# Becfola — Irish Fairy Tales character guide

> Becfola in Irish Fairy Tales by James Stephens.

**Role:** supporting

**First appearance:** 0043-the-wooing-of-becfola

## Snapshot

A queen whose secret love for Flann is exposed on a holy morning, forcing her to choose between her crown and her heart.

## Who they are

Becfola is the queen at Tara whose heart belongs elsewhere, and when a cleric denounces her before the king, her double life collapses in a single devastating moment. Accused of being in the Shí with her arms around Flann, she does not deny it; instead she admits the truth with proud shame and walks out of the palace toward the man who waits for her. Her departure leaves the king stupefied and the court shaken, and she vanishes from Ireland entirely, a figure whose brief, blazing honesty costs her everything.

## In the story

### [Irish Fairy Tales](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/irish_fairy_tales_se/chapters/irish-fairy-tales)

A queen involved in themes of love, betrayal, and elopement.

### [The Wooing of Becfola](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/irish_fairy_tales_se/chapters/the-wooing-of-becfola)

The titular character, a married woman who plots to elope with Crimthann.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/irish_fairy_tales_se/chapters/i)

The mysterious woman, given the nickname 'Becfola' (Dowerless), who accepts Dermod's marriage proposal.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/irish_fairy_tales_se/chapters/ii)

The dowerless queen, discontented with her marriage to King Dermod, longs for Crimthann and attempts to elope, only to stray into Faery.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/irish_fairy_tales_se/chapters/iii)

The queen, stranded in a tree to escape wolves, then follows a mysterious youth to an island, witnessing a deadly battle for lordship.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/irish_fairy_tales_se/chapters/iv)

Returns to the palace before dawn, planning to reproach King Dermod but is disarmed by his gentle teasing.

### [The Banishment of Art](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/irish_fairy_tales_se/chapters/iv)

New wife of Conn, identified as Becuma of the White Skin; her presence causes famine, and she is revealed as banished from the Many-Coloured Land.

### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/irish_fairy_tales_se/chapters/viii)

Now called Becuma; she is the queen who brings ills to Ireland and schemes against Art.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/irish_fairy_tales_se/characters/becfola
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/irish_fairy_tales_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/irish_fairy_tales_se/characters