Celtic Mythology

Celtic Mythology a partagé une photo.

As the tidal bore of the River Severn rushes up the arm of the river in the high tides of spring, the monstrosity of winter is put to death by the shining blade...

TEYRNON TWRF LLIANT was the ‘Great Lord of Tidal Thunder’ in Gwent Is Coed by the Mouth of the Severn. Every Belteine, a huge clawed hand would come to seize the new-born foal born to a mare in his mews. Now, Teyrnon Twrf Lliant was Lord of Gwent Is Coed, and he was the best man in the world. Unto his house there belonged a mare, than which neither mare nor horse in the kingdom was more beautiful. And on the night of every first of May she foaled, and no one ever knew what became of the colt. Teyrnon had the mare brought into a house, and he armed himself, and began to watch that night. And in the beginning of the night, the mare foaled a large and beautiful colt. And it was standing up in the place. And Teyrnon rose up and looked at the size of the colt, and as he did so he heard a great tumult, and after the tumult behold a claw came through the window into the house, and it seized the colt by the mane. Then Teyrnon drew his sword, and struck off the arm at the elbow, so that portion of the arm together with the colt was in the house with him. And then did he hear a tumult and wailing, both at once. And he opened the door, and rushed out in the direction of the noise, and he could not see the cause of the tumult because of the darkness of the night, but he rushed after it and followed it. Then he remembered that he had left the door open, and he returned. And at the door behold there was the infant and golden-haired Pryderi in swaddling-clothes, wrapped around in a mantle of satin.

How far this hand can be related to that of Núada or of Lugus is arguable. Certainly, in medical astrology, the hand and arm were the bodily symbol of Gemini at the end of spring.
Picture by Alan Lee