Magical Music in Celtic Myth

This image of magical music was common in Celtic mythology. There are many examples. In the Irish Celtic tale "Adventure of Cormac" which is recounted by Lady Gregory in "Gods and Fighting Men":

" He (Cormac)was by himself in Teamhair one time, and he saw an armed man coming towards him, quiet, with high looks, and having grey hair; a shirt ribbed with gold thread next his skin, broad shoes of white bronze between his feet and the ground, a shining branch having nine apples of red gold, on his shoulder. And it is delightful the sound of that branch was, and no one on earth would keep in mind any want, or trouble, or tiredness, when that branch was shaken for him; and whatever trouble there might be on him, he would forget it at the sound.

Then Cormac and the armed man saluted one another, and Cormac asked where did he come from. "I come," he said, "form a country where there is nothing but truth, and where there is neither age nor withering away, nor heaviness, nor sadness, nor jealousy, nor envy, nor pride." "That is not so with us," said Cormac, "and I would be pleased to have your friendship," he said. "I am well pleased to give it," said the stranger, "if you will give me the three gifts I ask in return." "I will give them to you indeed," said Cormac.

Then the strange man left the branch and went away, and Cormac did not know where was he gone to.

He went back then into the royal house, and there was wonder on all the people when they saw the branch. And he shook it at them, and it put them all asleep from that day to the same time of the morrow.

At the end of a year the strange man came back again, and he asked for the first of his three requests. "You will get it, " said Cormac. "I will take your daughter, Allie, to-day, "said the stranger.

So he brought away the girl with him, and the women of Ireland gave three loud cries after the king`s daughter. But Cormac shook the branch at them, until it put sorrow from them, and put them all into their sleep.

That day month the stranger came again, and he brought Cormac`s son, Carpre Lifecar, away with him. There was crying and lamenting without end in Teamhair after the boy, and on that night no one ate or slept, and they were all under grief and very downhearted. But when Cormac shook the branch their sorrow went from them."

The rest of the story concerns when the stranger returns for the third time, this time asking and getting Cormac`s wife, Ethne. Cormac has many adventures getting back his family. But I thought that it was an example of the magical power of music in Celtic myth.

There are many Celtic tales involving the mystical powers of music. In "The Battle of Mag Mucrama", two Celtic heroes, Lugaid mac Con and Eogan go to visit Lugaid`s uncle, Art mac Con. As they were on their journey they hear music in a yew tree over a waterfall. They capture the musician. who turns out to be Fer Fi, son of Eogabal. He is made to play, and first plays a sad song which reduces his audience to tears, then he plays a gay tune which reduces everybody to hysterical mirth. His last song is a lullaby which sends everyone into a deep sleep from which they did not wake for 24 hours. During this period, when his audience was asleep, the musician disappeared, and was not seen again.

Another reference to the supernatural powers of harpists occur in the "Tain":

"Then came the harpers of Cainbile from Ess Ruaid to entertain them. The men of Ireland thought that they had come from the Ulstermen to spy on them, so the hosts hunted them vigorously for a long distance until they escaped from them, transformed into wild deer, at the standing-stones at Lia Mor. For though they were called the harpers of Cainbile, they were men of great knowledge and prophercy and magic."