The story we will be looking at comes from Wales and is also about a virgin birth. Most importantly, it is about the importance of a mother’s regard towards her child and the events that happen from that.
It was believed that the blessing of a mother was of great importance, even if the child was being traditionally fostered out. It was not uncommon for a mother to give her child his first solid food upon his father’s sword to ensure the child would be protected from harm. The mother’s blessing, or lack thereof, would greatly affect the child as he/she started in life.
You may recall the story of the rape of Goewin, the virgin who held Math’s feet as part of his Geas, from the Mabinogion. She was raped by his two nephews (and they were subsequently punished by being turned into animals of the opposite sex who would have to mate) and he was left without a virgin.
It was suggested that his niece, Arianrhod, be considered for the position since she was a virgin. Math called upon her right away.
When she arrived, Math asked her if she was a virgin and she said she was unsure. He asked her to step over his staff and they would see if she was a virgin. She did step over the staff and a baby boy fell from her loins. Math took up the child and said that he would be named Dylan. The boy was no sooner named than he plunged himself into the sea and swam as good as any sea creature. Dylan became the Son of the Wave and no wave would break before him.
Arianrhod fled the place and another baby dropped from her loins. No one seemed to notice, except Gwydion, who took the child and fostered him to a woman who would care for him.
This boy grew at an alarming rate and was big and smart enough to attend court by the time he was two! Gwydion saw the boy and took him back into his care. The boy loved him more than anyone else, but the time had come where he needed to receive the blessing from his mother.
Gwydion took the boy to Arianrhod’s castle and introduced him. Her response was less than favourable, for she saw the boy as a shame to her, and would not lay the blessing upon him or even acknowledge him.
“What is his name?” She finally asked.
“He has no name.” Gwydion replied. Arianrhod understood all too well the importance of a mother’s blessing and saw an opportunity to ensure this shame to her would be eliminated.
“Then this shall be his destiny.” she said. “He shall never have a name unless he gets one from me!” (Not giving a name was believed to kill the child)
Gwydion left with the boy in anger and began to think of a way to trick her into giving the boy a name.
On the next morning, Gwydion went out and through his magic, fashioned himself a boat and some beautiful leather. He took the boy with him in the boat and they landed at the port of Arianrhod’s castle. Gwydion disguised their likeness and he began to make shoes. People began to notice the high quality of the shoes, including Arianrhod.
She sent one of her servants to the disguised shoemaker and asked to send a pair of shoes up for her. The first pair he made was too big, the second were too small.
“Tell your Lady that I need to see her foot in order to make a proper shoe!”
Arianrhod came down to the boat and a pair of shoes was made to fit. While the shoes were being measured for her feet, the boy noticed a wren and shot it with his slingshot.
“With a sure and steady hand did the lion aim at that bird!” she exclaimed in wonder at the boy’s skill.
That being said, the boat disappeared and so did the disguises and the shoes, leaving only Gwydion, the boy and Arianrhod standing on the port.
“You have just given him a name: Llew Llaw Gyffes “he of the sure and steady hand of skill”!” Gwydion laughed.
“Well, you have tricked me on this one.” She said. “But I lay this destiny on him: he shall not take up arms unless I invest him with them!” Once again, it was believed that a child would have no protection or future without arms.
Gwydion left and the next day, he and the boy were disguised and came to Arianrhod’s castle as two young travelling bards. They spent a fine evening feasting and telling tales.
That night, while everyone went to bed, Gwydion worked his magic. In the morning, it appeared that ships were approaching the castle to attack.
Arianrhod ran into their room and announced to her guests that there were ships approaching who may attack.
“Close up the castle walks” He said. “And we shall help you defend it.”
Arianrhod agreed to give them all the arms they would need to defend the castle.
She returned with armament a plenty and two maidens to assist the young men into their armour.
The maidens helped the disguised Gwydion, while Arianrhod armed his smaller companion.
At that point, the noise died down and the ships vanished as quickly as they had appeared.
“What is this?” Arianrhod exclaimed.
Gwydion removed the charm of disguise from himself and the boy and told her that she had just armed her son.
