The Horse Queen's son

Today is the eve of Calan Mai - the first of May, Beltane in the Gaelic calendar. The story below is the tale of Rhiannon's child. She is described as a magical queen in the Mabinogion, but some historians and many pagans believe that she is the euhemerised form of an ancient British horse deity, Rigantona. She certainly has a presence in ritual.
The story was recorded in two halves, due to an interruption, so I have learnt how to splice them together - hopefully without causing too much discordance. Calan Mai, or Beltane, marks the start of summer - hope you all have a peaceful, productive, and joyful one.


Comments

  1. glinda_w1 May 2017 at 02:45

    ack, it's video, no text (the brain wiring issues make watching things beyond difficult. :( )

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lorna Smithers6 May 2017 at 10:09

    I love the way you bring this story to life and fill in the gaps. I particularly liked the part where Gwri rides on Rhiannon's back to the court to be presented to Pwyll.

    Whatever is that 'thing beyond description' that goes round snatching babies and foals???

    Would it be possible to re-post this, through the You-tube link, on the Dun Brython site?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Robin7 May 2017 at 03:28

      Feel free to share away. I wonder if an earlier version of the tale might have made the nature of the Giant Claw more apparent - maybe a secondary story about why the abductions took place, and some adventure to defeat the monster.

      Delete
    2. Lorna Smithers9 May 2017 at 13:29

      Yes, I think that is certainly possible. I've wondered whether Llywd son of Cil Coed might have had a role in it, being an Annuvian kind of figure and maybe to be identified with Brenin Llywd?

      Could the monster be an emissary of Llwyd's or does it have its own aims?...

      It's also possible to see links between the imprisonments of Gwri and Mabon and perhaps Gweir who was certainly taken to Annwn and had to sing in chains. Could there be an initiatory function?

      Thanks so much for letting us repost. It'll go up this weekend.

      Delete

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