Abcán

In Irish mythology, Abcán (modern spelling: Abhcán) was the dwarf poet and musician of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the early Celtic divinities of Ireland. He was said to have a bronze boat with a tin sail.^[1]

In the story of the death of the goddess , Abcán is the dwarf that ferries her from the Otherworld to this one so that she can seduce the human, . The sounds of mermaids singing, or in some versions, music from a fairy mound cause her to leap into the water and drown.^[2]

In another story, Abcán is captured by the hero, Cúchulainn. He frees himself by playing lullabies so irresistible that the warrior goes to sleep.^[3]

Abcán has much in common with, and may be another name for, the dwarf musician Fer Í.

Footnotes[]

References[]

• Monaghan, Patricia (2004). The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore, Checkmark Books, New York, NY

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