Compert Mongáin

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Compert Mongáin ocus serc Duibe Lacha do Mongán [ 'kombʴeRt' moŋgaːnʴ ogus ʃerg 'duvʴe' Laxa do 'voŋgaːnʴ ] (“ Mongan's Conception and Mongan 's Love for Dub Lacha”) is the full title of a story from the Historical Cycle of Celtic Mythology in Ireland . It has come down to us in early Neo-Irish in a manuscript from the 15th century. However, it is said to have already been recorded in the missing Lebor Dromma Snechta ("The Book of Druim Snechta").

Mongan

Mongán [ 'moŋgaːn ] was a historical king from the 7th century, after whose death some legends developed around him. He was seen as the son of the sea god Manannán mac Lir , who had contact with the elves in the Síde . He could also have turned into animal forms. The legend Compert Mongáin ocus serc Duibe Lacha do Mongán is a later summary of these legends.

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The immortal Manannán mac Lir (sometimes attributed to the Túatha Dé Danann ) helps the Irish King Fíachna Finn in a fight and in return demands a night with Fiachna's wife Cáintigern. He approaches in the form of the king and begets with her Mongán ("little mane"). He is kidnapped by his divine father at the age of three, grows up with Manannán in the Otherworld and learns the magical arts from him.

On the same night as Mongán, the girl Dub Lacha [ duv 'Laxa ] was born, with whom he falls in love and whom he also marries. Bound by a rash promise as King of Ulster , he later has to leave his wife to the King of Leinster , but cannot overcome the loss. Driven by his love, he finally applies the magical skills he learned from Manannán and regains them again.

In some traditional tales, Mongán is seen as the reborn Fionn mac Cumhaill . He also plays a role in De chophur in da muccida ("On the transforming [?] Of the two swineherd"). A version of the story of Mongán's conception is also told in Immram Brain (“Bran's Seafaring”).

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literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. P. 871.
  2. ^ Bernhard Maier: Lexicon of the Celtic religion and culture . P. 236 f.