“Well! There is one last destiny I will place upon this boy and not even you can use trickery!” She said. “This boy will never have for a wife, a woman of any race on this planet!”
Gwydion swore he would find a way around that and left with Llew in tow. He went to his uncle, Math, and informed him of Llew’s misfortune with Arianrhod.
“A wife not of a race of this earth?” Math asked. “Well, we can work our way around that yet! We shall fashion for Llew a wife made of the earth itself…of flowers!”
Gwydion and Math took the blossoms of Oak, Meadowsweet and broom, and from them fashioned the most beautiful of women. They named her Blodeuwedd.
Llew was wedded to the flower bride and Math gave them lands and riches to sustain them. They were loved by all of those in their land.
One day, Llew went out to see Math and left Blodeuwedd home alone with the servants. As the sun started to set, she heard a horn and saw a single man and his hounds chasing a stag. He finally killed the stag, but it was late and Blodeuwedd thought it would be a good idea to allow him to rest there for the night.
They ate supper together and it was not long until the two of them were gazing at each other with love in their eyes. The man, named Gronw Pebyr, expressed his love for her and she was overjoyed since she was in an arranged marriage and Llew never expressed such feelings for her.
They spent the better part of the night talking about their love for one another. While she had been made of flowers, she was still a woman and had fallen in love with a man of her choice!
For four days Gronw remained with her and on the last day he insisted he must leave. However, he told her to ask Llew how he might be killed…
Llew returned home to find his wife anxiously awaiting his return.
“Oh. I have missed you and have been worried so!” She said.
“Why would you worry?” He asked.
“What if you were to die while away for so long? What if you were attacked? I would be left all alone!”
“Lucky for you, I am not easily killed.” Said Llew.
“Tell me the manner in which you could be killed so that my mind may be put at ease…” She said.
“Very well.” He replied. “If it will put your mind at ease, I will tell you how hard it would be to kill me.
“I can only be killed by a wound…and that wound must be inflicted by a spear that has been a year in its forming…and it can only be worked on during a certain time on Sundays. I cannot be slain neither within a house nor outside of it, nor can I be slain on either horseback or on foot.”
“Well, in what manner can you be killed then?” She asked.
“One would have to make a bath by the side of a river and put a tightly thatched roof above it. A buck would need to be put beside the cauldron and I would need to have one foot on the cauldron and one on the buck. Then, one would have to strike me with the specially made spear.”
“Thank goodness for that…how silly of me to worry so!” She said with feigned relief.
She relayed this to Gronw who immediately set to work on making the spear.
A year later, the spear was finished and Gronw set his plan into action.
Blodeuwedd engaged Llew in the conversation about the nature of his death again and asked him to show her how it would need to be done. Llew, not being a very smart man, demonstrated how he could be slain by setting up the bath with the roof and the buck, alongside the river.
He stood with one foot on the buck and one on the cauldron, and Gronw, who had been waiting in ambush, jumped out and attacked him with the spear.
The poisoned spear struck Llew in the side and he turned into an eagle and flew away; the spear still sticking in his side.
Gronw took over ownership of Llew’s properties and he and Blodeuwedd ruled them.
Gwydion grew uneasy since he had not received word from his nephew in a long time and brought his concern up with Math. He went out to search for him and stayed at the house of a swineherd in Arvon.
They started talking about a certain sow that the swineherd could not seem to catch during the day, but she would return faithfully each night. Gwydion found this curious, so he decided to follow the pig the next day.
In the light of the next morning, Gwydion stood by the pig sty and the door was opened. The sow broke out from there and ran at a great speed. Gwydion followed her until she came to brook now called Nant Y Llew. Upon arriving there, she went to the base of a tree and ate what looked like rotting flesh and vermin.
Gwydion looked up and saw a wounded eagle with a spear in its side. Each time it shook, putrid flesh would fall from it, which the pig would eat.
Gwydion sang an englyn (4 lined song) to the eagle:
[This song is taken from the Mabinogion translated by Lady Charlotte Guest8]
"Oak that grows between the two banks;
Darkened is the sky and hill!
Shall I not tell him by his wounds,
That this is Llew?"
