Saturday, December 25, 2010

THE HAG AT THE FORD



The Morrigan (Celtic Goddess of Birth, Death and War), sometimes appears as the "Washer at the Ford", a maiden who is seen prior to battle washing the armour and weapons of those destined to die.


Her ability to change from a hag into a young girl and her mating with The Dagdha in the Dinnshenchas, denotes that she also is a goddess of sovereignty and fertility.


Cuchulainn attracted the attention of the Morrigan because of his exploits.
While sleeping deeply after an exhausting day of single combats, Cuchulainn was startled awake by a great shout coming from the north.
He ordered his charioteer to get the chariot ready for them to seek out the source of this strange cry.


They travelled north and met a woman riding towards them in another chariot. Cuchulainn greeted this woman and asked her who she was, and she replied that she was daughter of a king called Buan ( the Eternal One) who had fallen in love with him after hearing about his deeds.
Cuchulainn did not recognise the woman as an incarnation of the goddess and brusquely rejected her.
The Morrigan replied that she had been helping him throughout his combats and that she would continue to do so in return for his love. Cuchulainn arrogantly replied that he did not need the help of any woman in battle. The Morigan told him then that if he would not have her love, he would have her hatred; and that she would hinder him when he was in battle.


She appeared to him in four occasions and each time he failed to recognize her:


- When she declared her love for him.
-After he had wounded her, she appeared as an old woman and he offered his blessings to her.
-on his way to his final battle, he saw the Washer at the Ford, who declared that she was washing the clothes and arms of Cuchulainn, who would soon be dead.
-When he was forced by three hags to break a taboo of eating dog flesh.


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