Gáe Bulg
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The Gáe Bulg (also Gáe Bulga, Gáe Bolg, Gáe Bolga, meaning "notched spear", "belly spear", "bellows-dart," or possibly "lightning spear") was the spear of Cúchulainn in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. It was given to him by his teacher, the warrior princess Scáthach, and its technique was taught only to him.
It was made from the bone of a sea monster, the Coinchenn, that had died while fighting another sea monster, the Curruid. Although some sources make it out to be simply a particularly deadly spear, others - notably the Book of Leinster - state that it could only be used under very specialized, ritual conditions:
| “ | The Gáe Bulg had to be made ready for use on a stream and cast from the fork of the toes. It entered a man's body with a single wound, like a javelin, then opened into thirty barbs. Only by cutting away the flesh could it be taken from that man's body.[1] | ” |
In other versions of the legend, the spear had seven heads, each with seven barbs. In the Táin Bó Cuailnge, Cúchulainn received the spear after training with the great warrior master Scáthach in Alba. She taught him and his foster-brother, Ferdiad, everything the same, except she only taught the Gáe Bulg feat to Cuchulainn. He later used it in single combat against Ferdiad. They were fighting in a ford, and Ferdiad had the upper hand; Cúchulainn's charioteer, Láeg, floated the Gáe Bulg down the stream to his master, who cast it into Ferdiad's body, piercing the warrior's armor and "coursing through the highways and byways of his body so that every single joint filled with barbs." Needless to say, Ferdiad died soon after. On a separate occasion, Cúchulainn also killed his own son, Connla, with the spear. In both instances, it was used a last resort, as once thrown it proved invariably fatal.
The name Gáe Bulg may be related linguistically to Fergus mac Róich's sword, Caladbolg. Like many mythical weapons, references to the spear appear in numerous modern fantasy stories, comics, and video games.
[edit] Gáe Bulg in popular culture
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- Gáe Bulg is available to Lancer (who is actually Cúchulainn) in the visual novel game Fate/stay night.
- Gáe Bulg is the name of the spear used by the comic character Slaine
- Gáe Bulg is the name of Prince Cuan's trademark spear from Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu, later passed down to his daughter Altenna.
- Gae Bolg is the name of a two-handed spear in the game Ragnarok Online and a partisan item in Phantasy Star Online.
- Gae Bolg is the weapon of Astaroth Aslan in Trinity Blood.
- Gae Bolg is one of the spears Kimahri Ronso can wield in Final Fantasy X.
- Gae Bolg is a purchasable spear in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance with lightning elemental properties.
- Gae Bolg is an object found on the mobile Chulainn in New Thalos City in CircleMUD.
- In Final Fantasy XI, Gae Bolg is a powerful, high-level spear that can be obtained from the dragon Vouivre.
- Gae Bolg is a high-level weapon in Ragnarok Online. It is especially effective against Dragon-race enemies.
- Gae Bolg is a mid-level enemy in Final Fantasy Legend II.
- Gae Bolg is one of the spears that Jade Curtiss can equip in Tales of the Abyss.
- Gae Bolg is depicted as the "Spear of Light" in Disney's Gargoyles.
- Gae Bolga is the name of a spear in the PS2 game Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
- Gae Bolga is the name of a high-level Lance in the Japanese version of the PSP game Monster Hunter Freedom (Dragon Rider Spear in the English version). It's made by upgrading a "Grayburg Javelin", which was named "Gae Bolg" in the original Japanese version of the game.
- Gaë Bolg (also: Gaë Bolg And The Church Of Fand) is a music project of Sol Invictus' ex trumpet player. [1] [2] [3]
[edit] References
- ^ The Táin, trans. Thomas Kinsella
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| Supernatural figures | Bébinn • Boann • Étaín • Fand • Lugh • Macha • Midir • Morrígan |
| Warriors and heroes | Aífe • Ailill • Briccriu • Conall Cernach • Conaire Mór • Conchobar • Conn Cétchathach, Connla • Cú Chulainn • Cú Roí • Ferdiad • Fergus mac Roích • Fráech • Lóegaire Búadach • Lugaid mac Con Roí • Lugaid Riab nDerg • Medb • Naoise • Scáthach |
| Civilians | Cathbad • Deichtine • Deirdre • Emer • Uathach |
| Weapons | Fragarach • Gáe Bulg |
| The Bulls | Donn Cuailnge • Finnbhennach |
| part of a series on Celtic mythology | |
