Blackbird/ Druid Dhubh

[shirley mclaren]

Hi Greygnome

Perhaps he was allergic to oats!  My little fellow was there again this morning, demanding his bread.  He fills his beak up as much as he can, then off he goes.  Perhaps he is trying to tell me something too, like I should get on with ovate studies!

BB

Shirley

[Tynan Elder Oak]

Some time ago now but still memorable my adopted brotehr and I had a trully magical experience.  We had just finshed circle and were standing outside when we heard a blackbird singing.  

It was deep night and at first we didn't think anything of it, then we realised that it was a blackbird.  Of course we also recalled the song, Blackbird singing in the dead of night, but much more than that we realised that it was a message to us that the gateway was well and trully open.  

What made it even more magical for me was that I love blackbird song, to me it is liquid sound, and I always notice it, but at that time of night when there is little else to be heard, its purity really stands out and goes striaght to the heart.

[~*Blackbird*~]

A really basic question but why is the Blackbird called Druid Dubh? I read somewhere that it meant black druid but I don't know how correct that is. Also, why exactly is the blackbird the Druid's bird and the bird of the forge?

I am particularly intrigued with this card as I have a powerful affinity with blackbirds. I've grown up with them and their song is the sweetest sound I've ever heard. The sound of home, memories and dreams. I love them Magical little creatures.

I recently bought the deck and found belatedly that it was only the deck and not the pack containing the book aswell so I've only got the brief explanation booklet! But these threads are so insightful and helpful so please continue with them!!!

[Greygnome]

Hi Blackbird, I only read that there is a story where Arthur has to consult all the oldest animals, one of them being a blackbird which pecks at a smiths anvil until it's worn away, also that the blackbird (and thrush) knock snails to break the shells so using a hammer and anvil approach.  Got this from DAO handbook hope it helps.  Had a blackbird at home which used to tap on our window to get food, certainly wore us down!  Sometimes it was every 5 minutes.

BB, Greygnome

[~*Blackbird*~]

Haha! That's great

Thanks for that it does help a little Is that from the story of the Three Elders of the World? :

"In the Welsh Triads, the “Trioedd Ynys Prydein,” the Owl of Cwm Cowlwyd, the Eagle of Gwernabwy, the Blackbird of Celli Gadarn are the Three Elders of the World. The Three Elders Triad refers to the story of "Culhwch ac Olwen". In this tale, the blackbird, the owl, and the eagle are among the five oldest creatures consulted by the Knights of King Arthur in their search for the huntsman, Mabon."

Thanks again!

[Greygnome]

Thats the one! Best of luck finding out more, let us know what you dig up.  

Greygnome

[Abhaill]

I read the following story in Sophia Morrison's collection, Manx Fairy Tales, first published nearly 100 years ago, and wanted to share it here:

Blackbird's Morning Song

OLD Robin Quirk one fine morning was sitting sunning himself before his cottage door, when the Blackbird, living in the Tramman Tree in his garden, flew down, settled near Robin, and began to talk to him in Manx:
  ' Irree, Robin, as gow smook.'  ' Rise, Robin, and take a smoke.'
  ' Cha nel thombaga aym.'  ' I have no tobacco,' said Robin.
  ' Kionn eh, kionn eh.'  ' Buy it, buy it,' cried Blackbird.
  ' Cha nel ping aym.'  ' I have not a penny,' poor Robin said.
  ' Gow er dayl, gow er dayl.'  ' Credit it, credit it,' was Blackbird's bad advice.
  ' Cha der ad dayl dou, boy.'  ' They won't give me credit, boy.'
  'Quit eh, eisht, quit eh.'  ' Quit it, then, quit it,' whistled Blackbird, flying home and closing the discussion.
  ' The imperence of sin is in them Blackbirds! ' Robin said.

Now just what does this charming little tale teach us about Blackbird?

~ Abhaill

[~*Blackbird*~]

Hehe I liked that Abhaill!
Finally got the proper book so that's a lot of my questions answered!:)

[Richardjohn]

Just to say.
When I was a boy, long ago, far away, a group of other boys had knocked a blackbirds nest from a small tree near to my home.
Being "the soft kid" I put the only survivor into my pocket and took her home, this led to regular worm digging sessions in the garden as her appetite was never satiated; from a stubby feathered chick over the few weeks of summer holiday she became a beautiful, speckled, adult bird; it was so hard to let her go, but mum made me strong enough to do it.
The rest of that summer and Autumn she was always near by, usually on the telephone wires near the house, and I would call to her in the mornings and evenings when going to and coming from school.
For a few weeks in the winter she did not appear and concern crept in... until one day in spring, there she was, the joy in seeing her was wonderful.
Sadly later in that year, Autumn, one day she was actually on the ground in the garden and closer than she had ever been since she had flown, and looking closely her beak was stuck open and full of soil, she would peck at the ground to try and feed but couldn't, I;m sure she was asking for help but we were too clumsy to help her and I think we frightened her with our clumsy attempts.
for two or three days she was at her old station on the wire, then no more.
I feel priviliged to have known you "chipper" I still think of you, I hope my attempts to play you tunes on the piano were not too discordant, and I hope you remember me.

[illion]

The blackbird accompanied me when I had my initiation into the bardic grove. The bird came to my garden as if to lead me to my sacred grove that I found in the forest. Every now and then I met him in the forest on my daily walks, and the day I had decided to perform my initiation, he was there, welcoming me to my grove.

Three years have passed by, and I am at the end of my bardic journey. The blackbirds haven't shown himself so frequently after I had my initiation, but now he's here again. This spring I met him everywhere on my trails in the forest. Flying across my path. That was very strange because I could meet five or six of them along a path in the forest, and all of them showed the same behaviour. They were flying across my trail.

This is what "Soløga" says of the blackbird in her book about animal language:
"You will discover something new about yourself. My gift to you is change and renewal."