Gwyn ap Nudd (The White God)

Special traditions have located fairy-land in the Vale of Neath, in Glamorganshire. Especially does a certain steep and rugged crag there, called Craig y Ddinas, bear a distinctly awful reputation as a stronghold of the fairy tribe...The sovereign of the fairies, and their especial guardian and protector, was one Gwyn ap Nudd. He was also ruler over the goblin tribe in general. His name often occurs in ancient Welsh poetry. An old bard of the fourteenth century, who, led away by the fairies, rode into a turf bog on a mountain one dark night, called it the fish-pond of Gwyn ap Nudd, a palace for goblins and their tribe. The association of this legendary character with the goblin fame of the Vale of Neath will appear, when it is mentioned that Nudd in Welsh is pronounced simply Neath, and not otherwise. – Wirt Sikes, British Goblins: Welsh folk-lore, fairy mythology, legends & traditions

Fionn travels to the river as Denma:

We get wise by asking questions, and even if these are not answered we get wise, for a well-packed question carries its answer on its back as a snail carries its shell...

“..Why do you live on the bank of a river?” was one of these questions.

“Because a poem is a revelation, and it is by the brink of running water that poetry is revealed to the mind.”... Finegas began.

“A man of knowledge foretold that I should catch the Salmon of Knowledge in the Boyne Water... Then I would have All Knowledge. What would you do with All Knowledge?”

“A weighty question,” said Finegas smilingly. “I could answer it if I had All Knowledge, but not until then What would you do, my dear?”

“I would make a poem,” Fionn cried.

“I think too,” said the poet, “that that is what would be done.”

I became the king of the salmon, and, with my multitudes, I ranged on the tides of the world. Green and purple distances were under me: green and gold the sunlit regions above. In these latitudes I moved through a world of amber, myself amber and gold; in those others, in a sparkle of lucent blue, I curved, lit like a living jewel: and in these again, through dusks of ebony all mazed with silver, I shot and shone, the wonder of the sea.
 I knew the sea. I knew the secret caves where ocean roars to ocean; the floods that are icy cold, from which the nose of a salmon leaps back as at a sting; and the warm streams in which we rocked and dozed and were carried forward without motion. I swam on the outermost rim of the great world, where nothing was but the sea and the sky and the salmon; where even the wind was silent, and the water was clear as clean grey rock.
 And then, far away in the sea, I remembered Ulster, and there came on me an instant, uncontrollable anguish to be there. I turned, and through days and nights I swam tirelessly, jubilantly; with terror wakening in me, too, and a whisper through my being that I must reach Ireland or die.

As Gwydion ap Dôn he is the spirit of god in the sun and wears a robe of virgin white symbolizing light & holiness. He is the messenger of the gods and has twelve disciples. He controls the crops and milk of the land and sings the Englyn. King of North Wales, the land of faerie. His brothers are Amaethon: Laborer [Lord of the East, God of Agriculture and the Nuin: Ash Tree who takes the form of a great rising sun beyond the ninth wave of the sea. He builds Caer Emrys: Palace of the Nine an Etheric Palace with pillars of marble and fountains of crystal-clear water, surrounded by inner gardens verdant with plants. He stole from Brân: Raven the Secrets of the Letters in a past age. His people are said by Brân: Raven to take The Knowledge of the Ancients and tell it to the unworthy; who would eventually use it to conquer and over-ride the Children of the Goddess who lived in Albion: England, Alban: Scotland and Cymry: Wales, binding them to slavery in their home lands, exploiting the earth and killing the trees, Forms: dog, white roebuck stag, lapwing bird of Arawn: Slow Sun], Taidle: At Peace With God [Son of Maphar of the Mighty Song. They wear plates of gold on their heads, speckled mantles, linen shirts with red and golden brooches], Hyveidd Hên: Old Stag [Father of Rhiannon] & Gilvaethwy: Smith [Sun God of Wisdom, Magic, with grey eyes who fought against Túatha Dé Danann whose symbol is an owl]. In Cath Godeau: Grain of the Trees: Gwydion is the father of the sun god Lugh, Amatheon is father of Lleu. His stars are the constellation known as The Northern Cross or Cygnus.

 He survived the flood by turning himself into a salmon: bradan, iach-eog-ehawc-ehog. He then survived a plague by turning into a stag: hydd, caru (pron. charoo), fhiadh (pron.feeaih). To escape wolves he changed into a red-eyed boar and became the Boar of Ballinoe: Lord of the Boars. His next incarnation was a croman: hawk who lived in a cave by the sea of Ulster. In the cave he dreamed green waters rushed over him and turned into an amber-gold salmon with purple fins. He became King of the Salmon of the Tides and moved through the green and purple sea and sunlit spots of amber to the end of the world. He then swam back to Ulster and ate the red hazel Nuts of Knowledge at the Well of Knowledge by the Boyne River. He was caught in the river by the druid: Finegas, placed in a basket, set to cook, and then Fionn-Denma: Knowledge acquired wisdom by sucking his thumb after he burnt it on the fish. [Other stories say he was eaten raw] He told the chef to catch the speckled Loutish Trout, baste him in vinegar, butter, parsley, scallions, wheat crumbs, and madragore; stuff him with crabmeat, almonds, cream, and poppyseed; and feed him to the Druids at midsummer. His reflection is stolen by the Fish Hag who exchanges his body with the god Hanratty’s, but thankfully her black cat and hawk help undo the spell.

