Celtic Gods: The Cymric Mabinigi figure, Dillus Farfog (He who is Set Free or Flowing, the Bearded)

Dillus Farfog
The Cymric Mabinogion Figure: He who is Set Free or Flowing, the Bearded

Dillus Farfog is a Cymric figure from the Mabiniogi of Culhuch ac Olwen and he is part of Culhwch's quest, as Dillu's beard is needed to form the leash to hold the hound Drudwyn who is needed to hunt the magical boar, the Twrch Trwyth. Dillus represents another of the race of giants who are both Arthur's opponents and his kin.



Synonyms:
Cym: ?He who is Set Free, ?Flowing, the Bearded

Dillus Farfog is a figure from the Mabinogi of Cluhwch ac Olwen. He is the means by which a leash can be formed to hold the hound Drudwyn who is needed to hunt the magical boar, the Twrch Trwyth

After gaining the nine bushels of flax-seed required by Ysbaddaden Pencawr Cei and Bedwyr were resting on a carn atop mount Pumlumon, being buffeted by the strongest wind that ever was when they spied a great vertical pillar of smoke to the south. 'Behold' shouted Cei, 'yonder is the fire of a robber!'

They hastened towards the smoke, approaching so near that they could see the giant Dillus Farfog scorching a wild boar in the flames. 'There lies the greatest robber who ever fled from the court of Arthur', Bedwyr said to Cei... 'dost thou know him?'

'Aye', replied Cei, 'I do know him, for he is Dillus Farfog and no leash in the world will be able to hold Drudwyn, the cub of Greid the son of Eri, save a leash made from the beard of the one thou seest yonder. And the hair itself will be useless unless it is plucked alive from his head with wooden tweezers. For if the hair be dead then it becomes brittle.'

'How, then, should we approach this?' Bedwyr enquired of his companion. 'Let us alow him to eat his fill of the roasting boar...' Cei responded 'sated, he will fall asleep.' As they waited they busied themselves constructing the wooden tweezers and when a loud snoring was heard and Cei knew that Dillus was fast asleep they crept up to the giant and Cei dug a well-deep pit by his feet. Then Cei struck Dillus a mighty blow on his temple and stuffed him into the pit.

Using the wooden tweezers they proceeded to extract every single strand of hair from Dillus' beard when this was done they slew the giant and journeyed to Cernow to meet-up with Arthur.

Dillus is another member of the race of giants who are both the opponents of Arthur and are members of his family. Dillus' name could be derived either from the Middle Cymric dillwng (to set free) or dillydd (flowing).



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