Weird & Wonderful Wales

Caernarfon Castle was built by Edward I of England (1239-1307) during his brutal conquest of Wales. Myths from Gwynedd include Dinas Emrys, where King Gwrtheyrn (‘Vortigern’) tried to build a castle. The walls kept failing and a young Myrddin Emrys (‘Merlin’) revealed a subterranean lake in which a red (Brythonic) and a white (Saxon) dragon were fighting. Gwrtheyrn fled to a coastal valley (thereafter named Nant Gwrtheyrn), which was later home to Rhys and Meinir. On the morning of their wedding, Meinir followed tradition and hid, but she missed the ceremony and Rhys spent many years searching for her. One day a hollow tree was struck by lightning and Meinir’s skeleton fell out. Another Gwynedd story tells of Gelert, the faithful dog of Llywelyn the Great (1172-1240), who saved the prince's infant from a wolf but was slain before the baby was found safe. Back in the Llŷn, King March ab Meirchion kept the fact that he had horse’s ears a secret to all but his barber, who eventually whispered it to the ground. Reeds sprung up and were picked by a piper for his new pipe, which sang: “Horses’ ears for March ab Meirchion” over and again until March learned to live with his ears.

Painting - copyright Pete Fowler / Literature Wales
Written piece - copyright Llio Maddocks, Nigel Stone, Denise Baker, Roisin McClearn, Amy Briscoe, John Sherlock & Sophie McKeand / Pete Fowler / Literature Wale