Hmm... Celtic legend again. This time because I'm taking a part in contest "Celtic Legends and Myths". And I thought to myself not all of you probably know this legend I choosed. So here it is.

Sídhe are Celtic spirits, kind of elves, living under hills. Their name is from síd - door to the Other World, where not everybody could come. And even if anybody get there - usually never get back.
Síds were usually hills like that in the legend. Strange things happened close to them...

Polska wersja tutaj: Kowal i Mali Ludzie



Blacksmith and sídhe

Once upon a time there was a blacksmith. He lived happy in small village on green fields of British Isles. He had a son - very talented and strong young man. Blacksmith loved him the most of the world.
But one day the boy falled ill. He lied in the bed for all days, lost in weight, his skin turned as white as snow. And ate everything he could. As much, as father gave to him, he ate and yelled for more. Poor blacksmith lost much money to feed his "wild" son.
People in vilage were telling the boy will die soon. His days are calculated.
But he didn't. He lived and grew up in bed, only yelling for food for all days.
And then one day there came to the village wise wanderer. He came to the balcksmith and asked, what happened.
After he listened the story of blacksmith, he looked at the boy and told:
- He's not sick. He even is not your son. It's a stranger. A spirit. Your son was kidnapped by sídhe.
- Oh my God! - cried the blacksmith. - So what should I do now...?
- Oh, there is a simple way to get your son back. But firstly we must be sure it is really a spirit. We must do that...
And the wanderer told his plan to blacksmith.
Next day the blacksmith get as much egg-shells as he could, bucket of water, and came to the boy. Then poured the water in to egg-shells and started to transport them across the room.
- What are you doing?! - asked the boy. - I live for five hundred years and I haven't ever seen anyone as stupid to transport water in egg-shells!
Now they were sure it's not the blacksmith's son.
- So now we should get rid of him. You must make fire in his room and put him in that. If we made a mistake and it is your son, he'll cry and please you to let him live. Then you'll have to get him out of the fire. But if it's a spirit of sídhe, he'll fly through the roof.
As the wanderer told, blacksmith did. He made a big fire, then suddenly caught the boy and threw him into flames. Boy unnaturally squeezed. And then he spread his black wings and flew away through the ceiling.
- Ok. - told the wanderer. - Everything is ok. Now we must wait for full moon to get your son back, because only then Little Men have open doors to their houses.
So when the full moon finally came, the blacksmith get his sword, the Holy Bible and chicken, and went to the hills, where sídhe had their home. He found the right hill and door to sídhe's tunnels and dungeons. He put the sword in door to not let it close and get into the hill.
He stand in huge hall, full of warm light of candles and fires, with gold furniture and silver walls. It was also full of sídhe. However they were firstly surprised and then angry at the blacksmith, they could not do anything to him because of Holy Bible he hold in his hands. They tried to beat and bite him, yelled at him very loud... but they've done nothing.
At the same time blacksmith looked around, trying to find his son. And finally he found him - the boy sat under the wall, sad and tired of working for all days and nights. Blacksmith caught his hand and lead him out. Little Men tried to follow them, but suddenly the chicken under blacksmith's coat ran away, screaming as only chickens can. Sídhe escaped, covering their eyes. They thought it's sunrise and the sun would make them blind.
Blacksmith and his son get back to the house. But they boy wasn't himself yet. He was closed inside himself, he didn't talk anything, being in his own world. Sad father couldn't do anything with that, so only waited with hope he'll get heal.
Some day there came rich lord to the blacksmith. He told he want to get the most beautiful sword the blacksmith can make.
Blacksmith tried and tried... and it didn't came out. And then his son get the metal and hammer and started working.
After five days he made the most beautiful sword on the world. And at the same time the evil spell get over and the boy became normal, happy man. And the months of slavery in sídhe's hills were useful also - he quickly get famous, because only he could make so beautiful and strong weapon.



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Polish legends
Legend about White Lady of Czocha castle
Legend about pearls of Czersk castle
Legend about basilisk
Legend about Wawel's Dragon
Legend about Wars and Sawa
Legend about flower of fern
Legend about st. Kinga's ring and Wieliczka salt mine

Irish legend: how Finn found Bran

Slavic traditions
About Jare Gody (21st - 25th of March)
About Noc Świętojańska (23/24th of June)
About Dziady (31st of October)

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