In Irish mythology, Caer Ibormeith was a daughter of Prince Ethal Anbuail of Sid Uamuin in Connacht. Every alternate Samhain she would change into a swan, in which form she would remain for a year before becoming human again the following Samhain. She eventually married Aengus, but first he had to pick her out, in swan form, from a group of one hundred and fifty other swans at Loch Bel Dragon (Now Lough Muskry in the Galtees.) Having chosen correctly, he turned into a swan himself and they flew away, singing beautiful music that put all its listeners asleep for three days and nights. With Aengus, Caer was the foster-mother of Diarmuid.

The story of Fionnuala and the other children of Lyr shares the motive of transformation into swans.

This legend shares many elements with the well-known ballet Swan Lake by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, though Tchaikovsky's direct sources of inspiration were German and Russian rather than Irish.

[edit] References

• Jeffrey Gantz. 1982. Early Irish Myths and Sagas. Penguin.

This article relating to a Celtic myth or legend is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e