From Fionavar Tapestry What's the Importance of Liadon and Dun Maura(sp)

[Gurpal Bahia]

This is one of the few story lines that confused me in the Tapestry.
Where did the legend of Liadon come from? Was it Celtic? If so, how
important is it to that mythos?

Gurpal Bahia

[Jo Walton]

In article <31d3ec30...@news.concentric.net>
gba...@concentric.net "Gurpal Bahia" writes:

Adonis.

The Greek legend of Adonis. It's not Celtic at all, nothing like Celtic,
if it were Celtic he wouldn't die, not like that. No, that's Adonis, right
down to the flowers. The cave, the cutting the cheek, and the crone are all
Greek elements.

There are lots of classical elements in Fionavar actually, those gods are
not purely Celtic by any means. (Lirannon's a lot closer to Poseidon than
to Manannan Mac Lir. Celtic *names*, yes. There's Norse stuff in there too,
come to think, the Ravens Thought and Memory, it's a fine synthesis in my
opinion.)

--
Jo J...@kenjo.demon.co.uk
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[Graydon]

Jo Walton (J...@kenjo.demon.co.uk) wrote:
: There are lots of classical elements in Fionavar actually, those gods are

: not purely Celtic by any means. (Lirannon's a lot closer to Poseidon than
: to Manannan Mac Lir. Celtic *names*, yes. There's Norse stuff in there too,
: come to think, the Ravens Thought and Memory, it's a fine synthesis in my
: opinion.)

Although their names are better translated as 'Bold' and 'Desirous', yes,
there is. Mornir of the Thunder is very precisely balanced between Tiwaz
beforehe was a war god and Thor with his skyfather hat on. Those
dwarves, too, the whole consuming-treasure theme is rather Norse.

--
saun...@qlink.queensu.ca | Monete me si non anglice loquobar.

[Jo Walton]

In article <4r9fki$3...@knot.queensu.ca>

saun...@qlink.queensu.ca "Graydon" writes:
>
> Although their names are better translated as 'Bold' and 'Desirous', yes,
> there is. Mornir of the Thunder is very precisely balanced between Tiwaz

> before he was a war god and Thor with his skyfather hat on. Those

> dwarves, too, the whole consuming-treasure theme is rather Norse.

I see the dwarves as almost pure Tolkien, actually. But Tolkien got them
from Norse sources.

I suppose one could say that the whole summer tree motif is Norse -
hanging on the tree for three nights and gaining wisdom.

The goddess who puzzles me slightly is Green Ceinwen. She clearly owes
much to Diana the Huntress but I don't know where her sexuality comes
from. It works very well, though. I can't think of any other fantasy
pantheon that comes anywhere near being that resonant.