The eagle descended a bit down the tree and stopped in the middle. Gwydion sang again:
"Oak that grows in upland ground,
Is it not wetted by the rain? Has it not been drenched
By nine score tempests?
It bears in its branches Llew Llaw Gyffes!"
The eagle came down a bit more until it was on the lowest branch and once again Gwydion sang:
"Oak that grows beneath the steep;
Stately and majestic is its aspect!
Shall I not speak it?
That Llew will come to my lap?"
With that, the eagle hopped onto Gwydion’s lap. Gwydion touched it with his staff and the eagle turned into Llew Llaw Gyffes, his nephew.
The man was barely skin and bone and half-dead, but Gwydion was able to take him to some fine healers and within a year, Llew was fully healed.
When Llew was in fine health, Gwydion and Math decided that it was time for justice to be done upon the conspirators of Llew’s attempted murder.
Gwydion chased Blodeuwedd into the mountains and her maidens were all drowned.
“I will not kill you” he said. “Instead, for the shame you have brought upon Llew, I will change you into a bird that lives at night, will be the hate of all other birds because it will attack them and yet still has the face of a flower.” With that he changed her into an owl, the flower faced bird that is the fear of all other birds.
Gronw knew that justice was to be done to him and he offered gold, riches or anything he could offer to compensate Llew for his injury.
Llew would accept nothing less than to have Gronw stand the same as he did, upon the bath and the buck and let Llew take a shot at him with a spear.
No one in Gronw’s household would take his place, so Gronw took it upon himself to stand as Llew had done on that fateful day.
Now, Gronw prepared himself to stand as Llew did and asked Llew if he could place a stone slab between his body and the spear since it was the “wiles of a woman” that had caused him to injure Llew.
Llew, as we all know, had a sure and steady hand, and agreed.
Gronw stood with the stone and Llew hurled the spear. True to his name, the spear was aimed straight and it struck true…through the stone and through Gronw’s heart, killing him.
Llew took back his lands and lordship and ruled benevolently until the end of his days.
Questions:
1. How have your parents affected you in this regard?
My father continually rejected me and my ideas though I do not think it was me specifically that he rejected. He seemed to have a hatred for women in general that of courrse, since I was a pre-teen, included me.
My mom on the other hand has always been proud if me, even when I make choices, such as my faith, that are not her choices. This is such a huge contridction to how my father treated me.
Do you feel you have done them proud?
There was never anything i could ever do to make my father proud. I do beleive, however, that my mom is and always has been proud of all of us and all that we do.
Do you feel a sense of loss if they have not expressed pride or have rejected you in some form?
For all of the years that my father lived, i felt the loss of his rejection. There was never anything i could ever do to make him happy or make him like me. At a point some years ago, i finally just cut him out of our lives as I didn't feel that my children needed to see someone who was suppose to be my father and their grandfather treat me so badly. He liked to make me cry and we didn't need that. When he died, I was released. It was like i was suddlely allowd to be who i am and here i am now, following my own path even though I had not spoken to him in years.
2. How much influence would you say your parents’ opinions of you have had on you?
My parents opinions have always had a huge impact on me though it has not made my decisions for me as an adult. Having my mom's approval on many things is very important to me and not getting aprroval from my dad hurt me for many years. Even now, my mom's aprroval of the things i do is important to me especially because at this point in my life, she is my total support system.
Has their approval made you stronger?
My mon's approval has made me stronger.
Has disapproval made you weaker or has it made you want to go out and do better to prove them wrong?
My fathers constant disapproval was a big part of my depression problems when i was younger.
3. How have you bucked your parents/guardians’ approval and gone on to do the things that you want to?
I never really did. What results have you had?
4. For those of you who have children or work with children, do you feel that your actions and opinions influence them?
Our actions do influene children, whether they are my chidlren or the students i work with. When they are praised, when you are happy and excited about something, when they see that you are praised for something you do or a particular behavior, they will strive to do the same, especially the younger children. We need to remember this when we do things that may not be so appropriate.
Have you seen evidence of this influence in their lives? Do you encourage them to do their own thing and create their own destinies?
