The wisdom of the moon goddess.

Once in the time of the Ulster circle.

Their lived a not so wise iron smith called Culainn.

No one in his clan could tell who Culainn loved more.

His new young wife Orla or his great giant irish wolfhounds.

Most suspected the answer to be the wolfhounds.

For he never missed a day to hunt with them and the rest he spent tending to their needs.

Orla been young in years did not mind.

It was more than enough having to spend her nights with him.

To help with his hounds Culainn had a young orphan servant called Bran.

Who even thou Culainn was strict with the lad it was plain to all that Culainn loved him like a son.

Culainn pitied the poor boy.
Who at only five winters old had lost all his family. They were killed by wolves in the dark forest.

Since that night the boy hated wolves and vowed to use the wolfhounds to hunt and wipe out all their kind from that forest.

This hate blinded him to all that was good in his life.

He never smiled.

Disliked the company off people.

Most did not know why Culainn loved him so much.

When the wise in the clan warned Culainn that the boy was a bad one.

Culainn would brush them aside.

Saying if his hounds loved the boy there was good in him.

Orla hated the boy.

Always at her husbands side and the boy hated her even more.

But hate and love are just two sides of the same leaf and who knows which way the wind will blow.

On the night Orla became lost in the deep dark wood, the wind turned the leaf.

By the light of the full moon, the lost Orla found a clearing in the dark dense wood.

Unfortunately she had wondered into a wolf den.

The wolves surrounded her and were about to kill the intruder.

When Bran leapt into the middle of them and pushed Orla behind him.

He turned to the alpha wolf and cried.

"I have lost my father to you."

"I have lost my mother to you."

"I have lost my brother and my sweet young sister to you."

"All that I have loved you have taken from me. You will not take her from me."

And with that the boy fought bear handed with the alpha.

Orla did not know how but the boy killed the great wolf.

Bran stood his ground.

Ripped and bloodied.

His breathing hard.

Eyes filled with passion and hate.

All the wolves cowered and moved away in haste.

She watched the boy collapse.

Moved.

She went over and touched his shoulders.

He pulled away.

Went to hit her but was to weak.

Disgusted she was ready to leave him there.

Then she noticed the tears in his eyes.

This time she placed her arms around him.

He tried to pull away from her.

He tried to fight her off but he could not.

His strength and his heart would not obey him.

For the first time since the slaughter of his family he allowed love to take over his body and soul.

The two who had love lost to them found it under the light of the moon.

After.

Both spent.

They lay in the grove.

She wrapped in his gentle arms.

That is how Culainn found them.

He felt the rage rise in his heart and drew his sword over his head.

Ready to kill both with a single blow.

In their eyes he could see they excepted their fate.

Both knew they had done wrong.

But it did not matter.

For both had found love and could not live in a world that would no longer allow it.

Culainn deserved his revenge and they would not deny it to him.

His sword and all his rage came down.

It struck the ground beside the two lovers.

He could not do it.

Despite his rage he knew he loved his wive and the boy was to much like a son.

Revenge was something he felt was pointless.

It solved nothing.

He could not kill them.

The three stood in the forest not knowing what to do.

Just then a silver and white owl flew down from its tree top perch.

Before their startled eyes the owl transformed into Arianrhod the sliver moon goddess.

She told the three she felt great pity for their plight.

Arianrhod offered her council.

She asked the three what each wished for.

Whoever's wish she deemed as just, she would grant.

Orla went first and wished she could continue to love Bran for she knew how much he needed her.

Bran went next and wished he could always be able to love and protect Orla while also be able to serve Culainn.

Culainn then wished to still be able to love his wife and remain Bran's master. But the two should never be able to meet each other again.

The moon goddess smiled and said.

"Is that all. Then I will be able to grant all your wishes."

By the light off the full moon.

She cast these two curses.

She cursed Orla to be a werewolf.

Always turning once a month upon the full moon.

She cursed Bran to be an irish werewolf hound.

Only becoming human once a month upon the full moon.

"There all your wishes answered."

Announced the moon goddess.

"Orla you can still love Bran as a pet without threatening Culainn's love for you.

Bran you can love and protect Orla as her guard dog.

And Culainn if you forgive her, you can continue loving your wife and have Bran lead your wolfhounds."

"Also bran is a hound all month but human only at the full moon and Orla is a wolf only during the full moon. They can never meet each other as humans again."

