Ancient Wisdom Atlas

Motif

Supernatural stranger challenges a king to a board game

supernatural_stranger_challenges_a_king_to_a_board_game

A motif of the Initiation and Transformative Ordeal family, within the sub-family Contests, Games, and Formal Challenges. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.

1 occurrences

1 traditions


celtic irish

  • Heroic Romances of Ireland THE COURTSHIP OF ETAIN / EGERTON VERSION / THE COURTSHIP OF ETAIN / LEABHAR NA H-UIDHRI VERSION; lines 1694-1812 confidence: high

    Eochaid Airemm ascends Tara's high ground in summer, views the flowering plain of Breg, and sees an unknown young warrior with purple tunic, golden hair, grey eyes, five-pointed spear, and gemmed shield, though the gate had not been opened.

    An unknown richly described warrior appears at Tara without ordinary entry, identifies as Mider, and comes to play chess with Eochaid using a splendid board.

    read in the book