Salmon of Wisdom

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The Salmon of Wisdom or Salmon of Knowledge (bradán feasa) is a creature figuring in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. It appears in The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn, which recounts the early adventures of Fionn mac Cumhaill. According to the story, it was an ordinary salmon that ate the nine hazel nuts that fell into the Fountain of Wisdom from nine hazel trees that surrounded the fountain. From the Fountain of Wisdom, five rivers flowed out, including the River Boyne and the River Shannon. In doing so, the salmon gained all the knowledge in the world. Moreover, the first person to eat of its flesh would, in turn, gain this knowledge.

The poet Finn Eces spent seven years fishing for the salmon. When he finally caught it, he instructed his apprentice, Fionn, to prepare it for him. Fionn burned his thumb when spattered with some of the hot fat from the cooking salmon and immediately sucked on it to ease the pain. He could access it whenever he put his thumb in his mouth.

When he brought the cooked meal to Finegas, his master saw a fire in the boy's eyes that had not been there before. When asked by Finegas, Fionn denied that he had eaten of the fish. When pressed, he admitted his accidental taste. It was this incredible knowledge and wisdom gained from the Salmon of Knowledge that allowed Fionn to become the leader of the Fianna, the famed heroes of Irish myth.

[edit] References

• The Salmon of Knowledge from AllAboutIrish.com. Retrieved on February 16, 2006.
• The Salmon of Knowledge from Celtic.org. Retrieved on February 16, 2006.