The Lessons of Bres and Lugh Searles Thu May 23 12:48:53 2002 The Lessons of Bres and Lugh*p*The story of Bres and Lugh contained within the tale "Cath Maige Tuired" can*br*be considered as a metaphor for the two types of Druidic students. Bres*br*epitomizes the gifted but very stingy, worldly, and self-centered student,*br*while Lugh symbolizes how a gifted student can prosper through study, work,*br*and discipline.*p*Bres is known for his lack of hospitality for which he is satirized. He has*br*the many talented and powerful individual known as An Dagda engaged in*br*building palaces and halls for his Fomorii kinsmen. He requires his Champion*br*to gather wood, twigs and sticks on an island each day for his fires. This*br*Champion is Ogma who loses half the wood when swimming back to the shore*br*across the treacherous waters (a hallmark of the Fomorii realms). The first*br*instance is of An Dagda and the buildings (skill at everything) symbolize*br*not developing one's inherent abilities but rather wasting these gifts in*br*worldly pursuits (building palaces). The second instance concerning Ogma*br*shows how eloquence and knowledge can be misused if it is only used for*br*building fires. The wood and sticks are the Ogam which are the beginnings of*br*study for Druids. In this case, Bres is taking the knowledge that comes with*br*the wood and losing it in the depths of the Sea (his ignorance and*br*self-centeredness) by tying up his skills in mundane rather than mental or*br*spiritual pursuits.*p*Lugh shows the greater wisdom of the two when he casts out the Fomorii tax*br*collectors and assembles the people (and their representative qualities) of*br*the Tuatha Dé Danann to break free from the yoke of Fomorian tyranny. This*br*is the well known sequence of request that Lugh makes to each of the Tuatha*br*as to what skill or action they can contribute to the coming battle against*br*the Fomorii. It is significant that An Dagda say he will bring all skills to*br*bear in the battle. For this, he is proclaimed to be the "Good God" for he*br*was good at everything that he attempted. The moral is to attempt everything*br*within your abilities after taking stock of your gifts. Ogma is the one to*br*test Lugh's qualifications to be a member of the Tuatha. Ogma competes with*br*Lugh in warrior feats and in "wood wisdom" (fidchell). Lugh passes all of*br*the tests and is admitted to the company of Tara.*p*Bres is eventually deposed as king of the Tuatha Dé for his niggardliness*br*and has to seek support from the elements of Chaos (his Fomorii kinsmen).*br*Lugh OTOH sings his extemporaneous poetry so well that the king of the*br*Tuatha Dé, Nuada, places him first in the Sage's Seat and then later yields*br*to him the leadership of the people. In this action and decision, Nuada*br*demonstrates the "truth of a king" by acknowledging that Lugh is better able*br*to wind the battle than he is. Lugh goes to the "Three Gods of Danu" along*br*with An Dagda and Ogma to chant and discover the necessary wisdom to win the*br*battle. This contrasts starkly with the fate of Bres who was exiled and cast*br*out of the tribe. The ability of Lugh to create the conditions necessary*br*for revealing the hidden wisdom of Danu (imbas) is one of the requirements*br*for becoming a Druid, while the rejection of his natural abilities and*br*intellect by Bres lead him to the Abyss (or the undersea homes of the*br*Fomorii).*p*These two characters seem to parallel Gwion Bach and Agffadu of the Welsh*br*tale about Ceridwen's Cauldron. Agffadu's name seems to mean "cast out" or*br*"utter darkness" while Gwion's name indicates that he is a bright and*br*shining light. One goes on to great achievements as Taliesin in a rebirth*br*while the other retreats into darkness and obscurity. Agffadu is ugly on the*br*outside while Bres is ugly on the inside. Gwion and Lugh both escape being*br*thrown into the sea to live a greater and more fabulous life. The tales of*br*Bres and Lugh or Agffadu and Gwion represent stories about the use of gifts*br*to discover knowledge and wisdom. Some of us accept the challenges of*br*perfecting these gifts through study, work and inquiry while others of us*br*seek to take the "easy pathway" of physical comfort, self-centeredness and*br*waste. It seems to me that the choice should be obvious for all to see but I*br*am constantly amazed by those who reject their gifts and choose to waste*br*them in their own personal agendas and entertainments. It would be better to*br*gather the knowledge that the woods have to offer and to build oneself a*br*hearth fire of the spirit and a storehouse of knowledge rather than a fire*br*for dining pleasure and a house of physical splendor.*p*Searles*p**br* 68.62.238.28