''Tochmarc Étaíne'', meaning "The Wooing of Étaín/Éadaoin", is an early text of the

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

Mythological Cycle Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narrati ...

, and also features characters from the

Ulster Cycle The Ulster Cycle ( ga, an Rúraíocht), formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the Ulaid. It is set far in the past, in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly coun ...

and the

Cycles of the Kings The Cycles of the Kings or Kings' Cycles, sometimes called the Historical Cycle, are a body of Old and Middle Irish literature. They comprise legends about historical and semi-historical kings of Ireland (such as ''Buile Shuibhne'', "The Madnes ...

. It is partially preserved in the manuscript known as the ''

Lebor na hUidre The manuscript known as Lebor na hUidre (English translation: Book of the Dun Cow) is the oldest extant written in Gaelic (Irish), and the texts included therein recount Irish history through an eschatological lens. The Christian authors who c ...

'' (c. 1106), and completely preserved in the ''

Yellow Book of Lecan The Yellow Book of Lecan (YBL; Irish: ''Leabhar Buidhe Leacáin''), or TCD MS 1318 (''olim'' H 2.16), is a late medieval Irish manuscript. It contains much of the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, besides other material. It is held in the Librar ...

'' (c. 1401), written in language believed to date to the 8th or 9th century. It tells of the lives and loves of

Étaín Étaín or Édaín (Modern Irish spelling: Éadaoin) is a figure of Irish mythology, best known as the heroine of ''Tochmarc Étaíne'' (''The Wooing Of Étaín''), one of the oldest and richest stories of the Mythological Cycle. She also figu ...

, a beautiful mortal woman of the

Ulaid Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or Ulaidh ( Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include Ulidia, which is the Latin form of Ulaid, and i ...

, and her involvement with Aengus and

Midir In the Mythological Cycle of early Irish literature, Midir (Old Irish) or Midhir (Modern Irish) was a son of the Dagda of the Tuatha Dé Danann. After the Tuatha Dé were defeated by the Milesians, he lived in the sidh of Brí Léith (believed ...

of the

Tuatha Dé Danann The Tuath(a) Dé Danann (, meaning "the folk of the goddess Danu"), also known by the earlier name Tuath Dé ("tribe of the gods"), are a supernatural race in Irish mythology. Many of them are thought to represent deities of pre-Christian Gae ...

. It is frequently cited as a possible

source text A source text is a text (sometimes oral) from which information or ideas are derived. In translation, a source text is the original text that is to be translated into another language. Description In historiography, distinctions are commonly m ...

for the Middle English

Sir Orfeo ''Sir Orfeo'' is an anonymous Middle English Breton lai dating from the late 13th or early 14th century. It retells the story of Orpheus as a king who rescues his wife from the fairy king. The folk song ''Orfeo'' ( Roud 136, Child 19) is based ...

. Harvard professor Jeffrey Gantz describes the text as displaying the "poetic sense of law" in Irish legal society.

The story

Although the manuscript evidence is not entirely clear on this, the editors Best and Bergin have divided ''Tochmarc Étaíne'' (''TE'') into three subtales, ''TE I'' (§§ 10), ''TE II'' (§§ 11-14) and ''TE III'' (§§ 14-26).

''TE I''

# The story begins with the conception of Aengus by

the Dagda The Dagda (Old Irish: ''In Dagda,'' ga, An Daghdha, ) is an important god in Irish mythology. One of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Dagda is portrayed as a father-figure, king, and druid.Koch, John T. ''Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia ...

and

Boand Boann or Boand (modern Irish spelling: Bónn) is the Irish goddess of the River Boyne (the river-name now always in the nominalised dative/prepositional case, Bóinn), a river in Ireland's historical fifth province, Meath (from Middle Irish '' ...

, wife of Elcmar. Aengus is fostered by Midir, and when he grows up takes possession of Brug na Boinne from Elcmar. # Midir visits Aengus, but is blinded by a sprig of holly thrown by boys playing the Brug, and after he has been healed by the physician

Dian Cecht In Irish mythology, Dian Cécht (Old Irish pronunciation ; also known as ''Cainte'' or ''Canta'') was the god of healing, the healer for the Tuatha Dé Danann, and son of the Dagda according to the ''Dindsenchas''. He was the father of Cu, Ceth ...

