The Sacred Hearth

Because of the geis placed upon him by his mother Arianrhod, Llew Llaw Gyffes could not marry any woman of any race of earth. Gwydion saw his son’s loneliness and with the help of Math Mathenwy he created for him a woman of oak, broom and meadowsweet and she was named Blodeuwedd.

They married and lived happily for some time and ruled over the land given to them by the High King. They were known to be generous and hospitable and all the people loved them.

One day while Llew was away on an errand for Math, a hunting party came by and begged hospitality of the fair Blodeuwedd who was known to refuse none. The leader of this party was a Gronw Pebyr, a man of fine bearing and the Lord of a not so distant land. Upon their meeting, the two fell instantly in love and there was no parting them for many days. Finally, the time came for Llew’s return and the were forced to part. But before they did, they decided upon a plan so that they might always be together.

“Using your womanly wiles,” Said Gronw, “Find out how I may kill Llew Llaw Gyffes and it shall be done and then I will take you for my own.” Blodeuwedd agreed to this and they parted their ways.

A short time after Llew’s return, he noticed her pining for her love he asked her, “Why do you look so sad of late, my love?”

“My love, I fear that you will leave me. I have had terrible nightmares that you will one day die and I will be alone.” She responded, clinging to his hand and looking into his eyes.

Llew laughed this away, “Have no fear, my darling, for there is but one way to kill me and it cannot be done.”

“Are you quite certain?” Asked she.

“Indeed.” Said he, “For I might only be slain by a wound from a spear that is a year in the making and worked on only by the light of the full moon.”

“But that is not so hard!” Said she, “Surely you will die before me.”

“Oh but that is not all.” Said he, “I cannot be slain in a house, or without, nor on horseback. And only may I be slain with one foot in a cauldroni, and another upon a stag.”

“Ah.” Said she, “Well that is easily avoided. I am much comforted.” And so she pretended and kissed him.

Later, she met in secret with her lover Gronw and shared with him the news.

“I will make the spear if you can manage the rest. I shall meet you in a year and a day.” Said Gronw, and they parted ways again.

A year and a day passed and Llew was out hunting and had made himself quite dirty and hot in the process. He came upon his wife on the shores of the river Cynvael and there she had prepared for him a bath in a large cauldron shaded by a thatched roof held up by poles.

“What a thoughtful wife I have!” He exclaimed and entered the bath gratefully.

Once he had entered, she sneaked away to have a stag brought and placed next to the cauldron. When his bath was completed, Llew stood and stepped out, placing his foot upon the stag. At that moment, Gronw burst out of hiding and ran him through with his spear. Llew instantly transformed into an eagle and flew away.

Blodeuwedd used her glamour to make Gronw appear like Llew in every way and they returned to the castle of Llew Llaw Gyffes to rule together as husband and wife, thinking no one would ever be the wiser. But Gronw’s rule was not as benevolent as Llew’s and the crops were not as plentiful and the people suffered greatly under him.

Word got back to Math and Gwydion of the misfortune that had fallen upon Llew’s people and Gwydion went to investigate. When Gwydion met Gronw, he knew instantly that this was not Llew Llaw Gyffes, his own son and he went away in a panic and a fury to find him.

Disguised as a bard, Gwydion traveled for many weeks in search of Llew and one day his travels brought him to the hut of a swineherd. While he was there, the swineherd complained of his sow, who escaped every day into the forest and returned in the evening.

“Where does she go?” Asked Gwydion.

“I know not,” Said the swineherd, “But she is well fed, wherever it is.”

Curiosity overcame Gwydion and he decided to follow the sow the next day. The swineherd agreed to this, and woke him early and took him to the place where the sow slept. As soon as she awoke, she escaped her pen and took off quickly into the forest so that Gwydion was hard pressed to follow her. She followed the river upstream and came to a brook which is called Nant Y Llew and there she stopped and began eating something at the base of a tall oak tree. When Gwydion came near, he saw that she was eating what appeared to be putrid rotting flesh. Disgusted, he looked around for the source and saw that chunks of it was falling from the tree. Upon closer inspection, he saw an eagle high in the treetop.

And so Gwydion sang:
Oak that grows between two banks
Darkened is the sky and hill
Shall I not tell him by his wounds
That this is Llew?

Hearing this, the eagle dropped to a lower branch and glanced down at Gwydion who sang again:
Oak that grows in upland ground
Is it not wetted by therein?
Has it not been drenched
By nine score tempests?
It bears in its branches Llew Llaw Gyffes!

The eagle came down to the lowest branch of the tree and Gwydion sang to it again:

Oak that grows beneath the steep
Stately and majestic is its aspect
Shall I not speak it?
That Llew will come to my lap?

The eagle then came down to Gwydion’s lap and he struck it with his staff and it returned to the form of Llew Llaw Gyffes, but he was sorely wounded and nothing but skin and bones. Gwydion brought him back the Math who cared for him so that he was quickly healed.

Gwydion then gathered his men and made his way to Llew’s castle. Blodeuwedd heard of his coming and fled to the mountains with her maidens. They were so frightened though, that they looked over their shoulders the whole way and all fell into the river Cynvael and were drowned except Blodeuwedd herself.

Gwydion soon captured her and she begged his mercy but he struck her with his staff saying, “For the shame you have brought to Llew Llaw Gyffes, you shall never again see the light of the sun. You shall be a bird who flies only at night and all other birds shall hate you and attack you in great flocks if you should approach them.” And so she was turned into an owl.

Gronw retreated to his own land and sent an embassy to Llew begging his forgiveness and offering all manner of treasure in recompense.

“What I shall accept from him.” Replied Llew, “Is nothing less than that he shall return to the spot where he struck me and stand as I stood and I shall take aim at him but one time. If he lives or dies, all will be forgotten.”

Upon hearing this Gronw asked his men if none would take the blow in his stead, but none would and they were known thenceforth as the third disloyal tribe. So Gronw went himself to take the blow from Llew Llaw Gyffes.

Upon their meeting on the riverbank, Gronw continued to beg, “I would not have done such a foul thing if not for the wiles of the woman. Allow me then to place a slab between you and I.”

Llew agreed to this and a large rock slab was placed between them as Gronw took his position beneath the thatched roof with one foot in a cauldron and the other on a stag. And so Llew took aim and his spear pierced the slab and Gronw who was instantly slain.

It is said that that slab can still be seen on the bank of the river Cyvael with the mark of Llew’s spear in the center and it is called Llech Gronw.

So Llew returned to his castle and regained possession of his lands and governed it prosperously thereafter.