| Balor of the Evil Eye | |
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| One
of the Formors, he kept one eye perpetually shut. His
other eye could kill anyone instantly with a glance,
because he once looked into the window of a sorcerer's
house in which a cauldron of poisonous brew was boiling
over the fire. Smoke from the brew blew into his eye,
thus causing its deadliness. It was prophesied that he would be killed by his grandson, so he locked his daughter Ethlinn in a crystal tower to keep her from getting pregnant. However, Cian of the Tuatha dé Danann, with the help of the druidess Birog, entered the tower and sired a boy with Ethlinn. Balor learned of the son and threw him into the sea, but Birog rescued the boy and gave him to the sea god Manannan mac Lir. The boy was raised by the sea-god and given the name Lugh Lamhfada (Lugh of the Long Arm), and he subsequently became a member of the Tuatha dé Danann, whom he led to battle against his grandfather, Balor at Mag Tuireadh. In the battle, Balor's eye was ripped out by Lugh, and the Fomor died immediately afterwards. |