Cailleach
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In Irish and Scottish mythology, Cailleach was the "Mother of All". The word Cailleac means "old woman". She was a sorceress. In addition to the Celts, the Picts also worshipped her.
In art, she was depicted as a wizened crone with bear teeth and a boar's tusks.
Each year, the first farmer to finish his harvest made a corn dolly representing Cailleach from part of his crop. He would give it to the next farmer to finish his harvest, and so on. The last farmer had the responsibility to take care of the corn dolly, representing Cailleach, until the next year's harvest.
She helped rescue Dia Griene, along with Brian.
In Scotland, she is Cailleach Bheur, The Blue Hag of Winter, an Underworld goddess and a faery spirit. She appears as an old woman in black rags carrying a staff, who travels about at night with a crow on her left shoulder. She has a bad temper and is dangerous to people. She has fangs and sometimes three faces. She could turn herself into a cat.
Alternative: Cailleach Beara, Cailleac Bheur, Scotia
External links
- Cailleach Bheara (http://www.shadowdrake.com/celtic/cailleach.html)