Morrigan, or the Morrigan, is a Celtic goddess with three aspects. She is the goddess of War, death, fate, birth and fertility, feminine sensuality of rivers, lakes, and fresh water as well as many other things. She can appear as a crone, a raven or a beautiful young woman. She is the Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legend and Queen of the fairies. Her name translates as great Queen. She is one of the Tuatha de Danaan tribe of the mother goddess in the old Celtic religion, which existed in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales during the Iron Age. It lasted in many areas until around the 6th century AD. The Celtic religion may well have come from an earlier matriarchal religion. The Celtic religion left its mark in the culture and stories of all the Celtic people, which is why it is important.

Some people view Morrigan as three sisters: Badb, Macha, and Anann; Badb is the goddess of war, Macha the goddess of sovereignty, and Anann is the mother of the gods. In The Second Battle of Magh Turedh, Morrigan meets Dagda at the river Unis, where they make love to one another ensuring victory for the Tuatha De Danann, the people, and freedom from slavery.

Morrigan became enamoured of Cu Chailinn after hearing of his battles. Asleep, after an exhausting day of single combat, he is awakened by a shout from the north, the Celtic kingdom of the dead, justice and elemental Earth and sets out to find the source of the shout. Travelling north he met a beautiful woman riding in a chariot and wearing a red dress and cloak. Cu Chailinn asked who she was and she replied that she was a princess, daughter of King Buan, the eternal one, who had fallen in love with him after hearing of his deeds. Cuchailinn replied that he had no time for women. Morrigan replied that she had been helping throughout his fights and would continue doing so in return for his love. Cuchailinn replied that he had no need of women’s help in battle. Morrigan, humiliated, said that if he did not want her love he could have her hatred and her interference in his next battle. He drew his sword and, seeing only a crow sitting in a tree, realized that he had met Morrigan.  

The first time Morrigan interferes in Cu Chulainn’s battles, she changes herself into an eel, tripping him in the ford; next, she changes herself into a wolf and stampedes cattle into the ford, then into a heifer leading the stampede. In each of these forms, Cu Chulainn wounds her. Cu Chailinn wins this battle despite Morrigan’s interference.

Later Morrigan appears to Cu Chulainn as an old woman, milking a cow, bearing the wounds that he gave her in her animal forms. Morrigan gives Cu Chulainn milk three times and, each time she does he blesses her healing her wounds.

Morrigan appeared to Cu Chulainn again on the day that he died, as three old women who persuade him to eat cooked dog meat, a food forbidden him. Cu Chulainn died in the battle of Muirthemne and as he died, Morrigan appeared as a crow sitting on his shoulder.

This story was passed down along with the other ancient Celtic stories orally until monks wrote it down around the twelfth century in the Ancient Celtic Chronicles. Like many ancient stories, from many cultures, it is a fable or parable, a story with a lesson. The story is a warning to men against arrogance, especially the arrogance with which men often refuse women’s help and love, and about the folly of disrespecting and humiliating women.