Salmon of Wisdom
Encyclopedia
The Salmon of Knowledge (bradán feasa) is a creature figuring in the Fenian Cycle
of Irish mythology
. This salmon was sometimes called Fintan, or Finntan, in ancient times and is sometimes confused with Fintan mac Bóchra who was also known as, "The Wise" and once transformed into a salmon. Stories differ on whether Fintan was a normal fish or one of the Immortals, that could be eaten and yet continue to live.
The Salmon figures prominently in The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn
, which recounts the early adventures of Fionn mac Cumhaill
. According to the story, it was once an ordinary salmon
that ate the nine hazel nuts that fell into the Well of Wisdom
(aka Tobar Segais) from nine hazel trees that surrounded the well. In doing so, the salmon gained all the knowledge in the world. Moreover, the first person to eat of its flesh would, in turn, gain this knowledge.
The poet Finn Eces
spent seven years fishing for the salmon. One day Finn Eces
finally caught Fintan and gave the fish to Fionn, his servant and son of Cumhaill, but asked him not to eat any of it. Fionn cooked the salmon with care, turning it over and over but when Fionn touched the fish with his thumb to see if it was cooked he burnt his finger on a drop of the hot fat from the cooking salmon. Fionn immediately sucked on his burned finger to ease the pain. Little did Fionn know that all of Fintan's wisdom had been concentrated into that one drop, and Fionn had just eaten it all.
When he brought the cooked meal to Finn Eces, his master saw that the boy's eyes shone with a wisdom that had not been there before. Finn Eces asked Fionn if he had eaten any of the salmon. Answering no, the boy explained that he touched the fish to see if it was cooked, and burnt his finger and how he then put the finger in his mouth to ease the pain. Finn Eces knew that Fionn had received the wisdom of the salmon, so gave him the rest of the fish to eat. Fionn ate the salmon and as he did he gained all the knowledge of the world. Throughout the rest of his life, Fionn could access this knowledge merely by biting his thumb.
It was this incredible knowledge and wisdom gained from Fintan, the Salmon of Knowledge, that allowed Fionn to become the leader of the Fianna
, the famed heroes of Irish myth.
In Welsh mythology
, the story of how the poet Taliesin
received his wisdom follows a similar pattern.
Fenian Cycle
The Fenian Cycle , also referred to as the Ossianic Cycle after its narrator Oisín, is a body of prose and verse centering on the exploits of the mythical hero Fionn mac Cumhaill and his warriors the Fianna. It is one of the four major cycles of Irish mythology along with the Mythological Cycle,...
of 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...
. This salmon was sometimes called Fintan, or Finntan, in ancient times and is sometimes confused with Fintan mac Bóchra who was also known as, "The Wise" and once transformed into a salmon. Stories differ on whether Fintan was a normal fish or one of the Immortals, that could be eaten and yet continue to live.
The Salmon figures prominently in The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn
The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn
The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn is a medieval Irish narrative belonging to the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. As its title implies, it recounts the boyhood exploits of Fionn mac Cumhaill, the cycle's central figure...
, which recounts the early adventures of Fionn mac Cumhaill
Fionn mac Cumhaill
Fionn mac Cumhaill , known in English as Finn McCool, was a mythical hunter-warrior of Irish mythology, occurring also in the mythologies of Scotland and the Isle of Man...
. According to the story, it was once an ordinary salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
that ate the nine hazel nuts that fell into the Well of Wisdom
Connla's Well
In Irish mythology, Connla's Well is one of a number of Otherworldly wells that are variously depicted as "The Well of Wisdom", "The Well of Knowledge" and the source of some of the rivers of Ireland.Much like the Well of Nechtan , the well is the home to the...
(aka Tobar Segais) from nine hazel trees that surrounded the well. In doing so, the salmon gained all the knowledge in the world. Moreover, the first person to eat of its flesh would, in turn, gain this knowledge.
The poet Finn Eces
Finn Eces
Finn Eces is a legendary Irish poet and sage, according to the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. He is the teacher of Fionn mac Cumhaill, according to the tale The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn. For years he tries to catch the Salmon of Wisdom, a fish that will grant all the world's knowledge to whoever...
spent seven years fishing for the salmon. One day Finn Eces
Finn Eces
Finn Eces is a legendary Irish poet and sage, according to the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. He is the teacher of Fionn mac Cumhaill, according to the tale The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn. For years he tries to catch the Salmon of Wisdom, a fish that will grant all the world's knowledge to whoever...
finally caught Fintan and gave the fish to Fionn, his servant and son of Cumhaill, but asked him not to eat any of it. Fionn cooked the salmon with care, turning it over and over but when Fionn touched the fish with his thumb to see if it was cooked he burnt his finger on a drop of the hot fat from the cooking salmon. Fionn immediately sucked on his burned finger to ease the pain. Little did Fionn know that all of Fintan's wisdom had been concentrated into that one drop, and Fionn had just eaten it all.
When he brought the cooked meal to Finn Eces, his master saw that the boy's eyes shone with a wisdom that had not been there before. Finn Eces asked Fionn if he had eaten any of the salmon. Answering no, the boy explained that he touched the fish to see if it was cooked, and burnt his finger and how he then put the finger in his mouth to ease the pain. Finn Eces knew that Fionn had received the wisdom of the salmon, so gave him the rest of the fish to eat. Fionn ate the salmon and as he did he gained all the knowledge of the world. Throughout the rest of his life, Fionn could access this knowledge merely by biting his thumb.
It was this incredible knowledge and wisdom gained from Fintan, the Salmon of Knowledge, that allowed Fionn to become the leader 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....
, the famed heroes of Irish myth.
In Welsh mythology
Welsh mythology
Welsh mythology, the remnants of the mythology of the pre-Christian Britons, has come down to us in much altered form in medieval Welsh manuscripts such as the Red Book of Hergest, the White Book of Rhydderch, the Book of Aneirin and the Book of Taliesin....
, the story of how the poet Taliesin
Taliesin
Taliesin was an early British poet of the post-Roman period whose work has possibly survived in a Middle Welsh manuscript, the Book of Taliesin...
received his wisdom follows a similar pattern.
See also
- Irish mythology in popular culture: Salmon of Wisdom