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AnimalSymbolisminCelticMythology
ApaperforReligion375attheUniversityofMichigan byLarsNoodn,22November1992 AnimalsinCelticandWelshmythologyaretiedinwithfertilityandvitality,becausetheyareliving,moving,andgrowing.Theyalsoprovidevitalityandcontinuedlifefor thetribesthroughtheirmeat,skins,andbones.Inaddition,theyareaconnectiontotherealmofspiritsandthegods.Thisconnectionisseenthroughtheiruseinthehunt, searchforsecretsandwisdom. Specificanimalshavespecificassociationsdependingonthecharacteristicsofthetypeofanimal.Birds,fish,serpents,deer,cattle,swine,andsoonalltendtobeusedas symbols.Boars,fishes,serpents,birds,andherdanimalsarethemostfrequentlydescribed. Inadditiontorepresentingfertilityandwealth,boarssymbolizecourageandstrongwarriors(MacCulloch,356)fortheyarestrong,dangerous,andveryhardtokill.Their appearanceindreamsandvisionsalsoindicateswarriors.Isolt'sforewarningofthedeathofTristan,agreatwarrior,cameinadreamaboutthedeathofagreatboar (Spector,8586).Statuesofboarsareoccasionallyfoundinthecompanyofstatuesofarmedwarriors,(Powell,176)furtherindicatinganassociationbetweenboarsand warriors. Greatimportanceisattachedtothebristlesoftheboar.Perhapstheyarethedistinguishingcharacteristicoftheanimalorsymbolizeitsstrength.Forexample,Fioniskilled bysteppingonaboar'sbristleafterbreakinga geasa againsthuntingboars(MacCulloch,150).Someoftheextraordinaryboars,thatKingArthurfightsinCulhwchand Olwen ,havebristlesthataregoldorsilver.Conversley,whenMenwtriestostealtreasuresfromTwrchTrwyth,heisonlyabletotakeabristle.Thepigherdersatthe startoftheTin,FriuchandRucht,arenamedafterthebristleandthegruntoftheboar,respectively.Itisthebristleoftheboar,Friuch,thatprovestohavethemost powerintheend,FriuchrebornasDonnCuilngedestroysRuchtasFinnebachAi.Thebristlesoftheboararementionedmanyothertimesimplyingthattheyarean importantpartoftheanimal. Fish,salmoninparticular,areassociatedwithknowledge.ThechildthatgrewtobecalledTaliesin,thewisemagician,wasfoundinafishweir.Thesignificanceofthe salmoncanbeseeninmanyplaces.Gwyrhrquestionedaseriesofwiseanimals,eachonewiserthantheprevious,theoldestandwisestofallwasthesalmonofLlynLlyw (Ford,148149).Cchulainnusedthehero'ssalmonleapacrossthePupils'BridgetogetScthach'sstrongholdinordertogainaccesstoScthach'sadvanced knowledgeofarms.TogainthesecretsCchulainnhadtousethehero'ssalmonleaptoScthachherselfinordertogainthesecretsreservedforherfamily.Eachleapin thelandofsorcerybroughtCchulainntogreaterknowledge.Theirwisdomcanalsobepassedonbyeating.Themagicsalmongainthepowerofwisdombyconsuming thehazelnutsthatdropintosacredsprings(MacCulloch,377).Bysymbolicallyeatingthesalmonofwisdom,Demnegainedsuchenormouswisdomthathewasrenamed (Ford,20).Perhapsthisisattherootofthemodernpracticewherechildrenaretoldtoeatfishtoincreasetheirintelligence. Serpentsanddragonssymbolizetrouble.Whenevertheyappear,strifeandinfertilityfollow.KingArthur'stroubleswiththefutureofhiskingdomarepresagedbydreams ofdragonsandserpentsatthetimeofSirMordred'sconception.KingArthurdrivesthemout,butiswounded(Baines,36).KingArthurisfinallydevouredbytheminhis