Creiddylad: Cymric goddess and heroine of the Mabinogi (Engenderer of Waters)

Synonyms: Cordelia
Cym: Engenderer of Waters

Creiddylad features briefly in the tale of Culhwch ac Olwen in the Mabinogion. Despite this the fragmentary information is intriguing and points to Creiddylad being a goddes in her own right. She is described as the daughter of Lludd Llaw Ereint (a cognate theonym of Nudd) and the most majestic maiden in the Island of the Mighty and the tree adjacent islands. As a daughter of Nudd she is a member of the Plant Dôn (the children of Dôn).

In the tale, Arthur is gathering his best warriors together so that they may take part in the challenges set for Culhwch. However, a short time before Creiddylad Ferch Lludd Llawereint (daughter of Lludd of the silver hand), who was loved by two men had bestowed herself upon Gwythyr fab Greidawl. Before they could consumate their relationship her other suitor, Gwyn fab Nudd came and took her away by force. Enraged by this treachery Gwythyr gathered to him an army and he marched upon Gwyn's encampment. Their forces clashed but Gwyn was victorious and imprisoned many of the Island's greatest men. Hearing of this, and needing the imprisoned heroes Arthur rode to the north and summoned Gwyn fab Nudd to him and released the noblemen from Gwyn's prison. Arthur made peace between Gwythyr and Gwyn by taking Creiddylad back to her father's Llys where she could be kept safe from both sides in the conflict. A dihenydd was placed upon Gwyn and Gwythyr that every May Day from thence until the end of the realm Gwythyr and Gwyn would be forced to engage in single combat. Whomever was victorious in the end would ultimately gain Creiddylad's hand.

There are similarities here to the Greek myth of Persephone and Hades and the division of the year into the winter half and summer half. In attributes Gwyn fab Nudd is, at least in some respects, the cognate of Hades. He is the ruler of the magical netherworld and he is also the lord ofthe battle-dead. His time of year is Calan Gaeaf (All Hallow's Eve the ancient Celtic New Year) when he emerges with his wild hunt to rule the nights until Calan Mai. This would make Gwythyr the Summer Lord, ruler of the daytime and there is some reason to believe that he is a solar deity. However, it is the posession of Creiddylad who actually gives them their power. Thus dark half and light halves of the year continually battle for her posession. Originally Creiddylad was probably a generative force, possibly one of the great mothers.

Rather tentatively I propose a possible etymology for her name as originating from the Cymric words creu (to create or engender) and dylad (an ancient word for water). Thus her name becomes something like The Engenderer of Waters. As a mother deity and a possible water goddess she might be similar to Dôn in embodying the creative spirit and being a 'mother of the tribe' type of divinity. In the original myth the deal between Arthur, Gwythyr and Gwyn may have been that Creiddylad lived with Gwyn during the winter and Gwythyr during the summer and both men would fight over her at both Calan Mai and Calan Gaeaf. Creiddylad is probably the deity who became aglicized into Shakespeare's 'Cordelia'.

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