A recurring feature of Celtic myth tales is the theme of the god, poet, or hero who can transform seemingly at will, taking on the shape of animals or birds. At the root of these tales are the anthropomorphic animal gods of the ancient Celts, deities of forest, lake, and stream who eventually took on human characteristics. Many of the gods of the Irish pantheon have animal forms or origins. The hero Bran, for instance, takes on the form of a hound and is associated with Fionn, who is almost certainly the same personage as the antlered god Cernunnos.