Ysgithyrwyn Chief Boar (Gwen Jones tr.), Yskithyrwyn Benbaedd (Lady Guest tr.) ( cy, Ysgithrwyn Pen Beidd, Yskithyrwynn Pennbeidd; Middle cy, yskithyrwyn penn beird, RBH; ẏskithẏr6ẏn WBR) or "White-tusk chief of Boars" is another

boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is no ...

being hunted, secondary to the great boar

Twrch Trwyth Twrch Trwyth (; also Trwyd, Troynt (MSS.''HK''); Troit (MSS.''C1 D G Q''); or Terit (MSS. ''C2 L'')) is an enchanted wild boar in the ''Matter of Britain'' great story cycle that King Arthur or his men pursued with the aid of Arthur's dog Cavall ( ...

by the Arthur's wild chase party in the Welsh

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

romance ''

Culhwch ac 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 Whit ...

''. Its

tusk Tusks are elongated, continuously growing front teeth that protrude well beyond the mouth of certain mammal species. They are most commonly canine teeth, as with pigs and walruses, or, in the case of elephants, elongated incisors. Tusks share c ...

( cy, ysgithyr) was the necessary implement for shaving the giant Ysbaddaden Chief-Giant. Ysbaddaden proclaimed this tusk was no use to him unless extracted from the boar while still alive, and only Odgar the son of Aedd the king of Ireland was capable of accomplishing this. This boar was slain (or at least chased down and cornered into inevitable death) not "by the dogs that Yspaddaden had mentioned, but by

Cavall Cavall (Middle cy, cauall RBH & WBR; modernized: ''Cafall''; ; '' la, Cabal'', var. ''Caball'' (ms.K)) was King Arthur's dog, used in the hunt for the great boar, Twrch Trwyth ( la, Troynt, Troit). Cavall was Arthur's "favourite dog", and during ...

, Arthur's own dog.". In fact it was Kaw of North Britain (Cadw of Pydein, or Pictland,p.97 and note 1), who, mounted on Arthur's mare

Llamrei Llamrei was a mare owned by King Arthur, according to the Welsh tale "Culhwch and Olwen". Close to Llyn Barfog in Wales is a hoof-print etched deep into the rock "Carn March Arthur", or the "Stone of Arthur's Horse", which was supposedly made by K ...

swung a battleaxe or hatchet ( cy, bwyellic, bwyellig) at the boar and spliced its head. Thus it remains dubious whether the extraction of the tusk took place as the giant prescribed (i.e., while the boar was alive, or undertaken by Odgar). But Cadw/Kaw took charge of the tusk, in keeping with Arthur' earlier vow that no other would be entrusted with its care.

Footnotes

References

*(ed., tr.) (Geraint ab Erbin (W).. p. 4 (E)..p. 67; Kilhwch ac Olwen (W).. p. 195 (E)..p. 249) *(tr.) * (Revised edition 1993; Indexed 1989; first published Everyman Library 1949)) *

External links

* Welsh Prose project (Manuscript text search). Mythological pigs Welsh mythology Welsh legendary creatures Arthurian characters Pigs in literature {{fantasy-char-stub