lastdream,subsequentlyhisnextbattleiswhenSirMordredkillshim.Itisinterestingtonotethatitistheappearanceofasnakethatinitiatesthebattle.Theswineherders beforetheTain,FriuchandRucht,ruineachother'slandwithsnowduringtheirmagicalfight,whileintheformsofdragons(Ford,48).Dragonsshouldbeparticularly troublingtoaking,becausethekingisthesymbolofthefertilityofthetribeanditslandandthedragonsarethecountersymbol,layingwastetothelandandpreventing newgrowth. Birdsareusuallyusedtorepresentpropheticknowledge,(Davidson,91)bloodshed,andskill.Inanomen,birdscanbeeitherthemessageorthemessenger.For example,MorrgancameintheshapeofabirdtowarntheBrownBull(Kinsella,98).Theinterpretationoftheircallsandmovementscanleadtoknowledgeoffuture events.Birds,especiallyravensandcrows,usuallypresagebloodshedandbattle,whentheyareassociatedwithit,stickingwiththethemeofprophesy.Deirdre'sdream ofthreebirdsdrawingbloodforeshadoweddeathandLleuLlawGyffeswassheddingrottingfleshandmaggotswhileintheformofaneagle.TheIrishwargoddesses weresaidtocalltheravensdowntobattlefieldstofeastonthefleshoftheslain(Davidson,98).Evennormal,moderncrowsandravensdescendtofeedoncorpses alongtheroad. Birdscanalsobeusedtodemonstrateawarrior'sprowessbytheirmethodofcapture.LleuLlawGyffeswassoskilledhecouldhitbirdswithastonewithoutkillingthem outright(Ford,101).Cchulainndemonstratedevenmoreprowesscapturingbirdsskillfully,buthisson,Connlawasstillmoreskilled.Hecouldnotonlystunthemwitha

stone,butalsowithonlyhisvoice(Kinsella,39,91). Horses,cattle,andpigsrepresentfertility.Horse,cattle,andpigbonesarefoundinWelshandCelticgraves,(Powell,28)indicatingthattheywereveryimportanttothose cultures.Theprosperityoftheclanisreflectedintheprosperityofitsherds.CattlewereamajorCelticfoodsource(Davidson,52)andassuch,wouldbeproportionally importanttothesuccessandsurvivalofthetribe.Later,pigsbecameaddedtothedietoftheIrish.Horseswerealsoseentosymbolizefertility.Davidson(54) Davidsondescribedritualswheretheleaderofthetribematedwithahorse.Thebull,whichistheleaderofthecattle,symbolizedtheherdanditsfertilityjustastheking wouldsymbolizetheclananditsfertility,thusjoiningthefertilityofthehorsewiththetribe's. ThethemeofthehuntusesanimalstopasstoandfromtherealmofmagicandthegodsinCelticandWelshmythology.Forexample,duringtheexcitementofthehunt, thechosenpartypursuesanunusuallyfleetoffoot,magicalpreyoutoftheworldofthemortalsandintoaplaceofmagic.Otherwaystoentertheotherworldareby charm,likethesongfrommagicalbirds(Ford,71),orbyspell,likethemistdescendingoverland(Ford,77).Wells,springs,rivers,andearthenmoundsaresomeofthe magicalplacesthatborderwithorcoexistintheotherworld.Intheseplaces,magicismuchmoreprevalentandsometimeseventimepassesdifferentlythere. Themagicalanimalsarenoteworthyinappearanceandgettheattentionofthehunterbytheirsupernaturalshape,color,speed,andpower.Therearemanyother examplesofthepursuitofsupernaturalbeaststhroughoutCelticandWelshmythologywiththecommoncharacteristicbeingtheirunnatural,whitecolor.Whilepursuinga large,whitedeer,KingArthurarrivesatSirPellinore'swell,amagicalsite,withouthishuntingpartyorhishorse(Baines,37).PryderiandManawydanpursuea"gleaming whiteboar"(Ford,80)whichleadsthemandtheirdogstoamagicaltrap.Thebrightwhiteanimalsfromtheotherworldsometimeshavebright,glowing,redears,butthey