Branwen

Branwen

 

As I said in a previous Blog I was not sure where I was going with this blog, but decided on a mix of Druidry, Mythology and Folklore. So today I thought it would be a good day as any to share a story of the Welsh Heroine/Goddess Branwen 

 Branwen (white raven) was the daughter of Llyr and she had a brother Bran (the blessed), now remember this is a story from a time when things were different, people would sit around a fire and talk about the history of their people and heroes of the time. It was a spoken history, not written and given to the young so that they may pass it on when they grew up and had children of their own. So imagine if you will of a community with a central fire where everyone has gathered to listen to the story of Branwen.

Now Branwen was given into marriage, to King Matholwch -that is another story for maybe another day- of Ireland, but in all good stories there is always a family member who puts a spanner in it and for Branwen it was her half brother Efnisien, who decided to insult the Irish people by mutilating their horses. -which leads to obviously another story, and really who does that? He must of had some serious issues, but I digress- Now poor Branwen ended up getting the flack for this, like you didn't see that coming, and she was put to work as a scullery maid as punishment. Now remember she was married to a King and although probably didn't want to, she married to make her father and family happy, so to go from wife of a King to maid must have been quite the insult and punishment.

Now Branwen was a clever woman and with time she trained a starling to carry messages back to Wales to her family describing her plight. Hearing this Bran was enraged, well I would like to think he was, as he led an expedition to rescue his sister but, you knew there was a but in there and nothing ever goes smoothly, he was killed in the attempt to rescue his sister. Branwen would of heard about it from someone near or close to her because overcome with sorrow Branwen died. Which is rather sad, as to living in Wales with family, then to be shipped off to a country you didn't know, to be married to a King you knew nothing about,  although there would of been some communications and proposals  somewhere down the line for her to be married  but really, she would of not known him as a person. Then the arduous trip across the Irish sea, even today that is one rough sea! Then to be punished for a half brother, who could not control himself, was a sad ending to a woman who was only doing what her father/family wanted.

This short story is similar to Rhiannon as both were exiled by marriage, enslaved by their husbands.

Interpretation of this Heroine as a Goddess is with her connection with a nipple cairned mountain peak in the Brenwyn range of Wales called Branwen's Seat.

Why a Welsh story, well as my Ancestry is Celt and from Northern Wales, Cornwall, I decided to share a bit of my Ancestry with you. Now most of the information has been gathered from reading books and taking notes and it will not be perfect. There are a lot of great books and authors out there that I am sure if you would like to delve deeper into the story, but that is a journey for you to take.

NB please remember this is only a short version and does not have all the details. For more details grab a book and read.

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