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Harlech Castle Mabinogion
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Blodeuwedd


The Godess Arianrhod decreed that her son, Llew Llaw Gyffes, would never marry a mortal woman.  Llew's uncles, Math and Gwydion, took a dim view of this, and from the flowers of oak, broom and meadowsweet they created Blodeuwedd to be Llew's bride.


Not long after their marriage, Llew left his wife in their castle, and travelled to visit his uncles.


A few days later, a hunting party was spotted near the castle, and Blodeuwedd sent a messenger to find out the name of their leader.  It turned out to be Gronw Pebyr, the Lord of Penllyn.


Once Gronw and Blodeuwedd met, they fell deeply in love.  By the time Gronw had to leave, things had gone so far that he and Blodeuwedd began plotting her husband's death.  It wasn't going to be easy - after all, Llew was the son of a Goddess.


When Llew returned, Blodeuwedd began telling him how worried she was that he'd meet an untimely end one day.  Llew tried to reassure her that he couldn't be easily slain.  In fact, he could only be killed in very specific (and complicated) circumstances...


Llynnau Cregennen Snowdonia

You'll need:

  • One spear that has been worked on
    for a whole year (on Sundays only)
  • One cauldron filled with bath water
  • One thatched roof
  • One fishing net
  • One male goat

The method:

  • Place the cauldron on a riverbank at twilight
  • Cover with the thatched roof
  • Convince Llew to wrap himself in the
    fishing net, and then to place one foot on
    the cauldron's rim, and one on the goat's back
  • Stab Llew with the spear prepared


Such ridiculous circumstances could only become about through magical means.  And this is where Blodeuwedd's powers become apparent.


Having sent a message to Gronw Pebyr telling him to start work on the spear, she waited patiently at Llew's side for twelve long months. When the year's wait was over, Blodeuwedd went to her husband and asked him again about the only way in which he could be killed.  Pretending concern for his welfare and his future, Blodeuwedd engineered a demonstration of the scenario Llew had described to her.


And as he stood, poised on the goat and the cauldron, Gronw emerged from the shadows and struck him with the spear.  Llew turned into an eagle and flew away, muttering "How on earth did I fall for that one?" under his breath.


Llew's family eventually tracked down the eagle and turned him back into a man.  But he was pretty sickly, and took over a year to heal and become whole again.  During this time, Blodeuwedd and Gronw lived together in the castle.


Llew was determined to get his posessions back, and he organized an attack on the castle.  Blodeuwedd fled into the forest and was cornered by Gwydion, one of her creators.


In revenge for the shame heaped upon his nephew, Gwydion elected to turn Blodeuwedd into an owl, decreeing that she should never show her face again in the light of day.