Eliwlod: a Cymric Arthurian Hero (Leader of the Boar Hunt)

Synonyms: Elidorus
Cym: Brass/Bronze

Elidyr is the central figure in a Cymric folk-tale recorded by Giraldius Cambrensis in his Itinerarium Cambriæ (Journey Through Cymru) of 1188. The tale is narrated by the priest, Elidurus who purports to rremember a long-lost childhood when he was known by his original Cymric name of Elidyr. It should be noted that the name Elidyr is derived from the Middle Cymric root elyd[n/r] which can mean either of the copper-based alloys of bronze and brass.

In the country of crosses, ruined chapels, cromlechs, forts and tumuli which is sometimes known as Clas Dewi (Dewi's Realm) there once lived a boy called Elidyr whose parents wished him to become a priest. Each day they sent him to the monks of Tŷ Ddewi (St David's) to learn his letters but the young scamp much preferred to play at hoop and ball rather than sticking to his book learning and as a scholar he left much to be desired. Despite his tutors' chastisement he did not mend his ways and one day after a particularly assiduous beating he ran away. He kept running until he came to a river, under the bank of which he found a particularly secluded hollow and in here he crawled and made to sleep. The following morning he realized that the hiding place had a serious drawback, particularly for a growing boy, for it had no food. He could not even scour the riverbank for hips and berries for as soon as he lifted his head above the river's bank he caught a glimpse of numerous men and women out searching for him. The day seemed to drag by as he became hungrier and hugrier. Even as the sun set the growling in his belly kept him awake and as he slept fitfully and woke again he decided that when dawn came he would make his way home; for it was better to face the two beatings that would come his way than to starve here.

As the dawn sun clambered its way through the heavens and he scrambled from his hidey-hole to start the journey home, to his surprise two little men came to him and said: "Come with us and we will lead you to a land full of delights". Curiously, his huger entirely vanished as he heard these words. Walking with the little people he went through a dark underground passage but soon they emerged into a most beautiful country where there were gurgling streams, lush meadows and densely-wooded hills.

The little men led Elidyr to a magnificent palace which they informed him was the seat of the King of the Tylwyth Teg (The Fair-folk or the Faery). They took him in, and there they found the King sitting on a splendid throne, with his courtiers in magnificent dresses all about him. He asked Elidyr who he was and whence he came. Elidyr told him, and the King said, "Thou shalt attend my son." The King then waved him away, and the King's son, who was about the same age as Elidyr, took him out of the court.

This was a time of great happines for Elidyr as he waited on the King's son and took part in the games and sports of the little men. These were all fair of complexion, and their hair was thick and long, falling over their shoulders like that of women. They rode little horses about the size of greyhounds, and they never ate flesh nor fish, but lived on messes of milk flavoured with saffron. They took no oaths, but never spoke a lie, for there was nothing they detested so much as falsehood. They scoffed at men for their struggles, follies, vanities, ficklenesses, treacheries and lies. They worshipped no deities, save perhaps that they were worshippers of Truth. Though the land was beautiful, it did posess one peculiarity: for the sun never shone and clouds were always over the sky, so that even the days were obscure and the nights were pitch dark, for neither moon nor stars ever gave any light.

After a time, Elidyr began to long for his mother and he begged to be allowed to go and visit his old home. Eventually the King gave him permission and he two little men who had brought him to the realm of Faery led him through the underground passage to the upper earth, and right up to his mother's cottage, keeping him invisible to all on the way. His mother was overjoyed to see him, for she had thought he was lost for ever, and she plied him with questions, and he had to tell her everything about himself and the realm from which he had returned. She begged him to stay with her, but Elidyr had given his word that he would return nd soon he departed, after making his mother promise not to tell where he was or with whom. After this he often went to visit his mother, sometimes by the road by which he had first returned, sometimes by others. At first he was not allowed to go alone, but inasmuch as he always kept his promise to come back, he was subsequently permitted to go by himself.

One day when he was with his mother Elidyr happened to tell her of the heavy yellow balls which the King's son and he used in their play. His mother knew that they must be made of gold, and she said to him, "Bring one of them with you next time you come." "It would not be right to do that" said the boy. "What is the harm?" asked his mother. "I have been told never to bring anything with me to earth," replied Elidyr. "Surely, out of the hundreds of balls which the King's son has, he would not miss just one," pleaded the mother, and the boy reluctantly consented.

Some days later, when he believed that no-one was watching, Elidyr gathered-up one of the golden balls, and started off to his mother's cottage, walking at first slowly, but increasing his pace as he drew nearer to the upper air. Just as he emerged out of the underground passage on to the earth, he thought he heard tiny footsteps pattering behind him, and he started to run. Turning his head round, he saw two little men running after him and looking very grim. He put his best foot forward and tore ahead; the little men raced after him, but Elidyr having the start reached the cottage first. When he reached the threshold, he stumbled and fell, and the golden ball rolled out of his hand right to the feet of his mother. At that moment the two little men jumped over him as he lay sprawling, seized the ball and rushed out of the house. As they passed Elidyr, they spat at him and shouted, "Thief, traitor, false mortal," and other terms of reproach.

Full of grief and shame he trudged back to the river bank where the underground passage commenced, determined to go back to the land of the little men to tell them how sorry he was that he had listened to his mother's evil counsel, but he could find no trace of any opening. Again and again he searched, but never could he find any way back to that fair country. So after a time he went back to the monastery, and tried to deaden his longing for fairy land by devotion to learning. In due time he became a monk. Though story of his sojourn in Fairyland gradually leaked out, and men used to come and ask him about the land of the little men, but he could never speak of the happy time he had spent there without shedding tears.

The land of the Tylwyth Teg mentioned in this story is effectively equivalent to the Irish Tír Na nÓg (The Land of Youth) which entered Cymric parlance due to poetry and prose-tales of the early 20th century.

If you would like to try the foods of the time of the ancient Celts, then why not have a look at the ancient recipes section of this site. For the foods of the time when some of these tales were written down, take a look at the Medieval recipes section of the site and, in particular, the recipes from The Forme of Cury.

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