Arthurian Saga. Mention of early British legend suggests, 336;

the saga in Brittany and Marie de France, 339, 340;

Miss Jessie L. Weston's article on, in the “Encyc. Britann.,” 341;

Chrestien de Troyes influential in bringing into the poetic literature of Europe the, 340, 341;

various sources of, discussed, 342;

the saga in Wales, 343, 344;

never entered Ireland, 343;

why so little is heard of, in accounts of Cymric myths, 344

Asa. Scandinavian deity, 86

Asal. Of the Golden Pillars King, 115

Asura-Masda. Persian deity, 86

Athnurchar (ath-nur´char), or Ardnurchar (The Ford of the Sling-cast). The River-ford where Ket slings Conall's “brain ball” at Conor mac Nessa, 240;

significance, 251

Atlantic, The. Aoife's cruelty to her step-children on waters of, 140, 141

Austria. Discovery of pre-Roman necropolis in, 28;

relics found in, developed into the La Tène culture, 29

Avagddu (avagdhoo). Son of Tegid Voel, 413;

deprived of gift of supernatural insight, 413

A´valon. Land of the Dead;

bears relation with Norse Valhall, 338;

its later identification with Glastonbury, 338

Avon Dia. Duel between Cuchulain and Ferdia causes waters of, to hold back, 121

B

Babylonia. The ship symbol in, 76

Balkans. Earliest home of mountain Celts was ranges of, 57

Balor. Ancestor of Lugh, 88;

Bres sent to seek aid of, 109;

informed that Danaans refuse tribute, 113;

Fomorian champion, engages Nuada of the Silver Hand, and slain by Lugh, 117;

one of the names of the god of Death, 130;

included in Finn's ancestry, 255

Banba Wife of Danaan king, MacCuill, 132

Bann, The River. Visited by mac Cecht, 175

Barbarossa, Kaiser. Tradition that Finn lies in some enchanted cove spellbound, like, 308

“Barddas.” Compilation enshrining Druidic thought, 332;

Christian persons and episodes figure in, 333;

extract from, in catechism form, 334, 335

Bardic differs from popular conception of Danaan deities, 104

Barrow, The River. Visited by mac Cecht, 175

Bar´uch. A lord of the Red Branch; meets Naisi and Deirdre on landing in Ireland, 199;

persuades Fergus to feast at his house, 199;

dūn, on the Straits of Moyle, 251

Bavb (bayv). Calatin's daughter; puts a spell of straying on Niam, 230

Beälcu (bay'al-koo). A Connacht champion; rescue of Conall by, 244;

slain by sons owing to a stratagem of Conall's, 245;

Conall slays sons of, 245

Bebo. Wife of Iubdan. King of Wee Folk, 247

Bed´wyr (bed-weer). Equivalent, Sir Bedivere. One of Arthur's servitors who accompanies Kilhwch on his quest for Olwen, 388-392

Belgæ. One of three peoples inhabiting Gaul when Cæsar's conquest began, 58

Beli. Cymric god of Death, husband of Dōn;

corresponds with the Irish Bilé, 348, 349;

Lludd and Llevelys, sons of, 385

Bell, Mr. Arthur Reference to a drawing by, showing act of stone-worship, 66

Bel´tené. One of the names of the god of Death;

first of May sacred to, 133

Ben Bulben. Dermot of the Love-spot slain by the wild boar of, 123, 301, 302;

Dermot and the Boar of, 290, 291

Ben´digeid Vran, or “Bran the Blessed.” King of the Isle of the Mighty (Britain);

Manawyddan, his brother, 365;

Branwen, his sister, 366;

gives Branwen as wife to Matholwch, 366;

makes atonement for Evnissyen's outrage by giving Matholwch the magic cauldron, &c., 367, 368;

invades Ireland to succour Branwen, 369, 372;

the wonderful head of, 371, 372

Bertrand, A. See pp. 55, 64, 83

Bilé (bil-ay). One of the names of the god of Death (i.e., of the underworld), 130;

father of Miled, 130;

equivalent, Cymric god Beli, husband of Dōn, 348, 349

Birōg. A Druidess who assists Kian to be avenged on Balor, 111

Black Knight, The. Kymon and, 396;

Owain and, 396-397

Black Sainglend (sen'glend). Cuchulain's last horse; breaks from him, 232

Blai. Oisīn's Danaan mother, 282

Blanid. Wife of Curoi; sets her love on Cuchulain, 228-229;

her death, 229

A Welsh poet identical with Bledhericus, mentioned by Giraldus Cambrensis, and with Bréris, quoted by Thomas of Brittany, 342

“Blerwm, Blerwm” (bleroom).

Sound made by Taliesin by which a spell was put on bards at Arthur's court, 416

Blodeuwedd, or “Flower-Face.”

The flower-wife of Llew, 382, 383

Boanna (the river Boyne).

Mother of Angus Ōg, 121

References to, 104, 147

Gwyn ap Nudd figures in poem included in, 353

Reference to, 97;

Cuchulain makes his reappearance legend of Christian origin in, 238;

“Voyage of Maeldūn” is found in, 309

Forms main source of tales in the “Mabinogion,” 344;

the story of Taliesin not found in, 412

Reference to, 106

References to, 24, 85, 208

King of the Danaans of Munster, brother of the Dagda;

searches for maiden of Angus Ōg's dream, 121-123;

goldsmith of, named Len, 123;

Aoife's journey to, with her step-children, 139, 140

Angus Ōg's palace at, 121;

Angus and Caer at, 122;

Milesians land in estuary of, 136;

Ethné loses her veil of invisibility while bathing in river, 144;

church, Kill Ethné, on banks of, 145

See Bendigeid

Sister of Bran, 366;

given in marriage to Matholwch, 366;

mother of Gwern, 368;

degraded because of Evnissyen's outrage, 369;

brought to Britain, 372;

her death and burial on the banks of the Alaw, 372

Brea (bray).

Battle of, reference to Finn's death at, 275

Locality of, 168;

the plains of, viewed by Cuchulain, 193;

St. Patrick and folk of, 282

Son of Miled, father of Ith, 130;

tower of, perceived by Ith, 132

Under this form, was the god to whom the Celts attributed their victories at the Allia and at Delphi, 126

1. Ambassador sent to Firbolgs, by People of Dana, 106;

slain in battle of Moytura, 107.

2. Son of Danaan woman named Eri, chosen as King of Danaan territory in Ireland, 107;

his ill-government and deposition, 107-108.

3. Son of Balor;

learns that the appearance of the sun is the face of Lugh of the Long Arm, 123

Bri Leith (bree lay).

Fairy palace of Midir the Proud at, in Co. Longford, 124;

Etain carried to, 163

One of three sons of Turenn, 114

Equivalent, Brenos.

Son of Brigit (Dana), 126

Briccriu of the Poisoned Tongue (bric'roo).

Ulster lord;

causes strife between Cuchulain and Red Branch heroes as to Championship of Ireland, 195;

summons aid of demon named The Terrible, 196;

his suggestion for carving mac Datho's boar, 243