Read on Twitter
Lets talk a bit about the hero Pwyll from Welsh mythology, and the symbolism in his story.
Pwyll ('Wisdom' from PIE kʷeyt 'to notice') was out hunting with his companions, yet he became separated from the party and stumbled across some hounds...
Pwyll ('Wisdom' from PIE kʷeyt 'to notice') was out hunting with his companions, yet he became separated from the party and stumbled across some hounds...
feasting on the body of a stag, Pwyll sets his own hunting dogs on on the hounds (note, I'm sure many of you will have noticed that this kind of scene is very reminiscent of the wild hunt)
It turns out that the hounds were the 'Cŵn Annwn' (Hounds of Annwn)...
It turns out that the hounds were the 'Cŵn Annwn' (Hounds of Annwn)...
Annwn being the 'Other World', the chthonic realm i.e the Barrow i.e the Womb.
Hearing of this Arawn ('White') the King of Annwn comes to Pwyll. Of course Arawn is the ancestral spirit, he is the ruler (inhabitant) of the Barrow, his name meaning 'white' confirms this...
Hearing of this Arawn ('White') the King of Annwn comes to Pwyll. Of course Arawn is the ancestral spirit, he is the ruler (inhabitant) of the Barrow, his name meaning 'white' confirms this...
as white is always associated with the ancestral spirit, such as with the Elves, who's name comes from the PIE h₂elbʰós, 'white'.
Back the story, Arawn tells Pwyll that to repay him he must slay Hafgan 'summer white' the other king of Annwn, but only with one blow...
Back the story, Arawn tells Pwyll that to repay him he must slay Hafgan 'summer white' the other king of Annwn, but only with one blow...
He agrees and so to carry out the task Arawn and Pwyll change places and appearances for one year and a day.
If we go back slightly we can see the significance of the stag, in the days of old stag horns were used to dig into the barrow, and Pwyll's interaction with the stag...
If we go back slightly we can see the significance of the stag, in the days of old stag horns were used to dig into the barrow, and Pwyll's interaction with the stag...
allows him to enter the 'barrow'.
So at this point in the story we can see, Arawn the ancestral spirit, is 'reborn', and returns to the realm of the living, whilst the hero Pwyll figuratively 'dies' and becomes the ancestral spirit in the barrow...
So at this point in the story we can see, Arawn the ancestral spirit, is 'reborn', and returns to the realm of the living, whilst the hero Pwyll figuratively 'dies' and becomes the ancestral spirit in the barrow...
At the end of the year Pwyll, in the form of Arawn finally defeats Hafgan with one blow, piercing his shield and armour, which perhaps may relate to the below tweet.
With Hafgan gone Arawn is now considered to be the sole ruler of Annwn...
https://twitter.com/Auslandsgruppe1/status/1263585109782827009
With Hafgan gone Arawn is now considered to be the sole ruler of Annwn...
https://twitter.com/Auslandsgruppe1/status/1263585109782827009
After the year and a day Pwyll and Arawn switch back places, they meet again and become lifelong friends as Pwyll when in the form of Arawn did not lie with his wife when they slept in bed together...
So, Pwyll (fetus) 'sleeps' alongside Arawn's wife (the mother), defeats Hafgan (the other, remaining side of the ancestral spirit), thus gaining the ancestral wisdom and is then reborn, while Arawn 'dies' and returns to inhabit the barrow/womb once again.
Cheers.
Cheers.
