The Sorrows of Étaín (Celtic Myth Adapted for Children)

Irish Ways Series


The Sorrows of Étaín
An Irish Legend





Adapted for Children by Patricia Jones




The Marriage of Midir and Étaín

In ancient times the god Dagdae ruled over all of Ireland. Despite his godly nature the Dagdae fell in love one day with an earthly woman called Bóand. Bóand bore the Dagdae a son and the Dagdae chose his friend Midir to be his son’s foster father. This was a great honor for Midir.
The Dagdae’s son was known to all as Aengus. Aengus loved his foster father Midir so much that the sound of Midir’s voice was like the music of a harp in his ears.
Although Midir had many other foster children besides Aengus he was still a very lonely man. This was because Midir was married to a wicked woman called Fúamnach. Fúamnach was a wise and clever woman who had been versed in the powers of magic by her foster father, the druid Bresal. However, she was not suited to married life. Instead of caring for her husband and foster children, Fúamnach spent her days learning magic spells and her nights stirring up trouble the length and breath of Ireland.
Finally, Midir, could stand it no longer. He decided to divorce Fúamnach and somehow find himself a wife who was easier to get along with.
Aengus’s love for his foster father was great. He could not bear to see Midir so lonely. Consequently, he decided that he would find a new wife for lonely Midir.
Aengus spent many a day and many a night searching Ireland for a suitable wife for his foster father. However, Midir did not want to marry just any woman. He had someone in particular in mind. Midir had set his heart on Étaín, the most beautiful woman in all of Ireland. The beautiful Étaín was the daughter of King Ailill who ruled over the north of Ireland. Aengus knew Ailill’s daughter would come at a high price. However, he was determined that Midir should marry the woman of his heart’s desire.
Aengus visited King Ailill’s palace. He explained to King Ailill that his foster father, wished for Étaín’s hand in marriage. King Ailill knew that Aengus was the son of the god Dagdae. Consequently, he knew he could ask a high price for his daughter Étaín. And that was what King Ailill did. In return for his daughter’s hand in marriage he asked Aengus to clear twelve lands of forest and make them fit for farming. Moreover, he insisted that Aengus divert the course of twelve rivers. Aengus was shocked at the magnitude of these tasks. In those days in Ireland it was not easy to clear a wooded area or change the course of a river. However, King Ailill was not finished. He also wanted his daughter’s weight in gold and silver. Aengus was overwhelmed at the high price King Ailill was demanding in return for Étaín’s hand in marriage. How could he clear twelve wooded lands for farming? How could he divert the course of twelve rivers? Where would he find Étaín’s weight in gold and silver? These questions raced through Aengus’s mind. But he was at a loss. Finally, he decided to ask his father the Dagdae for help.
The Dagdae also had a great love for Midir. After all, Midir had raised his son Aengus for him. The Dagdae agreed to help Aengus obtain Étaín as a wife for Midir.
In one night the Dagdae cleared the twelve lands of forest and made them fit for farming. He changed the course of twelve rivers and gave Aengus Étaín’s weight in gold and silver for greedy Ailill. Having satisfied all of his demands, Ailill allowed Aengus to take Étaín back to Midir, who was waiting in anticipation for his new bride.
Midir was overjoyed when his foster son arrived with Étaín, whom he immediately married. The happy couple lived at Aengus’s fort for one year to show their friendship for Aengus.

