296:, a young boy, stirred the concoction. The first three drops of liquid from this potion gave wisdom; the rest was a fatal poison. Three hot drops spilled onto Gwion's thumb as he stirred, burning him. He instinctively put his thumb in his mouth, and gained the wisdom and knowledge Ceridwen had intended for her son. Realising that Ceridwen would be angry, Gwion fled. Ceridwen chased him. Using the powers of the potion he turned himself into a hare. She became a greyhound. He became a fish and jumped into a river. She transformed into an otter. He turned into a bird; she became a hawk. Finally, he turned into a single grain of corn. She then became a hen and, being a
72:
300:(or enchantress, depending on the version of the tale), she found and ate him without trouble. But because of the potion he was not destroyed. When Ceridwen became pregnant, she knew it was Gwion and resolved to kill the child when he was born. However, when he was born, he was so beautiful that she could not do it. She threw him in the ocean instead, sewing him inside a leather-skin bag (or set him in a
38:
202:’ as a modern Welsh form of the name. Similarly, the difference between the ‘C’ and the ‘K’ initial consonant is clearly simply a matter of a different spelling convention to represent the hard ‘c’ sound. But the following vowel, ‘y’ or ‘e’ could well represent a shift in actual pronunciation of the vowel sound. Sir Ifor Williams asserted that ‘
245:
and so a source of poetic inspiration. Cuhelyn Fardd (1100-1130) spoke of being inspired by her muse, while
Cynddelw Prydydd Mawr (1155-1200) acknowledged her as the source of his art and Prydydd y Moch at the beginning of the 13th century specifically mentions the cauldron of Kyridfen as the source
131:
Marged
Haycock catalogues various forms of the name in the early texts, and in less detail in her edition of the Taliesin poems. These mainly occur in manuscripts which have been dated to the 13th century, though they may, of course, be using earlier forms or 13th century adaptations of earlier
190:’ : ‘woman’). The variant forms ‘fen’, ‘uen’ and ‘ven’ are all due to variant scribal practices in the spelling of the sound in the modern letter ‘v’, as is the letter ‘w’, which was also sometimes used for this sound, causing the final syllable to be confused with ‘
328:. Its earliest surviving text dates from the mid-16th century, but it appears from its language to be a 9th-century composition, according to Hutton. References to Ceridwen and her cauldron found in the work of the 12th century
338:) he thus considers later, derivative works. In them, according to Hutton, Ceridwen is transformed from a sorceress into a goddess of poetry. Citing this and a couple of other examples, Hutton proposes that the
73:
238:’ (belief) and so, by analogy, her mother’s name as Credidfen would mean ‘woman to be believed in’, making the mother’s and daughter’s name stems a pair.
601:
269:
who claimed that it was widely known in Wales at that time in both written versions and in oral lore The story tells that
Ceridwen's son,
1560:
644:
373:
according to which "Gwenhwyfar and
Ceridwen are dawn goddesses." Charles Isaac Elton in 1882 referred to her as a "white fairy".
365:. Later writers identified her as having originally been a pagan goddess, speculating on her role in a supposed Celtic pantheon.
754:
292:
The mixture had to be boiled for a year and a day. She set Morda, a blind man, to tend the fire beneath the cauldron, while
408:
344:
substantially created a new mythology not reflective of earlier paganism. Nonetheless, references to
Ceridwen's cauldron (
47:
385:, Ceridwen is a goddess of change and rebirth and transformation and her cauldron symbolizes knowledge and inspiration.
111:) and the Tale of Taliesin recounts her swallowing her servant Gwion Bach who is then reborn through her as the poet
509:(University of Wales Press, 1992) is the standard Welsh text, with a reliable translation by the same author in his
250:. These and other references by identified bards are in addition to the many references by unidentified bards in
1416:
680:
637:
214:’ (bent, angled), so ‘woman with a crooked back’, fitting the stereotype of a witch. Marged Haycock accepts ‘
821:
761:
1586:
378:
348:) are also to be found in some of the early mythological poems attributed to the legendary Taliesin in the
220:’ but questions the first syllable as ‘cyr’, suggesting other possible alternatives which could relate to ‘
232:’ (passionate, fierce, powerful), but also notes her daughter Creirwy, with the first syllable a form of ‘
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31:
17:
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630:
605:
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1354:
834:
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335:
706:
699:
782:
692:
550:
The Works of Thomas Love
Peacock: Including His Novels, Poems, Fugitive Pieces, Criticisms
324:
It has been suggested that
Ceridwen first appeared as a simple sorceress character in the
304:, depending on the story). The child did not die, but was rescued on a Welsh shore – near
8:
1472:
1096:
1056:
1041:
398:
358:
911:
285:
in her magical cauldron to grant the gift of wisdom and poetic inspiration, also called
107:. Medieval Welsh poetry refers to her as possessing the cauldron of poetic inspiration (
981:
966:
861:
840:
828:
1411:
1191:
1161:
1156:
1011:
733:
724:
309:
1021:
381:, in which she was interpreted as a form of the destructive side of the goddess. In
1146:
1081:
653:
350:
253:
1319:
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971:
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116:
82:
196:’ as a mutated form of Gwen (fair, blessed) a common ending to Welsh names. So ‘
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1396:
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66:
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266:
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370:
1431:
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85:. She was the mother of a hideous son, Mordfran, and a beautiful daughter,
1369:
622:
265:
This story is first attested in a sixteenth-century manuscript written by
1550:
1507:
1436:
1271:
1181:
881:
524:
The Pagan
Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their Nature and Legacy
277:), was hideously ugly – particularly compared with his beautiful sister
184:’. So ‘-fen’ is the most common termination (a mutated form of archaic ‘
1555:
1301:
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1241:
1136:
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1006:
946:
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90:
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281:– so Ceridwen sought to make him wise in compensation. She made a
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The
Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft
382:
104:
241:
The earliest poems emphasise her keeping of the cauldron of
1201:
308:
according to most versions of the tale – by a prince named
286:
247:
242:
108:
37:
312:; the reborn infant grew to become the legendary bard
233:
227:
221:
215:
209:
203:
191:
185:
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169:
163:
157:
147:
137:
1573:
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369:in 1878 referred to the Solar Myth theory of
123:of rebirth, transformation, and inspiration.
