Salmon of Knowledge
posted in conversation |
There’s an Irish story about Fionn mac Cumhaill; a hero akin to Ulysses. Many stories, in fact, are told about Fionn, but I recall this one with relish, because I like salmon.
Once there was a salmon, who ate the nine hazel nuts that fell into the fountain of wisdom. In doing so, the salmon gained all the knowledge of the world, and the first person who ate of his flesh would gain this knowledge. Finnegas was a poet and druid who happened to be the Fionn’s teacher. He spent nine years fishing, trying to catch this salmon. Shortly after Fionn met and agreed to study with Finnegan, Finnegan was finally successful at catching the fish. He stuck it on a spit over a fire and had Fionn turn the spit. He admonished Fionn not to eat the salmon, because, well, the Irish didn’t do sushi, and because it was Finnegan’s work that led to the fish being caught. However, the salmon started to slide off the spit and Fionn pushed it back on with his thumb, burning it. Like any of us would, he put his thumb in his mouth, thereby tasting of the salmon fats and learning the knowledge of the world.
The different animals on this painted salmon bring to mind more facets of the story, ones that have to do with a progression of wise animals; the bear, the stag, the eagle. Finnegan had gone to each of them in turn asking who was the most wise of the animals. He was lead to the salmon.
