The whole story is built up on the well-known Marchen formulae of the “True Bride” and the “Two Brothers,” but accommodated to well-known mythic personages, and the grianan is the Celtic equivalent of various objects in stories of the “Cinderella” type, in which the heroine conceals herself, the object being bought by the hero and kept in his room.[289] Thus the tale reveals nothing of Etain’s divine functions, but it illustrates the method of the “mythological” school in discovering sun-heroes and dawn-maidens in any incident, mythical or not.

Oengus appears in the Fionn cycle as the fosterer and protector of Diarmaid.[290] With Mider, Bodb, and Morrigan, he expels the Fomorians when they destroy the corn, fruit, and milk of the Tuatha De Danann.[291] This may point to his functions as a god of fertility.

Although Mider appears mainly as a king of the side and ruler of the brug of Bri Leith, he is also connected with the Tuatha Dea.[292] Learning that Etain had been reborn and was now married to King Eochaid, he recovered her from him, but lost her again when Eochaid attacked his brug.  He was ultimately avenged in the series of tragic events which led to the death of Eochaid’s descendant Conaire.  Though his sid is located in Ireland, it has so much resemblance to Elysium that Mider must be regarded as one of its lords.  Hence he appears as ruler of the Isle of Falga, i.e. the Isle of Man regarded as Elysium.  Thence his daughter Blathnat, his magical cows and cauldron, were stolen by Cuchulainn and Curoi, and his three cranes from Bri Leith by Aitherne[293]—­perhaps distorted versions of the myths which told how various animals and gifts came from the god’s land.  Mider may be the Irish equivalent of a local Gaulish god, Medros, depicted on bas-reliefs with a cow or bull.[294]

The victory of the Tuatha Dea at the first battle of Mag-tured, in June, their victory followed, however, by the deaths of many of them at the second battle in November, may point to old myths dramatising the phenomena of nature, and connected with the ritual of summer and winter festivals.  The powers of light and growth are in the ascendant in summer; they seem to die in winter.  Christian euhemerists made use of these myths, but regarded the gods as warriors who were slain, not as those who die and revive again.  At the second battle, Nuada loses his life; at the first, though his forces are victorious, his hand was cut off by the Fomorian Sreng, for even when victorious the gods must suffer.  A silver hand was made for him by Diancecht, and hence he was called Nuada Argetlam, “of the silver hand.”  Professor Rh[^y]s regards him as a Celtic Zeus, partly because he is king of the Tuatha De Danann, partly because he, like Zeus or Tyr, who lost tendons or a hand through the wiles of evil gods, is also maimed.[295] Similarly in the Rig-Veda the Acvins substitute a leg of iron for the leg of Vispala, cut off in battle,