Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

92 Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race[113]do, he answered that he was a carpenter.“We are in no need of a carpenter,” said the doorkeeper; “wehave an excellent one in Luchta son of Luchad.” “I am a smithtoo,” said Lugh. “We have a master-smith,” said the doorkeeper,“already.” “Then I am a warrior,” said Lugh. “We do not needone,” said the doorkeeper, “while we have Ogma.” Lugh goeson to name all the occupations and arts he can think of—he isa poet, a harper, a man of science, a physician, a spencer, andso forth, always receiving the answer that a man of supremeaccomplishment in that art is already installed at the court ofNuada. “Then ask the King,” said Lugh, “if he has in his serviceany one man who is accomplished in every one of these arts,and if he have, I shall stay here no longer, nor seek to enter hispalace.” Upon this Lugh is received, and the surname Ildánachis conferred upon him, meaning “The All-Craftsman,” Prince ofall the Sciences; while another name that he commonly bore wasLugh Lamfada, or Lugh of the Long Arm. We are reminded here,as de Jubainville points out, of the Gaulish god whom Caesaridentifies with Mercury, “inventor of all the arts,” and to whomthe Gauls put up many statues. The Irish myth supplements thisinformation and tells us the Celtic name of this deity.When Lugh came from the Land of the Living he broughtwith him many magical gifts. There was the Boat of Mananan,son of Lir the Sea God, which knew a man's thoughts and wouldtravel whithersoever he would, and the Horse of Mananan, thatcould go alike over land and sea, and a terrible sword namedFragarach (“The Answerer”), that could cut through any mail.So equipped, he appeared one day before an assembly of theDanaan chiefs who were met to pay their tribute to the envoys ofthe Fomorian oppressors; and when the Danaans saw him, theyfelt, it is said, as if they beheld the rising of the sun on a drysummer's day. Instead of paying the tribute, they, under Lugh'sleadership, attacked the Fomorians, all of whom were slain butnine men, and these were sent back to tell Balor that the Danaans