Unbreakable Vow Truly Unbreakable

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 138891

lealess:

> It occurred to me that the Unbreakable Vow might 
> function separate from the will of the person making 
> the vow, i.e., that taking the Vow sets a certain 
> course of action in motion.

houyhnhnm:

Before his son Connla is born, Cuchulain tells Aifa to give him the
geise that 1)he may not reveal his name; 2)he may not turn out of the
way for any man; 3)he may not refuse a combat. [Who knows why.] When
Connla comes to Ulster many years later, he refuses to give his name,
refuses to turn aside, and finally, enters into combat with Cuchulain,
who unknowingly kills his own son. It is the fulfillment of the geise,
rather than their breaking which leads to the tragic outcome.

On the other hand, Conary Mor fighting his foster brothers and their
pirate allies, breaks all of his geise in a single night in spite of
his best efforts not to (there is a supernatural element at work). He
ends up besieged in the Hostel of Da Derga, appears to be winning, but
is consumed with thirst as a result of his prodigious efforts in
battle.  He sends mac Cecht out with a golden goblet to find water. 
mac Cecht has to search the whole of Ireland (the lakes and rivers are
enchanted to prevent him from succeeding) before he is finally able to
fill the goblet.  When he returns to the Hostel, Conary has already
died of thirst.

In both of these cases it seems to be the bestowing of the geise, and
not whether they are kept or broken, that sets the course of action in
motion.

The second tale made me think of Harry and Dumbledore in the cave.  It
could be an intentional allusion or just a coincidence.