batch.motif.celtic-irish-gods-and-fighting-men-gregory-gutenberg-l3388-l3493
---
record_id: batch.motif.celtic-irish-gods-and-fighting-men-gregory-gutenberg-l3388-l3493
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
passage_locator:
label: CHAPTER IV. THE MORRIGU / CHAPTER V. AINE / CHAPTER VI. AOIBHELL / CHAPTER
VII. MIDHIR AND ETAIN; lines 3388-3493
start: '3388'
end: '3493'
translation: Gods and Fighting Men
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: 'The passage recounts an episode of Bri and Leith as separated lovers,
then tells of Midhir, Fuamach, Etain, and Angus Og: jealousy leads Fuamach and
a Druid to drive Etain away; Angus shelters Etain in a magical sunny house; Fuamach
transforms Etain into a fly and sends her away on a wind; Etain is blown through
Ireland for seven years, swallowed in wine by Etar''s wife, and born again as
her daughter. Later, Midhir appears in splendid form to Etain and her companions,
speaks of Etain''s former fate and future battles, and vanishes. The passage ends
with Eochaid seeing Etain beside a well, richly dressed and combing or washing.'
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Midhir takes a hill for himself, where Fuamach and Bri are with him.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Leith loves Bri, Midhir's daughter, and both go with attendants toward a meeting
place near Teamhair.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: Slingers on Midhir's hill prevent Bri and Leith from coming nearer to one
another.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:4
text: Cochlan receives a sharp wound and dies.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:5
text: Bri turns back to Midhir's hill, her heart breaks, and she dies.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:6
text: Leith says he will leave his name with Bri, and the hill is afterward called
Bri Leith.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:7
text: Midhir later takes Etain Echraide as wife, and Fuamach is jealous of Midhir's
love for Etain.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:8
text: Fuamach calls on the Druid Bresal Etarlaim, who puts spells on Etain so Fuamach
can drive her away.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:9
text: Angus Og keeps Etain with him and makes a sunny house for her with sweet-smelling
flowers and invisible walls.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:10
text: Fuamach persuades Midhir and Angus to meet for peace while she goes to Etain's
house at Brugh na Boinn.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:11
text: Fuamach turns Etain into a fly with Druid spells and sends a blast of wind
that sweeps her out through a window.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:12
text: Angus finds Etain's sunny house empty, finds Fuamach with the Druid, and beheads
Fuamach.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:13
text: Etain is blown through Ireland for seven years in misery.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:14
text: Etain falls from a roof beam into a golden cup by Etar's wife, is drunk with
wine, and after nine months is born again as Etar's daughter.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:15
text: Etain keeps the same name and is reared as a king's daughter with fifty young
girls as companions.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:16
text: While Etain and the young girls are bathing, a richly dressed man on a bay
horse approaches them.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:17
text: The man speaks about Etain's present place, her swallowing by Etar's wife,
and future battles and destruction connected with her.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:18
text: After speaking, the man vanishes, and the passage states he was Midhir of
Bri Leith though the girls did not know him.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:19
text: Eochaid Feidlech sees Etain at the side of a well with a gold-and-silver comb
and a silver basin decorated with golden birds.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:20
text: Etain is described beside the well in shining garments, with gold, silver,
green silk, red-gold embroidery, and plaited yellow-gold hair.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Midhir of Bri Leith
description: A Sidhe figure who takes a hill, is husband of Fuamach and later Etain,
father of Bri, quarrels with Angus over Etain, and later appears in splendid form
before Etain and her companions.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Fuamach
description: Midhir's earlier wife, jealous of Etain, who seeks Druidic help, transforms
Etain into a fly, and is later beheaded by Angus.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Bri
description: Midhir's daughter, loved by Leith; she dies after being prevented from
meeting him.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Leith, son of Celtchar of Cualu
description: A beautiful young man of the Sidhe who loves Bri and gives his name
to the hill Bri Leith after her death.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Cochlan
description: Leith's servant, wounded by the slingers and killed.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Bresal Etarlaim
description: A Druid called by Fuamach to help against Etain through spells.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:5
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Etain Echraide / Etain
description: Midhir's later wife, driven away by spells, protected by Angus, transformed
into a fly, blown through Ireland, swallowed in wine, reborn as Etar's daughter,
and later seen by Eochaid.