5. What light within will you try to give birth to this Solstice?
It was believed that the blessing of a mother was of great importance, even if the child was being traditionally fostered out. It was not uncommon for a mother to give her child his first solid food upon his father’s sword to ensure the child would be protected from harm. The mother’s blessing, or lack thereof, would greatly affect the child as he/she started in life.
You may recall the story of the rape of Goewin, the virgin who held Math’s feet as part of his Geas, from the Mabinogion. She was raped by his two nephews (and they were subsequently punished by being turned into animals of the opposite sex who would have to mate) and he was left without a virgin.
It was suggested that his niece, Arianrhod, be considered for the position since she was a virgin. Math called upon her right away.
When she arrived, Math asked her if she was a virgin and she said she was unsure. He asked her to step over his staff and they would see if she was a virgin. She did step over the staff and a baby boy fell from her loins. Math took up the child and said that he would be named Dylan. The boy was no sooner named than he plunged himself into the sea and swam as good as any sea creature. Dylan became the Son of the Wave and no wave would break before him.
Arianrhod fled the place and another baby dropped from her loins. No one seemed to notice, except Gwydion, who took the child and fostered him to a woman who would care for him.
This boy grew at an alarming rate and was big and smart enough to attend court by the time he was two! Gwydion saw the boy and took him back into his care. The boy loved him more than anyone else, but the time had come where he needed to receive the blessing from his mother.
Gwydion took the boy to Arianrhod’s castle and introduced him. Her response was less than favourable, for she saw the boy as a shame to her, and would not lay the blessing upon him or even acknowledge him.
“What is his name?” She finally asked.
“He has no name.” Gwydion replied. Arianrhod understood all too well the importance of a mother’s blessing and saw an opportunity to ensure this shame to her would be eliminated.
“Then this shall be his destiny.” she said. “He shall never have a name unless he gets one from me!” (Not giving a name was believed to kill the child)
Gwydion left with the boy in anger and began to think of a way to trick her into giving the boy a name.
On the next morning, Gwydion went out and through his magic, fashioned himself a boat and some beautiful leather. He took the boy with him in the boat and they landed at the port of Arianrhod’s castle. Gwydion disguised their likeness and he began to make shoes. People began to notice the high quality of the shoes, including Arianrhod.
She sent one of her servants to the disguised shoemaker and asked to send a pair of shoes up for her. The first pair he made was too big, the second were too small.
“Tell your Lady that I need to see her foot in order to make a proper shoe!”
Arianrhod came down to the boat and a pair of shoes was made to fit. While the shoes were being measured for her feet, the boy noticed a wren and shot it with his slingshot.
“With a sure and steady hand did the lion aim at that bird!” she exclaimed in wonder at the boy’s skill.
That being said, the boat disappeared and so did the disguises and the shoes, leaving only Gwydion, the boy and Arianrhod standing on the port.
“You have just given him a name: Llew Llaw Gyffes “he of the sure and steady hand of skill”!” Gwydion laughed.
“Well, you have tricked me on this one.” She said. “But I lay this destiny on him: he shall not take up arms unless I invest him with them!” Once again, it was believed that a child would have no protection or future without arms.
Gwydion left and the next day, he and the boy were disguised and came to Arianrhod’s castle as two young travelling bards. They spent a fine evening feasting and telling tales.
That night, while everyone went to bed, Gwydion worked his magic. In the morning, it appeared that ships were approaching the castle to attack.
Arianrhod ran into their room and announced to her guests that there were ships approaching who may attack.
“Close up the castle walks” He said. “And we shall help you defend it.”
Arianrhod agreed to give them all the arms they would need to defend the castle.
She returned with armament a plenty and two maidens to assist the young men into their armour.
The maidens helped the disguised Gwydion, while Arianrhod armed his smaller companion.
At that point, the noise died down and the ships vanished as quickly as they had appeared.
“What is this?” Arianrhod exclaimed.
Gwydion removed the charm of disguise from himself and the boy and told her that she had just armed her son.
“Well! There is one last destiny I will place upon this boy and not even you can use trickery!” She said. “This boy will never have for a wife, a woman of any race on this planet!”