 He is the Son of The Oak, servant of Aymara, the Oak goddess, who incubates in the Druid’s Oak for three days and has a vision telling him to fight the frost king. His pure crystal tear releases the Thrig of Throne from being a prisoner of the dust and they play reed pipes together for a week under an oak tree. He drinks the rain and eats only three mushrooms during this time. He then saves Tara from the Winter Burning and goes north over an icy sea to a frozen lake of flame to get the bruane: seeds of fire from the sunset. He dug them from the roots of the sunset. He then freed Llyr from the Pillar of Ice of the Frost King by placing the bruane: golden seeds of flame in the dragon’s mouth. As the ice was melting from the dragon’s breath he was enslaved by the mist hags and forced to work in the underground mines until his chains were broken by a sword. Tuan was a White Ancient who was restored to this guise by the Green Dragon of Erin, after previously having been captured by The Dark Lord & magically bound by him through the use of a ring. He pursued Gráinne, the Sun and killed his nephew Díarmuid when she eloped with him. Legends say he is now sleeping in a cavern. His symbol is a golden falcon. craebghlasach: sword, escra: goblet of gold.

The Hermit of the Oak Wood’s lion helps him ascend the crystal mountains to reach the Wizard of the White Pine Woods Kingdom of Darkness which is on the other side of the Flaming Desert [with the help of Hermit of the Elm Wood’s hawk] and the Sea of Storms [Hermit of the Beech Wood’s: Otter of Loch Bel Shiad].

Winter: gwyn dour: white water, gwyn twr: white tower. Gwynn ap Nudd lives in a beautiful golden castle with elegant women, light-footed fair girls in the flower of youth, young boys on horseback, minstrels, and musicians who play every kind of stringed instrument. He sits in a golden throne, his courtiers are dressed in red: burning and blue: cold, is the host of the Otherworld feast & has a special ale that makes those who drink it immortal. Those who drink from his sacred cup will not fear old age or infirmity. The tables are filled with delicacies, and liquor. He rides the horse Du (y) Moroedd: Black of (the) Seas from Pen Llech Elidyr in the North to Pen Llech Elidyr in Mona; Anglesey when he is hunting Twrch Trwyth: Boar Bristle.

 As a knight of the Round Table, Gawain: White Hawk, fell in love with Raghnell, Queen of the Isle of Women and became her consort. In an old, abandoned chapel eight days later he dreams of 147 black bulls that get hungry and wander off; two white (Galahad & Percivale) & one white with a black spot (Bors). He abandons the quest for the Holy Grail after killing his cousin Sir Ywaine: Life, being rebuked by the hermit, and being wounded by Sir Galahad & Lancelot. He meets Prince Priamus of Africa and after hacking open each others vital organs they became friends. Priamus has a magic healing balm of the four waters that comes out of paradise Pinel le Savage tried to poison him with an apple for having killed his cousin Sir Lamorak de Galis, but missed and got Sir Mador de la Porte’s kinsman Sir Patrise by mistake. In Sir Gawain & the Green Knight Gawain decapitated the Green Knight who was riding a green horse clutching an ax and a bough of holly at the court of Arthur. The Green Knight put his head back on, telling Gawain to visit the Green Chapel in a year to receive his blow. Gawain went north fighting winter winds and snow to the Wirral Forest in Cheshire a wilderness infested with wolves, bears, trolls, ogres and dragons. He found the Green Knight’s Castle on Christmas Eve. They agreed to exchange gifts. Gawain accepted a three kisses from his hostess and her green girdle that protects and gave three kisses and the girdle to the Knight. The Knight decided not to chop off his head. He survives Arthur’s last battle & Arthur abdicates in his favor. He is the nephew of Gradlon of Ys & a Craebruad: Red Branch man of Emania: the Moon. Gawain is the White Rose Knight while his brother Mordred is the Red Rose Knight. He is equated with St. Michael. Twin sister is Gwenabwy: White Goddess. He visits a prophetess every Samhain for portents for the year. He became a saint of Gwenea: Vannes, France at Plouhinec, Saint Winnoc parish a.k.a the Abbott of Molville. Gawain is buried at the stone altar at St. Govan’s Head & Gawain’s skull is rumored to be at Dover Castle. Fingal’s Cave, Kilmuir, Isle of Skye, Cill Fhinn, Scotland, Y Barri, Caislean an Bharraig, Ireland, Kilberry Well, Ireland: incubation: sleeping overnight at the well to obtain healing. People with epilepsy and mental illnesses would stay from Thursday to Sunday in the Dark House for maximum effect. Those who do not have faith cannot be cured. Patron saint of the O’Hanlys. Bearchan of Inishmore in Galway’s feast day is April 6. St Finbar’s feast is September 25th. St. Fintan & Finlugh: January 3rd. St. Gwynllwg of Newport (pron. G-win-th-loo father of Saint Cadoc with Gwladys-Gladys, brother St Petroc): March 29 (6, 52, 58, 63, 64, 71, 72, 73, 75, 76, 77, 80, 89, 96, 97, 154, 171, 177, 189, 205, 207, 241, 245, 256)