through the fort. He is able to gain access and slays Cú Roí. Among the prisoners, however, is Fer Cherdne, Cú Roí’s bard. As the victorious procession winds its way along some cliffs, Fer Cherdne, in revenge for his master’s death, grabs Blathnát by the waist and jumps over the cliffs with her, killing them both.

Bleheris

[W] A Welsh bard whose name is identical with Bledhericus, mentioned by Giraldus Cambrensis, and whom Bréris, quoted by Thomas of Brittany, gives as an authority on the Tristan story. Nothing seems to have survived of his writings.

Blodeuwedd

[W] “Flower-aspect,” a beautiful maiden conjured out of the flowers of oak, broom, and meadowsweet by Gwydion and Math to be the bride of Lleu Llaw Gyffes. She is unfaithful and attempts to kill Lleu in favour of her lover Gronw Pebyr, but Lleu kills him and she is turned into an owl, outcast among even the birds. There seems a similarity here to the Irish Blathnát (Little Flower).

Boann

[I] The water goddess and wife of Nechtan, another water god. Her name means “she of the white cattle.” Nechtan kept a sacred well, Segais’ Well, which was the source of the inspiration of knowledge (see Nuts of Knowledge). Only four persons were allowed to go there. Boann refused to accept this geis, or taboo, and walked contemptuously around the well in a left-hand circle, whereupon the waters of the well rose up and drowned her. Its course formed the river named after her—the modern Boyne. In another version, however, she escaped while the waters formed the river.

In another tale, as wife of Elcmar, the Dagda wants to sleep with her and sends her husband on an errand. While he is away, the Dagda has his affair with Boann and she bears him a son. But the Dagda has caused the nine months to seem like one day to Elcmar so that he returns home, thinking a day has passed. The son of Boann and the Dagda is the love god Aonghus Óg. Some Christian scribes confused matters by trying to make Boann into the wife of the Dagda in accordance with Christian morality.

Bodb Dearg, The

Bodb the Red, son of the Dagda, who succeeded him as ruler of the gods. He dwelt at Loch Dearg on the Shannon. He helped Boann identify the girl in Aonghus Óg’s dream as Cáer. He had a daughter named Sadb who, through her affair with Fionn Mac Cumhail, became mother of Oisín.