| |
Celtic Goddess Names - H, I, J, K & L
Habetrot
A British goddess of healing and spinning.
|
Hafren
A Welsh river goddess, the tutelary deity of the River Severn.
|
Harimella
A goddess imported to Scotland by the Tungarians. She was worshipped at
Blatobulgium (Birrens, Dumfriesshire) |
Iseault
(Isolde, Esyllt, Essyllt Vyngwen) ('of the fine hair') Three women linked
to Tristram. First, a Queen of Ireland who had great healing powers, with
which she cured Tristram when he was wounded by her brother Morold. Second,
the promised bride of King Mark of Cornwall who became Tristram's lover
when they mistakenly consumed a love potion, when they had to part she
gave him a ring as a token of her love, to be used as a signal should
he need her. Third, the daughter of a King of Brittany who became Tristram's
wife. |
|
Lady
of the Lake
The Lady is a conflation of the multitudinous lake, river, and water spirits
so prevalent in Celtic mythology. Nevertheless, common threads do appear;
one of the best documented is that of relic-guardian, holder of the sacred
sword Excalibur, who gives it to Arthur, and takes it back at the end
of the stories.
The Lady of the lake has many guises. According to Thomas Mallory, Nimue
is one of her names; she defeated, or perhaps simply replaced Merlin,
at Arthur's Court. Nineve seems to be the Keeper of Excalibur, and her
name may be a variant on Nimue, but she is slain by Sir Balin, and her
personality is at variance to Nimue's. She was known to the French as
Viviane.
Latis
(Britain) A goddess 'of the pool' or 'of beer' who was worshipped at Birdoswald
on the Roman Wall. She fell in love with a salmon, and out of pity for
her the other gods and goddesses turned him into a handsome young warrior.
Every winter, he must turn back into a salmon, and Latis weeps until his
return in the spring; creating the winter rains.
|
Leannan
Sidhe
(Ireland) A fairy lover and succubus. She is defined in Dinneen's dictionary
as 'a familiar figure, an endearing phantom, also figuratively of a delicate
person... used sometimes like "muse" as a source of poetical
inspiration'. Those inspired by her often lead brilliant but short lives.
On the Isle of Man she is considered malevolent and vampiric. |
Liban
An Irish water-spirit; the daughter, by Etain, of Eochaid.
|
Luned
(Laudine) Arthurian. She befriended Owain and brought about his marriage
with the Lady of the Fountain. |
| |
