Song of Albion

[JestersTear1]

I have all of Enya's cd's but 'The Celts' is my favourite. It has always been a special album for me. I listen to it a lot when winding down.

I like some Clannad too especially the 'Legend' CD from Robin Of Sherwood.

[twyrch]

JestersTear1 said:

I have all of Enya's cd's but 'The Celts' is my favourite. It has always been a special album for me. I listen to it a lot when winding down.

I like some Clannad too especially the 'Legend' CD from Robin Of Sherwood.

I think the "LORE" Cd is my favorite one of the Clannad group.

I too have many of Enya's songs. I love her as an artist.

[laurelin]

I used to have Memory of Trees and the Celts. They have, unfortunately, mysteriously disapppeared...They were good CDs, especially the Celts.

[Tegid]

Talk to me about Nettles.

He broke a geas, in a manner of speaking, just as surely as Llew did.
And he paid the highest price for doing so, just as Llew did.
And, given another chance, I don't believe he'd have it any other way, just as Llew wouldn't.

Talk to me about Nettles.

[karenee]

Hmmm... was this part in the first book?

*Needs to get the last two books of the series now.*

[Dred]

This was in the last book. Happy reading.

[Tegid]

But it sure helps to couple what little is in the last book with what little is in books one and two about him. Even though he is a supporting player that doesn't get much stage time, his role and character loom more important to me the more I consider him. A real unsung hero, I think.

[DanTheMan]

Hmm. I actually haven't thought too much about Nettles. While he is sort of the link between Llew and our world, I don't see how he could have had a much bigger role. Tegid, perhaps you should explain more why you think Nettles is this "unsung hero."

[Tegid]

It's a small role, granted, but how critical some small roles can be! What would be different if there were no Nettles? If he weren't in book 1, Siawn Hy would fairly be handed the Otherworld. But I'm still trying to sort through his role in book 3. That's where, on a smaller scale, I see glimpses of fully-developed noble characteristics naturally present in him that took so long to work in Llew. Before this, Nettles just seemed like some pedantic stickler for the order of things. But toward the end, it really becomes apparent that his passion about his beliefs translated into a real passion for the Otherworld as well as for this one, and (as I alluded earlier) he was willing to give up everything necessary in order to do his part in saving both worlds.

[karenee]

I do remember respecting Nettles far more than Llew. He was, perhaps, a less adventurous character but I think his solidity and faith were very impressive, especially as they were based on the unseen.

[DanTheMan]

I agree that Nettles had the faith, knowledge, and wisdom. But it took Llew to put the plans into action. It's true that Llew wasn't the best guy at the start of the books, but his willingness to take a stand and be the man has garnered my respect. I can appreciate Nettles for seeing the need and convincing Llew to go. Nettles was also honorable throughout. I just have to hold Llew in high regard for being the man. Tegid (from the book) also is worthy of much of my respect. He held true to his calling and saw the goodness inside Llew that wasn't at first apparent.
Boy, I find this hard to put into words. I will give it more thought and I hope I can explain better. I am enjoying this discussion.

[dinadan]

I think the change in Nettles that Tegid talks about, from the guy wanting balance and order, to the guy with a passion for the continuance of the Otherworld for its own sake, is a bit deeper. In TPW, Nettles is the old man with all the answers--and hence why, when Nettles first appears in the Otherworld, Llew introduces him as the nearest thing to a bard to be found in our world. But, what does Nettles really know? He's a believer, certainly--but he's also a little too academic. He's been out on the fringe so long, by the time Lewis comes around, that he believes that he really DOES have all the answers. I think his time in the Otherworld, experiencing it first-hand, really put him back in his place--but also opened him up to be the person that, I think, he always wanted to be/thought he was. Does that make sense?

This could be a totally bizarre reading of Nettles, but that's always what I got from him, even from the very first time I read the "Song."

[Tegid]

Yes, it does make sense, and I don't consider it a bizarre take, at all.

I really appreciate all these comments on Nettles; they help me sort through and understand more of what I see so dimly.

I hope you folks continue to add your ideas. And you don't have to limit yourself to Nettles.

[twyrch]

dinadan said:

I think the change in Nettles that Tegid talks about, from the guy wanting balance and order, to the guy with a passion for the continuance of the Otherworld for its own sake, is a bit deeper. In TPW, Nettles is the old man with all the answers--and hence why, when Nettles first appears in the Otherworld, Llew introduces him as the nearest thing to a bard to be found in our world. But, what does Nettles really know? He's a believer, certainly--but he's also a little too academic. He's been out on the fringe so long, by the time Lewis comes around, that he believes that he really DOES have all the answers. I think his time in the Otherworld, experiencing it first-hand, really put him back in his place--but also opened him up to be the person that, I think, he always wanted to be/thought he was. Does that make sense?

This could be a totally bizarre reading of Nettles, but that's always what I got from him, even from the very first time I read the "Song."

Dinadan, I think you hit it on the head. I couldn't have said it better myself.

The thing that struck me about Nettles is this... He seemed like the mad hatter in a way, in the first book. But by book 3, when he enters the otherworld, he keeps his pride in check and allows himself to be taught.

By doing so, Tegid teaches him so much, in so little time that I believe he could have almost been our world's version of Tegid, had he been allowed to cross back over. Oh what a difference he would have made to the Celtic Studies Program when he returned.

[dinadan]

I always saw Nettles as sharing some character qualities with Ollathir. But, his instruction in the Otherworld was one reason why he had to die--I'm afraid Nettles would've tried to be a "bard" in the manifest world, and that would've been too much of a disruption of the balance.