave birth to Bran and Sceolan. The two famous hounds that were never far away from Finn's side. However, she was later restored to her human state only after Illan promised lifelong fidelity to the fairy.

The fact that she gave birth in her animal form suggests that it was an Otherworld birth and thus Bran and Sceolan are Finn's magical aides. Another legend says that the children of Lir were changed into swans by Aoife, an air demon who struck them by strokes of a rod. The four were doomed to fly around Ireland for three hundred years, and swim on the Moyle, the stretch of water between Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Another object and perhaps most talked about is the silver branch or bough by which the gods are said to lure mortals away to their own divine lands. It is fitting that the god Manannan was linked with the bough as it is obviously a link between this world and the unseen world. A link used to contact the divine lands whilst we are still alive. This bough or branch came from a mystical apple tree that emitted music that none could resist. The fruit it had on it was the colour of bright gold that was said to feed the traveller whilst in the other lands.

One of the most famous tales concerning this object would be with the King Cormac mac Airt. One day he was walking on a plain near his palace when he met a young man with the silver branch with nine golden apples hanging from it. When the youth shook this branch it made sweet vibrant music that the king found irresistible. So irresistible in fact that he agreed to a suggestion of the young man's in which he would exchange his wife and children for the branch.

Naturally when the king returned home and announced this arrangement, his family were most unhappy. However, once they too had heard this music everything seemed splendid. So they agreed to accompany the young man.

Though after a year, Cormac longed to see his family, and then he made it his task to find his family. Then however, a magical cloud enveloped him and soon he found himself on another plain. Wonderful in view and in expanse. Suddenly he came upon a fine house within which was a supernatural couple, which he concluded to be Manannan and his wife.

Manannan then admitted that it was he that took away his daughters and his wife and he had done so to lure him away to his lands. The king and his wife spent the night there and when they awoke in the morning they were at Tara with the silver branch and other magical items at their side. A perfect example of a journey made possible by the branch.

Perhaps a lesser known form of magical item is the serpents egg which some druids apparently used as pendants worn around the neck to signify their office. It is an oval ball of crystal said to be produced from the foam of a number of serpents meeting in congress.

When the snakes entwined in mass, they threw off a number of these globes which took shape in their slime. By the hissing of the group the ball was cast into the air, and if a druid could catch it in a cloth before it fell, then if he immediately took off on a horse (which would be prepared in readiness), he could succeed in taking the crystal for himself.

The snakes would follow after him in close pursuit but if he managed to cross a running stream before they caught him then the egg was his. This amulet was known as the Glainnader or glain-nan- druidhe. The particular act of these snakes was only performed in the summer, on the occasion of a given moon.

These particular snakes were called Nadredd adders. They were owed this title because of their regenerative system of transmigration which was symbolised by the serpent, which cast its skin and returned to second youth.

The eggs were also known as Gemmae Anguine, small glass amulets commonly about as wide as our finger rings, but much thicker. Green coloured usually, though occasionally blue coloured. Also entitled snake stones.

We've mentioned wands, silver branches and serpents eggs. Each item steeped in tradition and embodying the essence of Celtic mythology. Continuing in the same vein, we move onto the spears and swords which the gods owned and which are also mentioned in the legends. Once again Manannan's name crops up. Known also as a magician he had in his possession many magical items amongst which were three swords - the Retaliator, the Great Fury and the Little Fury. It is prudent to note here that all Celtic warriors had a name for their swords.

The swords themselves could not officially be named until they were consecrated in a certain manner. This involved the sword being in bed with a woman from dusk to dawn. Symbolic of the Otherworld, femininity bestows its blessing on the sword, giving its magical strength and temperance.

After the sword's naming ceremony it was recognised as a being in its own right and thus had to be treated with the respect due to any other being. It would be meticulously looked after and jealously guarded. The warrior himself would have traded dearly to achieve his weapon and the last thing that was wanted was for anything untoward to happen to it.

As we can see the Celtic folk observed all of the cycles of Nature. The sword would have been created by a Smith at a certain time of year and lunar phase. The Smith's god is Gobhniu himself who created swords for the Tuatha De Danaan at the famous battle of Moytura.

At this battle Balor the dark magician of the Fomor was killed, in some tales by a spear, Lugh's spear to be exact; in this classic battle we see the combat between the forces of darkness and of light. It would be fair to say that the spear itself symbolised a ray of sun piercing through the gloom of a potential Fomorian reign.

The spear of Pisear, like the swords mentioned earlier, had a life of its own and such was its appetite for blood that to restrain it from slaying all in its path, its seething head had to be immersed in an infusion of poppy leaves which placates its desire to kill.

When in use it was an awesome sight emitting flashes of fire and screaming in rage as it moved through its enemy in a frenzy of slaughter. Such was the aspect of Lugh's spear.

All these items are of course symbolic of powers within Nature which have been harnessed into the forms of rods and spears. Only the reader can find and then use the key to unlock the vast store of wisdom inside the stories and sentences in between the lines that the soul only can read.

[(c) Dalriada Celtic Heritage Trust]

[Author: S. Soyka DALRIADA MAGAZINE 1993]

------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------- Customs Menu Dalriada Celtic Heritage Trust, Isle of Arran