Tochmarc Emire

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Tochmarc Emire ([ 'toxmark' evʼirʼe ] "The courtship for Emer") is a story from Irish mythology . It belongs to the remscéla , the pre-stories of the great heroic epic Táin Bó Cuailnge (“The Robbery of Cooley ”) within the Old and Central Irish Ulster cycle . In a version from the 10th century (in Lebor na hUidre , "The Book of the Dark Cow") it has been passed on in parts and in a revision from the 12th century.

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Tochmarc Emire reports on the courtship of the young Cú Chulainn for Emer . After a long search he finds her in the castle of her father Forgall Manach and is determined to marry her. But Emer and her father do not want to hear the young and inexperienced hero until he has completed some tasks. He must have killed a hundred men in a duel, jumped over a castle wall and killed eight men with one blow, stole gold from their father's castle and wandered around the island for almost a year without sleep. Finally he has to undergo training from the dreaded warrior queen Scáthach . Cú Chulainn moves to Alba ( Scotland ), where Scathach lives, accompanied by Conall Cernach and Loegaire Buadach , who soon leave him discouraged. After a few tests he reaches Scathach's castle, forces entry, overpowers her daughter Uathach and is instructed by the queen, together with the elder Fer Diad, in the secrets of the battle. In the fight against Aife , he supports his teacher and impregnates the underdog, who therefore gives birth to his son Connla . Finally, Scathach also gives him the death spear Gae Bolga as a farewell.

On his return to Ireland, Cú Chulainn now achieves Emer's approval of the wedding, but not that of her father, whom he therefore wars, robbed of his treasure and kills, as well as kidnaps Emer. Almost at the same time, however, the battle between Ulster and Connacht begins , where he performs his greatest exploits. The stories Serglige Con Chulainn ocus oenét Emire ("Cú Chulainn's sick bed and Emer's only jealousy") and Aided Oenfir Aífe ("The death of Aífe's only son") are the continuations of this legend.

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literature

Remarks

  1. ^ Ingeborg Clarus: Celtic myths. Man and his otherworld. Walter Verlag 1991, ppb edition Patmos Verlag, Düsseldorf, 2000, 2nd edition, ISBN 3-491-69109-5 , p. 127 ff.