role_refs:
- role:6
- role:12
- role:13
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Angus Og, son of the Dagda
description: He shelters Etain, refuses to give her up to Midhir, makes a protected
sunny house for her, and later kills Fuamach.
role_refs:
- role:7
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Etar's wife
description: A woman at Etar's house whose golden cup receives Etain; she drinks
Etain with wine and later bears her as a daughter.
role_refs:
- role:14
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Etar of Inver Cechmaine
description: The owner of the house where the feast is taking place when Etain falls
into the golden cup; Etain is later born as his daughter.
role_refs:
- role:15
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Eochaid Feidlech, High King of Ireland
description: The High King who sees Etain when she is grown to be a beautiful young
woman.
role_refs:
- role:16
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: Etain's young female companions
description: Young girls, including daughters of princes, who are reared with Etain
and later bathe with her at Inver Cechmaine.
role_refs:
- role:17
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
roles:
- id: role:1
label: Sidhe lord and hill-holder
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Midhir takes a hill for himself and is later identified as Midhir of Bri
Leith.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:9
- id: role:2
label: husband and father
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Midhir is associated with wife Fuamach, daughter Bri, and later wife Etain.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:3
label: jealous rival wife
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Fuamach is jealous of Midhir's love for Etain and acts to drive her away
and destroy her.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: role:4
label: separated lovers
assigned_to:
- fig:3
- fig:4
basis: Bri and Leith love one another but cannot come together because of the slingers
on Midhir's hill.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:5
label: Druid spell-worker
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Bresal Etarlaim is called by Fuamach and puts spells on Etain.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:6
label: persecuted and transformed beloved
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: Etain is Midhir's beloved wife, driven away by Fuamach, transformed into
a fly, and swept away.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: role:7
label: protector of Etain
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Angus takes Etain into his keeping, carries her with him, and makes a protected
house for her.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:8
label: vanishing prophetic visitor
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Midhir appears to the bathing women, speaks about Etain and future events,
and vanishes.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: role:9
label: avenger
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Angus beheads Fuamach after finding Etain's house empty.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:10
label: eponymous namer
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Leith says he will leave his name with Bri, and the hill is called Bri Leith.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:11
label: slain servant
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Cochlan, Leith's servant, receives a sharp wound and dies.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:12
label: reborn daughter
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: Etain is swallowed by Etar's wife and born again after nine months as Etar's
daughter.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:13
label: radiant woman at the well
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: Etain is seen by Eochaid at a well, richly dressed and shining in sunlight.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: role:14
label: mother through swallowing
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: Etar's wife drinks Etain with wine and gives birth to her after nine months.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:15
label: father of reborn Etain
assigned_to:
- fig:10
basis: Etain is born again as Etar's daughter.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:16
label: royal beholder
assigned_to:
- fig:11
basis: Eochaid Feidlech, High King of Ireland, sees Etain when she is grown.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: role:17
label: female companions
assigned_to:
- fig:12
basis: Fifty young girls are brought up with Etain and later bathe with her.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: hill of Bri Leith
literal_form: A hill first taken by Midhir and later named Bri Leith after Bri and
Leith.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: slingers' spears like bees
literal_form: Spears from the slingers on Midhir's hill are compared to a swarm
of bees.
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: sunny house with invisible walls
literal_form: A sunny house made by Angus for Etain, filled with sweet-smelling
flowers and enclosed by invisible walls.
associated_figures:
- fig:7
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:4
label: fly transformation
literal_form: Etain is turned into a fly by Fuamach's Druid spells.
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:5
label: wind blast
literal_form: A blast of wind sent into Etain's house sweeps her away through the
window.
