Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain facts for kids

The Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain (Welsh: Tri Thlws ar Ddeg Ynys Prydain) are a collection of magical items from old Welsh stories. These items are mentioned in texts written in the 1400s and 1500s. There are always thirteen treasures, but sometimes different versions of the list swap out items to keep the number the same.

The Magical Treasures

These special items, called tlws, include things for eating and drinking, like a food basket, a cooking pot, and a horn. There are also weapons, like a sword and a sharpening stone. Other items include a chariot, a horse halter, clothes like a coat and a cloak, and even a chessboard. Most of these items are said to come from the "Hen Ogledd" or "Old North." This was a part of Britain where people spoke Brittonic languages, in what is now southern Scotland and Northern England.

The number of treasures is always thirteen. However, some later stories change which items are on the list. They might replace old items or combine two into one to keep the total at thirteen. These later versions also add more details about what each treasure does.

Here is the standard list of the thirteen treasures:

1. White-Hilt, the Sword of Rhydderch Hael (Dyrnwyn, gleddyf Rhydderch Hael): If a noble person pulled this sword out, it would burst into flames from its handle to its tip! Anyone who asked for it would get it, but because of its fiery nature, most people gave it back. This is why Rhydderch was called "the Generous."
2. The Hamper of Gwyddno Garanhir (Mwys Gwyddno Garanir): If you put food for one person into this basket, when you opened it again, you would find enough food for a hundred people!
3. The Horn of Brân Galed from the North (Corn Brân Galed o'r Gogledd): Whatever drink you wished for would appear in this horn.
4. The Chariot of Morgan Mwynfawr (Car Morgan Mwynfawr): If someone got into this chariot, they could wish to be anywhere, and they would arrive there very quickly.
5. The Halter of Clydno Eiddyn (Cebystr Clydno Eiddin): This halter was tied to the foot of Clydno's bed. Whatever horse he wished for, he would find in the halter.
6. The Knife of Llawfrodedd Farchog (Cyllell Llawfrodedd Farchog): This knife was big enough to serve twenty-four men at a dinner table.
7. The Cauldron of Dyrnwch the Giant (Pair Dyrnwch Gawr): If you put meat for a coward into this cauldron, it would never boil. But if you put meat for a brave person in, it would boil quickly. This helped tell brave people from cowards!
8. The Whetstone of Tudwal Tudglyd (Hogalen Tudwal Tudclyd): If a brave person sharpened their sword on this stone, the sword would definitely kill anyone it cut. But if a cowardly person used it, their sword wouldn't cut anyone at all.
9. The Coat of Padarn Beisrudd (Pais Badarn Beisrydd): If a noble person put on this coat, it would fit them perfectly. But if a common person tried it on, it wouldn't fit them at all.
10. The Crock and the Dish of Rhygenydd the Cleric (Gren a desgyl Rhygenydd Ysgolhaig): Whatever food you wished for in these, you would find it there.
11. The Chessboard of Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio (Gwyddbwyll Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio): If the chess pieces were set up, they would play the game by themselves! The board was made of gold, and the pieces were made of silver.
12. The Mantle of Arthur in Cornwall (Llen Arthyr yng Nghernyw): Anyone wearing this magical cloak could not be seen, but they could see everyone else.
13. The Mantle of Tegau Gold-Breast (Tegau Eurfron, wife of Caradoc): This cloak would not fit any woman who had been unfaithful in her marriage. It would reach the ground for a faithful woman, but only hang to the lap of an unfaithful wife.

Later lists sometimes add two more treasures: the Mantle of Tegau Eurfon, and Eluned's Stone and Ring. When these are added, one of the other treasures is removed, and the Crock and Dish of Rhygenydd the Cleric are counted as one item.

More About the Treasures

Some of these magical items have even older stories connected to them in Welsh tradition. For example, the sword Dyrnwyn, the Hamper of Gwyddno Garanhir, and the Cauldron of Dyrnwch the Giant are also mentioned in an old Welsh tale called Culhwch ac Olwen, written around 1100. In that story, a giant gives King Arthur's cousin Culhwch a list of impossible tasks to complete.

