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Gwydion was a Welsch God. He was the son of Don (Dana) and brother of Arianrhod. Gwydion was taught the magical arts by his uncle Math. He is the druid of the gods and the master of illusion and phantasy, the teacher of all that is useful and good. As is common in mythology, he was married to his sister Arianrhod. They had two children, Dylan and Llew. Dylan, son of the Wave, represented darkness, his element was the sea. After he was born he jumped directly into the sea, and no wave would break beneath him. He was killed by his uncle Govannon, and the whole country wept for him. Llew on the other hand, personified light, he is the counterpart of the Irish god Lugh. When his mother refused to name him, Gwydion used his illusions to change his son and himself into cobblers. Arianrhod ordered shoes, but Llew made the first pair too big and the second pair too small, so that she would come to their boat for fitting. When she sat there, Lleu shot a wren that was sitting on the edge of the boat. And Arianrhod said: `the lion aimed at it with a steady hand`. From that moment on Lleu had his name, Llew Llaw Gyffes, which means `lion with a steady hand`. |
