Myth in Nora Roberts’ Gallaghers of Ardmore Trilogy

Hello

Did you read or write anything this weekend?

Well, don’t ask me. You know that I must.

I read Gallaghers of Ardmore Trilogy by Nora Roberts a long time ago. This trilogy is based on a myth which touched my heart. And, I want to share the story of the myth with you.


Once upon a time, in the Irish village of Ardmore lived a girl. She was an only daughter of a fisherman. As a sea area, the main occupation of the villagers was fishing. Her mother died in her childhood. She lived in a cottage near the hills with her father.

The name of the girl was Gwen, known as Lady Gwen in the myth. She was lonely with no other neighboring families near her home. After her father fell asleep, she used to walk through the moors at night. Faerie Prince Carrick saw her one night and instantly, fell in love with her. Needless to say, that Gwen was beautiful. And, when she saw Carrick, she also fell in love with her. Thus began the story of their love and heart-break.

Every night, Gwen and Carrick started to meet. Sometimes, he took Gwen on his winged-horse and flew in the sky.

Gwen’s father saw them together flying on the winged-horse one night. He got scared for his daughter. Because, the faeries were immortal. If his daughter married the Faerie Prince, she would be immortal, too. And, she would leave his father’s home to live in the underground castle of the prince. So, he chose a young fisherman and got his daughter engaged.

Gwen and Carrick never told each other about their feelings. They also never discussed about a future together. So, Gwen being an obedient daughter understood her father’s fear and got engaged to please him.

Naturally, Carrick got angry hearing about the engagement. He wanted to marry her. She asked him why he wanted to marry her. He didn’t say anything in anger and flew up on his winged-horse. Gwen wiped her tears and went home. She never went out at night again.

The night before her marriage, he got on his winged-horse and went up to the sun and gathered the rays of the sun, which became diamonds, in a bag. Then, he went to Gwen’s home and gave her the bag of diamonds, saying that he would keep her in luxury all of their immortal life. But, Gwen refused him and returned the jewels. He threw away the jewels. Those fell on her garden and became flowers.

She got married to the fisherman. Her husband lived in her home with her father. He was a good person. After a few years, her father died. She had children by then.

In all those years, Gwen and Carrick didn’t forget their love. The mortal years are like days for the immortal faeries. So, one night, he again got on his winged-horse and went to the moon. He gathered the soft rays of the moon, which turned to pearls, in a bag.

That night, after her husband went to fishing, she felt the presence of Carrick. She opened the door and found Carrick who offered her the bag of pearls. She refused those, saying that she had a husband and children now. He threw away the pearls which became flowers in her garden.

Years later, Gwen’s husband died. Children got married. She was an old woman near her death. But, Carrick still loved her. To him, she was still the most beautiful girl in the world.

One night, he again got on his winged-horse and went under the sea. He gathered the heart of the sea, which became sapphires, in a bag. Then, he came to her home and offered the sapphires. But, she refused him again, saying that her end was near and it was too late now. She told him that in all those years, he just offered her jewels. The only thing that could have made her leave her father and family, he did not offer once…his love. He did not even once say that he loved her. If he did, she would go with him.

Hearing these, Carrick got mad. He never thought that the words were needed. He wanted to hear those words from her first. He showed his love for her through his actions. So, in anger, he cursed that she could never leave the mortal world, even after her death, until three couples of hearts would accept the three gifts he gave her and which she refused. But, the words said in anger became true as he was a faerie. And, once uttered, the words could not be taken back.

So, three hundred years passed after Gwen’s death. Still, she could not leave the mortal world. She forgave Carrick. Because, she realized that she had been foolish to listen to her father’s words, not her heart and Carrick’s action. She waited for the words that she knew was true. She just wanted to say him first.

Carrick was still in love with Gwen. He, too, realized that he was too proud to utter the words first. Instead, his pride and anger damaged both of them. Because, he could not see Gwen or go near her cottage where her ghost lived, until the conditions of the curse were met.


This is the end of the myth. It teaches that in a relationship both words and actions are important. We need to let the other person know that we love them through words and actions. And, pride - the first of the seven deadly sins, the cause of Satan’s downfall – is poisonous to a relationship.

Keep Reading and Writing!

Thanks

Bithi


Copyright 2018 by Bithi Paul