#Welsh Folklore & Mythology

[sutexii]

Mari Lwyd 🔔 Print X

[toadlett]

Doing a lazier version of @mortiscausa's fantastic arthurian drawing challenge! I'm using the prompts to inspire some pencil drawings based on the Mabinogion's tale of Kilwhch and Olwen (which in turn is the basis for a book I'm working on). First up, "Quest."

(edit: reuploaded the image without embarrasing typos oops!)

[mythicmayhemcomic]

As winter festivities draw near, the party girl Mari Lwyd stirs.

Wanting to spread some cheer I’ve made a Mari Lwyd base, so you may colour and decorate your own. You may edit the line work, but please do not remove my signatures and copyright info. This base is for non commercial use. If you wish to make adopts with the base consider donating to my ko-Fi.

I’d love to see what your Mari’s will look like.

You can find a transparent and solid base below.

[wildbasil]

It just occurred to me that some people maybe haven't seen this cool tv ad from Visit Wales, which aired in 2017.

Transcript:

Deep in the soul of epic, a million legends lie, Awake and reimagined by people passing by. Arthur, Glyndŵr, Llywelyn, heroes of wild Wales. Epic legends living in storytellers' tales. Branwen and Blodeuwedd, Merlin's magic might, Llyn y Fan's great beauty, Rhiannon's birds in flight. You become the legend and teller of the tales, When you find your epic deep in the soul of Wales.

[thatdamhobbit]

My dealer: got some straight gas. This strain is called “Camlann”, you’ll be zonked out of your gourd.

Me: yeah, whatever. I don’t feel shit.

5 mins later: dude I swear that was Twrch Trwyth.

My buddy Dai, pacing: Gwaine is lying to us

Anyway go listen to Camlann. Post-apocalyptic queer found family audio drama based on Arthuriana and Welsh mythology. Great music too.

[charliescreatures]

The Wrexham Wolf. This creature is from Welsh mythology, coming from tales of a beast attacking stagecoaches passing near Wrexham in the 1700s. Though some connect it to wolf attacks across all of North Wales- unclear if it was an unusually violent wolf or perhaps even a werewolf or gwyllgi!

[santes-dwynwen]

Week two of boostlebash, fairytale — you’ve heard of the the frog prince, now it’s the beetle hero lol

Used a loose Reference

[jasminewalkerauthor]

Deep dives into folklore: Welsh folklore

Welsh folklore is a rich tapestry of myths, legends, and traditional stories that have been passed down through generations, shaping the cultural identity of the Welsh people. Rooted in a landscape steeped in history and mysticism, Welsh folklore reflects the unique character of Wales and its people. Let's take a deep dive into some key aspects of Welsh folklore:

The Mabinogion:

The Mabinogion is a collection of Welsh prose tales, comprising some of the earliest literary works in the Welsh language. It consists of four branches: Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed, Branwen ferch Llŷr, Manawydan fab Llŷr, and Math fab Mathonwy.

These tales are a blend of mythology, legend, and fantasy, featuring gods, heroes, and magical elements. Notable characters include Pryderi, Rhiannon, and Bran the Blessed.

The Red Dragon:

The Red Dragon is a symbol deeply ingrained in Welsh folklore and mythology. Legend has it that the red dragon was the emblem of Cadwaladr, a legendary king of Gwynedd. The dragon is associated with Welsh identity and pride and is prominently featured on the national flag of Wales.

King Arthur and the Welsh Connection:

The legendary King Arthur has strong ties to Welsh folklore. While the broader Arthurian legend is widespread, some key elements, such as the magical sword Excalibur and the wizard Merlin, have roots in Welsh tales like the Mabinogion.

Places like Caerleon and the ruins of Castell Dinas Bran in Llangollen are often linked to Arthurian legends.

Y Tylwyth Teg (The Fair Folk):

The Tylwyth Teg are Welsh fairies or magical beings often associated with mounds or fairy rings. They are known for their beauty and magical abilities. Crossing paths with them could lead to both blessings and misfortune, depending on the encounter.

Tales warn of the Tylwyth Teg taking humans to their underground realm, where time passes differently.

The Legend of Gelert:

The legend of Gelert is a poignant tale of loyalty and tragedy. It tells the story of Llywelyn the Great, a medieval Welsh prince, and his faithful hound Gelert. The dog is mistakenly killed by Llywelyn, who later discovers that Gelert had actually saved his son from a wolf.

