Ward Rutherford - Celtic Mythology: The Nature and Influence of Celtic Myth from Druidism to Arthurian Legend

I would like to thank Nikolai Tolstoy for permission to quote extensively from his book The Quest for Merlin, and Nigel Blair and my old friend Piers Gascoigne for assistance in digging out some of the rare tomes I wanted to consult.

This edition first published in 2015 by Weiser Books

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Copyright 1987 by Ward Rutherford

Foreword Copyright 2015 John Matthews

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Red Wheel/Weiser, llc. Reviewers may quote brief passages. Originally published in 1987 by Aquarian Press, a part of the Thorsons Publishing Group ISBN: 0-85030-551-9.

ISBN: 978-1-57863-586-3

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available upon request

Cover design by Graham Lester

Text design by Jane Hagaman

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(Between pages 75 and 82)

It is, of course, possible to render Celtic place and personal names phonetically, but the difference between these and the spellings likely to be encountered in other versions is so great that one may not be recognizable as the other. For example, it would need some ingenuity to realize that a name written as Dalna in its phonetic form was that written Dealgnaid in sources which chose to remain closer to the original. For this reason I have tried to stick to the Celtic versions. At the same time, it must be understood (1) that the phonetic forms offered here are no more than a broad guide to pronunciation, and (2) that there are no consistent rules for, particularly, Gaelic spellings. The name which I have rendered as Cu Chulainn can with equal correctness be spelt Cuchulainn Cu Chulaind, Cuchullin and in several other ways. Nor do I claim that the following list is exhaustive. Only those names which occur most frequently have been included.

Note: italicized syllables are stressed

Aoife: Eef-ay

Ailill: Al-ill

Amergin: Am-org-in

Aneirin: An-oi-rin

Annwn: An-noon

Annwvyn: An-oov-an

Arawn: A-rown

Arianrhod: Aree-an-rod

Badb: Baav

Balor: Bah-lorr

Beltaine: Bail-tin

Bile: Bee-leh

Blodeuwedd: Blod-ai-weth

Bodb: Bov

Cathbhad: Cath-va

Cernunnos: Ker-noon-os

Cerridwen: Ker-id-wen

Cian: Kee-an

Conare: Kon-ar-ee

Conchobhar: Con-ah-khar

Cuailnge: Cooley

Cu Chulainn: Coo Hool-in

Curoi: Cur-ree

Dealgnaid: Dal-na

Dechtine: Det-een-eh

Derdriu: Deer-dree

Diancecht: Jan-kett

Diarmait: Der-mot

Diwrnach: Dur-nakh

Dyfed: Duv-it

Emer: Ev-air

Eochaid: Yo-hee

Etain: Ett-an

Evrawg: Eff-rowg

Ferdia: Fer-dee-ah

Fianchuive: Fee-an-kheev-eh

Finn mac Cumhail: Finmac Cumm-al

Finnabair: Finn-av-eer

Fuamnach: Foo-na

Gabra: Gow-ra

Gilvaethy: Ghil-vath-ee

Goronwy: Gor-on-wee

Gwalchmei: Goo-alkh-meh

Gwawl: Goo-owl

Gwent Ys Coed: Gwent uss Coit

Gwrhyr: Gur-heer

Gwydion: Gwud-yon

Gwynedd: Gwin-eth

Gwynhwyvar: Gwin-hwee-var

Iolo Morganwg: Ee-oll-o Mor-gahn-ook

Kulhwch: Kil-hookh

Law Gyffes: Low Guff-ez

Llasar Laes Gyngwyd: Hlass-ar Lyze Gung-wud

Lleu: Hlye

Llevelys: Hlev-ell-iss

Lludd: Hlooth

Llyr: Hleer

Loeg: Leekh

Lugh: Lookh

Mabinogion: Ma-bin-og-ion

Macha: Mah-kha

Mag Tuan: Moy Too-ra

Mallolwch: Ma-hlol-lukh

Manawyddan: Man-ow-eeth-an

March: Markh

Mathonwy: Math-on-wee

Mebd: Maev

Menoo ap Tair-noo-ayth

Menw ap Teirnaedd:

Mider: Meeth-er

Mile: Mee-leh

Miodhchaoin: Mee-than

Mor-rig-ahn

Morrigan:

Myrddin: Mer-thin

Niamh: Nee-av

Nuada: Noo-da

Oengus: Engus

Oisin: Ush-een

Pryderi: Prid-er-ree

Pwyll: Pwill

Rhiannon: Hree-ah-non

Rhonabwy: Hron-ahv-wy

Sadb: Shahv

Samain: Shah-vin

Scathach: Skah-thakh

Sidh: Shoe

Sualdam: Sool-dam

Tain Bo Cuailnge: Tahn Bo Cooley

Taliessin: Tal-yess-in

Tarbfeis: Tar-vaysh

Teirnon Twyrvliant: Tair-non Turv-lee-ant

Tir na n'Og: Teer nahn Ock

Tuan mac Cahill: Toon mac Car-il

Tuatha De Danann: Tootha Day Dah-nan

Tuirenn: Teer-enn

Twrc Trwyth: Turkh Troo-ith

Uath mac Imoman: Ooth mac Immoman

Ysbaddaden: Liss-path-ad-an

Ward Rutherford's Celtic Mythology is a classic and justly so. The sub-title is a key to the way the book works: The Nature and Influence of Celtic Myth, from Druidism to Arthurian Legend. Despite it's comparatively short extent it packs an impressive amount of material into its 176 pages, discussing Druids, the structure of Celtic myth and legend as it appears in the mythological writings of the Irish and Welsh, and the first stirrings of what would become the Matter of Britainthe Arthurian Legends. This makes the book particularly valuable, as there are still few that approach this complex subject.

Despite the advances in our knowledge of the subject made in the years since Rutherford's book first appeared, there is much here that stands up well in the face of these recent discoveries. It paints a brilliant portrait of the Celtic world and the way the people of those distant times interpreted the world around them though the creation of myths and legends. Above all Rutherford avoids the tricky matter of interpretation, which makes his book all the more useful, leaving those who read it today free to draw their own conclusions.

Here you will find what little information is available on the Druids, and details of the huge literature, dating from the 17th century, in which these few scattered remarks are used as the basis of a reconstructed belief system that holds good to the present.

Another important aspect is the spiritual background to the myths. This explores the nature and qualities of the Celtic pantheon, which in many ways parallels that of the Classical world, but with its own unique and distinctive twist.

Rutherford also deals with the other important strand of Celtic myth - the Otherworld. So much material has survived about this from Native British and Irish sources that we can see at once how important it was to the people we have come to know as the Celts. It offers a key to understanding their beliefs and traditions, which though they may seem far away from us now, nonetheless have much to tell us.