The Tale of Gabhar

Of all the carvings, scrolls, etchings, and art, not a single one still tells the tale of Danu, the Mother of the Land and Rivers, but verbal legend still whispers around the reaches of what we now call Europe. No one listens to these elders as they tell the legends of their mothers, and their mothers’ mothers, of the tribe of old. The tribe Tuatha Dé Danann. Her people spread out so far across the reaches of the continent who left their tales in wood and stone but no record of the Mother can be found, not any physical evidence, anyway.

The elders speak of, occasionally, a helper of Danu. They say that it was made of the very earth it walked upon, and that it’s horns were large and broken into pieces. The creatures of the forest followed it loyally, also made of stone and earth. Rumors of the forest critters whispered that the helper carved them itself - or that it spread its infectious stony body unto its followers. They say that it had piercing golden eyes, and despite being heavy and made of stone, it moved silently and swiftly. Gabhar, they called it - simply ‘goat’. The way they said its name always sounded almost revenant, like they worshiped the creature just as they did their beloved Danu. Few even know of Gabhar, said that those who reported seeing it were soon no more, disappeared from this world just a few days later. No one’s sure what exactly this helper was set out to do for the Mother but it was known what it did anyway.

Sometimes, under the pitch darkness of a new moon, golden flames would trail from their campsite, into the forest. Few remember being attracted to the wisps, but they remember seeing some of their fellow tribesmen so irresistibly pulled towards the fire that they would run from the safety of their tents, chasing the gold flames. These tribesmen were often pranksters, mean-spirited souls who took joy in their fellows’ pain or upset moods caused by their ‘jokes.’ Being the good men they were, people would try and stop them from running to the wisps, but the foul spirit always broke away and disappeared into the forest, and often were never seen again. The nomads pretended that they didn’t hear the screams of their peers through the night, and relished when the forest went silent once more.

The elders use this to caution their children, now - do not be a mean spirit, otherwise the Gabhar will lure you away into the night and you’ll never be seen again by another living creature. Always be kind, and Gabhar will reward you. The reward varies from elder to elder, and it’s assumed that the rewards are made up to entice the children into learning kindness.

There is only one surviving record of the helper of Danu, the only reason we know it wasn’t just a folktale… as it was important enough to use wood and dye to carve and color. Gabhar of Tuatha Dé Danann… our only surviving record of Danu.