Menw
Encyclopedia
; "Menw, son of Three-Cries" is a hero and shapeshifter
of early Welsh literature
and mythology
and a warrior of King Arthur's
court at Celliwig
. He appears most prominently in the early Arthurian tale Culhwch and Olwen
, in which he is handpicked among Arthur's knights to accompany Culhwch
on his quest to win Olwen
. An "Enchanter Knight" of Arthur's court, he learned one of the Three Enchantments from Uther Pendragon
. He is ascribed a son named Anynnawg.
, daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden
, Culhwch ap Cilydd
seeks assistance from his cousin Arthur to win her hand in marriage. Arthur agrees to help him, sending six of his many warriors to assist him in his quest
, with Menw as the sixth. Each warrior has his own unique skill; Menw is a skilled magician, able to place he and his companions under an illusion of invisibility so as to protect them in savage lands.
Prior to the Hunting of Twrch Trwyth
, Menw is sent in the form of a bird
to spy on Twrch Trwyth
and his piglets, eventually catching up with him at Osgair Oerfel in Ireland. Menw attempts to retrieve one of the boar's trinkets but it poisioned in the process and was thereafter never completely without injury. He also plays a part in the hunt proper, chasing the boar into the Severn alongside Mabon ap Modron
and Goreu fab Custennin
.
Menw further appears in the later tale Breuddwyd Rhonabwy as one of Arthur's chief councillors, and is also mentioned in a poem by fourteenth century bard Dafydd ap Gwilym
:
ShapeShifter
ShapeShifter is an Application Enhancer plugin for Mac OS X developed by Unsanity that allows the user to make system-wide modifications to the appearance of the operating system's graphical interface by applying GUI skins through “injection” into running code and without modifying system files,...
of early Welsh literature
Welsh literature
Welsh literature may be used to refer to any literature originating from Wales or by Welsh writers:*Welsh-language literature for literature in the Welsh language*Welsh literature in English for literature in the English language...
and mythology
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....
and a warrior 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...
court at Celliwig
Celliwig
Celliwig, Kelliwic or Gelliwic, is perhaps the earliest named location for the court of King Arthur. It may be translated as 'forest grove'.-Literary references:...
. He appears most prominently in the early Arthurian tale 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...
, in which he is handpicked among Arthur's knights to accompany Culhwch
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...
on his quest to win 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....
. An "Enchanter Knight" of Arthur's court, he learned one of the Three Enchantments from Uther Pendragon
Uther Pendragon
Uther Pendragon is a legendary king of sub-Roman Britain and the father of King Arthur.A few minor references to Uther appear in Old Welsh poems, but his biography was first written down by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae , and Geoffrey's account of the character was used in...
. He is ascribed a son named Anynnawg.
Role in Welsh tradition
After being cursed by his stepmother so that he marry no one but OlwenOlwen
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....
, daughter of the giant 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...
, Culhwch ap 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...
seeks assistance from his cousin Arthur to win her hand in marriage. Arthur agrees to help him, sending six of his many warriors to assist him in his quest
Quest
In mythology and literature, a quest, a journey towards a goal, serves as a plot device and as a symbol. Quests appear in the folklore of every nation and also figure prominently in non-national cultures. In literature, the objects of quests require great exertion on the part of the hero, and...
, with Menw as the sixth. Each warrior has his own unique skill; Menw is a skilled magician, able to place he and his companions under an illusion of invisibility so as to protect them in savage lands.
Hunting of Twrch Trwyth
The Hunting of Twrch Trwyth is described vividly in the early Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen.-Background:Culhwch's father, King Cilydd son of Celyddon, loses his wife Goleuddydd after a difficult childbirth. When he remarries, the young Culhwch rejects his stepmother's attempt to pair him with his...
, Menw is sent in the form of a bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
to spy on Twrch Trwyth
Twrch Trwyth
Twrch Trwyth is an enchanted wild boar in the Arthurian legend. The hunt for Twrch Trwyth by King Arthur was the subject of a popular stock narrative in medieval Welsh literature...
and his piglets, eventually catching up with him at Osgair Oerfel in Ireland. Menw attempts to retrieve one of the boar's trinkets but it poisioned in the process and was thereafter never completely without injury. He also plays a part in the hunt proper, chasing the boar into the Severn alongside Mabon ap Modron
Mabon ap Modron
Mabon ap Modron is a prominent figure from Welsh literature and mythology, the son of Modron and a member of Arthur's warband. Both he and his mother were likely deities in origin, descending from a divine mother–son pair. His name is related to the Romano-British god Maponos, whose name means...
and Goreu fab Custennin
Goreu fab Custennin
Goreu fab Custennin is a hero of Welsh and early Arthurian mythology, the son of Custennin, and cousin to Arthur, Culhwch and Saint Illtud through their grandfather Amlawdd Wledig. He is a significant character in the Middle Welsh Arthurian tale Culhwch and Olwen, and also appears in a number of...
.
Menw further appears in the later tale Breuddwyd Rhonabwy as one of Arthur's chief councillors, and is also mentioned in a poem by fourteenth century bard Dafydd ap Gwilym
Dafydd ap Gwilym
Dafydd ap Gwilym , is regarded as one of the leading Welsh poets and amongst the great poets of Europe in the Middle Ages. Dafydd ap Gwilym (c. 1315/1320 – c. 1350/1370), is regarded as one of the leading Welsh poets and amongst the great poets of Europe in the Middle Ages. Dafydd ap Gwilym...
:
- Three warriors - it brings me riches -
- knew well enchantments before this:
- battle-experienced, the first upholds his name -
- the gentlest of the three was Menw
- the second's name (good day for understanding):
- is Eiddilig the Dwarf, a wily Irishman
- third was, beside the seas of MonAngleseyAnglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
, - Math, lord of splendid kind, and
- Arfon's king.