I am currently doing research for an upcoming book. It has to do with mythology (of course) and one Tartarus of a battle. Naturally, I am contemplating who in the NATO-like inter-pantheon agreement might be available to help- -or to hinder- -my immortal friends in the City of Mount Olympus. Did Irish immortals sign on? It seemed a reasonable question. Thus began my search for those I now think of as those naughty Irish.
My initial query pointed me toward the Morrigan. This triple goddess is associated with war, fate and the foretelling of victory in battle. Other than Wikipedia type listings, the one resource that looked promising was The Raid: a Dramatic Retelling of Ireland’s Epic Tale by Randy Lee Eickhoff © 1997. To read the Morrigan’s bio was one thing, but the opportunity to see her in a work of fiction? Priceless!
Eickhoff’s books are not available at the local library, so off to Amazon I queried. In two days The Raid was in my hands:
Those naughty Irish: read all about them in this Randy Lee Eickhoff book!
I approached it in a scholarly way- -read the Note on the Translation, the Pronunciation Guide (marked with a Post-it ® note for easy reference), and the Introduction. Off I charged, in search of the Morrigan, but- –
The lead woman in this drama is Maeve, a wealthy, vain, arrogant, and apparently irresistibly sexy individual. She starts a war because a man turns down her offer to borrow his prize bull, an offer that includes the pleasures of Maeve’s “friendly thighs.”
The friendly thighs are mentioned multiple times before this inciting event. Her husband, King Ailiil, turns a blind and accepting eye to her need for thirty men a night to satisfy her. I wondered where this number came from- -who in the room was keeping count?
The only man who can keep Maeve sufficiently entertained for an entire night is Fergus Mac Rioch, a mighty warrior with an even mightier sword. Literally. And figuratively. Fergus requires seven women a night to satisfy him, the exception being Maeve.
When Mac Rioch’s literal sword is stolen from him, the stamina of his figurative sword goes with it. (Can you hear the sniggering of those naughty Irish each time the itinerant bard unleashes this jewel around the hearth fire?)
The Morrigan appears in The Raid in all three of her personas, one of whom tries to seduce the hero, Cuchulaiin (pronounced koo-HOOL-in, for those of you who like to do things right). I found myself wondering if Berkeley Breathed, creator of the comic strip Bloom County, had been inspired by this particular hero. Why? Because Cuchulaiin often goes into battle rage mode and transforms into something I visualize as a mash-up of the Incredible Hulk and Bill the Cat.
Cuchulaiin, a person of extreme virtue and insight as heroes of old often are, sees through the Morrigan’s ruse and turns her down. Insulted, she shape shifts into many deadly creatures and attacks him when he is battling Maeve’s champions. Naughty, naughty Irish!
(Shape shifting. My writer self notes I can use this.)
Maeve is even worse with receiving criticism than the Morrigan. When her thousands of troops have rallied she decides to boost morale in one of the more skilled units by walking through their camp naked. The soldiers are so well-disciplined they don’t spare her a glance. Infuriated, she orders all three thousand of them to be killed, an order which, fortunately, is overlooked. If Maeve was your next door neighbor- -at one time I lived near a woman quite like her, down to the flaming red tresses- -you would think of moving early, and often.
I do have another resource for the Morrigan in fiction: A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore © 2006. This time, she’s residing in a sewer underneath San Francisco. I read this book years ago and remember that some of her hi-jinks were quite naughty, indeed. This time, her target is a young widower named Charlie Asher, a pretty normal guy with an easily pronounceable name. I’ll be extra observant of her opinions, attitudes, and shape shifting choices when I re-read this. As I recall, there isn’t a whole lot about big and powerful swords in the novel. Also, it’s pretty darn funny.
Those naughty Irish come to San Francisco in “A Dirty Job” by Christopher Moore.
Naughty Irish, weird happenings in San Francisco- -it’s been quite a week in research world.
No wonder I’m having trouble sleeping. . .
Next week, the return of 9, Lily, and a good, wholesome blog topic!
Until then, remember: if Maeve walks by you naked, for your own safety take a good look.
A bit late due to various issues but I enjoyed this account immensely !
Thank you, Jay, it was a fun one to write!