|
|
Peredur
Sir Peredur, son of Evrawe, called “Sir Peredur of the Long Spear,” one of the knights of the Round Table. He was for many years called “The Dumb Youth,” from a vow he made to speak to no Christian till Angharad of the Golden Hand loved him better than she loved any other man.
His great achievements were:
(1) the conquest of the Black Oppressor, “who oppressed
every one and did justice to no one;”
(2) killing the Addanc of the Lake, a monster that devoured daily
some of the sons of the king of Tortures. This exploit he was
enabled to achieve by means of a stone which kept him
invisible;
(3) slaying the three hundred heroes privileged to sit round the
countess of the Achievements; on the death of these men the seat
next the countess was freely given to him;
(4) the achievement of the Mount of Mourning, where was a serpent
with a stone in its tail which would give inexhaustible wealth to
its possessor; Sir Peredur killed the serpent, but gave the stone
to his companion, Earl Etlym of the east country. These exploits
over, Sir Peredur lived fourteen years with the Empress
Cristinobyl the Great.
Sir Peredur is the Welsh name for Sir Percival of Wales. The Mabinogion (from the Red Book of Hergest, twelfth century).
"There was a gentler deity, friendly to man, to help whom he fought or cajoled the powers of the underworld; Gwydion he was called, and Arthur. Last, perhaps, to be imagined in concrete shape, there was a long-armed, sharp-speared sun-god who aided the culture-god in his work, and was known as Lleu, or Gwalchmei, or Mabon, or Owain, or Peredur, and no doubt by many another name; and with him is usually found a brother representing not light, but darkness." Celtic Myth and Legend Poetry and Romance by Charles Squire
"It is perhaps not without significance that a mention of Peredur (Perceval) in Welsh poetry may also possibly contain a reference to his healing office. I refer to the well-known Song of the Graves in the Black Book of Carmarthen where the grave of Mor, son of Peredur Penwetic, is referred to. According to Dr G. Evans the word penwedic, or perfeddyg, as it may also be read, means chief Healer. Peredur, it is needless to say, is the Welsh equivalent of Perceval, Gawain's successor and supplanter in the role of Grail hero." From Ritual to Romance by Jessie L. Weston. Chapter VIII
