By this point I have quite a few followers who are into Star Wars. And quite a few who are into medieval literature.
Allow me to tell you about The Tatooine Cycle, or Star Wars (1977) in the style of a medieval Irish epic, which started life on Twitter in November 2015. The whole thing is on the author’s blog, The Head of Donn Bó.
Some selections:
What was the reason for the Tragic Death of Cenn Obi and the Destruction of Da Thféider’s Hostel? (1) Not difficult that.
There was once a great queen of Alt Da Rann and Leia was her name. War had sprung up between her people and those of Da Thféider. She sent messengers to ask for aid from the wildman, Cenn Obi. He lived in the wilderness far to the west. These were the messengers she sent: Síd Tríphe Óg, who knew all the languages of man and beast,(2) and the dwarf, Artú.
My favourite thing about it is that Tom O’Donnell (the author) used the name Finn for Luke, on grounds that you wouldn’t find anyone called Luke in Irish mythology. Finn is a calque for Luke: both mean white, and secondarily, pure. Tom did not know at that point that there would be a Finn in Ep VIII.
The bandits sold the messengers to a farmer, Eogan his name. He gave them to his nephew, Finn Aiércoisige, (4) to look after. Artú told Finn why they had come to the region: to seek Cenn Obi, the wild man. Their lands and people were being destroyed. Finn knew the holy man who lived in the woods. The geilt would fly from treetop to mountain peak and lived on brook lime & fresh water.(5) The next day Finn and Artú set out into the wilderness to find the wild man. They see him on a hill and he recites this poem:
Come not near to me Finn
Though I knew your father
The wilderness is sweet to me
Who has not heard your name in a long timeCenn Obi recites random and cryptic poetry throughout, it’s glorious. Also glorious: the passage that combines the passing on of the lightsaber and the death of Owen and Beru:
“This is a powerful weapon from a better age. Do not point it at your face” said Cenn Obi. With his senses returned Cenn Obi agreed to help the princess and journey east with the messengers. Finn will not leave. Da Thféider’s warriors came to Eogan’s farm. They burned it down and killed Eogan, his wife and his livestock. This is an ill omen for the hospitaller. With right on his side Finn decides to journey with Cenn Obi to Mag Eisleigh.
This is an ill omen for the hospitaller. BRILLIANT.
Look, just go and read the post, to find out about the shining eye of Da Thféider that destroys armies in a single glance, and Finn Aiércoisige’s daring efforts to throw a spear through a small window and knock over a cauldron, thus setting on fire the hostel of Da Thféider.
This is so precisely up my alley I wonder if this person actually knows me.
Little-known fact: I have been completely fucking obsessed with the Tain since like 1996 when I wrote a big research paper on it. Anyway. I am off to read the fuck out of this thing. Amazing!This person is doing is PhD on medieval Irish lit. He may not know you personally but I’m sure he gets you.
Also, *adds one more to list of reasons bomberqueen17 is awesome and worthy of awe from a distance*
@vulgarweed this may be relevant to your interests.
oh it is. Thank you!
“Do not point it at your face”
from Tumblr http://ift.tt/1UmkUGh