2026-09-04 06:16 UTC
The visitor gives Cormac the branch and leaves. For a year Cormac uses the enchanting music to deal with every problem in his kingdom. Instead of listening and dispensing justice, he just shakes the branch.
In one year the stranger comes back for the first installment of the payment: Cormac's daughter.
The next year, he takes his son.
Then his wife.
Cormac is left alone. He uses the branch to dull the pain, but he eventually realizes the mistake he'd made, swapping people for easy magic.
2/3
Replies (1)
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@TarkabarkaHolgy@ohai.social 2026-09-04 06:18
In the second half of the legend, Cormac sets out on a quest to find his family. He travels to the otherworld and is tested by Manannan Mac Lir, admitting his mistake, and regaining his family. It is a long and hard quest, and he returns to his kingom wiser for it. It just strikes me that masking everything with an easy solution and paying for it with people's lives is... a very timely metaphor. And the way back is gonna be difficult. 3/3 #AI #folklore #mythology