The Torment of Étaín
Finally, it was time for Midir and Étaín to return to Midir’s own home. When they were leaving Aengus warned Midir to protect Étaín from the evil powers of Fúamnach, his ex-wife. Midir shuddered at the thought of Fúamnach’s evil. God only knew what she had been up to while he had been living at Aengus’s house.
When Midir and Étaín arrived back at Midir’s house there was someone waiting for them. To Midir’s shock and horror, who was standing at the door of his house but Fúamnach, arms open in welcome: “Tá fáilte roimhe!” she said in a warm friendly voice. Midir was not fooled by the friendly façade. He was suspicious and fearful of Fúamnach’s motives. However, he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. “Maybe she has changed her ways”, he naively thought to himself. “Maybe she wants to bury the hatchet and be friends.” He couldn’t have been more wrong.
No sooner had Midir turned his back on his smiling ex-wife than she hit beautiful Étaín with her magic wand and turned her into a pool of water. On seeing his new wife turned into a pool of water Midir immediately fled the house in horror. Fúamnach also left and returned to the home of Bresal, her foster father for protection. Fúamnach felt confident that she had seen the last of her rival Étaín; “Bhain mé dioltas amach uirthi.”, she thought to herself in the native Irish language as she headed for the house of Druid Bresal.
However, what Fúamnach didn’t know was that she had not seen the last of Étaín. Fúamnach had turned Étaín into a pool of water. However, the heat of the fire caused the water to form into a worm, which in turn turned into a scarlet fly. Normally, flies are considered ugly insects. However, the like of this fly was never before seen in Ireland. It was as big as the head of a handsome youth. The sound of its wings beating was like the music of a harp in the ears of every man in Ireland. The flies eyes shone like precious gems and the dew from its wings could cure any ailment in Ireland. The fly accompanied Midir wherever he went. It soothed his lovesick heart. Midir knew that the scarlet fly was really Étaín in another form and he was content in the fly’s company. The fly guarded over Midir at all times and protected him from his enemies.
Unfortunately, one day news reached bad-minded Fúamnach that Étaín was still alive and living with Midir in the form of a fly. Again jealousy seized Fúamnach. She would not rest until she had destroyed Étaín. In the safety of three protectors she visited Midir once again. In no uncertain terms she told Midir it was her intention to pursue Étaín the length and breadth of Ireland until she had destroyed her.
Using the new magic powers she had learned from Druid Bresal, Fúamnach caused a sudden wind to rise which carried Étaín out of Midir’s protection and transported her the length and breath of Ireland.
For seven years the wind proved relentless in its torment of Étaín. Finally, one day she was blown back into the house of Aengus. Aengus immediately realized that the scarlet fly was none other than Étaín, his foster father’s second wife. He sheltered the tormented fly in his bosom and comforted it. Étaín regained her strength at the home of Aengus who took every trouble to raise her sad spirits.
Unfortunately, news once again reached Fúamnach that the fly was in the care of Aengus who was catering to its every need. Fúamnach was again overcome by jealousy. With talk of friendship, she tricked Aengus into leaving Étaín alone. Naively believing that Fúamnach wished to make amends, Aengus left Étaín and set off for Midir’s house where Fúamnach had arranged to meet him. Foolish Aengus! Once he was out of his house Fúamnach stirred up the same wind which had swept Étaín away before. For seven more years Étaín was blown to the four corners of Ireland.
When Aengus arrived at Midir’s house troublemaking Fúamnach was not there. He realized, too late, that Fúamnach had tricked him into leaving Étaín alone. She had not wanted to make amends. She had only wanted him out of the house so that she could harm Étaín.
In a fit of rage Aengus pursued Fúamnach the length and breadth of Ireland. He left no stone unturned until he finally caught up with her. This time she had no chance to utter a magic spell. Before she could open her mouth he struck off her head and that was the end of Fúamnach. But it was not the end of Étaín.
For seven years Étaín suffered at the mercy of the magic wind that blew her the length and breath of Ireland. One day the wind blew Étaín onto the roof of a house. Étaín was so weak she immediately fell limply from the roof and landed in the cup of a woman who unknowingly drank and swallowed her. Nine months after swallowing Étaín the woman gave birth. Thus was Étaín transformed from a scarlet fly back into a baby girl. Thus did she finally escape the torment of Fúamnach’s evil wind which had tormented her for seven years without rest.
Étaín was raised by her new mother the wife of the warrior Étar, in the company of fifty other foster sisters who attended to her every need. Once again Étaín grew into a beautiful young woman.

Étaín Marries King Echu

Around this time a new king was elected to the throne in Ireland. His name was Echu. Almost a year after Echu became King he decided to hold a festival. However, to his embarrassment the men of Ireland refused to attend any festival he might hold, good or bad, until Echu first found himself a wife. The length and breath of Ireland was searched for a wife for the king. But no other woman could compare with the fairness of Étaín. And once he beheld her King Echu had eyes for no other. Such a handsome couple was never before seen in Ireland. King Echu and Étaín were very happy together. However, little did either of them realize that Étaín’s past life was about to come back to haunt her.

Midir Returns For Étaín

One day King Echu had to set off on a tour of his kingdom. While he was away he left his wife Étaín in charge of his dying brother Ailill. Fearing he would never see his sick brother alive again, it was with a sad heart that Echu left his home.
Miraculously, however, Ailill grew stronger every day under Étaín’s tender care. Soon he was back on his feet again. One evening, when Ailill’s health had improved sufficiently, Étaín arranged to meet him on a hill near the palace. When Étaín arrived on the hill the man she met there looked and spoke like Ailill, the king’s brother. But he was not Ailill. The next day when Étaín met Ailill he explained to her that he had not come to the hill because he had fallen asleep. Étaín was perplexed. If she had not met Ailill on the hill then who had been the man she had met? Ailill and Étaín arranged to meet again the following evening on the hill. Étaín went to the hill at the appointed time. Again she met a man there who looked and spoke like Ailill, the king’s brother. But he was not Ailill. When Étaín visited Ailill the next day he again apologized for not meeting her on the hill. Again Étaín was perplexed. Who was the man that had come in Ailill’s place? On the third evening when Étaín went to the hill to meet Ailill she said to the man before her: “You look like Ailill and you speak like Ailill but you are not Ailill. Cé h-é túsa?” she asked, switching to the native Irish language.
The man on the hill confessed that he was not Ailill at all. He told Étaín that he was Midir and that he had been her husband in a past life. He explained to Étaín that the saucery of his ex-wife Fúamnach and the spells of the druid, Bresal, had parted them. Midir asked Étaín to leave her new husband King Echu and return to him. Étaín was much perplexed by the discovery that she had another husband from a past life. She could remember nothing of her tragic past or her heartbroken husband Midir. Consequently, she refused to leave King Echu unless the king himself desire her to do so. Sick at heart at her refusal to return to him, Midir departed leaving Étaín alone on the hill.
By the time King Echu returned from his tour of Ireland his brother Ailill had recovered his health. King Echu thanked Étaín from nursing his beloved brother back from death’s door. Life returned to normal. Nothing was said about the man who had appeared on the hill in the form of Ailill. In time even Étaín forgot about the mysterious Midir and his talk of her past life as his wife. But that was not the last they saw of Midir.

