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Celtic Romance 7/4/2005 6:00:27 AM
WARRIOR WOMEN, LONG SWORDS, AND HOT HEROES
CLAN OF THE WEEK:
Pritchett
I’m proud to say, this Welsh surname is also my maiden name. Spelling variations include: Pritchard, Prichard, Prickard and others.
This is an old name, first found in Glamorganshire where they were seated from ancient times, before the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D.
It is believed the origins or from ap Richard (the son of Richard) which sounded like Prichard but I read one article that claims Pritchett came from Pickett and it means the man who lives by the Pickett. Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were: Charles Pritchard who settled in Virginia in 1663; I also have an ancestor, Joseph Pritchett who shows up on a land grant record in Virginia in 1650.
Motto: Labore et fide. Motto Translated: With labor and faith.
Lughnassadh, pronounced LOO-nahs-ah, is the Celtic Harvest festival, celebrated July 31 or August 1st. Named after the sun god Lugh, a tall, muscular warrior with sky blue eyes and a hallo of golden light which blazed around his thick flaxen hair. He was also known as Lugh of the long arm because of his magic spear, which never missed its mark. The earth goddess of Lughnassadh is Tailtiu in Ireland and Blodeuwedd in Wales. The difference between the two is shown in the Welsh and Irish versions of the tale of Lugh or Llew.
The Irish version begins with forbidden love between Cian, a Tuatha De Dannan and Eithne, a Fomorian. Eithne’s father locked her in a high tower. With the help of a druidess, Cian flew on a cloud to the tower and climbed in Eithne’s window. Nine months later they had twin boys. Eithne’s father threw the babies into the sea to waylay the chief-druid’s prophecy that his grandson would defeat him in battle. Though one baby drowned, the other swam away. The sea god, Mannanann MacLir, found the babe and gave him to a warrior woman, Tailtiu, pronounced tell-shuh.
After Tailtiu taught him everything she knew, the boy, Lugh, went to Tara, the hillfort of the Tuatha De Dannan. The porter asked him what skills he had to offer. When Lugh answeared he was a warrior, the gatekeeper told him they already had warriors. Lugh continued, saying he was a healer, then a smith, and so on. Each time, the porter said they already had someone with that skill. Finally, Lugh told him if they already had one person who could do all those things, he would leave. The gatekeeper let him in and Lugh became King of Tara for a year and a day.
Leading the Tuatha De Dannan in battle against the Fomorians, Lugh struck the Fomorians’ evil eye with his slingshot. When the rock hit the evil eye, it looked at Lugh’s grandfather, Balor. As the evil eye killed all within its sight, Baylor died instantly. Thus the Fomorians were defeated. But Lugh’s foster mother, Tailtiu, who was a royal lady of the Fir Bolog, had to clear a vast forest to plant grain for her people. She died from the strain and exhaustion. Lugh ordered a fair, with feasting and funeral games, be held in her honor each first harvest, the Lughnassadh.
In the Welsh version, the high-druid, Math the Ancient, brother of Don, needed to appoint a new virgin to sit by Don’s throne so he could place his feet in her lap to keep them warm. The god Gwydion suggested Arianrod, keeper of the circling Silver Wheel of Stars. Math preformed a magical test to see if Arianrod was indeed chaste. When he touched her belly with his wand, the goddess cried out with labor pains. Then and there, she gave birth to two sons, proving she wasn’t a maiden. One was a sea creature. Math named him Dylan and threw him into the sea. The other baby was a large unformed lump. Gwydion took him and put him in a dark, dry chest. There he grew into a beautiful boy. Arianrhod gave that baby three geases: she would not give him a name, nor a weapon, and he counld not have a human wife. No one else could give him these three things men need.
When it was time for the boy to have a name, Gwydion disguised the boy and himself as cobblers. As the boy mended Arianrhod’s shoe, a bird flew overhead. With his slingshot, the boy shot the wren with a single stone. Impressed, Arainrhod exclaimed, Llew Llaw Gyffes, which means the little one has many skills. As Gwydion took off his disguise, he told Arianrhod she had named the boy. Then her hill fort fell under sudden attack and she gave Llew weapons so he could help her fight. Arianrhod told Gwydion though she had been tricked into naming and giving arms to Llew, she would never give her son a wife. Math and Gwydion conjured Llew a wife out of flowers. Her name was Blodeuwedd, pronouonced Blod-Eye-With. The festival of Luchnassah celebrates the wedding of the Earth Goddess to the Sun God, the wedding of Llew to Blodeuwedd.
But Bloddeuwedd fell in love with another man. Gwydion had put a gease on Llew so he could only die if he was standing with one foot on land, one foot in water, and killed with his own spear. Blodeuwedd tricked Llew into standing with one foot in the bath and one foot on the floor while her lover stabbed him in the heart with his own spear. Llew shapeshifted into an eagle and flew away. Gwydion found Llew and changed him back. Then Gwydion changed Bloddeuwedd into an owl so she would only show her face at night.
During the Bronze Age, Lughnassadh included choosing a god king, a king for a year and a day. At the end of that time, the god king would be sacrificed in honor of the Earth Goddess. Thousands of years ago, sacrifices were replaced with other traditions.
As Lughnassadh celebrates the marriage of the earth to the sky, hand fasting marriages were celebrated at this time. Single men lined up on one side and unmarried women on the other. They paired off and married for a year and a day. The couple had to return to the same place the following year to make their marriage permanent. They could also divorce the following year at the festival by simply standing back to back, facing north and south, and walking out. Going their separate ways. Single once more.