Dyrnwyn, the Sword of Rhydderch Hael

The Dyrnwyn sword, meaning "White-Hilt," belonged to Rhydderch Hael. He was known as one of the "Three Generous Men of Britain." When a worthy or noble man pulled the sword from its sheath, the entire blade would glow with fire! Rhydderch was always happy to let anyone use the sword, which is why he was called "the Generous" (Hael). However, people usually gave the sword back once they learned about its fiery secret.

The Hamper of Gwyddno Garanhir

It is said that Gwyddno Garanhir, whose name means "Long-shank," owned a special hamper (mwys). This basket could multiply food! If you put food for one person into it and then opened it again, you would find a hundred times more food inside.

The Horn of Brân Galed

The Horn of Brân Galed, whose name means "the Stingy," came from the North. It had the amazing power to provide "whatever drink might be wished for." Old notes say that the wizard Myrddin (also known as Merlin) asked the kings and lords of Britain for their treasures. They agreed, but only if he could get the horn of Brân Galed. They thought this task would be impossible because Brân was known for being stingy. However, Myrddin somehow got the horn and received the other treasures. He took his collection to a "Glass House" (Tŷ Gwydr), where they would stay forever.

The Chariot of Morgan Mwynfawr

The chariot belonging to Morgan Mwynfawr, meaning "the Wealthy," was a magical vehicle. It could quickly take anyone who rode in it to whatever destination they wished for.

The Halter of Clydno Eiddyn

This halter belonged to Clydno Eiddyn. It was kept tied to a hook at the foot of his bed. Whatever horse Clydno wished for, he would find waiting in the halter. It was also called "The Handy Halter" because it could summon fine horses.

The Knife of Llawfrodedd the Horseman

Llawfrodedd Farchog, whose name means "the Horseman" or "the Bearded," owned a knife. This knife was large and useful enough to serve a company of twenty-four men at a dinner table.

The Cauldron of Dyrnwch the Giant

The cauldron (pair) of Dyrnwch the Giant could tell the difference between brave people and cowards. If you put meat for a coward into it, it would never boil. But if the meat belonged to a brave person, it would boil very quickly! This magical cauldron is similar to one in the tale Culhwch ac Olwen. In that story, King Arthur and his men travel to Ireland to get a cauldron from an Irishman named Diwrnach.

An even older poem, Preiddeu Annwfn (The Spoils of Annwfn), also mentions Arthur getting a magical cauldron. In this poem, the cauldron belongs to the king of Annwn, which is the Welsh Otherworld or spirit world. This suggests the story of the cauldron being from the Otherworld is older than the one where it's from Ireland.

The Whetstone of Tudwal Tudglyd

This whetstone could sharpen the blade of a brave warrior. If a brave person used it, their sword would definitely draw blood from any enemy. But if a cowardly person used the whetstone, their sword would not get sharp and would not draw any blood at all.

The Coat of Padarn Beisrudd

Padarn's coat would fit any brave man perfectly. However, it would not fit cowards.

The Crock and Dish of Rhygenydd Ysgolhaig

These items belonged to Rhygenydd the Cleric. Whatever food you wished for in them, you would find it there.

Chessboard of Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio

This was a rather large chessboard. The pieces were made of silver and crystal, and the board itself was made of gold. The amazing thing was that the pieces would play by themselves, but only if they were all set up correctly.

The Mantle of Arthur in Cornwall

King Arthur's llen, or mantle (a type of cloak), had a special power. Anyone wearing it would become invisible, but they could still see everyone else. This magical cloak is also mentioned in other old stories, like Culhwch and Olwen and The Dream of Rhonabwy. A very similar cloak also appears in the Second Branch of the Mabinogi.

The Mantle of Tegau Gold-Breast

Tegau Gold-Breast (Tegau Eurfron) was the wife of Caradoc and a Welsh heroine. Her mantle had a magical way of showing if a woman had been unfaithful in her marriage. If a faithful woman wore it, the mantle would reach the ground. But if an unfaithful wife wore it, the mantle would only hang down to her lap.

The Stone and Ring of Eluned the Fortunate

This item could be described as a ring of invisibility. It is said that the famous wizard Merlin once owned this item for a time.

See also

• Four Treasures, The four hallows of Ireland
• The Chronicles of Prydain, which includes Dyrnwyn as part of its mythos.