Oilliphéist

SerpentScotland · Western EuropeLegendFear 8/10

Description

스코틀랜드 설화에 등장하는 Serpent. The Oilliphéist (Irish: ollphéist, from Irish oll 'great' and péist 'worm, fabulous beast, monster

The Legend

Oilliphéist (Irish: ollphéist) is known in Irish mythology and folklore as a monster resembling a sea serpent or dragon. These monsters were believed to inhabit many lakes and rivers in Ireland, and numerous legends tell of saints and heroes battling them. In one tale, Oilliphéist hears that Saint Patrick has come to drive out beings like itself and blocks the course of the River Shannon. This story includes a comedic element, featuring an episode where the monster swallows a piper named Ó Ruairc (O'Rourke). Ó Ruairc continues to play music inside the belly of Oilliphéist, completely unaware of his predicament or indifferent to it. The monster becomes very annoyed by Ó Ruairc's music and eventually coughs him up. Chris Kearney believes that this story and tales related to Caoránach have influenced the Loch Ness Monster legend. Other stories about Oilliphéist also exist. In one tale, Sionnach, the granddaughter of Manannán mac Lir, throws stones at the Salmon of Knowledge to provoke it, and in retaliation, the salmon summons Oilliphéist to attack her, ultimately leading to her death.

Variants

Caoránach (sometimes also referred to as Caol) is considered to be Oilliphéist in Irish folklore and is also known as the Mother of Demons. She was banished by Saint Patrick to Lough Derg in Donegal, Ulster. According to early legends, Fionn mac Cumhaill and the Fianna are tasked with dealing with a witch in the Lough Derg area. The witch is shot from a distance and her body is lost. When the Fianna discover her body, they are warned not to break her thigh bone. However, a man named Conan breaks the bone, releasing a small hairy worm. This worm is named Caoránach and quickly grows into a large monster that attempts to devour all the livestock in the land. The people of Ulster hold Conan responsible for the deaths of the livestock. An enraged Conan stabs the monster in its mouth. Lough Derg is named after the red rock stained by the blood of Caoránach. In a more Christianized version of the story, Saint Patrick hears about the monster and deals with it. Its blood turns the lake red, and in some versions, Saint Patrick decides to name the lake Lough Derg as a result. In some variations of the story, Saint Patrick is unable to kill the monster, and it is said to still inhabit Lough Derg to this day.

This article is based on the Wikipedia article "Oilliphéist" (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikipedia