Celtic Myth 12, the Triumph of Lleu (perhaps the ancient origin of Sword in the Stone)

Celtic Myth 12, the Triumph of Lleu (perhaps the ancient origin of Sword in the Stone)

When the Welsh hero Lleu was speared by his wife’s lover, Gronw, he did not die. Instead, he turned into an eagle and flew away. Thereafter, his uncle, the magician Gwydion, searched tirelessly for Lleu. He was about to give up when he stopped for a night at a peasant’s house.

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During his stay with the peasant, Gwydion heard of a peculiar sow which his host owned. Every morning, the sow would disappear into the countryside, returning only late at night. The peasant had not the faintest idea where it went.

Intrigued, Gwydion waited by the sty of the following morning. As soon as the door was opened, he set off after the sow. He followed it up stream to a valley, where it started to gorge itself on something that lay beneath the tree. Coming closer, Gwydion saw that the pig was eating maggots and decayed flesh. Looking up to the top of the tree, he saw an eagle. Everytime it shook itself, a shower of rotten flesh fell to the ground.

Convinced that the eagle was Lleu, Gwydion sang it a song. Hearing it, the eagle came down to the middle of the tree. Gwydion sang another song and the eagle came down to the lowest branch. When Gwydion sang a third song the eagle dropped down onto his knee. Gwydion touched the scrawny bird with his wand and, sure enough, it changed back into Lleu. Because of his wound, he was in pitiful shape, nothing but skin and bone, and it took him a full year to recover.

As soon as Gronw heard of Lleu’s return, he sent him a placatory message, offering compensation for the wrong done to him. Lleu replied that the only reparation he would accept was for Gronw to stand by the river as he himself had done and allow Lleu to throw a spear at him.

Reluctantly, and only after having asked his brothers, nobles and soldiers to take his place, Gronw agreed. Yet he had one hope of survival. Would it be permissible, he asked, since after all he had only been acting on behalf of an evil woman, to hold a stone in front of him as Lleu threw the spear? Lleu agreed. But Lleu’s spear passed right through the stone and hit Gronw in the chest, killing him instantly. Lou regained his lands and in due course became ruler of all Gwynedd. And forever afterwards, on the banks of the river Cynfael, the stone stood with the spear sticking through it as a reminder of his triumph over Gronw.

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