"See. All your wishes answered,"

Smiled the moon goddess and changed back into a silver owl.

She flew into the dark wood leaving the three to face their fate.

So it came to pass as soon as the sun rose Bran transformed into an irish wolf hound.

He spent his spare time at Orla's side and became Culainn's finest biggest and loyal hound.

Then at the next full moon as he changed back so Orla turned into a werewolf.

It took all their wits to lock her in a cage.

She killed two servants and injured two more in the process.

Bran guarded her outside the cage all night long.

Until morning broke and she turned human again.

Sadly Bran turned at the same time.

Two lovers together but never able to meet.

As the months went by Bran became more loyal to his master and Orla.

But Orla herself became more wild and vicious as the wild wolf's instincts took hold.

She attacked her husband even when he didn't deserve it.

Refusing to get into her cage.

It took all the servants he had to try to get her in.

Culainn did not know what to do.

So he asked the Druid chief Cathbad for help.

Cathbad advised him to hold a feast in his keep for himself, the Ulster king Conor Mac Nessa and all his red branch knights on the next full moon.

"The knights will help put the monster in the cage and he will see if he can break this curse."

Culainn did as the Druid instructed and held a great feast upon the next full moon.

It took Bran and twenty of Ireland's greatest warriors to put the werewolf in her cage.

After they went inside to feast.

Just before dawn a boy was walking up the keeps path.

Swinging a hurly and hitting a slighter ball as far as he could.

As he got close to the keep he picked up the slighter and fired it.

The ball smashed the lock of the cage.

The wolf jumped out and the boy screamed.

Twenty red branch warriors ran from the keep to capture the wolf.

The werewolf killed all twenty knights.

Biting their heads off.

More brave knights joined the carnage only to be slaughtered by the wolf.

Then the wolf escaped down the path.

Bran, Culainn, Cathbad and the high king gave chase.

But to their shock they could make out a boy no more than eight winters old holding a hurly.

They screamed out to the boy.

Who saw the hell beast coming straight towards him.

The wolf leapt.

Flying in the air at the boy.

The boy quickly picked up a stone, hit it with the hurl. straight at the wolf.

The wolf collapsed choking as the stone entered it's mouth.

Then just as the sun rose the beast changed.

Orla choked to death in front of the boys shocked gaze.

Bran screamed in anger as he watched his true love die.

He changed into the werewolf hound and ran towards the boy as vengeance consumed him.

He leapt at the boy only to be brought down by a hail of spears fired by the remaining red branch knights.

Covered in spears he fell howling in pain.

The warriors looked with pity at the poor animal.

Some drew their swords ready to put the creature out of its misery.

Then to their amazement the dog pulled itself up onto its feet.

The near dead dog dragged itself over to his missteress.

It lay across her dead body.

Protecting his missteress as if she was still living.

"That hound should be dead?"

Spoke the king.

"It is an irish werewolf hound my king." Cathbad said.

"It cannot die but will take a long time to heal."

Culainn ran to his dead wife and fallen wolfhound.

"I have lost my wife and my great hound is so wounded" cried Culainn.

"And I have lost over twenty of my greatest warriors." Spoke the king.

"It is my fault." Answered the young boy.

"Let me make amends, I am Setanta. I have come here to join the red branch knights. If you take me I will grow as strong as twenty of your best warriors. Also let me serve as your hound Culainn, until this great one has healed."

Both the high king and Culainn dismissed the foolish boy.

But Catbad the Druid chief told them to accept the boys offer.

"I see great things in this boy, let me train him in the ways off the red branch knights and let him be Culainn's hound indeed from this day forth let the boy be known as Cu Culainn. The hound of Culainn."

He turned to the lad and smiled.

"I will make you a legend boy."

Bran refused to leave Orla's body.

He growled at any attempt to part them.

"Leave him be," ordered Culainn to all the servants.

"Let him lay with his love for as long as he chosses."

By the next day the wolfhound was still holding vigil across her dead body.

No servant would disturb them.

He pulled the spears from his body with his teeth.

Refused to eat or drink anything the servants had offered.

Despite this he grew stronger and his wounds healed.

The days turned to weeks and still he stayed by her side.

Until once more the full moon bathed the lovers with moonlight.

He turned.

Becoming human.

For the first time since that moonlit night in the forest.

He held his love, gently wrapping her in his arms.

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