Sadbh
Encyclopedia
In Irish mythology
, Sadhbh was the mother of Oisín
by Fionn mac Cumhail. She is either a daughter of Bodb Derg
, king of the Síd of Munster
, or may derive in part from Sadb ingen Chuinn
, daughter of Conn of the Hundred Battles
.
Sadhbh was enchanted to take the form of a doe for refusing the love of Fer Doirich (or Fear Doirche), the dark druid
of the Men of Dea (here meaning the Tuatha Dé Danann
). She held this form for three years, until a serving man of the Dark Druid took pity on her and told her that if she set foot in the dún
(fort or castle) of the Fianna
of Ireland, the druid would no longer have any power over her. She then travelled straight to Almhuin (Fionn's house) and was found by Fionn while he was out hunting. Since Sadhbh was a human in animal form, she was not harmed by Fionn's hounds
Bran and Sceolan, as they too had been transformed from their original human shape. On their return to Almhuin, Sadhbh became a beautiful girl once more and soon she and Fionn were married. Fionn loved her so much that he gave up hunting and all other pleasures but her, and she quickly became pregnant.
It was while Fionn was in battle against the Vikings that Sadhbh was taken from him. A false image of Fionn and of Bran and Sceolan appeared outside the dún and Sadhbh ran out to her husband, unaware of the danger. As soon as she reached the false image it changed to reveal the Fear Doirche, who took out a wand
made of hazel
and struck her, thus she became a deer once more.
Fionn spent seven years searching for Sadhbh, but to no avail. At the end of these seven long years, a wild boy was found in the forest while the Fianna hunted. Immediately, Fionn recognised in the boy's face some of Sadhbh's features and realised he was looking at their son. He was named Oisín and over time he became as famous as his father is in Irish mythology.
Irish mythology
The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branch and the Historical Cycle. There are...
, Sadhbh was the mother of Oisín
Oisín
Oisín , also spelt in English Ossian or Osheen, was regarded in legend as the greatest poet of Ireland, and is a warrior of the fianna in the Ossianic or Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology...
by Fionn mac Cumhail. She is either a daughter of Bodb Derg
Bodb Derg
In Irish mythology, Bodb Derg or Bodhbh Dearg was a son of Eochaid Garb or the Dagda, and the Dagda's successor as King of the Tuatha Dé Danann....
, king of the Síd of Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
, or may derive in part from Sadb ingen Chuinn
Sadb ingen Chuinn
Sadb ingen Chuinn was a daughter of Conn of the Hundred Battles, a High King of Ireland. She married firstly Macnia mac Lugdach, prince of the Dáirine or Corcu Loígde, and was mother of Lugaid Mac Con, High King of Ireland. Upon the death of Macnia, she married secondly Ailill Aulom, king of...
, daughter of Conn of the Hundred Battles
Conn of the Hundred Battles
Conn Cétchathach , son of Fedlimid Rechtmar, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland, and the ancestor of the Connachta, and, through his descendant Niall Noígiallach, the Uí Néill dynasties, which dominated Ireland in the early middle ages, and...
.
Sadhbh was enchanted to take the form of a doe for refusing the love of Fer Doirich (or Fear Doirche), the dark druid
Druid
A druid was a member of the priestly class in Britain, Ireland, and Gaul, and possibly other parts of Celtic western Europe, during the Iron Age....
of the Men of Dea (here meaning the Tuatha Dé Danann
Tuatha Dé Danann
The Tuatha Dé Danann are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg....
). She held this form for three years, until a serving man of the Dark Druid took pity on her and told her that if she set foot in the dún
Dun
Dun is now used both as a generic term for a fort and also for a specific variety of Atlantic roundhouse...
(fort or castle) of the Fianna
Fianna
Fianna were small, semi-independent warrior bands in Irish mythology and Scottish mythology, most notably in the stories of the Fenian Cycle, where they are led by Fionn mac Cumhaill....
of Ireland, the druid would no longer have any power over her. She then travelled straight to Almhuin (Fionn's house) and was found by Fionn while he was out hunting. Since Sadhbh was a human in animal form, she was not harmed by Fionn's hounds
Celtic Hounds
The Celtic hounds were dogs well respected by royalty and warriors. They were given as gifts to men of honour and many warriors and chiefs took the name as a title to show their loyalty and courage...
Bran and Sceolan, as they too had been transformed from their original human shape. On their return to Almhuin, Sadhbh became a beautiful girl once more and soon she and Fionn were married. Fionn loved her so much that he gave up hunting and all other pleasures but her, and she quickly became pregnant.
It was while Fionn was in battle against the Vikings that Sadhbh was taken from him. A false image of Fionn and of Bran and Sceolan appeared outside the dún and Sadhbh ran out to her husband, unaware of the danger. As soon as she reached the false image it changed to reveal the Fear Doirche, who took out a wand
Wand
A wand is a thin, straight, hand-held stick of wood, stone, ivory, or metal. Generally, in modern language, wands are ceremonial and/or have associations with magic but there have been other uses, all stemming from the original meaning as a synonym of rod and virge, both of which had a similar...
made of hazel
Hazel
The hazels are a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae, though some botanists split the hazels into a separate family Corylaceae.They have simple, rounded leaves with double-serrate margins...
and struck her, thus she became a deer once more.
Fionn spent seven years searching for Sadhbh, but to no avail. At the end of these seven long years, a wild boy was found in the forest while the Fianna hunted. Immediately, Fionn recognised in the boy's face some of Sadhbh's features and realised he was looking at their son. He was named Oisín and over time he became as famous as his father is in Irish mythology.