Myths Of Great Britain.

[BIAD]

Here's a little story that belongs to a not-so-well-known place and holds information that should really set it as
an extraordinary place of interest. It's called the Gulf of Corryvreckan and is a whirlpool that lies just off the west
coast of Scotland.

For many outside of Great Britain, the country's perception is of a large mainland comprised of England, Scotland
and Wales and Ireland to the west. But there are small islands -especially in Scotland, that have held communities
for thousands of years.

For our tale, we're looking at an area of the Inner Hebrides, a narrow strait between the islands of Jura and Scarba
that holds a natural phenomena, an interesting factual history and a eyebrow-raising mythology.

Here's a map to show you where the tale is located and did you know that the Gulf of Corryvreckan is the third largest
whirlpool in the world? It's a perilous place and described by experienced scuba divers as the most dangerous stretch
of water in the world.



There was this guy you may know, George Orwell. In his later years, he suffered with tuberculosis and decided to move
to the island of Jura. One day he was forced to visit a sanatorium in Gloucestershire for his health and never returned
to the tranquility of the island.
But during his time there, Orwell was writing a novel titled '1984' and whilst enjoying a boat trip near the Corryvreckan,
almost fell victim to the treacherous vortex.

Back to the mythology.

The 'cauldron of the speckled seas' -as the Gaelic name means, is the place where the Norse Prince Breacan
took on a task to impress the father of a local princess, who the King of Denmark's son wished to take as his wife.
(The Princess -that is, not the father!)

To rouse such an impression of commitment to the young lady, Prince Breacan agreed to the wishes of the
young lady's father, that he would anchor his crewed-boat for three days and three nights at the swirling maelstrom.
Realising the dangers amongst the awful churning waters, Breacan believed he needed bonds of magic to save
himself and his men from such an aqueous doom.

Returning to Norway, the Prince demanded three items to secure his protection from the whirlpool and these
were a rope made of hemp, a rope created from wool and a rope of maiden's hair. The gallant Scandinavian
believed that such purity of these virtuous females would ensure that the cable would be unbreakable.

The ladies of innocence willingly cut off their locks and after plaiting the the rope for the young Prince, they
watched the courageous men sail away in search for their captain's one-true love.

Arriving back at the west coast of Scotland, Prince Breacan set about impressing the Princess' father and
enduring his three days and nights near the mouth of the Corryvreckan whirlpool. The thirty-foot waves lashed
and the terrible roar that -to this day, can be heard from ten miles away, drowned out any of the Princess' cries
for the welfare of her hopefully husband-to-be.

During the first night, the hemp line broke and Breacan's men brought the boat back under control by using the
anchor-rope manufactured from sheep-fleece. The second evening, the Prince and his crew rode the spiralling
waves until his mooring gave way due to the hawser of wool snapping.

Realising he only had one more day and night to undergo the menacing tempest, Prince Breacan ordered the rope
of chaste womens' hair and secured the boat to a nearby rock. As darkness fell and the Atlantic currents strained the
nerves of the crew and the bonds of the vessel, the rope of virgin's hair broke and the whirlpool swallowed the boat
and its contents.

But there were two survivors, one seaman and Breacan's faithful dog. Together, the soaken pair managed to save
themselves and drag the drowned body of Prince Breacan to shore.
Today, careful visitors to the island of Jura can see the cave where the Norse Prince was said to be buried.
Aird Bhreacain (the heights of Breacan) is a hill that stands just above where the raging waters of the Corryvreckan
whirlpool waits for its next victim.


The Whirlpool and the alleged Prince's place of rest, 'The King's Cave'.

Oh... before I forget, the sailor who survived the watery ordeal returned to his homeland of Norway with his account
of what had happened. Hearing the fate of their Prince, one of the maidens -who had gladly given her hair to make
the rope, was so wracked with guilt that she came forward and admitted that maybe she hadn't been as 'maidenly
and virginal' as she'd first inferred!