Celtic Mythology and Religion

BRITISH RELIGION. 87
1
and superstitions—Beltaine bannocks and Samhuinn
fires—form our only guides.
It
will also be necessary to discuss separately the
remains of the religion of the early Welsh and the
early Gaels. The religion of the former we shall
name " British," of the latter, " Gaelic." And it
must be remembered that the Welsh are doubtless
the remnant of the Gaulish population which, about
the time of the Roman conquest, must have occupied
England (except Cornwall and Wales) and Lowland
Scotland. Gaul and England had, therefore,
practically the same people and language in the first
century of this era, and there now remain of them
still speaking the language, the Bretons of France
and the Welsh of Wales, from which country they
drove out or absorbed the previous Gaelic population
in the fifth century of our era, or thereabouts.
The " Gaelic Religion " will include the early religion
of Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland.
BRITISH
RELIGION.
The gods of Britain suffered what appears to have
been the " common lot " of gods ; they were changed
into the kings and champions, the giants and enchanters,
of heroic tales and folk-lore.
In the words
of the poet :
" Ye are gods, and behold ye shall die, and the waves be upon you
at last.
In the darkness of time, in the deeps of the years, in the changes
of things.
Ye shall sleep as a slain man sleeps, and the world shall forget
you for kings."