336 Proceedings of the Roi/al Irish Academy. 



documents reduce these three druids to two, but the way in which their 

 names are stated shows that there were originally three separate names — 

 otherwise we might reasonably suppose that there were actually only two 

 stones, called Moel-Eluiec and Bluicne. In such a case Blocc would 

 necessarily have been the name of a god, otherwise unattested ; for the 

 formula Moel- is essentially theophorons, like Fer-, Nia-, Mug-, and sometimes 

 Mac-. On the other hand, the three names arc cast into the formula usual 

 in such briplicities. These are almost invariably in the form A,l -'..?>', in 

 which B' is an orthographical variant of B, or at least is connected with B 

 by assonance or alliteration. Thus, the three sons of Tuiriu, otherwise called 

 the " gods of the Tuatha De* Danann," were Brian, Luchar, [ucharba. The 

 three guardian spirits of the Bacred well of Sid Nechtain were called Flesc, 

 Lesc, and Luam. Ev.-n in the modem chapbook reprinted in Thackeray's 

 / th Sketch-book we find the same formula, Hudden, Dudden, and Donald 

 O'Neary. 1 In Buch cases it will generally be found that it is the individual 

 with the Bingular name— A of the formula— thai is the effective personality ; 

 the other two, B and B', being merely the chorus Eere however, we have a 

 remarkable exception to this rule: Blocc and Bluicne are the important 

 Btones, while Moel is in the background. 



The evolution of the formula is easily understood. The Celtic gods 

 originated in groups of shadow] beings, of indefinite numbei and very feebly 

 developed personality, who gradually crystallized into clear-cul individuals. 

 Thus, the Bun-god Lug tion, bo to Bpeak, of a previous group of 



Lugovea, for whi afraphic evidence. When attempts 



were m ide to f a conception, cither mental or graphic. <>i' the.-r lacings, it 



natural to figure them in threes three being the firs! number in which 

 plurality fig re represents Bt6g, two 9tS>, and three <!t»i. 



Such symbolical e ' ; nevitablj groups of three 



independent personalities. When it comes to name these, one of them will 



be given a name in the singular number derived f i the plural by which 



the original group was known: andtheothei t\w. will be fitted with factitious 

 names which will naturally tend to resemble one another. Such a group as 

 ind Bluicne is therefore only what we mighl expect. Tims there 

 were most probably tin- . nol two; bul only two of them, Bet the 



mor< re used foi the squeezing rite. It will not escape 



notice that what - fatal to Petrie's identification of these 



iier examples of triplicitii ly constructed will be found in ;i lift of the 



tha De Danann in L - l ■ of the added names (B, B) 



is ni. i iii the names of twins: on which see 



lei H irri- H /' ' •. chap. viii. 



