Re: A Druid's Perspective on common things... Beirdd Mon Aug 7 14:38:19 2000 StarryNight wrote,*br*:I've been wondering *br*: about...what would a Druid's perspective be on the following *br*: things:*br*:*br*: - vegetarianism/veganism...*br*:*br*: ...and...*br*:*br*: -supposed mythological creatures; specifically dragons (are *br*: they good/bad/real creatures?), unicorns, mermaids and *br*: so on...*p*On the first item, I have the feeling that an ancient Druid might look at you like you had 3 eyes! I'm not aware of any instance from the literature of a vegetarian Celt (unless one might count Sweeney during his brief madness ... but maybe he was a *vegetable* during that period, not a vegetarian). On the other hand, who knows how one's chosen diet would affect others? Probably not at all.*p*I think there would be quite a bit of sympathy for vegetarianism from Druids *today,* though I am a bit "outside the loop," having been the former for a time, and the latter, never. Personally, I would think that nature presents a fair picture of how she intends us to be, and our will permits us to take legitimate options.*p*As for the second item: apart from the occasional talking salmon (I suspect I'm imagining this, too) I believe that these fantastical creatures evolved in the literature over time, and certainly after the heyday of the Druids and Celts, who tended to fantastical *humans* in their stories, such as the Fir Bolg, and an occasional giant bull or boar or two. I'm sure that there was "knowledge" of amazing creatures from second hand stories and rumors that metamorphosed unfamiliar wild beasts into things truly bizarre. I would bet that some of these "existed" in the minds of the common folk and eventually became the fodder of the Romantic poets and those who added Miracle Grow to the Arthurian/Merlinian vine. On second thought, someone else will no doubt contradict me and open up the possibilities presented in the immrama -- you should listen to them :-)*br*:*br*: The reason I'm asking is because I've been to sites like *br*: this one which "feel" very (common sense and *br*: scholarship) good...and I've been to others where there is *br*: discussion on the lore of what I've grown up to call *br*: "mythical" creatures. The feeling I get from *br*: these pages is somewhat uneasy...it's almost as if they *br*: blindly believe fantastical things. I guess what I'm *br*: getting at here is where does fantasy meet reality. I think *br*: I'm just getting confused...some clarity is needed and *br*: welcomed here...thanks...*br*:*br*Yes, in the SummerLANDS we tend to keep both feet on the ground ;-)*br*: *br*: Something else to chew on and discuss...What are the *br*: scientific names for the sacred trees of the Ogham (just so *br*: a few of us newbies <G> know what we're looking for *br*: and studying...sometimes the common names of trees can get *br*: confusing...)...I personally find it easier to identify *br*: trees and plants scientifically....any comments on the above *br*: are welcome *p*Now I KNOW I can leave this one to the experts :-) Just be patient ... they'll come.*p*--Beirdd A Druid's Perspective on common things... StarryNight 644 Mon Aug 7 12:34:29 2000