Echtrae Nerai

Echtrae Nerai [ 'extre' nʴeri ] (" Nera's Adventure") is a Remscéla (pre-narration) of the Táin Bó Cuailnge in the Ulster cycle of the Celtic mythology of Ireland . The legend is probably in 10/11. It originated in the 18th century and is recorded in Leabhar Buidhe Lecain ("The Yellow Book of Lecan"), as well as in a manuscript from the 15th century.

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On the eve of Samhain (November 1), Nera, a warrior in the service of the royal couple Medb and Ailill mac Máta , returns from a test of courage to Cruachain Castle ( Rathcroghan in County Roscommon ). King Ailill had offered a price for the brave who dares to tie a willow rod around the ankle of a hanged man despite the dangerous Samhain. He sees the castle in flames and all residents murdered by an enemy army. He carefully pursues the troop, who disappear into a Síd (elven hill) near the royal seat. He penetrates and meets a Sídhe ( fairy , elf ) who warns him and at the same time explains that he has looked into the future. Because the attack will not take place until Samhain next year.

Although Nera wants to stay with the fairy, he returns to Cruachain one more time and warns the residents of their fate. This is why they manage to penetrate the Síd at Samhain under the leadership of Medb and Ailill, even before the army of the Other World has formed, defeat it with the help of Fergus mac Róich and plunder the elven hill. Only Nera decides to stay with his fairy in the Other World and not to return to Cruachain.

In another variation, Nera apparently stays in the Síd for a year and then returns to Medb to realize that no time has passed since he braided the willow rod around the hanged man's foot. Bringing a bouquet of freshly picked summer flowers from the Otherworld on November 1st as proof of his adventure. The battle for Elven Hill is not mentioned here.

See also

• Myths and legends from Ireland
• List of Celtic gods and legendary figures

literature

• Helmut Birkhan : Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. Publishing house of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna 1997, ISBN 3-7001-2609-3 .
• Bernhard Maier : Lexicon of Celtic Religion and Culture (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 466). Kröner, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-520-46601-5 .

Web link

• Chapter Echtra Nerai in The works of morris and of yeats in relation to early saga literature. CUP Archive, p. 172.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. P. 841.