Llwyd ap Cil Coed is a character in the Third Branch of The

Mabinogi The ''Mabinogion'' () are the earliest Welsh prose stories, and belong to the Matter of Britain. The stories were compiled in Middle Welsh in the 12th–13th centuries from earlier oral traditions. There are two main source manuscripts, create ...

, known also as the story of '' Manawydan ap Llŷr''.

Role in the Third Branch

Llwyd is a friend of

Gwawl In Welsh mythology, Gwawl (Gwawl fab Clud) was the son of Clud, and tricks Pwyll into promising him Rhiannon. She decides to marry Pwyll instead. Nothing is known of his father Clud. Gwawl, son of Clud, is initially mentioned in the first of the F ...

ap Clud, who had been insulted by

Pwyll Pwyll Pen Annwn () is a prominent figure in Welsh mythology and literature, the lord of Dyfed, husband of Rhiannon and father of the hero Pryderi. Meaning ''wisdom" he is the eponymous hero of Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed, the first branch of the Four ...

in the First Branch. Llwyd decides to avenge this insult upon

Pryderi Pryderi fab Pwyll is a prominent figure in Welsh mythology, the son of Pwyll and Rhiannon, and king of Dyfed after his father's death. He is the only character to appear in all Four Branches of the Mabinogi, although the size of his role varies ...

son of Pwyll by making barren and empty the kingdom of

Dyfed Dyfed () is a preserved county in southwestern Wales. It is a mostly rural area with a coastline on the Irish Sea and the Bristol Channel. Between 1974 and 1996, Dyfed was also the name of the area's county council and the name remains in use f ...

. Later, by means of an enchanted bowl in a mysterious fortress, he imprisons Pryderi and

Rhiannon Rhiannon is a major figure in the Mabinogi, the medieval Welsh story collection. She appears mainly in the First Branch of the Mabinogi, and again in the Third Branch. She is a strong-minded Otherworld woman, who chooses Pwyll, prince of Dyfe ...

, Pwyll's widow and Pryderi's mother. Llwyd apparently makes Rhiannon bear the yokes of his horses, while Pryderi has to carry the gate hammers, while they are in captivity. Only

Manawydan Manawydan fab Llŷr is a figure of Welsh mythology, the son of Llŷr and the brother of Brân the Blessed and Brânwen. The first element in his name is cognate with the stem of the name of the Irish sea god Manannán mac Lir, and likely origina ...

, Rhiannon's new husband, and Pryderi's wife

Cigfa Cigfa ferch Gwyn Glohoyw (Middle Welsh: ''Kigua'') is a minor character in Welsh mythology, the wife of King Pryderi of Dyfed. She is mentioned briefly in the First Branch of the ''Mabinogi'', and appears more prominently in the third. Describing t ...

remain in Dyfed. They try to plant grain, but their crop is destroyed by mice. Manawydan chases the pests away, but catches one that is fat and slower than the others, and sets out to hang it for theft. A cleric, a priest, and a bishop come by one at a time and beg Manawydan to spare the mouse, but he refuses until the bishop agrees to remove the enchantment from Dyfed. He finally reveals himself as Llwyd in disguise, and admits that the mice were really his attendants magically transformed. The mouse is his pregnant wife, Gwenaby, but Manawydan refuses to free her until Llwyd also releases Rhiannon and Pryderi and pledges to take no further revenge. Llwyd agrees to these terms, and turns his wife back into a beautiful woman.

Other appearances

A character named Llwydeu ap Cilcoed appears in the early

Arthurian King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as a ...

tale ''

Culhwch and Olwen ''Culhwch and Olwen'' ( cy, Culhwch ac Olwen) is a Welsh tale that survives in only two manuscripts about a hero connected with Arthur and his warriors: a complete version in the Red Book of Hergest, c. 1400, and a fragmented version in the Whi ...

'' in which he is named as one of the many knights of

Arthur's Arthur's was a London gentlemen's club, now dissolved, which was established in 1811 and was disbanded in 1940. Between 1827 and 1940 it was based at 69 St James's Street. It is now best remembered for having built the London clubhouse currentl ...

court. After stealing a

cauldron A cauldron (or caldron) is a large pot ( kettle) for cooking or boiling over an open fire, with a lid and frequently with an arc-shaped hanger and/or integral handles or feet. There is a rich history of cauldron lore in religion, mythology, and ...

from Diwrnach the Irishman, Arthur and his men land at Llywdeu's house in Porth Cerddin in

. Mabinogion Welsh mythology Mythological characters Arthurian characters {{fantasy-char-stub