Here I tell the story of the Journey to the Oldest Animals, as recounted in the tale ‘Culhwch ac Olwen’, which is believed to be the oldest Welsh prose story. It is the most archaic text in the Mabinogion and is also referred to as ‘the Oldest Arthurian tale’. It was written in the St Davids of Wales area c.1090.| You can find an interesting article placing the story within the Welsh and English landscape here: The Route of the ‘Oldest Animals’ in Culhwch and Olwen.
The illustrations are by Will Worthington from The Druid Animal Oracle.
No-one knows why we fall in love with one person rather than another, but it is said that there is an exception to this rule in the case of the young prince Culhwch – cousin of King Arthur. Culhwch’s stepmother, angered by his refusal of the hand of her own daughter, had placed a curse on him that he would fall in love with Olwen, the daughter of a ferocious giant, Ysbaddaden Pencawr, and sure enough, this came to pass.
Why Olwen? you might ask. Because her father, the giant, was destined to die should his daughter ever marry, and he would consider no young man, however handsome, however noble, as a suitor for his daughter. And so, in uttering this curse, Culhwch’s stepmother had condemned the young prince to the lifelong misery of unfulfilled love, and the impossibility of a legitimate heir.
But we all know how love can find a way despite whatever obstacles are thrown against it, and so it came to pass that even King Arthur’s warriors were drawn into the struggle that ensued to unite the lovers.
With Arthur’s warband at his side, Culhwch approached the giant in his castle, and sought his daughter’s hand in marriage.
Ysbaddaden, instead of refusing his approval believed he was being canny when he demanded that first Culwch must prove himself by accomplishing forty impossible tasks.
Amongst these was the one that concerns us today: the freeing of the imprisoned child Mabon, son of Modron, who had been stolen from his mother only three days after his birth. Culhwch was told by the giant that he must find where the boy was hidden and free him.
How would any of us know where even our own child lies imprisoned within our hearts, let alone where the Modron’s child might be? And how would Culhwch even begin such a task?
The wise counsel of King Arthur provided the answer, telling Gwrhy, Interpreter of Tongues, that he must accompany Kai and Bedwyr, alongside Culwch and the Mabon’s cousin, Eidoel, to go in search of the imprisoned child. And it was Gwrhy who suggested that their small band seek out the oldest and wisest animal that he knew: the Blackbird of Cilgwri. On finding this venerable bird, Gwrhy sang to him in his own language, asking for the whereabouts of the lost child. The blackbird told him that when he had first arrived in Cilgwri he had stood upon an anvil, and that he had pecked for so many years against it, that now it was the size of a mere nut. He knew nothing of the Mabon, but promised to guide them to an older animal than he: the Stag of Rhedynfre.
The stag pointed to the red stump of what was once an ancient oak. “When I arrived, it was just a sapling. After many centuries it withered and died. In all my time here, I have heard nothing of the person you seek. But I know an animal older than I, and I will lead you to them.”
The stag led the party to the valley of Cwm Cawlwyd, where a
great and aged owl sat in the branches of a mighty alder. He, too, had never heard of the Mabon, even though he had lived in this steep valley to see three generations of trees here flourish and die. Like the other animals before him, the Owl agreed to lead the men to an even older animal: the Eagle of Gwernabwy, who had lived there for so long he had been able to peck the great stone he had landed upon to the size of a mere fist.
The Eagle, also knowing nothing of the Mabon, recounted how he had once tried to catch a salmon who proved to be older and stronger than he – dragging him down into the depths before releasing him, and he felt sure he would know of the Mabon’s location. He agreed to lead Culhwch’s party to the Lake of the Rudder in the Severn Estuary, Llyn Llyw, where that wily salmon lived.
That mighty fish, the oldest of the oldest animals of Britain, told them: “With every tide I go up along the river until I come alongside the walls of Caer Loywy. There I have found grieving the likes of which I have never seen.” Cai and Gwrhyr, the Interpreter of Tongues, accepted the salmon’s invitation to take them to Caer Loywy, which may have been Gloucester Castle. Riding on the back of the salmon they came to the castle and heard at once the cries of the Mabon. They asked whether a ransom or fighting was needed to free him, and the Mabon replied that they must fight.
Arthur’s warriors attacked the castle while Kai demolished the wall, freeing at last Mabon, son of Modron, Great Mother, and bringing Culhwch one step closer to his love, Olwen.