An important part of Lughnassadh was the harvest of corn, wheat, oats, and barley, as well as fruits like berries and grapes. A loaf of bread made from the new corn was dedicated to the goddess. The tribe’s druid may have taken loaves of fresh baked bread, broke off pieces, and handed them to each member of the tribe as they walked sun wise around a large bonfire.
Fruit gathering was also part of Lughnassadh. Young men and women paired off to pick bilberries and didn’t return until nightfall. The boys thread berries into bracelets for the girls. Before going home, the girls took off their bracelets and left them on the hillside. After climbing back down the hill, the young men participated in games such as horse racing. The White Stead is a common companion of Lugh. The horse is the embodiment of the Goddess of Sovereignty who delivered spirits to the otherworld. In the coastal lands, people drove horses down to the beach and into the sea on Lughnassadh.
To celebrate Lughnassadh at your home, make a centerpiece of dried wheat sheaves, whole grain breads, acorns, hazel nuts, and grapes. Get the whole family involved in baking homemade bread. Say a prayer, thanking god for the harvest or the bounty of food you have year round. Share your Celtic heritage with others at the table by telling them the story of Lugh or Llew.
BOOK SITES OF THE WEEK:
HARRY POTTER ON THE NET
By Cornelia Amiri
The count down is on for the release of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. To heighten the breath taking anticipation of the release of J. K. Rowlings sixth book in the seven book series, here are seven Potterania sites sure to wet your appetite until July 16th.
1. Official Site of J. K. Rowlings
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Choose the language of your choice then enter the world of J. K. Rowlings as you explore her creatively cluttered writing desk. Browse the latest copy of the Daily News with the headline of As Publication Draws Nearer. Click on the rolodex to see who the wizard of the month is. In her black date book you’ll find her biography. The keys will open up the fan sites. Inside the Rumors tabloid the latest gossip is dispelled. Rearrange the paperclips to uncover owl post replies to her fans in About Me, About the Books, and Other Stuff. Browse through her scrapbook to discover secret Potterania. Pick up the pen of J. K. Rowlings and a library of links magically appears. At the bottom of her coffee cup you’ll find J. K. Rowling’s notes on squibs, real Harry Potters, edits, owls, her characters and more.
http://www.jkrowling.com/
2. Warner Brothers Official Harry Potter Site
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After being greeted by a musical introduction and trailer of The Prisoner of Azkaban click on the photo of Harry under What’s New for a sneak peak of the trailer for The Goblet of Fire. Go to the marauder map and from Hogsworth you can send your House-Elf Mail. In the Dueling club you and a partner will receive e-mails on spells to use against each other. In Divination Class you can read tea-leaves or play the crystal-ball game. For lessons like Patronus Charm or What’s Your Boggart take the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Go off grounds for back to school shopping at Diagon Alley. Shopping builds up a thirst so stop by the Leaking Cauldron for a bottle of butter beer. You’ll want to bring your own glass to this place and as the shrunken head warns “if you get the Pea soup, make sure you eat it before it eats you.” As you sip on a cold butter beer, scan the latest issue of the Daily Prophet. Next stop, the Wizard Shop, that Slytherin tie and scarf set is perfect for someone I know.
http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/main/homepage/intro.html
3. Scholastic’s Harry Potter
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That hooting, flying owl, Hedwig, has a letter for you. Look, a Wizard’s Challenge. How many questions can you get right in a row? Before you try, click on the golden squares for a short review of Harry Potter’s school days from first to fifth year. Then click on About Books for discussions and a pronunciation guide. How do you say Tarantallegra?
http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/home.asp
4. The Harry Potter Lexicon
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This lexicon features cover art for the five current books, plus two volumes required at Hogswarts: Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them, as well as a preview of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Click and read through a virtual Hogwart’s library, which includes the Encyclopedia of Spells, Magic and Magical Theory, a Wizard’s Atlas, Wizarding Through the Ages, and the Encyclopedia of Potions.
http://www.hp-lexicon.org/index-2.html
5. Harry Potter Books from Bloomsbury the UK publishers
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Greeted by a calendar of how many days to go until the release of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. If you are a UK fan between the ages of 8 and 16 click on Competition to enter the quest of the Ultimate Harry Potter Fan. The winner gets an exclusive interview of J. K. Rowlings at the launch of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in Edinburgh Castle. Click on Author to read more about J. K. Rowling, the creator of Harry Potter. Before you take off on your broom, go to Books to see the entire series to date, both adult and child versions.
http://www.bloomsbury.com/harrypotter/
6.Alvians Master Wand Maker Shop
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Click on the door to enter a virtual store of authentic magic wands for the wizard in us all. Tour the store and browse wands handcrafted from the finest yew, oak, holly, maple, willow, walnut, rosewood, and mahogany, each with a collector's box and velvet satchel. Scroll the left hand menu for a chance to win your own magic wand. Check out famous wands or shop for other wizard wares. Grab a Scarlet Hawk or Sienna Storm from the broom closet for your next quidditch match. Open up the Magic Trunk to find a vanishing tin and a wizard flip book.
http://www.alivans.com/
7. Harry Potter Time
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Download a video clip of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Then follow the sign to Hogsmeade for a Butter Beer recipe straight from the Three Broomsticks. Subscribe to The Quibbler so you can get the latest scoop on Pottermania free by e-mail. Click on the Hogwart and brush up on “The Science of Harry Potter," a three-credit honors seminar at Frostburg State University. The younger set can enroll in the Urban Academy of Arcane Knowledge, “an ideal place for a wannabe witch or wizard in Manitowoc to spend part of their summer.” http://www.harrypottertime.com/