arenotanaturaltypeofwhiteorred.PrincePwyllencounterskingArawn'sdogsfromtheotherworld.Thedogsappearwith"glitteringbrightwhite"andredearsthat glitterasbrightlyastheirwhitebodies(Ford,37).Rhiannonarrivesfromtheotherworldonherwhitehorseatanearthenmound(Ford,4245). FertilityandcontinuationoftheclanwasamajorconcernoftheCelticandWelshpeoples.Hereagain,animalsfiguredstronglywithfertilityinCelticandWelsh mythology.Aprosperoustribewasindicatedbyhealthy,plentifulanimals. Afewanimalsareassociatedwithinfertilitybecausetheirsuccessisincompatiblewiththesurvivalofthetribe.Forexample,dragonsindicatelackoffertility.Twodragons wereheardscreamingontheislandofBritaineveryMay1st,andthiscausedsterilityinalllivingcreaturesofthelandandwater(Ford,113116).Adragonbriefly ravagedIreland,ruiningthelandandpreventingdailyactivities(Spector,1718).Thedragonshadtobedestroyedinordertorestorethefertilityoftheland.Nospecific causesweregivenforthearrivalofthedragons.Avague,magicalpower,butnoclearpurposewasgiventotheninescoresofbirdsthatconsumedthefertilityofthefields ofUlster(Kinsella,21).Theyjusthappened.So,itisquitelikelythattheyaremerelysymbolsofhardtimes.However,moreearthlyexplanations,likerevengeoracurse, havebeenthecausefordestructionorlossoffertility.Underaspell,hoardsofwarriorsdisguisedasmiceravagedManawydon'swheat,destroyingthefertilityofhisland asrevengeforGwawl(Ford,8287). Birthandrebirtharefertility.TheCeltsbelievedthatsoulsweremanifestedastinyanimalsorbeings(MacCulloch,160).LleuLlawGyffeswasgrownfrom"somelittle thing"(Ford,9899).Ifsuchamagicalbeingwaseatenbyafemale,thenitwouldgrowuntilshegavebirthtoit.ThisisillustratedintherebirthsofTaliesin,Stanta, FinnebachAi,andDonnCuailngewhowereallconsumedbytheirmothersastinycreaturesandthenreborn.TaliesinhadbeenGwionBachdisguisedasagrainofwheat (Ford,164,173)andStanta,laterknownasCchulainn,hadbeenavague,tinycreatureinadrink,possiblythesoulofthegodLug(Kinsella,23).BothTaliesinand Cchulainnhadextraordinaryabilitiesextendingtothesupernatural,andTaliesinevendescribedhimselfashavingpreviouslybeenGwionBach.FriuchandRuchtchanged intomaggots,verysmallcreatures,andwereconsumedbycowswhilefightingeachotherinabattleofmagic.TheybecamerebornastheextraordinarybullsFinnebach AiandDonnCuailnge.TheycontinuedtoescalatetheircombatbyinvolvingthetribesofIreland,suggestingatleastpartialsurvivaloftheirpersonalities. Animalsareusedtobringknowledgedirectlybyspeech,throughwhattheysymbolize,andthroughtheiruseinrituals.EatingspecialanimalsprovidedCeltswith knowledge.WhenDemnetastesbyaccidentthesalmonofwisdomcaughtbyFinnces(Ford,20)hegainssuchgreatwisdomthatheisrenamed.Davidson(143) mentionstheuseofanimalhidestoenhancethecontentsofdreams.However,themostcommonwayofgainingknowledgefromanimalsinWelshandCelticmythology wastotalkwiththemortointerprettheiractions. Exceptionallymagicorancientanimalsspeakthelanguageofhumansandcanpassontheirwisdomthroughspeech.Byandlargebirdsareassociatedwithspeech. Branwentookanordinarystarlingandtaughtittounderstandenoughspeechtofindherbrother(Ford,65).Gwyrhyr&Arthur'smessengersconversedwithaneagle,an