Giants (Welsh folklore)
Encyclopedia
Giants
or cewri feature prominently in Welsh
folklore and mythology. Among the most notable are Bendigeidfran fab Llyr
, a mythological king of Britain during the Second Branch of the Mabinogi
, Idris Gawr
of Cader Idris, and Ysbaddaden Bencawr
, the chief antagonist of the early Arthurian
tale How Culhwch won Olwen
. Both Arthur
and Gwalchmai fab Gwyar
feature prominently as giant-slayers in Welsh tradition.
, Britain is ruled by the giant Bran the Blessed
, who has never been able to fit inside any dwelling. In Culhwch and Olwen
, giants feature as antagonists throughout. Ysbaddaden
, chief of giants, is the father of Olwen
, a beautiful maiden sought by Culhwch fab Cilydd
, a cousin of King Arthur's
. He is slain at the tale's close by his nephew Goreu fab Custennin, while Wrnach, another giant, is killed by Cei
.
. He marched against warring kings Nyniaw and Peibaw, overwhelmed their armies and took their beards as trophies of his victory and fashioned them into a cap for himself. The twenty-six kings of Britain assembled their armies to destroy Rhitta but were vanquished by the giant, who cut off the kings' beards and fashioned a great cape out of them to protect him from the cold. Sometime later, as Arthur
"washed his hands after slaying the red-eyed giant of Cernyw", he received a message from Rhitta, demanding his beard to patch his cloak. Arthur refused, and Rhitta marched south with his armies to claim it from him. In the resulting confrontation, Rhitta is forced to shear his own beard, and retreats "much humbled in stature but much wiser in knowledge". A variant tale claims that after receiving the demands, Arthur marched furiously up to Snowdonia and fought against the giant in a duel, in which he "lifted up his sword and struck Rhitta on the crown of the head a blow so fiercely-wounding, severely-venomous and sternly-smiting that it cut through all his head armour and his skin and his flesh and clove him in twain.", According to the story, Arthur commands that a cairn be build over his body which forms Gwyddfa Rhudda (Rhita's Cairn). Over the intervening centuries the name of Rhudda was forgotten and Gwyddfa Rhudda became known as Yr Wyddfa.
, giant of Castell Maylor, was captured in Cyfeilog, about twelve miles from his own castle and was sentenced to death. His enemies allowed him his final request to blow on his horn three times before his death. The first time he blew, his hair and beard fell out, and on the second blast of his horn, so great was the strength and force of the sounding that all his finger and toe-nails fell off completely. On the third blast of his horn the intensity of the force of the sound caused the horn to be broken into small pieces.
Maylor's son, Cornippin, who was hunting with his horse and his hound, heard the sound of his father's hand and lamented over his suffering. He made to rescue his father and in riding with such haste and swiftness, he tore the head of his hound off its body. He spurred his horse onwards, leaped in one great bound over the Ystwyth river and attacked his father's captors. In the ensuing battle, Cornippin was slain.
Cribwr take thy combs
And cease with currish anger
If I get a real chance—surely
What they have had, thou shalt have too.
.
Canthrig Bwt, a giantess and witch notorious in the folklore of Caernarvon, lived under a great stone in Nant Peris and killed and ate
a number of the community's children.
Gogfran the Giant is recorded in the Welsh Triads
as the father of Gwenhwyfar
, Arthur's third wife. A tale tells of the imprisonment of a number of his sons by the giants of Bron Wrgan, leading to Arthur's attack on the abode to free his brothers-in-law.
name for Stonehenge
is Côr y Cewri or "Choir of the Giants".
Giant (mythology)
The mythology and legends of many different cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength. "Giant" is the English word commonly used for such beings, derived from one of the most famed examples: the gigantes of Greek mythology.In various Indo-European mythologies,...
or cewri feature prominently in Welsh
Welsh mythology
Welsh mythology, the remnants of the mythology of the pre-Christian Britons, has come down to us in much altered form in medieval Welsh manuscripts such as the Red Book of Hergest, the White Book of Rhydderch, the Book of Aneirin and the Book of Taliesin....
folklore and mythology. Among the most notable are Bendigeidfran fab Llyr
Bran the Blessed
Brân the Blessed is a giant and king of Britain in Welsh mythology. He appears in several of the Welsh Triads, but his most significant role is in the Second Branch of the Mabinogi, Branwen ferch Llŷr. He is a son of Llŷr and Penarddun, and the brother of Brânwen, Manawydan, Nisien and Efnysien...