The Mari Lwyd:

The Mari Lwyd is a traditional Welsh custom associated with the winter season. It involves a horse's skull mounted on a pole, decorated with ribbons and bells, carried by individuals who go from house to house, engaging in a form of door-to-door singing and challenge.

Celtic Water Spirits:

Wales, with its rivers, lakes, and coastline, has numerous tales of water spirits. Creatures like the Afanc, a lake monster, and the Gwragedd Annwn, beautiful water maidens, are part of Welsh folklore. These spirits often play pivotal roles in cautionary tales and myths.

Branwen Uerch Lyr:

The tragic tale of Branwen, the sister of the legendary King Bran the Blessed, is another prominent story in Welsh folklore. It involves betrayal, war, and the symbolic connection between Wales and Ireland.

Welsh folklore continues to inspire contemporary literature, art, and cultural expressions, maintaining a strong connection to the country's past. The tales and mythical elements contribute to the unique identity of Wales and its people, adding a layer of enchantment to the historical and natural landscape.

Taglist (reply or reblog to be added): @axl-ul @crow-flower @thoughts-fromthevoid @alderwoodbooks @harleyacoincidence @tuberosumtater @sonic-spade @theonlygardenia @holymzogynybatman @nulliel-tres @w0rkah0licz @sylvanthorn @tigertaurus22 @profiterole-reads @mathias-musings @1899adgg1997tbmd @grimmparanormalinvestigations

[welshwitchking]

The Houses of the Mabinogi

The Houses of Dôn and Llyr are connected by marriage through Llyr's wife, Penarddun but are diverse in their stories and personalities.

Dôn collage to the bottom left, Llyr collage to the bottom right.

The House of Dôn, apart from the mother goddess herself, boasts two powerful magicians: Math and Gwydion. Also the Goddess of the Wheel of the Year, Arianhod, and her estranged son Lleu Llaw Gyffes are popular characters of this house. The children of Dôn also include Amaethon, the god of agriculture and who started the 'Cad Goddeu' or Battle of the Trees, where all the children declared war against Arawn, King of Annwn. They only won due to Gwydion's expert wizardy with his summoning of a tree army. Finally, the grandson of Dôn, Gwyn, son of Nudd, is popular in Welsh folklore as the king of the Tylwyth Teg (fairy-folk) and leader of the Wild Hunt.

The House of Llyr is smaller in sized but full of tragedy.

Llyr has two sons and one daughter, Branwen. She gets betrothed to the King of Ireland, Matholwch. On return to ireland though, she gets forced into the kitchens. After hearing of his sisters plight, Bran the Blessed, a giant and the King of Britain, wades across the Irish Sea with an army of Welshmen, including his brother and trusted advisor Manawydan. After the tragic death of Branwen's son Gwern, the Welsh and Irish fight until no-one is left but Bran, Branwen, Manawydan and six Welshmen. Unfortunately, Bran finds a poison arrow in his leg and as he is dying, asks Manawydan to cut off his head and take it back to Wales. Upon their return, Branwen dies of a broken heart from her brother and sons death.

[alt-illustrations]

The Afanc - A Welsh water creature that resided in Llyn-yr-Afanc (The Afanc Pool), when angered it would thrash about causing great floods along the banks of the river Conwy. Tired of the flooding, villagers came together and trapped the Afanc in iron chains before dragging it all the way to the summit of Yr Wyddfa and released it into the depths of Llyn Ffynnon Las (blue well lake) in the shadow of the peak where it couldn't escape.

[briefbestiary]

An ominous presence in the mountains. He is a silent being, wreathed in the mountains' grey mists. Strangely, some choose to describe him as a more Bigfoot-esque creature. They say he is more flesh and blood, and believe he is a tall, hairy humanoid.

[rebecca-lucy-art]

Blodeuwedd final piece.

Acrylic paint and yarn on unprimed canvas roll

50 x 217cm

#artstudent #painting #acrylicpainting #welshpainter #blodeuwedd #welshfolklore #folkart #textiles

[god-of-annwn]

Found this waiting for me in my local used book store

[wildbasil]

gwyn and edern (and blodeuwedd)  i wanted to design a gwyn ap nudd that isn't just herne the hunter 2.0. i like gwyn's association with the mist and dark, lonely places. i think blodeuwedd would be his friend i also like to imagine edern is an annoying little brother lol

[thatdamhobbit]

I am Not Okay

[charliescreatures]

An aquatic beast for Librum Prodigiosum ! The Afanc, from Welsh mythology! This lake monster is vicious, killing anyone who swims in its lake- there are many stories of failed attempts to subdue the beast, often ending in tragedy!