Song, Chant, Poetry, Stories and Satire for the Pagan Community

This entry made: 12/21/1999

Title: Lughnassadh Dance (Mythologically Correct Version)
Lyrics by: Gwydion Pendderwen, Fox and the liturgists of Shining Lakes Grove ADF
Tune: "Lughnassadh Dance" (Gwydion Pendderwen)
Date:
Source: http://www.msen.com/~robh/slg/lughdance.html
Recorded on:
Subject: Sabbats - Lughnassadh

[Fox said: "Each year at our Lughnasadh Festival we have sung 
the good ol' pagan standard "Lughnasadh Dance" by Gwydion. The 
only trouble with the song is that it is very mythologically 
incorrect. Everybody loves it though, so the SLG Liturgists 
sat down last night and did a little rewrite that is much 
closer to the tales."]

Pronunciation: Eithne (ENNA), Kian (KEEN), Dechtire (JEH-chiray), 
Lugh (LOO), Manannan (MON-uh-non), Lughnasadh (LOO-nah-sah) 

CHORUS:
At your festival sound the horn, calling the people again 
Child of Barleycorn, newly summer-born 
Ripening like the grain, oh, ripening like the grain 

VERSES:
Lugh the light of summer bright clothed all in gold 
Eithne you his mother true let his tale be told 

It was known that Balor's own grandchild would do him in 
He vainly sought but all for naught, imprisoning his kin 

Kian the brave and clever knave, disguised himself so well 
It wasn't hard to fool the guards, and enter Eithne's cell 

The two did swoon from morn till noon, she bore him babies three 
Then Balor's rage flew in her cage and cast them in the sea 

The first two babes went to their graves, beneath the stormy sea 
But Manannan he took Lugh on, his foster son to be 

Lugh grew tall from spring to fall and sought to take a wife 
But Balor came and made his claim and vowed to take his life 

The two did fight from morn 'till night and Lugh did strike him one 
And Balor's eye flew in the sky and there became the sun 

Dechtire flew away with Lugh upon her wedding morn 
Together they lay for many a day and soon a child was born 

The child grew tall from spring to fall, Setanta was his name 
And then at length by honor's strength CuChulainn he became