Hugendubel.info - Die B2B Online-Buchhandlung 

Merkliste
Die Merkliste ist leer.
Bitte warten - die Druckansicht der Seite wird vorbereitet.
Der Druckdialog öffnet sich, sobald die Seite vollständig geladen wurde.
Sollte die Druckvorschau unvollständig sein, bitte schliessen und "Erneut drucken" wählen.

Folklore of Wales

E-BookEPUBePub WasserzeichenE-Book
160 Seiten
Englisch
The History Presserschienen am01.09.2001
Wales is a Celtic country and the Celts have always treasured oral learning and recitation. Indeed they have a passion for committing facts to memory rather than relying on the written word. So it is no surprise, as we can see from Anne Ross's study, that Welsh folklore and story-telling is so rich and varied. In addition to examining the part played by the medieval church in this oral tradition, individual chapters cover legends associated with place-names; calendar customs; giants and monsters; omens and second sight; witches, ghosts and faries; supernatural birds and animals; folk healing and herbal remedies. The landscape is studded with the remains of ancient monuments, which are seen as the creation of gods and heroes. Every lake had its legend, whether it be inhabited by a grim, monstrous afanc, or by a beautiful, enchanted maiden, or maybe harbours a drowned settlement where the bell still tolls to warm of approaching storms. Giants stalk the land, while faries can be dangerous, hostile and demanding propitiation. Omens of potential marriage partners were avidly sought by girls, while ghostly death-lights - corpse candles - could be seen moving relentlessly towards the person who was doomed to death. A whole world of the past is to be found in this rich treasure house of inherited lore.mehr

Produkt

KlappentextWales is a Celtic country and the Celts have always treasured oral learning and recitation. Indeed they have a passion for committing facts to memory rather than relying on the written word. So it is no surprise, as we can see from Anne Ross's study, that Welsh folklore and story-telling is so rich and varied. In addition to examining the part played by the medieval church in this oral tradition, individual chapters cover legends associated with place-names; calendar customs; giants and monsters; omens and second sight; witches, ghosts and faries; supernatural birds and animals; folk healing and herbal remedies. The landscape is studded with the remains of ancient monuments, which are seen as the creation of gods and heroes. Every lake had its legend, whether it be inhabited by a grim, monstrous afanc, or by a beautiful, enchanted maiden, or maybe harbours a drowned settlement where the bell still tolls to warm of approaching storms. Giants stalk the land, while faries can be dangerous, hostile and demanding propitiation. Omens of potential marriage partners were avidly sought by girls, while ghostly death-lights - corpse candles - could be seen moving relentlessly towards the person who was doomed to death. A whole world of the past is to be found in this rich treasure house of inherited lore.
Details
Weitere ISBN/GTIN9780750952460
ProduktartE-Book
EinbandartE-Book
FormatEPUB
Format HinweisePub Wasserzeichen
FormatE101
Erscheinungsjahr2001
Erscheinungsdatum01.09.2001
Seiten160 Seiten
SpracheEnglisch
Dateigrösse6326 Kbytes
Artikel-Nr.1283328
Rubriken
Genre9201

Inhalt/Kritik

Leseprobe


2 Folk narrative

The Romano-British god Nodons, who appears in early inscriptions on stone, is reflected in the Welsh deity Nudd and must be cognate with the Irish god Nuadu. He is one of the many Irish deities who figure in and whose attributes occur in Welsh folklore. Many of the ancient gods of Britain and Ireland figure in Welsh mythology in the role of superhuman heroes. Fionn MacCumhail is another major Irish heroic figure of clearly divine origins whose popularity must have been almost as great as Arthur s over the whole European continent, and whose name appears in many Europaean place-names, as does that of Arthur the mythical king par excellence of Welsh tradition (2). The great question is: were such deities and heroic figures essentially an integral part of the Irish tradition and were they then borrowed, in some form, into the Welsh repertoire? Or, as I myself believe to be more likely, were they all gods and heroes at some early pre-textual stage of Irish and Welsh history thus common to both traditions?

(vide Rachel Bromwich, John Carey)

Belyn ap Madoc

Belyn was a prince of Merioneth - the name would seem to stem ultimately from the name of the ancient Celtic god Belinos who figures as Beli Mawr in the Mabinogion - and he had been perusing the Triads and pondered a long while upon one, namely:

The three Blessed Astronomers of the Island of Britain - Idris, the Great; Gwydion, son of Dôn; and Gwyn, son of Nudd - they had a vast knowledge of the stars and of the ways in which they influenced affairs. They were able to foretell whatever anyone might wish to know till the day of judgment.
(Trevelyan p.48ff)

2 Arthur in the names of natural features, ancient monuments and later buildings in Wales. For the most part after C. Grooms, The Giants of Wales, Lampeter, 1993 1 and 2: Arthur s Chair; 3: Arthur s Stone; 4 to 8: Carreg Arthur; 9 and 10: Carreg Carn March Arthur; 11: Cerrig Arthur - Arthur s Stones; 12: Cerrig Meibion Arthur - Stones of the Sons of Arthur; 13: Cist Arthur - Arthur s Chest; 14 to 43: Coetan Arthur - Arthur s Quoit; 44: Craig Arthur; 45: Eisteddfa Arthur - Arthur s Seat; 46: Fynnon Cegin Arthur - Well of Arthur s Kitchen; 47 to 51: Maen Arthur - Arthur s Stone; 52: Parcarthur Farm; 53: Parcarthur House; 54: Pen Arthur - Arthur s Hill; 55: Pen Arthur Isaf - Arthur s Small Hill; 56: Pen Arthur; 57: Picel Arthur - Arthur s Spear; 58: Arthur s Wern - Arthur s Alder Tree; 59: Fynnon Arthur - Arthur s Well

He was particularly fascinated by the statement that this prophet could provide foreknowledge of anything until the day of judgement. Curious though he was, Belyn was not at all anxious to be able to foretell future events as far as the apocalypse. He seemed to be somewhat uneasy at this thought. What he really wanted to know was whether he would become famous and would be a great leader, as legendary as Owen Glendower. He sat and thought and then an old tale came to his mind: the tale of Cadair Idris, a long and impressive mountain round which the rivers Mawddach and Dysynni run, on the boundary between the old kingdoms of Gwynedd and Powys. The legend stated that whosoever should sleep for one night on Cadair Idris would either go mad or wake up having the gift of inspiration. It is not clear whether this was poetical inspiration or astrological inspiration but it is likely that it was both of these gifts, as, in Celtic tradition, prophets, poets and madmen, all of whom possess some degree of inspiration, are closely linked.

