Culhwch and Olwen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Culhwch ac Olwen |
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| "Culhwch and Olwen" | |
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The opening lines of Culhwch and Olwen, from the Red Book of Hergest
Kilydd mab Kelydon Wledig a fynnei wraig kyn mwyt ac ef. Sef gwraig a vynna oedd Goleudyd merch Anlawd Wledig. |
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| Author(s) | Anonymous |
| Language | Middle Welsh |
| Date | c. 11th–12th century |
| Series | The Mabinogion |
| Manuscript(s) | White Book of Rhydderch Red Book of Hergest |
| Verse form | Prose |
Culhwch and Olwen (Welsh: Culhwch ac Olwen) is a very old Welsh story. It is about a hero named Culhwch and his adventures with Arthur and his brave knights. This tale is one of the longest Welsh stories we still have today.
It was written down in two old books. One is the Red Book of Hergest (around 1400). The other is the White Book of Rhydderch (around 1325). Lady Charlotte Guest later put this story in her famous collection called The Mabinogion.
Contents
The Story of Culhwch and Olwen
Culhwch's Difficult Start
The story begins with Culhwch's father, King Cilydd. His wife, Goleuddydd, sadly dies after Culhwch is born. Later, King Cilydd marries again.
Culhwch's new stepmother tries to make him marry his stepsister. But Culhwch does not want to. This makes his stepmother very angry. She puts a curse on him. The curse says he can only marry the beautiful Olwen. Olwen is the daughter of a scary giant named Ysbaddaden Pencawr.
The Quest for Olwen
Culhwch has never seen Olwen. But he falls in love with her just from hearing her name. His father tells him he will need help to find her. He says only his famous cousin, Arthur, can help him.
So, young Culhwch immediately sets off. He goes to find King Arthur at his court. Arthur's court is in Celliwig in Cornwall.
Arthur agrees to help Culhwch in any way he can. He sends six of his best warriors with Culhwch. These include brave knights like Cai and Bedwyr. Many other skilled people also join the search for Olwen.
Facing the Giant's Challenges
The group meets some of Culhwch's relatives. These relatives know Olwen and arrange a meeting. Olwen likes Culhwch. But she cannot marry him unless her father, Ysbaddaden, agrees.
Ysbaddaden is a "Chief Giant." He knows he will die if his daughter marries. So, he gives Culhwch about forty impossible tasks. Culhwch must complete these tasks to marry Olwen.
These tasks include finding a special basket. He also has to hunt a huge boar named Ysgithyrwyn. The story only describes a few of these tasks being completed. In the end, the giant is killed. This frees Olwen to marry Culhwch.
About the Story
When Was it Written?
Experts used to think this story was written around the 11th century. This would make it one of the oldest Arthurian tales. It would also be one of the earliest Welsh stories we have.
However, in 2005, a language expert named Simon Rodway looked at it again. He believes it was written later, in the second half of the 12th century. The name Culhwch and Olwen was added much later. It was not in the original old books.
A Classic Folktale
Culhwch and Olwen is a type of folktale. It is known as a "bridal quest" story. This means the hero has to go on a journey to find his bride. It has many common folktale parts. These include a strange birth and a jealous stepmother. There are also helpful animals and impossible tasks.
More Than Just a Quest
The search for Olwen is the main part of the story. But it also includes other important things. There are two long lists in the tale. One list names about two hundred important people, animals, and items in Arthur's kingdom. They are all gathered to help Culhwch.
The other list is of the "difficult tasks" or "marvels" (Welsh: anoethau). These are the challenges Ysbaddaden gives Culhwch. Some names in these lists come from old Irish legends. Others are from religious stories or even real history.
The hunt for the terrible boar Twrch Trwyth is a big part of the story. This hunt is similar to older Celtic legends. The way Culhwch rides his horse is described very vividly. The story also describes parts of the Welsh landscape.
The part where Culhwch meets King Arthur at Celliwig is important. It is one of the first times Arthur's court is given a specific place. This helps us compare it to later stories of Camelot or Caerleon.
How it Influenced Others
Lasting Impact
The description of Culhwch's horse ride was used again. It appeared in a 16th-century story called Araith Wgon. It was also used in poems in the 17th century.
A famous expert on J. R. R. Tolkien named Tom Shippey noticed something interesting. He saw many similarities between Culhwch and Olwen and Tolkien's story The Tale of Beren and Lúthien.
Modern Adaptations
- British artist and poet David Jones (1895–1974) wrote a poem. It was called "The Hunt." It was based on the tale of Culhwch ac Olwen.
- In 1988, Gwyn Thomas wrote his own version of the story. It was illustrated by Margaret Jones. This book won an award in 1989.
- A shadow play based on the story toured schools in Ceredigion in 2003. Jim Williams created the show.
- The story was made into a play in Welsh and English by Derek Webb. It was performed when Narberth Castle reopened in 2005.
- The Ballad of Sir Dinadan is a book by Gerald Morris. It is part of The Squire's Tales series. This book includes a version of Culhwch's quest.
