FLIDIAS, Ireland's Goddess of the Woodlands

FLIDIAS, IRELAND'S GODDESS OF THE WOODLANDS

Author: Jeanne Hannon Petras
Flidias was the goddess of the woodlands of Ireland and of all the wild animals who roamed her majestic green island. Fair skinned, with beautiful long black hair and jade green eyes, she filled her days protecting all of nature, from a sluggish turtle or a regal red deer, to a blade of emerald green grass or a beautiful cascading willow tree.

She didn't require much sleep, but when she did sleep she would often lie down on soft fragrant moss that wrapped itself around the tree bark much like the way the fog draped the morning air. Tree branches of the witches tree would sometimes cradle her, or she often found the soft belly of a wolf to make a perfect pillow.

When she felt troubled, she would ride her beautiful golden colored horse known in her time as a palfrey, down to the mouth of Galway Bay, as she did this day. When she reached the waters edge, she dismounted and gazed- across the water to the Aran Islands with recollections of living on one of the islands called Inishmore and of a loving gentle woman named Aisling. Aisling taught Flidias the ways of a goddess. As such, it was in the realm of those responsibilities that the need rose to settle a dispute between two families - THE O'BRIEN'S AND THE O'FLAHERTY'S

Flidias wondered how Aisling would have handled it. The two families had been warring for many years. Because of them, so much of the beautiful land was in ruin. Animals had run away in panic and were in hiding. The Gorse flower which had been in abundance was trampled and dead. The Strawberry trees were laid bare. A castle on one of the islands - Inisheer, changed ownership between the two families again and again as a result of their battling. She mounted her palfry Marcan with tears in her eyes. She could maintain peace and serenity in the animal world, but bringing peace to the human world seemed hopeless.

She took down the small harp from her shoulder and softly pulled on its' strings. Darby, a deer Flidias raised from a fawn appeared. Long ago, Flidias had found the infant Darby wandering the lowland bog alone and hungry. She embraced him, cared for him and loved him. Where she was Flidias was, Darby was always within hearing distance and would be there when she needed him. Darby gently nudged her,"Do you have need of me Flidias?" "Yes I do - stay near!" She took some loose bark from a silver birch tree to write on. She then plucked a loose feather from a mute swan swimming nearby and squeezed the juice from a hawthorn berry plant. She dipped the quill in the juice of the berry plant and wrote two notes on the bark, summoning the two leaders to her. She was aware that they were wary of her powers and were fearful of her; therefore, they would not turn her down. After rolling and tying the divided bark with vines, she slid them onto Darby's antlers. She then sent him off to deliver the notes to Conor O'Brien and Donnel O'Flaherty, the leaders of the two clans.

Riding to a woodsy area halfway between Galway and Oranmore, she decided that it was there at Roscam where it would happen.

Early the next day, she readied herself for the challenge ahead. Both were tough stubborn men who at times could be cruel. It wouldn't be easy. She soon noticed Darby making his way through the break in the trees and behind him, Conor and Donnel. The two of them were large men. Conor's hair was long and black. Donnel's straight red hair stopped below his ears. They each carried a variety of weapons on themselves and their palfreys. Both appeared to be ill-humored and ready for a brawl. They really hated each other. Flidias put aside her harp and looked up to the heavens - "Aisling, please guide me in this."

"Please sirs, have a seat on those logs behind you." She then scolded, "You two must somehow bond together. Your conflicts must end - now! You are wreaking havoc in the whole west of Ireland." They grumbled and didn't want to listen, but when they tried to rise up to leave, they were held fast to the logs they sat on. Suddenly, she raised her arms and called out - "Pooka, come to me!" There was a crashing through the trees and brush. There appeared a sleek, dark horse with yellow shining eyes and flowing mane. The two leaders knew of the Pooka and were terrified. The Pooka was the most feared fairy in Ireland which could change into many frightful forms. Having the ability of speech, Pooka ordered them to climb onto its' back. They were suddenly aware that they could now move, but were fearful not to follow its' direction. They traveled faster than the wind over hill and dale, covering the breadth of the land including what was theirs and the great castle in dispute. Pooka then deposited them roughly into a muddy bog. "Your lands and the castle on the island are mine", it thundered. "They will be returned to you when and if Flidias finds that you are deserving. Otherwise, I will return to you as a black goat with curling horns and your hens will stop laying eggs, your cows will give no milk." Pooka left them then and there.

Pooka returned to Flidias and told her what it had done with them. "When I left them, they were muttering to each other in their fright. It's a beginning. As long as they recall this day and my warning to them, there should be peace between them. Should they forget, I will remind them." Then Pooka was gone. Flidias at last returned to watching over her beloved animals and woodlands of Ireland. Once again there was peace in Ireland. The End