Re: Kennings
TopazOwl

Wed Aug 12 10:07:17 1998
*br*Searles wrote,*br*: Some of the other kennings in that work are more easily understood : (at least on the physical level), but I'll make a first attempt at : explaining this one.*p*     Hmm, does that mean you'd rather start with the easy ones? Why?*p*:  I *br*: suspect that the navel string in this case would be where two *br*: streams join close to the Brugh itself.  *br*:*br*: On a more esoteric level, I suspect that the navel string of *br*: Mac ind Oic is the thread of life that continues the seasons *br*: as the Sun is renewed each year on La/ Geimreadh.  It might *br*: well be the rituals that sustain us all through the longest *br*: nights of the year.*p*     Thanks. That's what I was looking for, and, believe me, I do not find it hard to understand at all.*p*     That is part of where Ferchtne says he has come from..."down the columns of age, along the streams of Galion, from the elfmound of Nechtan's wife, down the forearm of Nuada's wife, from the land of the sun, from the dwelling place of the moon, along Mac ind Oic's navel string."*p*     Now, all of these things have meaning on more than one level, of course. Most of them I understand, but the other two that I find a bit obscure in this passage are the "elfmound of Nechtan's wife" and the "forearm of Nuada's wife."*p*     The "elfmound of Nechtan's wife" (Boann) can either refer in the physical to the Sídhe Nechtan, where the Well of Segais (or Connla's Well) stood, and which Boann walked around against the sun and the well rose to overcome her and formed the river Boyne. In that way, it could likely refer to the river Boyne itself, as the Well of Segais was its source. On the other hand, it could refer to the Brugh na Boyne, the "elfmound" near the river. I am thinking it is more likely a reference to Sídhe Nechtan and the source of the actual river Boyne. In fact, the usage of "Nechtan's wife" instead of just saying Boann seems to me to be deliberate to lead one to think of Sídhe Nechtan.*p*     So we are led on to think of the knowledge that comes from the Well of Segais, where the nine hazel trees around the well dropped the nuts of wisdom into the waters where the salmon ate them. And one of the salmon was supposed to be Fintan, and when the well rose, Fintan the salmon, who had eaten of the nuts of wisdom, was washed down the river Boyne and settled in a pool where eventually Finegas caught it and cooked it and where Fionn mac Cumhail burnt his thumb on it, thus obtaining knowledge.*p*     An entire teaching in one short line. :-)*p*     Nuada's wife was Macha. This reference is definately obscure for me. Was there a tract of land in Ireland known as the forearm of Macha, perhaps somewhere near Emain Macha?*p*Leigh
Re: Kennings
Searles
132
Tue Aug 11 14:38:09 1998