by Ella Young
First published 1992
Gubbaun Saor stands at his anvil, hammer raised, ready to create another world. This mythical Irish smith, also called Cullion, possesses powers beyond mortal understanding. He shapes entire universes with his tools and sends stars spinning across the heavens from the sparks that fly from his forge. These fourteen tales follow the Wonder Smith through his extraordinary acts of creation and craftsmanship. Each story reveals new facets of his magical abilities as he bends reality to his will. The narratives capture the rhythmic flow of Irish speech, drawing from both English and Gaelic oral traditions. Gubbaun Saor emerges as a figure who bridges the earthly craft of metalworking with cosmic forces of creation itself.
Genres: mythology, fantasy, magical-realism, folklore
Vibes: lyrical, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: magical-realism, mythical-creatures
Setting: Ireland
Period: 19th-century, 20th-century
191 pages · Paperback · Floris Books