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Cenferchyn
A Cymric Hero of the Mabinogi: Whelp of the Horselet
Cenferchyn is a Cymric (Welsh) hero known from a single mention in the Mabinogi of Owein. It is he who bequeaths the raven army to Owein fab Urien, the selfsame ravens that battle with Arthur's men in the Mabinogi of Breuddwyd Rhonabwy. |
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Cym: The Hidden One
Cenferchyn is known only from a single mention in the Mabinogi of Owein (also known as Iarlles y Ffynnon 'The Countess of the Spring'). Where he is named as the benefactor who bequeaths an army of three hundred ravens for Owein fab Urien. These being the same ravens that do battle with Arthur's men in the tale of Breuddwyd Rhonabwy (for a complelte translation of this tale see here). Thus it would seem that the author of Iarlles y Ffynnon at the very least knew of the events described in Breuddwyd Rhonabwy and the two stories dovetail into one anther.
Cenferchyn's name is probably derived from the middle Cymric components cen- which is root of words such as cenau and can be taken to mean 'whelp'. Merchen is probably derived from march 'horse, steed' and the diminutive ending yn thus he is the 'Whelp of the Horselet', perhaps 'Whelp of the Pony'.
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