Culhwch

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Culhwch (pronounced [kʉlˈhuːχ] kil-HOOKH with the final consonant of Scottish "loch"), in Welsh mythology, is the son of Cilydd son of Celyddon and Goleuddydd, a cousin of Arthur and the protagonist of the story Culhwch and Olwen (the earliest of the medieval Welsh tales usually, but erroneously, referred to collectively as the Mabinogion). In this tale the etymology of Culhwch is explained as "sow run" (cul "narrow, a narrow thing"; hwch "sow, pig"), but this is likely to be folk etymology. According to the narrative, Culhwch is born to his maddened mother Goleuddydd after she is frightened by a herd of swine. The swineherd finds Culhwch in the pigs' run, and takes him back to his father Cilydd. Culhwch is described as being "of gentle lineage".

Culhwch's stepmother wants him to marry her daughter but he refuses. Angry, she curses him so that he can marry no one but the beautiful Olwen. Olwen's father, Ysbaddaden, is a vicious giant who will die if his daughter marries, so he requires Culhwch to complete a number of impossible tasks, the most prominent of which (within the tale as it survives) being Culhwch's gaining of his cousin Arthur's military assistance, and the hunting of the wild boar, Twrch Trwyth. With Arthur's help, Culhwch completes the majority of the tasks, kills Ysbaddaden, and marries Olwen.

[edit] External links

• Text of Culhwch and Olwen, translated by Lady Charlotte Guest.