Étaín facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Étaín
Mythological Cycle character
Étaín and Midir, illustration by Stephen Reid in T. W. Rolleston's The High Deeds of Finn (1910)
Information
Aliases	Édaín
Family	Ailill
Spouse(s)	Eochaid Feidlech
Children	Étaín Óg

Étaín (also spelled Édaín or Éadaoin) is a famous character from ancient Irish mythology. She is the main hero of Tochmarc Étaíne, which means The Wooing Of Étaín. This is one of the oldest and most interesting stories from the Mythological Cycle of Irish tales. Étaín also appears in another old Irish story called Togail Bruidne Dá Derga (The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel). Some experts, like T. F. O'Rahilly, believed she might have been a sun goddess.

What's in a Name?

The name Étaín can be spelled in many ways, like Edain, Aideen, Etaoin, Éadaoin, Aedín, or Adaon. It comes from an old Irish word, ét, which means "passion" or "jealousy."

Sometimes, Étaín is called Echraide, which means "horse rider." This nickname suggests she might be connected to horse gods or figures. Similar characters include Rhiannon from Welsh stories and Epona from Gaulish (ancient French) myths. In the story Tochmarc Étaíne, the character Midir gives her another name: Bé Find, meaning "Fair Woman."

Étaín's Family Tree

In the story Tochmarc Étaine, Étaín is the daughter of Ailill, who was a king of the Ulaid people.

However, another story, Togail Bruidne Dá Derga, tells a slightly different family history. In this version, Étaín is the daughter of Étar, who was known as the king of the "elfmounds." She marries the High King, Eochaid Feidlech.

Étaín and Eochaid have a daughter named Étaín Óg, which means "Étaín the Younger." This younger Étaín marries Cormac, the king of Ulster. They have a daughter named Mess Buachalla. Cormac leaves Mess Buachalla, but a kind herdsman finds and raises her. When Mess Buachalla grows up, she marries High King Eterscél and becomes the mother of the famous Conaire Mor.

The Wooing of Étaín

This is Étaín's most famous story. It begins when Midir, a magical being from the Tuatha Dé Danann (a group of god-like people), falls in love with Étaín and marries her.

Fúamnach's Jealousy

Midir's first wife, Fúamnach, becomes very jealous of Étaín. She uses her magic to cast several spells on Étaín. First, Fúamnach turns Étaín into a pool of water. Then, she changes her into a worm, and finally, into a beautiful scarlet fly.

Midir doesn't know that the fly is Étaín. But he loves the fly and keeps it close to him all the time. He loses interest in other women. Fúamnach, still jealous, creates a strong wind. This wind blows the fly away for seven long years, not letting it land anywhere except on the rocks by the sea.

A New Life

Eventually, the fly lands on the clothes of Óengus, another magical being. Óengus recognizes the fly as Étaín. However, he is fighting a war with Midir and cannot return her to him right away. Óengus builds a small room with windows for Étaín, so she can fly in and out. He carries this room with him wherever he goes.

But Fúamnach hears about this. She creates another powerful wind that blows Étaín away from Óengus for another seven years. Finally, the fly falls into a glass of wine. The wife of Étar, a chieftain from Ulster, drinks the wine, swallowing the fly. She becomes pregnant, and Étaín is reborn! This happens one thousand and twelve years after her first birth.

Étaín's Second Marriage

When Étaín grows up again, she marries the High King, Eochaid Airem. Their first meeting is described in the story Togail Bruidne Dá Derga.

Eochaid's brother, Ailill Angubae, falls in love with Étaín. They plan to meet secretly. But Midir, who still loves Étaín, casts a spell. This spell makes Ailill fall asleep, so he misses their meeting.

Étaín meets a man who looks and sounds exactly like Ailill. But she feels that it's not truly him. This happens three times. Finally, the man reveals himself to be Midir. He tells Étaín about her past life as his wife. Étaín refuses to leave with him unless her husband, Eochaid, gives her permission. She then returns to Ailill, who is now cured of his love for her.

The Game of Fidchell

Midir then visits Eochaid in his true form. He challenges Eochaid to a game of fidchell, an ancient Irish board game. Midir bets fifty horses, loses, and gives the horses to Eochaid as promised. Midir challenges him to more games, betting higher stakes each time, and keeps losing.

Eochaid's foster-father warns him that Midir is a very powerful being. So, Eochaid gives Midir a series of difficult tasks. One task is to build a causeway (a raised road) over a bog called Móin Lámrige. Midir performs these tasks, though he is not happy about it.

Finally, Midir challenges Eochaid to one last game of fidchell. This time, the winner gets to name the prize. Midir wins! He demands an embrace and a kiss from Étaín. Eochaid agrees, but says Midir must return in a month.

A month later, Midir returns. He puts his arms around Étaín, and they both turn into beautiful swans. They fly off together into the sky.

The Search for Étaín

Eochaid and his men start digging at the mound of Brí Léith, where Midir lives. Midir appears to them and promises that Étaín will be returned the next day.

The next day, fifty women who all look exactly like Étaín appear. An old woman tells Eochaid to choose which one is his wife. He chooses one of them. However, Midir later reveals that Étaín had been pregnant when he took her away. The girl Eochaid chose was actually Étaín's daughter.

Eochaid's daughter later gives birth to a baby girl. This baby is left to be found, and a herdsman and his wife find and raise her. This girl later becomes the mother of the famous High King Conaire Mor.

Place-Name Stories

Some parts of the Tochmarc Étaíne story are also told in the Dindsenchas, which are poems about the origins of place names. For example, a poem about Rath Esa tells how Eochaid Airenn won Étaín back. Another poem about Ráth Crúachan mentions Midir taking Étaín away.

Étaín's Beauty

The old Irish story Togail Bruidne Dá Derga describes Étaín's amazing beauty in great detail. When King Echu sees her, she is washing at a well.

She has a bright silver comb with gold decorations. She washes from a silver bowl that has four gold birds on it and tiny, sparkling red gems around its edges. She wears a beautiful, soft purple cloak fastened with a silver brooch decorated with gold. Her long tunic is made of smooth, green silk with red gold embroidery. She has wonderful animal brooches of gold and silver on her chest and shoulders. When the sun shines on her, the gold on her green silk dress glows very red.

Her hair is two long, golden-yellow braids. Each braid is woven from four strands, with a small ball at the end of each strand. People said her hair was like a blooming iris flower in summer or like shiny red gold.

Her arms are as white as fresh snow. Her cheeks are soft, smooth, and red like foxglove flowers. Her eyebrows are as black as a beetle's back. Her teeth are like a shower of perfectly matched pearls. Her eyes are blue like hyacinths, and her lips are red. Her shoulders are smooth, soft, and white. Her fingers are pure white and slender, and her arms are long. Her side is as white as sea foam, slender, long, soft, and smooth like wool. Her thighs are warm, smooth, sleek, and white. Her knees are round, small, firm, and white. Her shins are short, white, and perfectly straight. Her heels are fine, straight, and lovely.

Her face shines with a soft, blushing light, like the moon. There is a proud lift to her smooth eyebrows. A charming sparkle is in each of her royal eyes. Dimples appear on her cheeks, with spots as red as a calf's blood mixed with spots as white as shining snow. Her voice has a gentle, womanly grace. She walks with a steady, graceful step, like a queen.

People believed she was the most beautiful and perfect woman in the world. They thought she must be from the Síde (the magical fairy mounds). They would say, "Everyone is lovely until Étaín. Everyone is beautiful until Étaín."