Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/187

The mythologic character of the Tuatha de Danann—in reality the third of the mythic races, although a semi-historic people, the Firbolgs, is intercalated between them and the race of Nemedh—has long been recognised. Eochaid hua Flainn (L. L.) is in doubt if they come from out the sky or from the earth. They overcome the Firbolgs, who take the place of the deities of death and night which they worship, and for a while rule over Ireland in undisturbed sway. "Folk of the God of Dana," as their name implies, they descend from Dana, daughter of Dagde, or the "good god"; their chief warriors are Ogme, to whom is ascribed the invention of writing; Lug, to whom the first of August was sacred, in whose honour Lyons, and Leyden, and Laon were named; Dian Cecht, the god of medicine; Goibniu the smith, Mannanan Mac Lir, son of the sea, Nuadu of the silver hand. The chief incident in their history is the battle of MagTured, in which they overcome the Firbolgs. At first they dwelt in peace with these older inhabitants of the island, and had accepted the overrule of the Fomore Bress, but the latter by his avarice and tyranny discontented the poets and artists of Ireland—ignorance is a type of night and death, and the Fomore king is a natural enemy of arts and sciences, children of light and life—who stir up the people against him, and he had to flee for aid to the other chiefs of the Fomore. Indech and Balor of the mighty blows answer his appeal: of the latter one eye is ever shut; when it opens, the look is death—symbol of the thunder-cloud which opens but to send forth the death-dealing lightning. In the battle which ensues the arms of the Tuatha de Danann are wrought by a trinity of skilful workmen, Luchtine, Creidne, Goibniu; in three strokes they turn out a lance—even so in the Greek myth the three Cyclops, Brontes, Steropes, and Arges forge the thunder-bolts which ensure the victory of Zeus over the Titans, Zeus being the Greek counterpart of the Tuatha de Danann, the Titans that of the Fomore-Firbolgs. Balor with his deadly glance wounds Nuada, the Tuatha de Danann king, but before he can raise his eyelid again is slain by a stone slung by Lug, even as Hermes (the Greek Lug) slays Argus the hundred-eyed, symbol of the starry night sky, with a stone. Lug may be compared again with Bellerophon, the bane of Belleros, the fire-breathing monster, whose name and attribute