Escort your foes to their defeat.
Definition/Summary:
Manannán: “son of the sea” “king of the land of promise” Guardian of the Otherworld in Irish Mythology
- He is the keeper of the veil & ferries souls to the afterlife
- He is a trickster figure who judges kings by presenting them with their opposite & defends the people they rule
- His name is derived from that of the Isle of Man. This itself may come from a Celtic word for “mountain” or “rise”, as the Isle of Man rises from the sea on the horizon.
- He is said to own a boat named Scuabtuinne (“Wave Sweeper”), a sea-borne chariot drawn by the horse Enbarr, a powerful sword named Fragarach (“The Answerer”), and a cloak of invisibility (féth fíada).
Expanded info:
The story of the 2 kings shows the importance of the people
The people the king serves are the essence & the purpose of kingship in the first place
If the king can’t abide the company of the poor as well as the powerful then his sovereignty is frail
“Meet people where they are”
- The story of king Cormack Manannan is disguised as a Grey King who gives a magical branch of apples in return for 3 favors. The king is trusted as a caretaker of this item and uses it to sooth the people of his kingdom. He neglects his family in service to his people so each year or when the moon passes Manannan takes a member of his family, his daughter, son and then wife. He is shown the value of family and that helping others can only go so far when you don’t help yourself.
- In the story of the king O’Donnell Manannan is disguised as a dirty fool and puts the king under distress to judge how he acts towards his people. He blames his Gatekeeper for letting such a vagrant in and as an invective, Manannan comes to the Gatekeepers defense. He plays soothing powerful music that can possess his hall of nobles, yet O’Donnell wants only the Fools musical powers proving the kings worthlessness
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