, a mythological king of Britain during the Second Branch of the Mabinogi
Four Branches of the Mabinogi
The Four Branches of the Mabinogi are the best known tales from the collection of medieval Welsh prose known as the Mabinogion. The word "Mabinogi" originally designated only these four tales, which are really parts or "branches" of a single work, rather than the whole collection...
, Idris Gawr
Idris (giant)
Idris, King of Meirionnydd , also known as Idris Fawr , was a giant and astronomer of Welsh tradition, whose rock-hewn chair on the summit of Cadair Idris was supposed to mete out death, madness, or poetic inspiration to whoever spent a night upon it....
of Cader Idris, and Ysbaddaden Bencawr
Ysbaddaden
; "Ysbaddaden, Chief of Giants," is the primary antagonist of the Welsh romance Culhwch ac Olwen. A vicious giant residing in a nigh on unreachabe castle, he is the father of Olwen and uncle of Goreu fab Custennin...
, the chief antagonist of the early Arthurian
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
tale How Culhwch won Olwen
Culhwch and Olwen
Culhwch and Olwen is a Welsh tale about a hero connected with Arthur and his warriors that survives in only two manuscripts: a complete version in the Red Book of Hergest, ca. 1400, and a fragmented version in the White Book of Rhydderch, ca. 1325. It is the longest of the surviving Welsh prose...
. Both Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
and Gwalchmai fab Gwyar
Gawain
Gawain is King Arthur's nephew and a Knight of the Round Table who appears very early in the Arthurian legend's development. He is one of a select number of Round Table members to be referred to as the greatest knight, most notably in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight...
feature prominently as giant-slayers in Welsh tradition.
Giants in the Mabinogion
In the Mabinogi of Branwen ferch LlyrFour Branches of the Mabinogi
The Four Branches of the Mabinogi are the best known tales from the collection of medieval Welsh prose known as the Mabinogion. The word "Mabinogi" originally designated only these four tales, which are really parts or "branches" of a single work, rather than the whole collection...
, Britain is ruled by the giant Bran the Blessed
Bran the Blessed
Brân the Blessed is a giant and king of Britain in Welsh mythology. He appears in several of the Welsh Triads, but his most significant role is in the Second Branch of the Mabinogi, Branwen ferch Llŷr. He is a son of Llŷr and Penarddun, and the brother of Brânwen, Manawydan, Nisien and Efnysien...
, who has never been able to fit inside any dwelling. In Culhwch and Olwen
Culhwch and Olwen
Culhwch and Olwen is a Welsh tale about a hero connected with Arthur and his warriors that survives in only two manuscripts: a complete version in the Red Book of Hergest, ca. 1400, and a fragmented version in the White Book of Rhydderch, ca. 1325. It is the longest of the surviving Welsh prose...
, giants feature as antagonists throughout. Ysbaddaden
Ysbaddaden
; "Ysbaddaden, Chief of Giants," is the primary antagonist of the Welsh romance Culhwch ac Olwen. A vicious giant residing in a nigh on unreachabe castle, he is the father of Olwen and uncle of Goreu fab Custennin...
, chief of giants, is the father of Olwen
Olwen
In Welsh mythology, Olwen is the daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden and cousin of Goreu. She is the heroine of the story Culhwch and Olwen in the Mabinogion....
, a beautiful maiden sought by Culhwch fab Cilydd
Culhwch
Culhwch , in Welsh mythology, is the son of Cilydd son of Celyddon and Goleuddydd, a cousin of Arthur and the protagonist of the story Culhwch and Olwen...
, a cousin of King Arthur's
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
. He is slain at the tale's close by his nephew Goreu fab Custennin, while Wrnach, another giant, is killed by Cei
Sir Kay
In Arthurian legend, Sir Kay is Sir Ector's son and King Arthur's foster brother and later seneschal, as well as one of the first Knights of the Round Table. In later literature he is known for his acid tongue and bullying, boorish behavior, but in earlier accounts he was one of Arthur's premier...
.
Legend of Rhitta Gawr
A well-known tale concerns Rhitta (or Rhudda) Gawr, a giant who held court in SnowdoniaSnowdonia
Snowdonia is a region in north Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three National Parks in Wales, in 1951.-Name and extent:...
