[Cro Dreoilin] Cró Dreoilín

[Chris Redmond]

Chris and Kelley are pleased to announce the name of our new Celtic 
Reconstructionist group:  Cró Dreoilín!

The name is an Irish phrase which roughly translates to English as 
"Wren's Nook".  But like many Irish to English translations, this simple 
one does not capture the many connotations in each word.

Dreoilín means "wren" but is also "little druid", "druid's bird", and 
"soul of the oak".

We have translated cró to mean "nook", but it signifies many small 
places, such as a hollow, a small house or outbuilding, an eye (as of a 
needle or a tree), or a fold. It is closely related to the words for 
blood and heart. Wrens are known for building their nests in little 
crevices in walls or trees or under bushes.  They are diminuitive little 
creatures, but they have an important place in the Celtic world.

The story goes that one day long ago, all the birds and flying creatures 
of the air got together to choose from amongst themselves a king.  The 
choice was to be made by a contest of flight:  The bird that could reach 
the greatest heights would be crowned the king.

So they all took flight, each after its own manner.  The Eagle's strong 
wings made him a popular favorite to win the contest.  He flew in wide, 
soaring arcs, climbing unceasingly into the sky.

But the Wren, who was a somewhat less likely candidate but no less 
enthusiastic for all that, took off like a shot straight up into the 
air.  He outpaced many of the other birds, but quickly grew tired and 
had to find a place to land and rest his wings for a while.

Meanwhile, the Eagle continued to climb.  With satisfaction he watched 
as, one by one, the other birds reached the limits of their endurance 
and glided back to Earth below him.

When at last he too could fly no higher, he looked around and saw that 
the sky was empty around him.  Not a single flying creature could be 
seen.  With a feeling of triumph, he prepared to dive impressively back 
down to Earth and assume his crown.

Just at that moment, the Wren, who had been perched under the feathers 
of the Eagle's back all this while, took wing once again.  Being fully 
rested, he once again took off like a shot, straight up, and flew still 
higher than the greatest height the Eagle could reach.

That is why, to this day, the clever little Wren is the King of All Birds.

***


Please join us in welcoming Cró Dreoilín into the world!

-- Chris and Kelley.


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