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The Irish myth of Balar’s killing by Lug, the Norse myth of Baldr’s killing by Loki, and the Indic myth of the Wounded Sun

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

Abstract

The tale of “Balar's killing by Lug” was still present in Irish folk tales from the 19th and 20th centuries, but its oldest mention can be found in the ancient Irish epic Cath Maige Tuired (619–645). This traditional tale has been compared to the Norse myth of "Baldr's Killing by Loki," told most fully in Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda (Gylfaginning 49). Building on the author's previous work, the article argues for a number of linguistic and structural parallels (pointing to a common origin) between the above myths and the Indian myth of the "Wounded Sun", a traditional narrative already attested in the Rigveda that was analyzed in detail by Stephanie W. Jamison in a relevant book.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)67-90
Number of pages24
JournalZEITSCHRIFT FüR KELTISCHE PHILOLOGIE
Volume70
Issue numberN/A
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Language and Linguistics
  • Linguistics and Language

Keywords

  • Indo-European
  • Old Irish
  • Old Norse
  • Vedic Sanskrit
  • etymology
  • fire
  • light
  • mythology
  • poetics

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