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:6
label: golden cup and wine
literal_form: Etain falls into a golden cup and is swallowed with wine by Etar's
wife.
associated_figures:
- fig:7
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:7
label: nine-month rebirth
literal_form: Etain is born again after nine months as Etar's daughter.
associated_figures:
- fig:7
- fig:9
- fig:10
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:8
label: bathing in the bay
literal_form: Etain and her companions are bathing in the bay at Inver Cechmaine
when Midhir appears.
associated_figures:
- fig:7
- fig:12
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: sym:9
label: well
literal_form: A well beside which Eochaid sees Etain washing with a decorated basin.
associated_figures:
- fig:7
- fig:11
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: sym:10
label: silver basin with golden birds
literal_form: A silver basin with four golden birds and purple stones in its rim.
associated_figures:
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: sym:11
label: gold and green shining in sunlight
literal_form: Etain's gold ornaments and green silk shine in the sunlight.
associated_figures:
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Bri and Leith prevented from meeting
summary: Bri and Leith attempt to meet near Teamhair, but slingers on Midhir's hill
keep them apart; Cochlan is killed, Bri dies of heartbreak, and the hill receives
the name Bri Leith.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Fuamach's jealousy and Druidic expulsion of Etain
summary: Midhir takes Etain as wife; Fuamach becomes jealous and calls on the Druid
Bresal Etarlaim, whose spells allow Etain to be driven away.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:6
- fig:7
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Angus shelters Etain
summary: Angus Og refuses to give Etain back to Midhir and protects her in a sunny
house with flowers and invisible walls.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Etain transformed into a fly and swept away
summary: Fuamach arranges for Midhir and Angus to be away, finds Etain, turns her
into a fly with spells, and sends a wind that carries her through the window.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:5
label: Angus avenges Etain's disappearance
summary: Angus returns to an empty house, finds Fuamach with the Druid, and cuts
off Fuamach's head.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:6
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: scene:6
label: Etain swallowed and reborn
summary: After seven years of being blown through Ireland, Etain falls into a golden
cup at Etar's house, is swallowed with wine by Etar's wife, and is born again
after nine months as Etar's daughter.
figure_refs:
- fig:7
- fig:9
- fig:10
symbol_refs:
- sym:6
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: scene:7
label: Midhir appears to Etain and the bathing girls
summary: While Etain and her companions bathe, a richly dressed mounted man approaches,
speaks of Etain's fate and future battles, vanishes, and is identified by the
narrator as Midhir.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:7
- fig:12
symbol_refs:
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: scene:8
label: Eochaid sees Etain at the well
summary: Eochaid Feidlech sees the grown Etain at a well, richly adorned with gold,
silver, green silk, a decorated basin, and shining hair.
figure_refs:
- fig:7
- fig:11
symbol_refs:
- sym:9
- sym:10
- sym:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: separated lovers and eponymous place-name
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Bri and Leith are prevented from meeting; Bri dies, Leith declares he will
leave his name with her, and the hill is afterward called Bri Leith.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: high
cautions: The passage gives the place-name explanation directly; no broader taxonomy
reference is supplied for eponymic naming.
- id: motif:2
label: jealous wife persecutes rival beloved with magic
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_beloved
basis: Fuamach is jealous of Midhir's love for Etain, uses a Druid's spells to drive
Etain away, and later tries to destroy her.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The taxonomy reference is broad; the passage emphasizes jealousy, rivalry,
and spell-working more than a formal divine-beloved category.
- id: motif:3
label: magically protected beloved in hidden dwelling
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_beloved
basis: Angus keeps Etain with him and makes for her a sunny house with flowers and
invisible walls that cannot be seen through or seen.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: The protection is literal in the passage, but its classification as a
divine-beloved motif is interpretive.