, he demands compensation from Aengus: among other things, the hand of the most beautiful woman in Ireland. He has already identified this woman: Étaín, daughter of Ailill, king of the Ulaid. To win her for Midir, Aengus has to perform various tasks for Ailill, including clearing plains and diverting rivers, as well pay her weight in gold and silver. Midir takes Étaín as his wife. # However, Midir's first wife,

Fúamnach Fúamnach, or Fuamnach, is Midir's first wife and a witch of the Tuatha Dé Danann in the medieval Irish text ''Tochmarc Étaíne'' ("The Wooing of Étaín"). The text describes her as being intelligent (''gáeth''), cunning (''trebar'') and "verse ...

, out of jealousy, turns her into a pool of water, out of which, as it evaporates, emerges a beautiful purple fly. Midir knows the fly is Étaín, and she accompanies him wherever he goes. But Fúamnach conjures up a storm which blows the fly away, and she drifts for seven years before landing on Aengus's clothing, exhausted. Aengus makes her a crystal bower which he carries around with him, until she returns to health. Fuamnach conjures up another storm and blows her away from Aengus, and after another seven years she lands in a golden cup in the hand of the wife of Étar, a warrior of the Ulaid, in the time of

Conchobar mac Nessa Conchobar mac Nessa (son of Ness) is the king of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He rules from Emain Macha (Navan Fort, near Armagh). He is usually said to be the son of the High King Fachtna Fáthach, although in some stories hi ...

. Étar's wife drinks from the cup, swallows the fly, and becomes pregnant. Étaín is reborn, 1,012 years after her first birth. Meanwhile, Aengus hunts down Fúamnach and cuts off her head.

''TE II''

The High King of Ireland, Eochu Airem, seeks a wife, because the provincial kings will not submit to a king with no queen. He sends messengers to find the most beautiful woman in Ireland, and they find Étaín. He falls in love with her and marries her, but his brother Ailill also falls for her, and wastes away with unrequited love. Eochu leaves Tara on a tour of Ireland, leaving Étaín with the dying Ailill, who tells her the cause of his sickness, which he says would be cured if she gave the word. She tells him she wants him to be well, and he begins to get better, but says the cure will only be complete if she agrees to meet him on the hill above the house, so as not to shame the king in his own house. She agrees to do so three times, but each time she goes to meet him, she in fact meets Midir, who has put Ailill to sleep and taken his appearance. On the third occasion Midir reveals his identity and tells Étaín who he really is, but she does not know him. She finally agrees to go with him, but only if Eochu agrees to let her go.

''TE III''

Later, after Ailill has fully recovered and Eochu has returned home, Midir comes to Tara and challenges Eochu to play '' fidchell'', an ancient Irish board game, with him. They play for ever increasing stakes. Eochu keeps winning, and Midir has to pay up. One such game compels Midir to build a causeway across the bog of Móin Lámrige: the

Corlea Trackway __NOTOC__ The Corlea Trackway () is an Iron Age trackway, or ''togher'', near the village of Keenagh, south of Longford, County Longford, in Ireland. It was known locally as the ''Danes' Road''. It was constructed from oak planks in 148–14 ...

, a wooden causeway built across a bog in County Longford, dated by dendrochronology to 148 BC, is a real-life counterpart to this legendary road. Finally, Midir suggests they play for a kiss and an embrace from Étaín, and this time he wins. Eochu tells Midir to come back in a year for his winnings, and gathers his best warriors at Tara to prepare for his return. Despite the heavy guard, Midir appears inside the house. Eochu agrees that Midir may embrace Étaín, but when he does, the pair fly away through the skylight, turning into swans as they do so. Eochu instructs his men to dig up every '' síd'' (fairy-mound) in Ireland until his wife is returned to him. Finally, when they set to digging at Midir's ''síd'' at Brí Léith, Midir appears and promises to give Étaín back. But at the appointed time, Midir brings fifty women, who all look alike, and tells Eochu to pick which one is Étaín. He chooses the woman he thinks is his wife, takes her home and sleeps with her. She becomes pregnant and bears him a daughter. Later, Midir appears and tells him that Étaín had been pregnant when he took her, and the woman Eochu had chosen was his own daughter, who had been born in Midir's ''síd''. Out of shame, Eochu orders the daughter of their incestuous union to be exposed, but she is found and brought up by a herdsman and his wife, and later marries Eochu's successor Eterscél and becomes the mother of the High King

Conaire Mór Conaire Mór (the great), son of Eterscél, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. His mother was Mess Búachalla, who was either the daughter of Eochu Feidlech and Étaín, or of Eochu Airem and ...

