Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1876 — Celtic Legends of Sunken Cities. [ARTICLE]

Celtic Legends of Sunken Cities.

There is one myth common to ths Celtio race in many places, a myth which telle of . a mighty for the wickedness of its inhabitants. In Ireland the waters of Lough Neagh are supposed to cover *the vestiges of such a city, and in Wales Bay of Cardigan. But the myth has associated itself, in most detail and consistency, with the Bay of Douarnenez. As a matter of fact, traces oi Roman roads leading from inland to the hay, traces of Roman buildings on the De Tristan, and at many points of the shore near the town of Douarnenez, point certainly to an important stution which existed at this point of Gaul, and on ground upon which the sea has at least partially encroached. These remains, in the days when legends grew, must have been far more conspicuous than now. The popular imagination seems to have taken hold of them, and of the reputation of a certain Gradlon, who, as far as real history shows, seems to have had a historical existence as Count over a small principality in the Black Mountains in the sixth or seventh century. With these data, and with that national myth of a submerged city in their brains, they have fashioned a legend like this : " Gradlon the Great was King of all Cornwall, and had Jiis capital at Quimber. When he and his Kingdom were converted by St. Corentin he madeover the city of Quimber to the Government of that saint, and went to live and rule his dominions from another city by the sea. This city was called Is, and was one of the mightiest and godliest in the world; but men lived there too riotously. It was built on low ground beside the sea, and the waters were kept out by a pair of great sluice-gates of which no man had the key—a key of pure gold—but the King only. Now King Gradlon had .a daughter, the Princess Dahut, and loved her dearly. But Dahut cared neither for God nor man, and was first in all manner of riotness; and the lovers that were brought to her nightly she was wont to murder before dawn, and send their bodies to be flung into a pit far within the country. So God was angry against Daliut anti against that city. And one day King Gradlon met St. Corentin (or as others say his disciple Saint Guennole) in the forest of Nevet; and the Saint said to him: ‘ Beware, for the wrath of God is abo|d to make itself felt against thee and tlnne.’ But the King took no heed. And one night after the feast was over the foul fiend came in the guise of a lover to Daliut, and caressed her and asked her for the golden key from about her father’s neck. And Dahut went to fer father where he slept, and took the ey from about his neck and gave it to her lover. And the foul fiend vanished away, and took the key and turned it; and the sluice-gates were opened, and the waters went over the city. And King Gradlon leaped upon his horse and rode for life j and Dahut begged with a great voice that he would take her behind him. And he took her behind him; but the sea pursued them; and a voice cried: 4 Let go the accursed one that rides behind thee;’ and Dahut’s arms were loosened, and she fell and was drowned, and the waters were stayed, and the place where she fell is called Poul-Dahut to this day.” — Cornhill.