The Welsh word ‘cyfarwydd’ means ‘one who knows’ but has come to mean ‘story-teller’. Undoubtedly, all the early Welsh literature, both poetry and prose, would have been recited and handed down by word of mouth. It was only later, with the coming of Christianity to Britain that monks wrote down the native folklore.

Taliesin

Taliesin was a Welsh poet, whose date of birth is unknown, but who was thought to have written his poetry in the 6th century AD. Manuscripts of his poetry have been preserved in Llyfr Taliesin (The Book of Taliesin). The bard was said to be a beautiful man, and so good at poetry and oration that legends grew up around his birth and life.

Taliesin was originally called Gwion, and a servant to a witch, Ceridwen, who was learned in arts of enchantment, magic, and divination. One day, Ceridwen was preparing a special concoction to provide her extremely ugly son with supernatural powers. It was a difficult and cunning recipe, alleged to bring great learning and prophecy to the person who drank the first three drops. While Ceridwen slept, Gwion watched the cauldron and when three drops of the elixir sprang from the cauldron, it was Gwion and not her son who swallowed them. Gwion immediately became a powerful and wise magician himself, and ran away knowing that Ceridwen would seek revenge. As she pursued him he became a hare and she became a greyhound. He became a fish and she an otter. He turned into a bird and she became a hawk. Eventually Ceridwen cornered him in a barn where Gwion turned himself into a grain of corn and was promptly eaten by the witch, who had transformed into a hen.

Having eaten him, Ceridwen discovered that she was pregnant, and resolved to kill the child as soon as it was born.  She could not bring herself to do it though, and put the baby into a basket on a river. He was found by a passing nobleman and named Taliesin, ‘Shining brow’. In real life, Taliesin was a court bard, someone who worked under the patronage of a monarch, telling stories about them for their benefit.

Aneirin

Aneirin was also a bard and poet, working around a similar time to Taliesin. Aneirin is famous for an exceptional poem, ‘Y Gododdin’, about the famous battle of Catraeth - or Catterick, fought in 598. The manuscript that contains the poem, Llyfr Aneirin, dates from 1265 AD.

The Mabinogion is something of a compendium, containing most of the texts above but depending heavily on the Red and White books. They were collated and translated by Lady Charlotte Guest, an English woman who married a Welshman and became fascinated with Welsh culture and language. Guest was a great linguist, having learnt Greek, Hebrew and Persian as a child, but as a Welsh learner, Guest’s translation can be thought of as a little ‘broad stroke’. The work was an instant success, and put early Welsh literature onto the world stage. Since then, native Welsh speakers have honed the translations into great works of art, enabling English speakers to enjoy the stories in more depth and with greater empathy for the written Welsh texts.

This collated version of the texts is roughly split into groups: The Four Branches, the Native Tales and the Three Romances.

Pedair Cainc y Mabinogi -The Four Branches of the Mabinogion

In these tales, we meet some of the best-known characters from Welsh folklore: Pwyll, Rhiannon, Bendigeidfran, Branwen, Math, Aranrhod, Gwydion, Lleu and Blodeuwedd.  Pryderi is the only constant, being born in the first and dying in the last. These characters have supernatural powers, yet suffer from human frailties that inevitably cause tragedy. Their relationships are poignantly drawn and exist in gripping narratives.

Native Tales and Legend

How Culhwch Won Olwen

Rhonabwy’s Dream

The Dream of the Emperor Macsen

Lludd and Llefelys

Despite their titles, the first two in this group deal extensively with Arthur and the exploits of his knights while he holds court in Celli Wig, Cornwall. In fact, ‘Culhwch and Olwen’ is the earliest recorded Arthurian tale written in Welsh. All the stereotypes are here, the bravest warriors, the most beautiful women, and yet, the writing is beautiful and beguiling. Rhonabwy’s dream is strange, surreal and quite possibly a satire on the genre.

The second two in this group are a strange mixture of myth and history, reinterpreting the sovereignty of the British Isles from a Welsh point of view.

Romances

Geraint son of Erbin

The Lady of the Well

Peredur son of Efrog

This group is referred to as the ‘Romances’ as they all exhibit the same characteristics of the chivalric code. Concerned very much with King Arthur and his queen Gwenhwyfar, the various heroes are sent on quests that test their bravery and devotion, while keeping a distinctly Welsh flavour to the tone of the narrative.

Jesus Manuscript

White Book of Rhydderch

© 2014 Liz Riley Jones