(in ''

Togail Bruidne Dá Derga ''Togail Bruidne Dá Derga'' (''The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel'') is an Irish tale belonging to the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. It survives in three Old and Middle Irish recensions, it is part of the Book of Dun Cow. It recounts th ...

'' she is named as Mess Búachalla and is the daughter of Étaín and

Eochu Feidlech Eochu or Eochaid Feidlech ("the enduring"), was a High King of Ireland, according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions. He is best known as the father of the legendary queen Medb of Connacht. Family Eochu was son of Finn, son of ...

). The story ends with Eochu's death at the hands of Sigmall Cael, Midir's grandson.

Influence

The

chivalric romance As a literary genre, the chivalric romance is a type of prose and verse narrative that was popular in the noble courts of High Medieval and Early Modern Europe. They were fantastic stories about marvel-filled adventures, often of a chivalri ...

'', retelling the story of

Orpheus Orpheus (; Ancient Greek: Ὀρφεύς, classical pronunciation: ; french: Orphée) is a Thracian bard, legendary musician and prophet in ancient Greek religion. He was also a renowned poet and, according to the legend, travelled with J ...

as a king rescuing his wife from the fairy king, shows so many motifs in common with this tale that it appears to have been a major influence on Sir Orfeo.Laura A. Hibbard, ''Medieval Romance in England'' p197-8 New York Burt Franklin,1963

References

Manuscript sources

*H 2.16 or

(YBL), col. 876-877 (= facs. p 175a-b) ( Dublin, Trinity College Library). Middle part. *G 4 ((Dublin,

National Library of Ireland The National Library of Ireland (NLI; ga, Leabharlann Náisiúnta na hÉireann) is the Republic of Ireland's national library located in Dublin, in a building designed by Thomas Newenham Deane. The mission of the National Library of Ireland i ...

). Vellum fragment formerly belonging to the main part of the Yellow Book of Lecan) col. 985-97. * Egerton MS 1782, fo. 106r-108v (London,

British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and is one of the largest libraries in the world. It is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British ...

). Middle part as incorporated into '' Togail Bruidne Da Derga'' *23 E 25 or

(LU), 10636-10707; 10790-10915 (Dublin, Royal Irish Academy). *H 3.18, p. 605-606 (Dublin, Trinity College Library). Glossed extracts.

Editions and translations

*Müller, Edward (ed. and tr.). "Two Irish Tales. 2. The History of Aillel and Etain." ''Revue Celtique'' 3 (1878): 351-60 gerton 1782 *Windisch, Ernst (ed.). "Tochmarc Étáine: 'Das Freien um Etain'." In ''Irische Texte mit Übersetzungen und Wörterbuch'' 1 (1891). 113-133. Egerton and LU versions. *Stern, Ludwig Christian (ed. and tr.). "Das Märchen von Étáin." ''

Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie The ''Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie'' is an academic journal of Celtic studies, which was established in 1897 by the German scholars Kuno Meyer and Ludwig Christian Stern.Busse, Peter E. "''Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie''." In ''Ce ...

'' 5 (1905): 523-36. LU and glossed extracts from H 3.18. *Bergin, Osborn and R.I. Best (eds.). "Tochmarc Étaíne." ''Ériu'' 12 (1934–38): 137-96. Based on G4 and YBL. *Thurneysen, Rudolf (tr.). "Etain und Ailill Anguba." In ''Sagen aus dem alten Irland'', ed. R. Thurneysen. Berlin, 1901. 77ff. Based on recension II from YBL and LU. *Leahy, Arthur Herbert (ed. and tr.). "Courtship of Etain." In ''Heroic Romances of Ireland'' 2 vols. London, 1905-06. Vol 1: 1-32 (introduction and translation from LU and Egerton), vol 2: 143-61 (edition and translation from conclusion of LU). *Dillon, Myles. "Tochmarc Étaíne." In ''Irish Sagas''. Dublin, 1959. 11-23. Based on a combination of sources. *Guyonvarc'h, Christian J. (tr.). "La Courtise d'Étaín." ''Celticum'' 15 (1966): 283-327. (French) *Gantz, Jeffrey (tr.). "The Wooing of Étaíne." In ''Early Irish myths and sagas''. London, 1981. 39-59. Based on a combination of sources. *Tigges, Wim (ed.), ''Tochmarc Étaíne: An Old Irish Narrative''. Leiden/The Hague, 2015. Based on Bergin and Best. Contains introduction, full text (standardized), commentary and glossary.