The Spring of Nine Hazels: Tales of Celtic Heritage

by Kathleen Cunningham Guler (Editor)

According to Celtic myth, the hazel is the tree of wisdom. Its fruit, the hazelnut, contains all the knowledge of the world—past, present and future. A salmon swimming in a spring below the tree comes to bear this knowledge after having eaten nine hazelnuts that fell into the water. Consequently, those who partake of this "Salmon of Knowledge" will receive the wisdom known as the nine hazels of poetic art. The poetic arts — storytelling, poetry, song, drama — formed the heart of early Celtic culture and were held in the highest esteem. Not merely entertainment, the telling of tales was considered magical; through their words bards had the ability to bless, protect and heal their listeners. Over many centuries of existence, the Celtic peoples’ gift of storytelling came to embrace their history, mythology, spirituality, and folklore as well as to reflect their remarkable resilience. Today, the poetic arts remain a hallmark of Celtic heritage. The wisdom within — never static, always evolving — will carry on into the distant future. Bardsong Press is proud to present a delightful collection of original poetry, short fiction and essays. Told with Celtic wit, elegance, and grittiness, these tales are a fine contribution to the storytelling tradition and a testament to the nine hazels of poetic art.

Paperback

Published September 1, 2004

About the author

Novelist Kathleen Cunningham Guler is the author of the multi-award winning Macsen’s Treasure series that includes Into the Path of Gods, In the Shadow of Dragons, The Anvil Stone and A Land Beyond Ravens. She has studied Celtic history and Arthurian legend for almost thirty years in both the United States and Great Britain and has published numerous articles, essays, reviews, short stories and poetry. A descendant of the Celtic nations of Wales and Scotland, the author is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the International Arthurian Society.

See my blog: http://kathleenguler.blogspot.com