Tuan mac Carell
(shape-shifting)
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The story of Tuan is found in the Book of the Dun Cow. Tuan was an old Donegal
warrior who was reputed to know the history of all of Ireland's races. He
recounted his story to St. Finnian, explaining that he had witnessed five
invasions of Ireland. When he had lived a long life, he went to sleep one
night and woke up the next morning a young stag. When the stag became old,
it fell asleep and woke up a boar. In old age, the boar became a hawk, which
in turn became a salmon. When the salmon grew old, it was caught and eaten
by Tuan's mother, and Tuan was conceived and born once again as a man. Some
explain this tale of shape-shifting as a series of shamanistic journeys. Made
from glazed red earthenware clay, the back of this limited edition piece displays
the artist's signature stamp and the LQP chop mark, 3" high".
