| Page 144 | |
[W] Son of Beli, brother of Lludd (Nudd). He ruled in Gaul while Lludd ruled in Britain. Lludd sought his brother’s aid to stop three plagues that were devastating the land. Together they were able to rid the island of the plagues. See Lludd Llaw Ereint.
[W] Son of Aranrhod. His mother swears that he will never be named, but her brother, Gwydion, who has concealed the child at birth, tricks Aranrhod into naming him “Bright One of the Skilful Hand.” Aranrhod swears that Lleu will never bears arms unless she equips him. Again, she is tricked. Finally, she swears Lleu will never have a human wife. Gwydion and Math conjure a wife from the flowers of an oak, broom, and meadowsweet and call her Blodeuwedd, “Flower aspect.” She is very beautiful but soon is discontented with Lleu and takes a lover, Gronw Pebyr. They try to murder him. But it has been said that Lleu can never be killed within a house or outside it, neither on horseback nor on foot, and moreover he could then only be slain by a spear crafted for a whole year only during the time when people attended Sunday Mass. His unfaithful wife relays this to her lover and the conditions are fulfilled. But Lleu escapes, only wounded, in the form of an eagle. Gwydion seeks him out and restores him to health and human form. Lleu slays Gronw Pebyr in combat and Blodeuwedd is turned into an owl, outcast among even the birds. Lleu Llaw Gyffes appears to be the counterpart of the Irish Lugh.
[W] “The lost territory.” The name by which the British Celts referred to that territory which the Anglo-Saxons had invaded and conquered. Today, Lloegyr is the Welsh name for England.
[W] In the tale “Lludd and Llefelys” three plagues fall on Britain. See Coraniaid and Lludd Llaw Ereint.
[W] The son of Beli, god of death. He appears in the tale of Culhwch and Olwen, and the name is the equivalent of Nuada Airegetlámh. He is also referred to as Nudd. According to Geoffrey, he built London. There was, according to Geoffrey, a temple to Lludd on the site of St. Paul’s, and nearby the entrance to it was gained through Parth Lludd, or “Lludd’s Gate” (Ludgate). Also, it is interesting to note, a gate named after Lludd’s father, Beli, opened onto the river Tamesis (the sluggish river)—Beli’s gate (Billingsgate). He ruled Britain while his brother Llefelys ruled Gaul. Three plagues pester Britain. A demoniac race called the Corianiad, could hear every whisper in the land if the winds caught
| |