thought to be the origin of the red dragon banner of Wales. Arthur’s father, in later tradition, becomes Uthr Pendragon (pen meaning “head” or “chief”).

Drem

[W] The seer who could see any happening from Cornwall in the south to Alba in the north.

Drudwyn

[W] Whelp of Greid. Chief of the pack of hounds that hunted Twrch Trwyth. Only Mabon, son of Modron, could hold this hound.

Druid

The druids not only presided at religious functions but were important figures in the Celtic world—advisers, judges, teachers, and ambassadors between rulers. The philologist Rudolf Thurneysen believed the word came from the roots dru-vid, “thorough knowledge.” Others believe that the word came be coined from draoi-id, “oak knowledge.” Whatever the meaning of the word, druids, who were both male and female, held a position of exceptional power in Celtic society.

It took up to twenty years to learn all the druidical laws and canons, according to Julius Caesar. They were accounted philosophers, natural scientists, and teachers and, more importantly, were able to give legal, political, and even military judgments. They were trained in “international law” as well as tribal law. They could prevent warfare between tribes, for their moral and legal authority was greater than that of chieftains or kings. Even the High King could not speak at an assembly before his druid had spoken.

Whereas most of our knowledge of Continental and British druids has come down to us through the distortions of the Greek and Latin writers, there is a corpus of native Irish writing describing the role of the Irish druids. The Dinnsenchas describes the various roles and offices of the druids. Whereas this was written by Christian monks, and so contains a Christian veneer and outlook, there are many similarities to the eastern Zen masters. Their role in Celtic mythology seems confined as masters of the supernatural arts instead of as learned men.

While the druids of the Britons and the Continental Celts seemed to observe the strict prohibition against committing anything to writing, it can be observed in the Irish myths that the druids are always writing things down in Ogham on wands of wood.