page_title: Cú Chulainn
section_title: Emer's only jealousy
hierarchical_section_title: Cú Chulainn / Legends / Emer's only jealousy
caption_attribution_description: English: Illustration of Cuchulainn and Emer by Harold Robert MillarFrom: Squire, Charles&#32;(n.d.),&#32;“Chapter 13: Some Gaelic Love-Stories”, in&#32;Celtic Myth And Legend Poetry And Romance, London&#58; Gresham Publishing Company, page 186. Originally published under the title The Mythology of the British Islands, London: Blackie and Son, 1905.
context_page_description: Cú Chulainn, also spelled Cú Chulaind or Cúchulainn and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin, is an Irish mythological demigod who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx mythology. He is believed to be an incarnation of the Irish god Lugh, who is also his father. His mother is the mortal Deichtine, sister of Conchobar mac Nessa.
  Born Sétanta, he gained his better-known name as a child, after killing Culann's fierce guard dog in self defence and offered to take its place until a replacement could be reared. At the age of seventeen he defended Ulster single-handedly against the armies of queen Medb of Connacht in the famous Táin Bó Cúailnge. It was prophesied that his great deeds would give him everlasting fame, but his life would be a short one. He is known for his terrifying battle frenzy, or ríastrad, in which he becomes an unrecognisable monster who knows neither friend nor foe. He fights from his chariot, driven by his loyal charioteer Láeg and drawn by his horses, Liath Macha and Dub Sainglend.
context_section_description: Cú Chulainn has many lovers, but Emer's only jealousy comes when he falls in love with Fand, wife of Manannán mac Lir. Manannán has left her and she has been attacked by three Fomorians who want to control the Irish Sea. Cú Chulainn agrees to help defend her as long as she marries him. She agrees reluctantly, but they fall in love when they meet. Manannán knows their relationship is doomed because Cú Chulainn is mortal and Fand is a fairy; Cú Chulainn's presence would destroy the fairies. Emer, meanwhile, tries to kill her rival, but when she sees the strength of Fand's love for Cú Chulainn she decides to give him up to her. Fand, touched by Emer's magnanimity, decides to return to her own husband. Manannan shakes his cloak between Cú Chulainn and Fand, ensuring the two will never meet again, and Cú Chulainn and Emer drink a potion to wipe the whole affair from their memories.
caption: "Cúchulainn rebuked by Emer", illustration by H. R. Millar from Charles Squire, Celtic Myths and Legends, 1905
exif: {"Image Rating": "0", "Image Tag 0x5012": "1", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "80", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "2668"}