owl,astag,ablackbird,andasalmontolearnancientknowledgefromthem(Ford,148149).Aspecialunderstandingofthespeechofanimalscanyieldagreat advantage.Someheroshavegainedknowledgeofthespeechofbirds,enablingthemtobewarnedofdangerortoldsecretsbythebirds.Davidson(87)mentionsaless mythicalmiddleIrishmanuscriptdescribinghowtodeterminetheapproachofvisitorsthroughinterpretationofbirdcalls. Animalsappearasanomenbytheirappearanceandactivitythroughasymbolicmessage.Thetypeofanimalandtheiractivityisthesubstanceofthemessage.Ontheeve ofhisbattlewithSirMordred,KingArthurdreamtofbeingdevouredbyserpents,dragons,andotherwaterbeasts.Theserpentsanddragonsalonemeangreattroubles withintheland.KingArthurwasdestroyedbythismassoftroubles,becausethenextday,hewasdefeatedinabattleduringthecivilwarwithSirMordred(Baines,497 498).AnotherexampleofanomenisDeirdre'sdreamofthethreegreatbirds.Theyarrivedbearinghoneyandleftwithblood,symbolizingtreacheryonthepartofking Conchobar(Pilkington,177).Movementsofsmalleranimals,suchasbirdsandrabbits,havealsobeeninterpretedtodivinethefuture(Davidson,11,MacCulloch,219, 247). Shapechangingisanotherthemegenerallyinvolvinganimals.Sometimeshumansarechangedintotheshapeofotherhumans.Merlin,KingUtherPendragon,Pwyll,and KingArawnareexamples.However,theformschangedintoaremostoftenthoseofanimals.MacCullochandDavidsonmakeseveralreferencestopeoplebeing changedintoanimalsaspunishment.Thishappensinthestory MathSonofMathonwy .Generally,theanimalshapeisusuallytakenvoluntarilyinordertoguard somethingortogainanadvantageincombat. Spiritsandsupernaturalbeingsalsotakeanimalformstoguardsomething.AccordingtoCelticmyths,eachholyplacegenerallyhasaspiritguardianintheformofan animal.Eachwell,aspring,ariver,amound,oragroveoftenislikelytohaveitsownspirit.Waterplaceswouldhaveaguardianintheformofafish(MacCulloch,186). Godsfromtheotherworldcanassumeanimalformsforotherreasons,also.ThegodLugmayhavebecomethesmalllifethatDeichtineconsumedinordertobecome Cchulainn,theguardianofthetribeofUlster. Battlewhileinanimalformiscommonlyseenduringafightbetweentwopowerfulopponents.Thetwopigkeepers,FriuchandRucht,assumedtheshapesofmany creaturestotrytogainanadvantageoveroneanotheraftertheirrivalryescalatedintoalongfight(Kinsella,4650).Onasmallerscale,Morrganfoughtagainst

Cchulainnusingthreedifferentanimalshapesinhereffortstogainanadvantage(Kinsella,132137).Kinsella,77,150153,195).Notallshapechangesinbattleare offensive.OneexamplethatdescribesshapechanginginadefensivemannerisGwionBach'sattempttoescapefromCeridwenbyusingdifferentanimalforms(Ford, 164,173).AnotherisLleuLlawGyffes'escapefromanassassinationbyfleeingintheshapeofaneagle(Ford,106107). Inconclusion,themostfrequentlyusedanimalsymbolsoftheboar,fish,serpent,bird,andherdanimalsarecloselyconnectedwiththephysicalwellbeingofthetribe. Divinationoffutureeventsandpastwisdomcanbegainedthroughproperuseofanimals.Verypowerfulopponentstaketheshapesofanimalsforextrapower.Spirits andsupernaturalbeingsalsotakeanimalforms,oftentemporarily,beforebeingreborntoguardalandorclanandthusitsfertility.Thus,animalssymbolizetheessenceof fertilityandvitalityinWelshandCelticmythology.

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