Rigantona and the Realm of the Dead- a modern myth

[potia]

Yesterday morning I woke with a story that wished to be told. Later that day I was able to write it down and I posted the first draft on my blog yesterday evening.

This evening encouraged by feedback I have received I have added it to the Brython site at: www.dunbrython.org.uk/

I hope you enjoy it and that it adds a little something to your celebrations of Eponalia

Blessings
Potia.

[Adam]

I do so love it when that happens :-)

Your telling has me in tears. Thank you :-)

[Lee]

i was filling up too... nice to know i wasnt the only one.

[Heron]

Yes, this is really inspired.

I will read it as part of the preparation for Eponalia and beyond

[dreamguardian]

Dec 17, 2009 22:48:44 GMT -1 Heron said:

Yes, this is really inspired.

I will read it as part of the preparation for Eponalia and beyond

I agree.

Thanks Potia.

[Heron]

Potia, should the third sentence read "All that dwelt ..." rather than "All 'the' dwelt"?

[potia]

Dec 18, 2009 8:38:31 GMT -1 Heron said:

Potia, should the third sentence read "All that dwelt ..." rather than "All 'the' dwelt"?

Yes it should and I've updated that - thanks. No matter how many times I read through things I always miss something!

[megli]

wonderful stuff!

[Deleted]

Brilliant! It's so good to see the creation of these myths. Very powerful.

[arth_frown]

Very good, Potia. Your story was read out as part of our ritual yesterday.

[potia]

Thanks for all the feedback folks. I am delighted that it has touched something with you all

[Rion]

I love the story, very powerful. Reminds me somewhat of the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone.

When you say "Rigantona went to her mother and sister, the old one of the Land," whom are you referring to?

[potia]

Feb 25, 2010 20:10:33 GMT -1 Rion said:

I love the story, very powerful. Reminds me somewhat of the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone.

When you say "Rigantona went to her mother and sister, the old one of the Land," whom are you referring to?

Glad you like it

For me it's the being I know by the relatively modern name of Cailleach. Essentially I am referring to an earth mother goddess type of being.

[Lee]

I was reading this again the other day and it struck me that it really is inspired in that it 'fits' into the wider mythic/legendary material.

There is firstly the underworld spirits, the andedion, who were feared/respected and offerings made to to ensure a fruitful harvest and fertility. this fits in with a fairly common theme of the underground ancestors and fertility amongst many cultures - in this, those who are outside the hall of the Dead.

then you also have Gwyn ap Nudd or Vindos son of Nodens who is responsible for guarding the 'devils in annwfyn' and the wild hunt out to catch the souls of the dead. on one hand he is there to look after the andedion and also to round up those who stay behind and bring them to Annwfyn.

there is a nice pdf on the Andedion from Will Parker's mabinogi book available for free :

www.mabinogi.net/sections/Appendix/The_Underworld_Gods.pdf

[Heron]

Yes I agree Lee, it is inspired

And thanks for the link to Will Parker's page. I know his site but hadn't picked up that really fascinating appendix. Some trails to follow in the not-world ......

[Heron]

..... in fact reading Parker's pdf sent me back to consider my discussion of 'andubnos' and the different ways the Otherworld was conceived

( gorsedd-arberth.blogspot.co.uk/search?updated-max=2013-08-17T14:01:00%2B01:00&max-results=1&start=3&by-date=false )

and also Gwilym Morus' comments about the meaning of 'deep' (dwfn) in The Book of Taliesin and the medieval Welsh bards

Welsh Mythology

It does seem that the view of the Otherworld was multilayered, but the sense of depth and also the sense of a negative pole of the positive which is this world also emerges ....

[potia]

I'm often surprised that those words came out of me and that it has and continues to resonate so well with so many that have read it

I'll have to read those links now too. Thanks

[lorna]

I also enjoyed reading this modern myth immensely when Potia posted it on TDN. I found the notion the Otherworld as 'the land behind the land' and the black river particularly evocative, along with the rest of the wonderful descriptions and deep and emotional story.

Heron recently pointed out new posts had been made in relation to this. Thank you Lee for sharing Will Parker's article on the Andedion and their possible relation to the spirits of Annwn and Gwyn ap Nudd. This has shed some light on some questions on Gwyn's mythos I have been pondering for a while, which I will raise in a new topic.