Midir Tricks King Echu

One morning King Echu arose early and was viewing the plains around his palace when suddenly he spied a handsome young warrior approaching him. King Echu was perplexed because he did not know who the warrior was. The warrior introduced himself as Midir and challenged the king to a game of fidchell. King Echu loved to played fidchell because he usually won.
From beneath his red cloak Midir produced a silver board with golden fidchell pieces. King Echu refused to play unless there was a wager. Finally, Midir wagered fifty Breton ponies that he would win the fidchell game. However, to King Echu’s delight Midir did not win. He lost and, true to his word, at sunrise the following morning he reappeared at the palace with fifty Breton ponies for King Ailill.
Again the next day Ailill and Midir played fidchell. This time Midir wagered fifty fiery boars along with a wealth of other gifts. Again Midir lost and was obliged to give King Echu the fifty fiery boars and the other gifts he had wagered.
King Echu’s foster father noticed the riches that Echu was winning at Fidchell. He was astounded that anyone in Ireland other than a king could afford to gamble such riches. He warned King Echu that Midir must be a very powerful man if he could afford to gamble away such wealth. Echu agreed. However, by now he was addicted to winning. He was determined to continue playing Fidchell with Midir in the hope of winning even more riches from him.
The next time Midir arrived to play fidchell King Echu set him super human feats. If Midir lost the game of fidchell he would have to clear every stone from the king’s lands, build a road across Ireland and plant a forest in one night. Midir was taken aback at the magnitude of the wager. However, he agreed to the terms of the game. To Echu’s delight Midir again lost the game and was forced to clear Echu’s land of stones, build a road and plant a forest.
The fourth time that Midir came to play fidchell with King Echu it was Midir who set the terms of the wager: “This time let the winner name his own prize”, said Midir. “Agreed!” said King Echu, feeling confident that he would win again. But King Echu did not win again. He lost the fourth game of fidchell to Midir and now it was Midir’s privilege to name his prize. King Echu shuddered at what riches Midir might demand from him. However, he was more than a little astounded when Midir named as his prize a single kiss from the lips of his wife, Queen Étaín. Bound by the terms of the fidchell game Echu had no choice but to agree to Midir’s demand.
One month later Midir returned to receive his prize. King Echu, in the meantime, however, had changed his mind about allowing Midir a kiss from Queen Étaín. In anticipation of Midir’s arrival, King Echu barricaded himself and Étaín inside the palace and stationed his best warriors on guard at the gate. Despite the heavy blocade, Midir entered the palace without the slightest difficulty and in front of all present demanded his prize of the king. Ashamed not to keep his word King Echu reluctantly allowed Midir to encircle Étaín in his arms. No sooner had Midir done so than both he and Étaín rose up in the air and transformed into swans, to the stupefaction of all present, not least King Echu. Stunned into immobility by the incredulity of the transformation King Echu and his troops watched helplessly as the two swans flew out through a skylight in the roof and disappeared into the frosty night sky.
King Echu had had his wife stolen from under his own roof. He would not rest easy until he had her back. With the help of the best warriors in Ireland he raided every fairy fort in the country until he eventually found Midir. After a long siege of his fort Midir finally agreed to return Étaín to King Echu.
The following day fifty women arrived at the palace. They were all in the form of Étaín so that no one could tell which one was the real Étaín, not even Echu himself. What was the king to do? Finally, and after much deliberation, for in truth he could not tell one woman from another, the king chose the woman he believed most likely to be his wife. Once he had chosen the other women immediately left.
Some months later Midir returned to Echu’s palace. He asked Echu to pledge that he was content with the woman he had chosen. Echu happily did so, for he believed he had outsmarted Midir and had chosen the real Étaín. King Echu couldn’t have been more wrong. Midir informed him that he had played a trick on him. The woman King Echu had chosen was not the real Étaín. The real Étaín was still with Midir. King Echu was horrified. But he had pledged his contentment with his new wife and was therefore, according to Irish law, powerless to wreak revenge on Midir. In disgust King Echu banished his imposter wife from his sight and cruelly ordered for her baby girl to be thrown to the wild beasts. Luckily, the baby was discovered in the nick of time by a kindly herdsman and his wife. They raised the child in secret and, like Étaín, this baby too grew up to be the most beautiful woman in all of Ireland. Her name was Mess Buachalla.


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