Abarta

He was a God of the Tuatha De Danann and
was nicknamed the "performer of feats".
His one wish was to be Chief warrior and servant
to the hero/God Fionn MacCumhal,
but he was such a cruel man
that he was not allowed to join the Fianna
(Fionn's great warriors)
and was thus nicknamed Giola Deacair, "the hard servant.
He was so upset about being rejected
by this famous band of warriors
that he kidnapped some of them and
bought them to the Otherworld.
These captured warriors were eventually rescued
but it is said that Abarta stayed in the Otherworld
plotting revenge on the Fianna.
This is a good story to work with in magick
because it teaches the destructive nature of jealousy
and it teaches the value of teamwork and loyalty.

Abelard

(AB-uh-lard)

Abelard was sent by the Duke of Brittany to study
with the great scholars of Europe in France.
As he grew to know France and its people,
he grew to hate them with a passion and
he was appalled and outraged at the careless way
they killed deer which, to the Celts, is a sacred animal.
Even though he hated France, he did great as a scholar, though.
He eventually met and fell in love with a french woman
by the name of Heloise.
Heloise was the daughter of a canon of Paris and
their love was considered to be a disgrace
which Abelard's uncle decided to punish by mutilating him!
Since he was a student in France,
it was not legal for him to marry and
his uncle was angry because he thought that
Abelard was betraying his people who sent him there to learn.
Anyway, poor Abelard and Heloise died together and
were buried in the same tomb...
They definately were faithful to their love
for one another right through to the end and
were determined to have the "best of both worlds".
It is said that two trees, one dark and one light,
grow, intertwined, above their grave.
I think that this is a story that is as tragic
and senseless in its cruelty towards true love
and beautiful in its portrayal of the loyalty and
courage of true love as Romeo and Juliet.
I both love this story for its portrayal of true love
and hate it for its cruelty towards innocence.
This would be a great story...and being...
to align with if you are doing magick
for love or loyalty or even mental "prowess".
This story can, IMHO, teach us compassion,
the qualities of true love and
why we should "live and let live".

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