1561:Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain
652:
539:(Llanbedrog, 1910), 33.10; 27.13–14; 33.10.
511:The Mabinogi and other Medieval Welsh Tales
339:
329:
197:
98:
645:
631:
494:Legendary Poems from The Book of Taliesin
442:Legendary Poems From The Book of Taliesin
377:later fitted her into his concept of the
208:’ is the most likely original form from ‘
591:, Oxford University Press, 2001, p. 192.
411:which was possibly named after Ceridwen.
319:
36:
14:
1574:
513:(University of California Press, 1977)
470:148-> (Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 2003)
432:148-> (Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 2003)
626:
65:
526:, Blackwell Publishing, 1993, p. 323
428:Marged Haycock ‘Cadair Ceridwen’ yn
409:Cottingham, East Riding of Yorkshire
602:"Cerridwen: Keeper of the Cauldron"
552:, R. Bentley and Son, 1875, p. 113.
24:
755:Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain
516:
466:Marged Haycock ‘Cadair Ceridwen’,
25:
1598:
334:or Poets of the Princes (such as
594:
581:
568:
555:
542:
361:also wrote a poem entitled the
115:. Ceridwen is regarded by many
529:
499:
486:
473:
460:
447:
435:
422:
27:Character from Welsh mythology
13:
1:
483:(Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 1957)
415:
134:The Black Book of Carmarthen
126:
7:
578:, B. Quaritch, 1882, p.253.
563:Lectures on Welsh Philology
535:J. Gwenogvryn Evans (ed.),
388:
10:
1603:
822:The Dream of Macsen Wledig
576:Origins of English History
29:
1532:
1445:
1310:
854:
792:
723:
679:
672:
661:
455:A Grammar of Middle Welsh
260:
226:’ (shake or shiver), or ‘
32:Ceridwen (disambiguation)
81:) was an enchantress in
565:, Trübner, 1879, p. 305
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176:The Red Book of Hergest
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1345:Cavall (Cafall, Cabal)
397:and the legend of the
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330:
198:
99:
51:
776:The Dream of Rhonabwy
769:Peredur son of Efrawg
681:Four Branches of the
574:Charles Isaac Elton,
548:Thomas Love Peacock,
336:Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr
320:Later interpretations
83:Welsh medieval legend
40:
783:Geraint son of Erbin
693:Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed
537:The Book of Taliesin
363:Cauldron of Ceridwen
154:The Book of Taliesin
93:and they lived near
48:Christopher Williams
30:For other uses, see
1587:Witches in folklore
1551:Cauldron of rebirth
1057:Goreu fab Custennin
1042:Glewlwyd Gafaelfawr
399:Salmon of Knowledge
359:Thomas Love Peacock
357:The Victorian poet
67:[kɛrˈɪdwɛn]
967:Cymidei Cymeinfoll
862:Afaon fab Taliesin
841:Lludd and Llefelys
829:Englynion y Beddau
707:Manawydan fab Llŷr
700:Branwen ferch Llŷr
89:. Her husband was
52:
1569:
1568:
1012:Elffin ap Gwyddno
850:
849:
734:Culhwch and Olwen
714:Math fab Mathonwy
379:Threefold Goddess
310:Elffin ap Gwyddno
156:variously gives ‘
16:(Redirected from
1594:
1473:Cantre'r Gwaelod
1082:Gwyddno Garanhir
762:Geraint and Enid
677:
676:
654:Celtic mythology
647:
640:
633:
624:
623:
617:
616:
614:
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604:. Archived from
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592:
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572:
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559:
553:
546:
540:
533:
527:
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507:Ystoria Taliesin
505:Patrick K. Ford
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492:Marged Haycock,