Gwydion swore he would find a way around that and left with Llew in tow. He went to his uncle, Math, and informed him of Llew’s misfortune with Arianrhod.
“A wife not of a race of this earth?” Math asked. “Well, we can work our way around that yet! We shall fashion for Llew a wife made of the earth itself…of flowers!”
Gwydion and Math took the blossoms of Oak, Meadowsweet and broom, and from them fashioned the most beautiful of women. They named her Blodeuwedd.
Llew was wedded to the flower bride and Math gave them lands and riches to sustain them. They were loved by all of those in their land.
One day, Llew went out to see Math and left Blodeuwedd home alone with the servants. As the sun started to set, she heard a horn and saw a single man and his hounds chasing a stag. He finally killed the stag, but it was late and Blodeuwedd thought it would be a good idea to allow him to rest there for the night.
They ate supper together and it was not long until the two of them were gazing at each other with love in their eyes. The man, named Gronw Pebyr, expressed his love for her and she was overjoyed since she was in an arranged marriage and Llew never expressed such feelings for her.
They spent the better part of the night talking about their love for one another. While she had been made of flowers, she was still a woman and had fallen in love with a man of her choice!
For four days Gronw remained with her and on the last day he insisted he must leave. However, he told her to ask Llew how he might be killed…
Llew returned home to find his wife anxiously awaiting his return.
“Oh. I have missed you and have been worried so!” She said.
“Why would you worry?” He asked.
“What if you were to die while away for so long? What if you were attacked? I would be left all alone!”
“Lucky for you, I am not easily killed.” Said Llew.
“Tell me the manner in which you could be killed so that my mind may be put at ease…” She said.
“Very well.” He replied. “If it will put your mind at ease, I will tell you how hard it would be to kill me.
“I can only be killed by a wound…and that wound must be inflicted by a spear that has been a year in its forming…and it can only be worked on during a certain time on Sundays. I cannot be slain neither within a house nor outside of it, nor can I be slain on either horseback or on foot.”
“Well, in what manner can you be killed then?” She asked.
“One would have to make a bath by the side of a river and put a tightly thatched roof above it. A buck would need to be put beside the cauldron and I would need to have one foot on the cauldron and one on the buck. Then, one would have to strike me with the specially made spear.”
“Thank goodness for that…how silly of me to worry so!” She said with feigned relief.
She relayed this to Gronw who immediately set to work on making the spear.
A year later, the spear was finished and Gronw set his plan into action.
Blodeuwedd engaged Llew in the conversation about the nature of his death again and asked him to show her how it would need to be done. Llew, not being a very smart man, demonstrated how he could be slain by setting up the bath with the roof and the buck, alongside the river.
He stood with one foot on the buck and one on the cauldron, and Gronw, who had been waiting in ambush, jumped out and attacked him with the spear.
The poisoned spear struck Llew in the side and he turned into an eagle and flew away; the spear still sticking in his side.
Gronw took over ownership of Llew’s properties and he and Blodeuwedd ruled them.
Gwydion grew uneasy since he had not received word from his nephew in a long time and brought his concern up with Math. He went out to search for him and stayed at the house of a swineherd in Arvon.
They started talking about a certain sow that the swineherd could not seem to catch during the day, but she would return faithfully each night. Gwydion found this curious, so he decided to follow the pig the next day.
In the light of the next morning, Gwydion stood by the pig sty and the door was opened. The sow broke out from there and ran at a great speed. Gwydion followed her until she came to brook now called Nant Y Llew. Upon arriving there, she went to the base of a tree and ate what looked like rotting flesh and vermin.
Gwydion looked up and saw a wounded eagle with a spear in its side. Each time it shook, putrid flesh would fall from it, which the pig would eat.
Gwydion sang an englyn (4 lined song) to the eagle:
[This song is taken from the Mabinogion translated by Lady Charlotte Guest8]
"Oak that grows between the two banks;
Darkened is the sky and hill!
Shall I not tell him by his wounds,
That this is Llew?"
