Forlong - Rivers of Life

450
Fig 176.—JACK OR I-AKO IN
THE BOX.
Rivers of Life, or Faiths of Man in all Lands.
god.” This term “green,” as most of my readers know, stands for griene or graine, Keltic
for the Sun; and these old races certainly succeeded in making this god and his Beth
(the Bethel) a perfectly shaped Muidhir (Sunstone) or Lingam. The rural plays in
connection with this graine god, and his Grainne or Venus 1
consist of the green pillar whirling and occasionally dancing
about, whilst a Bacchante-like female, is ever attendant on it,
and wildly dances round; her symbol is a golden looking ladle
or Argha with which she smites any who come near her.
IAK keeps whipping her with a rod or baton which he ever
and again projects from his leafy shell; his crown is finished
off exactly like that of our kings, and has golden tinsel all about it
as befitteth a solar deity.
Mr. Marcus Keane tells us 2 that although the Kelts of Ireland
rejected the phallic worship of their predecessors the Tuath-de-
Danaans, they yet retained their names and customs. May day
continued to be called La-Baal-Thinna, and was always con-
nected with the worship of Baal as “the green god”—a very
ancient term for Mercury, whose hue was green; and being so,
we here see him in dress of suitable shape and colour, and with
his Caduceus in hand. “Gad-el-glas or the Green-god-Snake” was an important Irish
deity, and the name seems to correspond with “the green god,” or “Primeval Boodh,”
which Coleman treats of in his Indian Mythology, but which I take the liberty of calling
Primeval Goad; I do not think there is any connection whatever between him and
Boodha. lreland abounds with names connected with green or graine, as Balt-in-glas,
“Fire of the Green Baal;” Tir-da-glas, or as they now call this in Tipperary, Terry
glas, “the tower of the Green God,” &c., which, with other corroborative matter, makes
Mr. Keane aud others think that Ireland came to be called “The green Island” from
this very prominent feature of its faith; and that dancings round May poles only took
place after the people had been prohibited dancing round the real phalli of the country. 3
I think, however, that dancing round poles was the oldest feature of this faith, and such
as must have taken place long ere the race could erect towers or obelisks. Hindoos at
this season have from time immemorial danced and swung round poles. They prepare
themselves for May by purification in the Ganges, then adore Bavāni, and cut and lacerate
themselves; and as mid month approaches, fast and fete in honour of her as “goddess
of generation,” offering up special prayers for the removal of barrenness. When Greeks
and Romans sacrifice to Agni, Hindoos celebrate a Dassera; worship the Snake gods
and Jagernāt, the Al-Fatah, ending the month with renewed ablutions. In like manner,
Kooths, Phenicians, and Kelts seem to have loved dancing round poles in early and
1 Marcus Keane says, Grainne is the Irish Venus.
3 Ibid., p. 42.
2 Towers and Temples of Ireland, p. 76