. He marched against warring kings Nyniaw and Peibaw, overwhelmed their armies and took their beards as trophies of his victory and fashioned them into a cap for himself. The twenty-six kings of Britain assembled their armies to destroy Rhitta but were vanquished by the giant, who cut off the kings' beards and fashioned a great cape out of them to protect him from the cold. Sometime later, as Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
"washed his hands after slaying the red-eyed giant of Cernyw", he received a message from Rhitta, demanding his beard to patch his cloak. Arthur refused, and Rhitta marched south with his armies to claim it from him. In the resulting confrontation, Rhitta is forced to shear his own beard, and retreats "much humbled in stature but much wiser in knowledge". A variant tale claims that after receiving the demands, Arthur marched furiously up to Snowdonia and fought against the giant in a duel, in which he "lifted up his sword and struck Rhitta on the crown of the head a blow so fiercely-wounding, severely-venomous and sternly-smiting that it cut through all his head armour and his skin and his flesh and clove him in twain.", According to the story, Arthur commands that a cairn be build over his body which forms Gwyddfa Rhudda (Rhita's Cairn). Over the intervening centuries the name of Rhudda was forgotten and Gwyddfa Rhudda became known as Yr Wyddfa.
The Capture of Maylor Gawr
Maylor GawrMaylor Gawr
Maylor Gawr is a giant of Welsh folklore, who lived in Castell Maylor near Aberystwyth before "the coming of Brutus to this island". The tale of Maylor and his three sons, Cornippyn, Crygyn and Bwba, is recorded in the late sixteenth century "The Giants of Wales and their dwellings" by Sion Dafydd...
, giant of Castell Maylor, was captured in Cyfeilog, about twelve miles from his own castle and was sentenced to death. His enemies allowed him his final request to blow on his horn three times before his death. The first time he blew, his hair and beard fell out, and on the second blast of his horn, so great was the strength and force of the sounding that all his finger and toe-nails fell off completely. On the third blast of his horn the intensity of the force of the sound caused the horn to be broken into small pieces.
Maylor's son, Cornippin, who was hunting with his horse and his hound, heard the sound of his father's hand and lamented over his suffering. He made to rescue his father and in riding with such haste and swiftness, he tore the head of his hound off its body. He spurred his horse onwards, leaped in one great bound over the Ystwyth river and attacked his father's captors. In the ensuing battle, Cornippin was slain.
Cribwr Gawr
Cribwr the Giant lived in Castell Cefn Cribwr in Morgannwg. His three sisters were all killed by Arthur through "treachery". Arthur succeeded in slaying the giantesses by nicknaming himself as "Hot Pottage" to the first sister, and "Warm Porridge" to the second sister and as "a morsel of bread to the third", and when the first sister called for help against Hot Pottage Cribwr answered: Wench, let him cool; and in the same manner he answered the second sister, when she sought assistance against Warm Porridge. And the third sister called out that the Morsel of Bread was choking her; and to this he answered, Wench, take a smaller piece. And when Cribwr reproached Arthur for killing his sisters Arthur replied:Cribwr take thy combs
And cease with currish anger
If I get a real chance—surely
What they have had, thou shalt have too.
Other notable giants
The Historia Brittonum claims that Benlli Gawr was an early king of Powys, who was burned to death after acting aggressively towards Germanus of AuxerreGermanus of Auxerre
Germanus of Auxerre was a bishop of Auxerre in Gaul. He is a saint in both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, commemorated on July 31. He visited Britain in around 429 and the records of this visit provide valuable information on the state of post-Roman British society...
.
Canthrig Bwt, a giantess and witch notorious in the folklore of Caernarvon, lived under a great stone in Nant Peris and killed and ate
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
a number of the community's children.
Gogfran the Giant is recorded in the Welsh Triads
Welsh Triads
The Welsh Triads are a group of related texts in medieval manuscripts which preserve fragments of Welsh folklore, mythology and traditional history in groups of three. The triad is a rhetorical form whereby objects are grouped together in threes, with a heading indicating the point of likeness...
as the father of Gwenhwyfar
Guinevere
Guinevere was the legendary queen consort of King Arthur. In tales and folklore, she was said to have had a love affair with Arthur's chief knight Sir Lancelot...
, Arthur's third wife. A tale tells of the imprisonment of a number of his sons by the giants of Bron Wrgan, leading to Arthur's attack on the abode to free his brothers-in-law.
Other Associations
The traditional WelshWelsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
name for Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
is Côr y Cewri or "Choir of the Giants".