The eagle descended a bit down the tree and stopped in the middle. Gwydion sang again:
"Oak that grows in upland ground,
Is it not wetted by the rain? Has it not been drenched
By nine score tempests?
It bears in its branches Llew Llaw Gyffes!"
The eagle came down a bit more until it was on the lowest branch and once again Gwydion sang:
"Oak that grows beneath the steep;
Stately and majestic is its aspect!
Shall I not speak it?
That Llew will come to my lap?"
With that, the eagle hopped onto Gwydion’s lap. Gwydion touched it with his staff and the eagle turned into Llew Llaw Gyffes, his nephew.
The man was barely skin and bone and half-dead, but Gwydion was able to take him to some fine healers and within a year, Llew was fully healed.
When Llew was in fine health, Gwydion and Math decided that it was time for justice to be done upon the conspirators of Llew’s attempted murder.
Gwydion chased Blodeuwedd into the mountains and her maidens were all drowned.
“I will not kill you” he said. “Instead, for the shame you have brought upon Llew, I will change you into a bird that lives at night, will be the hate of all other birds because it will attack them and yet still has the face of a flower.” With that he changed her into an owl, the flower faced bird that is the fear of all other birds.
Gronw knew that justice was to be done to him and he offered gold, riches or anything he could offer to compensate Llew for his injury.
Llew would accept nothing less than to have Gronw stand the same as he did, upon the bath and the buck and let Llew take a shot at him with a spear.
No one in Gronw’s household would take his place, so Gronw took it upon himself to stand as Llew had done on that fateful day.
Now, Gronw prepared himself to stand as Llew did and asked Llew if he could place a stone slab between his body and the spear since it was the “wiles of a woman” that had caused him to injure Llew.
Llew, as we all know, had a sure and steady hand, and agreed.
Gronw stood with the stone and Llew hurled the spear. True to his name, the spear was aimed straight and it struck true…through the stone and through Gronw’s heart, killing him.
Llew took back his lands and lordship and ruled benevolently until the end of his days.
Questions:
1. How have your parents affected you in this regard?
My father continually rejected me and my ideas though I do not think it was me specifically that he rejected. He seemed to have a hatred for women in general that of courrse, since I was a pre-teen, included me.
My mom on the other hand has always been proud if me, even when I make choices, such as my faith, that are not her choices. This is such a huge contridction to how my father treated me.
Do you feel you have done them proud?
There was never anything i could ever do to make my father proud. I do beleive, however, that my mom is and always has been proud of all of us and all that we do.
Do you feel a sense of loss if they have not expressed pride or have rejected you in some form?
For all of the years that my father lived, i felt the loss of his rejection. There was never anything i could ever do to make him happy or make him like me. At a point some years ago, i finally just cut him out of our lives as I didn't feel that my children needed to see someone who was suppose to be my father and their grandfather treat me so badly. He liked to make me cry and we didn't need that. When he died, I was released. It was like i was suddlely allowd to be who i am and here i am now, following my own path even though I had not spoken to him in years.
2. How much influence would you say your parents’ opinions of you have had on you?
My parents opinions have always had a huge impact on me though it has not made my decisions for me as an adult. Having my mom's approval on many things is very important to me and not getting aprroval from my dad hurt me for many years. Even now, my mom's aprroval of the things i do is important to me especially because at this point in my life, she is my total support system.
Has their approval made you stronger?
My mon's approval has made me stronger.
Has disapproval made you weaker or has it made you want to go out and do better to prove them wrong?
My fathers constant disapproval was a big part of my depression problems when i was younger.
3. How have you bucked your parents/guardians’ approval and gone on to do the things that you want to?
I never really did. What results have you had?
4. For those of you who have children or work with children, do you feel that your actions and opinions influence them?
Our actions do influene children, whether they are my chidlren or the students i work with. When they are praised, when you are happy and excited about something, when they see that you are praised for something you do or a particular behavior, they will strive to do the same, especially the younger children. We need to remember this when we do things that may not be so appropriate.
Have you seen evidence of this influence in their lives? Do you encourage them to do their own thing and create their own destinies?
5. What light within will you try to give birth to this Solstice?
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