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Brenin Llwyd
The Cymric God: The Grey King, also known as Brenin Nudd
Brenin Llwyd (Brenin Nudd) is a Cymric deity known from folklore and who may represent both a giant and a psychopomp (one who transports or guides spirits between realms). |
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Cym: The Grey King
Stories about the Brenin Llwyd (The Grey King), also sometimes known as Y Brenin Nudd (The Mist King) abound in the mountainous lands of the Cymry. In the north, especially around Eryri and Cader Idris he was described as being very mighty and powerful. He is represented as sitting at the summits of the mountains, berobed in mist and clouds. It was he who brought down the mountain mists to confuse unwary mountain travellers and send them to their doom. In the south he was said to actively seek his victims and children were warned not to wander too high into the mountains lest the Brenin Llwyd seize them. Indeed, until the early twentieth Century whenever someone was lost on the Garth Maelog near Alltwen, Morgannwg it was said that the Brenin Llwyd had seized his prey.
It is interesting to compare the nature of the Brenin Llwyd as a creature of clouds and mists with the properties of the god Nudd especially as one of the words for mist in modern Cymrid is Nudd could the Brenin Llwyd represent a folk remnant of the iron-age deity Nodons? It is certainly interesting to speculate on this. The Brenin Llayd may also be a cognate of the Arthurian figure known as Yniwl Iarll.
It should also be noted that the noun mist/fog is also represented in the name of the ancient deity Nudd/Nodons/Nudens one of whose functions many have been as a psychopomp, one who transports or guides the souls of the dead between realms.
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