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468:Cyfoeth y Testun
464:
458:
457:, (Dublin, 1964)
451:
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351:Book of Taliesin
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254:Book of Taliesin
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927:Caradog ap Bran
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673:Texts and tales
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665:Welsh mythology
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1092:Gwyn ap Nudd
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827:
820:
815:Welsh Triads
813:
806:
799:
781:
774:
767:
760:
753:
746:
739:
732:
712:
705:
698:
691:
682:
663:
610:. Retrieved
606:the original
596:
588:
583:
575:
570:
562:
557:
549:
544:
536:
531:
523:
518:
510:
506:
501:
496:(CMCS, 2007)
493:
488:
480:
475:
467:
462:
454:
449:
441:
437:
429:
424:
395:Finn MacCool
362:
356:
349:
345:
325:
323:
291:
264:
251:
240:
175:
153:
143:
133:
130:
78:
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42:
41:
1508:Caer Dathyl
1437:Tylwyth Teg
1311:Animals and
1272:Saint Eigen
1182:Mallt-y-Nos
835:Giant tales
561:John Rhys,
341:Gogynfeirdd
331:Gogynfeirdd
103:) in north
1576:Categories
1556:Llech Ronw
1350:Ceffyl Dŵr
1302:Ysbaddaden
1292:Tegid Foel
1242:Penpingion
1062:Gronw Pebr
1037:Gilfaethwy
947:Creiddylad
932:Caswallawn
902:Blodeuwedd
855:Characters
808:Cad Goddeu
612:2008-03-14
416:References
371:Max Müller
294:Gwion Bach
144:Peniarth 3
100:Llyn Tegid
91:Tegid Foel
79:Ke-RID-wen
63:pronounced
1545:Excalibur
1496:Aberffraw
1468:Caer Sidi
1446:Locations
1375:Cyhyraeth
1370:Cŵn Annwn
1365:Coraniaid
1313:creatures
1282:Seithenyn
1237:Penarddun
1197:Matholwch
1187:Manawydan
1102:Gwalchmei
1027:Euroswydd
957:Cyhyraeth
892:Beli Mawr
877:Arianrhod
725:Arthurian
404:Fáfnismál
367:John Rhys
205:Cyrridfen
174:’, while
171:Kerritwen
165:Kerrituen
149:Kyrrytuen
139:Kyrridven
127:Etymology
95:Bala Lake
59:Cerridwen
18:Cerridwen
1462:Celliwig
1458:Cornwall
1407:Gwyllion
1380:Dreigiau
1287:Taliesin
1262:Rhiannon
1142:Llefelys
1122:Hychddwn
1052:Gofannon
1002:Efnysien
937:Ceridwen
897:Bleiddwn
887:Afallach
867:Amaethon
801:Taliesin
683:Mabinogi
389:See also
314:Taliesin
306:Aberdyfi
199:Ceridwen
181:Kerituen
159:Cerituen
113:Taliesin
55:Ceridwen
50:, (1910)
43:Ceridwen
1523:Ludgate
1514:Ireland
1504:Ardudwy
1492:Gwynedd
1482:Arberth
1417:Morgens
1402:Gwyllgi
1297:Teyrnon
1277:Sanddef
1252:Pryderi
1247:Peredur
1222:Myrddin
1217:Morfran
1212:Morfydd
1112:Hefeydd
1097:Gwythyr
1087:Gwydion
1032:Geraint
1017:Eliwlod
982:Drudwas
952:Culhwch
917:Branwen
302:coracle
298:goddess
279:Creirwy
275:Afagddu
271:Morfran
178:gives ‘
168:’ and ‘
146:gives ‘
136:gives ‘
132:forms.
119:as the
87:Creirwy
1519:London
1486:Gwales
1360:Coblyn
1227:Nisien
1207:Modron
1127:Hyddwn
1107:Hafgan
1077:Gwrhyr
1047:Goewin
1022:Eufydd
907:Bedwyr
882:Arthur
748:Pa gur
656:series
283:potion
261:Legend
1533:Items
1500:Arfon
1478:Dyfed
1453:Annwn
1390:White
1355:Cewri
1335:Afanc
1257:Pwyll
1232:Olwen
1167:Mabon
1162:Llwyd
1157:Lludd
1137:Idris
1072:Gwern
1067:Gwawl
972:Cynon
942:Cigfa
872:Arawn
793:Other
383:Wicca
235:credu
229:craid
223:crynu
105:Wales
1427:Pwca
1202:Menw
1192:Math
1152:Llŷr
1147:Lleu
1007:Elen
287:Awen
252:The
248:awen
243:awen
211:cwrr
162:’, ‘
109:Awen
1385:Red
977:Dôn
922:Cai
217:ben
193:wen
187:ben
152:’,
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46:by
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