Mythology 

Legends & myths 

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The children of Lir

 

King Lir of Tuatha Dé Danaan had four children with his wife Eve,  Fionnuala, Aed, Conn, and Fiacra. They live a peaceful and happy life until Eve falls ill and passes. In an attempt to not lose his friendship with Lir, Eve’s father gives him his second daughter Aoife, to marry. This goes well at first but soon Aoife grows jealous of Lir's love for his children. She crafts a plan to kill them, but fails to go through with it in the end. With her failure, she instead decides to curse the children. Aoife and the children journey to the Lake of Oaks and she convinces the children to then bathe in the lake. The three brothers do so without suspicion, but the daughter Fionnuala is suspicious of her stepmother but is powerless to do much of anything. While the children are bathing, Aoife pulls a druid wand and curses the children to take the shape of a swan and remain on the water for 900 years. Fionnuala pleads with Aoife to reverse the curse, and Aofie realizing what she has done is filled with great remorse; however, the curse is much too strong to break and instead she grants the children to speak with their own voices, and reason with their minds as well as to feel with their own noble hearts, they were also granted the gift of music so sweet it shall comfort all who are blessed to hear it. Aoife then flees to her father's castle, Lir realizing his children are missing traces them to the lake and the children call out to him. Realizing his children have been turned into swans he becomes violently enraged, wanting to calm their father the children begin to sing to him. Their song calms Lir and brings peace and serenity to his heart, and lulls him and his servants to sleep. 

 

As a part of their 900-year curse, the children must move lakes every 300 years, the next place their curse calls them to is the sea of moyle, where the suffering worsens. There is no one to sing and bring happiness to in this cold desolate place, and the children lose their purpose. Reaching the end of the 300 years in Moyle, the children are greeted by travelers and are once again able to sing, they also learn of their father's wellbeing and are joyous again. 

 

The children then journey to the Atlantic Ocean, which while stormy is not as cold and harsh as Moyle. The children sing every day while traveling downriver to the villages, reminding people of the story of the children of Lir. Birds fly from all over to hear them sing knowing they themselves could never make such sweet music. A monk ends up finding the children and providing them shelter, he also wraps them in a silver chain so they will never be apart. The monk and the children grow close and sing to each other daily until the queen of the land demands the swans for herself. The queen's husband steals the swans and removes the silver chain placed there by the monk and the swan's feathers fall away revealing the children in an elderly state and the husband runs away in fear. Realizing their time has come the children ask the monk to baptize them and bury them together. The children of Lir die peacefully together. 

 

Tochmare Étaine (The Wooing of Étaine)

 

This story starts with Midir a handsome prince of Tuatha Dé Danann, and his wife, Fuamnach. After Midir's foster son leaves the castle, Midir grows lonely and Leaves his wife in his fortress to go see the son. On his journey, he meets Etaine a king's daughter. Her beauty is famously known and Midir falls in love with her immediately. He brings her to his son's home and stays for a year forgetting about all else. Eventually, he returns to his own wife. 

 

Fuamnach grows jealous of Midir's love for Etaine. After deceiving both of them into believing she cares for them, Fuamnach brings Etaine to her room and curses her with a wand of scarlet rowan berries. Etaine disappears and only a puddle of water remains. Fuamnach then flees. Midir realizing both women are missing searches frantically for Etaine, eventually losing hope and retiring to his quarters. Meanwhile, the fire that burns by the puddle that was Etaine begins to burn hotter and the water begins to solidify, eventually turning Etaine into a beautiful crimson fly with jeweled eyes and enameled wings. As the fly begins to move its wings it produces the most beautiful music, sweeter than that of a harp or flute. The dew that falls from Etaine's wings also may heal any who touches it. 

 

Etaine immediately searches for Midir, finding him in his room. She begins to play her music to ease Midir's pain. Midir hearing this immediately recognizes the fly as Etaine. They decide to travel Ireland together, and Etaine provides comfort and warning for Midir through their travels. Fuamnach still jealous of the pair, finds Etaine and using the same wand summons a druids wind and sends Etaine far away from Midir. 

 

After traveling very long, Etaine grows tired and the wind blows her into the banquet hall of a hero and she lands in the cup of his wife. The wife then drinks Etaine and 9 months later she gives birth to Etaine in human form. As she grows Etaine begins to search for a husband. She has loved the high king Eochai since she was a child and one day he approaches her with the intention of marriage. They are happy and spend their lives together. 

 

At a banquet in Tara, the king's brother tries many times to pursue Etaine and after many failed attempts to get together to discuss this Etaine gives the brother one more chance. A figure approaches Etaine at the meeting location and reveals himself to be Midir. He tells of how Etaine is his wife who was lost to him and begs to have her back. However, Etaine refuses as her love for the king is strong and true. She leaves Midir there and returns to Eochai. They rejoice in their love and happiness.