Big Lug

Heroes come in many kinds you know. Some are godlike. Some, it has been said, are born of human and god copulation; some gods incarnate.
Some say they are no more god than you and I.

Have you ever found yourself saying, while observing a human doing a thing, "Now that's really something!" Might not that something be heroic?

Here are a few words about something which may be heroic:
The hero is not young. His belly bulges, his chin may be too large, and his brow is a bit heavy. At this time his cloths are rough and he is not really clean. He is strong and his eye is clear.

He is feasting in a palace. He is at the far end of the table, opposite the king, and is eating with gusto.

Our hero is known for being a big eater and the king knows that. The king has provided our man with enormous servings in an enormous bowl. A bowel laughably like a great tub, or trough fit, perhaps, for a pig. Indeed the king and some of the nobles near him laugh, and not very discretely, about our hero's manner of eating.

Not being pleased at the mode of the laughter, our hero catches the eye of a manly noble and says, in a voice not soft, "Who gives you the right to laugh at a guest at your table?"

The noble answers, "We take the right. We are masters here."

"Oh are you?" answers our hero soft and clear, "And what makes you masters?"

"We defend the realm, and you." comes the answer.

In a bound our hero is standing on the table, hard club in hand. His words are, "Before you defend me you had best defend yourself." While thus answering the noble, one of our hero's clear eyes catches those of the king's lusty young wife and, he gives here a wink.

Because our hero's unclean boot is planted in the desert, the feast is over, but not the story.

That night our hero and the king's lady enjoy each other very well.

For reasons of his own our hero leaves early the next morning. As he takes his leave, the kings young wife calls fondly after him, "Good-bye, ya big Lug!"

Here are some words to help you place our hero a bit better. He is a dog lover. He may be the father of Cu Chulain. He moves through a great breadth of Irish mythology. He is called Lug, Lugh, Lugus, and by other names. He has been called a hero, a High King, and a god.