No matter which of these was imparted by the mountain, Belyn was eager to possess it and he immediately set out to find the right way of obtaining knowledge of the future. He had taken, as he thought, sufficient provisions to keep him going during his quest, and aimed to reach the summit of Cadair Idris soon after midday. It is a magnificent ascent - and is as beautiful and awe-inspiring today, being totally unspoilt. The road wends steeply upward from Dolgellau to become ever wilder and more dramatically hazardous. Below there were long tracts of rich pasture and the slopes were covered with the brilliant yellow of gorse flowers which make so striking an impact when seen against the bright green of the Welsh countryside.

At last Belyn reached the grand summit and was able to look over vast and dramatic tracts of countryside. He waited for some hours, contemplating various matters and gazing upon the dramatic beauty of the vista until the last rays of the sun blazed above the mountain tops and the day drew to a close. That was the time for Belyn to proceed towards Idris Chair and there he sat himself down. Eagles flew above him and vultures gathered; kestrels and kites (vide 42) circled in the air of the evening. Belyn began to feel that he was becoming quite isolated from the world about him. This is when he took his seat in Idris Chair. It grew dark and there was a magnificent display of heavenly bodies which sparkled like jewels in the clear, darkening sky. He began to feel quite fevered and was filled with a terrible restlessness. When he felt himself becoming sleepy he tried to keep awake, fearing the magical sleep which he had come all this way to experience, and believing that he was going mad. A thick darkness fell and he felt a terrible sense of suffocation and terror come over him, and he also felt desperately ill, wishing that he had never set out on this foolish adventure. Then the darkness began to lessen and he saw a faint glimmering of light which grew pale enough to reveal the silhouettes of giants, and he began to think of all the legendary kings and heroes and especially the Grey King (Brenhin Llwyd) who was reputed to sit amongst the mountain tops to discover the secrets of the stars.

Next Belyn heard sounds like those of great flood waters being released; what with the noise of the waters and of several winds competing with each other, he remembered the legend of the fountain of the waters and the cradle of the winds . He imagined that the lightening of the heavens indicated that dawn was not far away, when he heard a voice which said When you have secrets do you know where to hide them? , and another, hollow voice replied No. The first voice replied: Trust them to the depths of the sea; trust them to the strongholds of the rocky mountains; trust them to the distant lone star, not to a mortal being. To Belyn it was a relief if not a pleasure to hear these unearthly voices. Are you ambitious? asked the louder voice. Yes, yes , replied the quieter voice. It gave a cryptic reply, the gist of which was that too much ambition would end in conflict, in death, in dust! . Then another voice intoned, saying that few people win fame, the monarch may have his crown but it would cause him pain, the warrior his strength but that must leave him eventually, and will have been in vain. Belyn s heart sank. As we know, it was his ambition to be like Glendower (c.1354-c.1416) and to become a great leader, a renowned warrior and to be famed throughout the wide world. As he sat gloomily one of the strange people seemed to read his thoughts, because after a few moments the greater voice cried:

Take care, hasty youth, keep clear of warfare, of fighting, of sorrow, while there is time. As yet there is no single thread of silver hair amongst your dark and curling locks. We know what you want. You want to go out into battle, to earn a great name, to return to your home full of victory and triumph. But do not be hasty. There are many who will go down that road but few will come back. I say to you, go home and do not try to learn the secrets of the stars. The greatest thing for you is to be caring to your neighbours, as good to them as to yourself; to be true to yourself and to all mankind; to help the helpless, to bring comfort to those who sorrow; to feed the hungry and to succeed in those aspects of life which you were born to.

Then the voice ceased.

The huge figures slowly vanished into the morning mists, and when Belyn roused himself the sun was high. He was cold and stiff and aching after the night he had passed in the Chair of Idris. He began to turn over the events of the night: what had happened during the unearthly happenings? had he dreamt the whole thing? He seemed not to have gone mad, but whatever had happened it had certainly taught him his lesson. He knew he would never again undertake such a dangerous and foolhardy exploit. Slowly but thankfully he descended the great hill and made for home. Where have you been? , asked some passers-by on the path down the mountain. I have been up to the highest point , he said. He s been praying - some fellows taunted him but Belyn left them alone. A neighbour nearer home said: Have you been up amongst the eagles? . Belyn did not answer.

3 A commission for holding an Eisteddfod at Caerwys, in 1568, is still in possession of Sir Roger Mostyn, together with the Silver Harp, which had from time immemorial been in the gift of his ancestors ⦠This badge of honour is about five or six inches long, and furnished with strings equal to the number of Muses. This commission is dated to 23 October in the ninth year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth (1558-1603). From T. Pennant, Tours in Wales, I, 1874, London, 463-7

Eventually he approached his home and now twilight was coming again, slowly from the west. He stopped to look back at Cadair Idris and his eyes sought the very upper-most peaks, and he had a vision of the grey giants once again standing there and...
mehr