FaeryGodmother
The Story
Well, theres a lot more information to be found on Lug Samildanach. Most commonly under the simple Lugh. Samh-ildánach ("Equally skilled in many arts"). Lugh's father is one of the Tuatha De Dannan, his mother one of the Formorians. (in the minor arcana- the Tuatha are represented by pentacles; the Formori by wands) and he was raised (in fosterage) by a third race- the Fir Bolg. The LWB gives us only the tiniest fraction of Lugh's story. Just a snapshot of a moment in time. It speaks of the time when Lugh arrived in Temair (or Tara). The doorkeeper wouldn't let him in unless he proved that he had a skill no one else did. So he proved that he had skills as a wright, a smith, a champion, a swordsman, a harpist, a hero, a poet and historian, a sorcerer, and a craftsman- in short everything the Tuatha themselves were skilled at. The doorkeeper told him they already had people who could do those things but Lugh simply pointed out that none of them could do all of those things as he could. Conceding the point, the doorkeeper let Lugh in.
So the story here is of a young man returning to a place that is his birthright. Its not exactly home because he didn't grow up there, but he has a right to call it home. Its a story of a young man who is no beginner. It is a young man who has acquired skills even if he hasn't had a real chance to use them yet. Its also a story about proving ones worth. Being all that you can be and more. It was about how Lugh was useful to the community he sought to join- about what he could offer them.
The Art
The card shows a rather handsome young man wearing a wide brimmed hat pulled low over his eyes. He wears a heavy torc, no shirt and simple pants only barely held up by his belt. He has a simple bag at his side that looks full. One hand holds a branch of the tree he is kneeling near, the other hand a wand with a small snake wrapped around it- two signs of knowledge and healing. The wand rests on a stone chess board which rests on a tortoise. Behind those is a rooster who looks like its about to crow. Lugh himself kneels on a miniature dolmen in front of an intricately carved piece of stone. There are a few gold rings, a torc and dish hanging from the branches of the tree. Finally, for some weird reason it looks like a sheep is peering over Lugh’s shoulder.
The Archetype
So, in keeping with the Archetype is Lugh is someone very skilled at what he does, but in a way, untested. He is full of the exuberance of youth, sure of his own superiority. He hasn’t learnt humility yet. Also, Lugh is connected with many elements, the wand, the earth, the gold. He can bring together many different elements into a cohesive whole. More then anything else, this Magician is busy. He has learnt a lot, but he hasn’t learnt everything- and he wants to. If he keeps on this road he one day will.
Other Interesting factoids-
*Lugh had a nature goddess counterpart called Rosemerta.
*According to some sources he was a version of the Roman god Mercury.
Well, theres a lot more information to be found on Lug Samildanach. Most commonly under the simple Lugh. Samh-ildánach ("Equally skilled in many arts"). Lugh's father is one of the Tuatha De Dannan, his mother one of the Formorians. (in the minor arcana- the Tuatha are represented by pentacles; the Formori by wands) and he was raised (in fosterage) by a third race- the Fir Bolg. The LWB gives us only the tiniest fraction of Lugh's story. Just a snapshot of a moment in time. It speaks of the time when Lugh arrived in Temair (or Tara). The doorkeeper wouldn't let him in unless he proved that he had a skill no one else did. So he proved that he had skills as a wright, a smith, a champion, a swordsman, a harpist, a hero, a poet and historian, a sorcerer, and a craftsman- in short everything the Tuatha themselves were skilled at. The doorkeeper told him they already had people who could do those things but Lugh simply pointed out that none of them could do all of those things as he could. Conceding the point, the doorkeeper let Lugh in.
So the story here is of a young man returning to a place that is his birthright. Its not exactly home because he didn't grow up there, but he has a right to call it home. Its a story of a young man who is no beginner. It is a young man who has acquired skills even if he hasn't had a real chance to use them yet. Its also a story about proving ones worth. Being all that you can be and more. It was about how Lugh was useful to the community he sought to join- about what he could offer them.
The Art
The card shows a rather handsome young man wearing a wide brimmed hat pulled low over his eyes. He wears a heavy torc, no shirt and simple pants only barely held up by his belt. He has a simple bag at his side that looks full. One hand holds a branch of the tree he is kneeling near, the other hand a wand with a small snake wrapped around it- two signs of knowledge and healing. The wand rests on a stone chess board which rests on a tortoise. Behind those is a rooster who looks like its about to crow. Lugh himself kneels on a miniature dolmen in front of an intricately carved piece of stone. There are a few gold rings, a torc and dish hanging from the branches of the tree. Finally, for some weird reason it looks like a sheep is peering over Lugh’s shoulder.
The Archetype
So, in keeping with the Archetype is Lugh is someone very skilled at what he does, but in a way, untested. He is full of the exuberance of youth, sure of his own superiority. He hasn’t learnt humility yet. Also, Lugh is connected with many elements, the wand, the earth, the gold. He can bring together many different elements into a cohesive whole. More then anything else, this Magician is busy. He has learnt a lot, but he hasn’t learnt everything- and he wants to. If he keeps on this road he one day will.
Other Interesting factoids-
*Lugh had a nature goddess counterpart called Rosemerta.
*According to some sources he was a version of the Roman god Mercury.
