Welcome to day five of Legendary Love Week at White Rose of Avalon, my Darlings.   Today’s post is about the love between Culhwch and Olwen!   This is one of the stories found in The Mabinogion that is not part of the four branches.   It is also one of the oldest written Arthurian legends.

Culhwch is a cousin of King Arthur who sets out to go to Court to get the King’s help in finding him a bride.   That is a very specific bride, as he is supposed to marry Olwen (sometimes also spelled Olwyn), daughter of the Giant Ysbaddaden Pencawr.   Arthur is happy to aid his cousin after he proves his knowledge of the Knights of the Roundtable.   This is a very interesting section in the story in which Culhwch names Knights and their exploits, and it is very long going over many Knights, providing one of the longest lists of Knights of the Round Table in any legend.

Of course, there is a catch when Culhwch sets out on his Quest to win the heart and hand of his beloved Lady Olwen.   Olwen is forbidden by her father to marry because there is a prophecy that when she marries, her father will die.   This means that Culhwch has to take on and agree to a list of seemingly impossible tasks in order to appease Ysbaddaden and prove that he is worthy of being Olwen’s husband.   Essentially, it is also proving that he can care for Olwen and Ysbaddaden’s legacy when he dies.

We get interesting callbacks to other famous Welsh tales, for example, one of the tasks Ysbaddaden sets for Culhwch is to bring him the Birds of Rhiannon, which always sticks out to me.   The ultimate crux of the matter, the biggest thing on this long list of tasks, is to find Mabon, son of Modron, who disappeared not long after his birth.   As this is the final task given in the long list, it is the most difficult, but with the aid of Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable and even Gwyn Ap Nudd (who is recruited by Arthur to help), Culhwch is able to find Mabon and win Olwen’s hand in marriage!   So, the story ends with Ysbaddaden Pencawr dying and Olwen being free to marry the man who has proven his love for her time and again.

Olwen herself is a very lovely and oft-forgotten Faery Queen of Arthurian legend.   Her name means ‘white footprint’ or ‘white track’ which is taken quite literally, as white flowers spring up with every step she takes!   I adore this aspect of her story, as it shows her as a truly sweet and loving Flower Bride, full of true innocence, as she has such a pure heart.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my thoughts on the story of Culhwch and Olwen in this short post.   What is your favorite part of their story?   Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is a lovely illustration of Culhwch and Olwen.   I found the picture on https://matter-of-britain.fandom.com/wiki/How_Culhwch_Won_Olwen.       

LINK TO AVALONIAN ROSE FAERY MYSTERIES PATREON: patreon.com/AvalonianRoseFaeryMysteries

Further Reading

• The Mabinogion translated by Sioned Davies