Bridging the Worlds

Kulhwch first meets Olwen in the house where his mother’s sister and the giant Custennin live in matrimony, a house where two worlds join, and CuChulainn makes contact with Emer through a dialogue composed of riddles whereby two worlds are spoken of at once. In the Welsh story of Llyn y Fan, the lady from the lake refuses the hero’s offer of bread when she first appears before him, and again his offer of dough on her second appearance. When she appears the third time, he offers her half-baked bread -- bread which is at once baked and unbaked -- and with that the gulf between their two worlds are bridged.

-- Rees and Rees, Celtic Heritage