- id: motif:4
label: transformation into small creature and wind-driven exile
taxonomy_refs:
- shapeshifter
basis: Fuamach turns Etain into a fly and sends a wind that sweeps her out through
the window; Etain is then blown through Ireland for seven years.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: Etain is transformed by another's spell rather than acting as a voluntary
shapeshifter.
- id: motif:5
label: swallowed being reborn as child
taxonomy_refs:
- death_rebirth
- sacred_birth
basis: Etain falls into a golden cup, is swallowed with wine by Etar's wife, and
after nine months is born again as Etar's daughter.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: The passage says 'born again' but does not frame the event with doctrinal
explanation.
- id: motif:6
label: mysterious visitor reveals hidden identity and future conflict
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The richly dressed mounted man speaks of Etain's previous swallowing and
predicts battles and destruction, then vanishes; the narrator identifies him as
Midhir.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
confidence: medium
cautions: The wisdom taxonomy reference is broad; the scene is more specifically
prophetic disclosure by a hidden divine or Sidhe figure.
- id: motif:7
label: radiant woman at water seen by king
taxonomy_refs:
- water
- divine_beloved
basis: Eochaid, High King of Ireland, sees Etain beside a well with a gold-and-silver
comb, silver basin, shining ornaments, and bright hair.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage does not yet state the consequences of Eochaid seeing Etain;
any courtship or marriage function would require later evidence.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 3388-3493, opening Bri-Leith episode
quote_or_summary: Midhir takes a hill; Leith loves Bri; slingers prevent their meeting;
Cochlan is killed; Bri dies; Leith says he will leave his name with her, and the
hill is called Bri Leith.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 3388-3493, Fuamach's jealousy
quote_or_summary: Midhir takes Etain Echraide as wife; Fuamach is jealous and calls
the Druid Bresal Etarlaim, who puts spells on Etain so Fuamach can drive her away.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 3388-3493, Angus shelters Etain
quote_or_summary: Angus Og takes Etain into his keeping and makes a sunny house
for her with sweet-smelling flowers and invisible walls.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 3388-3493, Etain transformed and swept away
quote_or_summary: Fuamach arranges for Midhir and Angus to be away, finds Etain
in the sunny house, turns her into a fly by Druid spells, and sends a wind that
sweeps her out through the window.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 3388-3493, Angus kills Fuamach
quote_or_summary: Angus returns to Brugh na Boinn, finds the sunny house empty,
finds Fuamach with Etarlaim the Druid, and strikes off Fuamach's head.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 3388-3493, seven-year wandering and rebirth
quote_or_summary: Etain is blown through Ireland for seven years, falls into a golden
cup beside Etar's wife, is drunk with wine, and after nine months is born again
as Etar's daughter.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 3388-3493, Etain reared as king's daughter
quote_or_summary: Etain keeps the same name, is reared as a king's daughter, and
has fifty young girls, daughters of princes, brought up with her.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 3388-3493, bathing scene and mounted visitor
quote_or_summary: Etain and the young girls bathe at Inver Cechmaine and see a high-looking
man coming over the plain on a bay horse, richly dressed and armed with gold and
silver adornments.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 3388-3493, Midhir's speech and vanishing
quote_or_summary: The mounted man speaks of Etain at the Mound of Fair Women, recalls
that she was swallowed by Etar's wife, foretells battles and destruction, then
vanishes; the narrator says he was Midhir of Bri Leith.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: lines 3388-3493, Eochaid sees Etain at the well
quote_or_summary: Eochaid Feidlech sees Etain at the side of a well with a gold-and-silver
comb, a silver basin with golden birds and purple stones, shining garments, and
yellow-gold hair.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Literal extraction is well supported by the supplied passage. Motif labels
using broad taxonomy references require human review, especially where the taxonomy
category is broader than the passage detail. No independent comparison claims
were made because the passage itself does not compare these events with another
text or tradition.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Only the supplied passage and metadata were used. Available symbol taxonomy was applied only where directly supported, notably water in the bay and well scenes.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:celtic-irish-gods-and-fighting-men-gregory-gutenberg__l3388-l3493
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