Llasar Llaesgyfnewid: a Cymric Mabinogi Hero/God (Flame of the Lengthy Onset)

Celtic Gods: The Cymric hero/god, Llasar Llaesgyfnewid (Flame of the Lengthy Onset)

Llasar Llaesgyfnewid

A Cymric Mabinogi Hero, Llasar Llaesgyfnewid: Flame of the Lengthy Onset

Llasar Llaesgyfnewid is a Cymric (Welsh) god/hero known from the MAbinogi of Branwen Ferch Llŷ where he is the figure who came over to Britain from Ireland, bearing the cauldron of regeneration. Originally Llasar may have been a smith god, associated with sword making and fine enamelwork (both related to the meanings of his name).

Synonyms:
Cym: Flame of the Lengthy Onset

Llasar Llaesgyfnewid is a figure from the Mabinogi of Branwen Ferch Llŷr. He is the figure who came over from Ireland with his wife, Cymidei Cymeinfoll bringing with them the cauldron of regenerationo. They fled from Ireland when they were trapped in an iron house by Matholwch, king of Ireland. The house was set alight to destroy them but they managed to escape the entrapment. Matholwch relates the tale of Llasar and his wife, saying: one day when he was hunting in Ireland he came to the head of a lake known as the Lake of the Cauldron. There he beheld a huge yellow-haired man emerging from the lake and bearing a cauldron upon his back. This man was of enormous size and of horrid aspect and a woman followe him and she was twice the size of her husband. Matholwch asks them whence they are journeying and the man tells him that they journey because at the end of every six weeks his wife gives birth to a fully-armed warrior. Matholwch has them brought with him and they dwell in his lands for a year. During this time, however, they began to commit outrages and molested the nobles. Counsel was taken and though they were asked to leave they would not. So an iron house was built for them and coals were piled on the outside and set alight. Bellows were applied until the iron glowed white hot. But the metal had softened and Llasar was able to burst through the plating and escape, bringing their cauldron to Britain where Brân obtains it from them.

When Brân leaves for Ireland to avenge the fate of his sister, Branwen, he leaves seven counsellors as guardians of Britain. One of the seven is Llassar the son of Llaesar Llaesgygwyd who is undoubtedly the son of Llasar Llaesgyfnewid (the name changed by orthographic error). Thus Llasar must have been as high in Brân's estimations as he was low in Matholwch's. He is also mentioned in the Mabinogi of Manawyddan fab Llŷr where, in their first sojourn in Lloegr (England) Manawyddan and Pryderi enamel the saddles they have made with a blue enamel in the manner that Manawyddan had seen it done by Llasar Llaesgyfnewid. Because of this the colour is still called Calch LLasar (Llasar's Chalk) because Llasar had wrought it (here though it is probably Llasar the son who is referred to as this tale follows directly on from the Mabinogi of Branwen ferch Llŵr).

Llasar's only role in this tale seems to be as the protector of the cauldron. Llasar's name can mean 'flame', but it is also the blue hue of enamel as well as the blue sheen of beaten iron (especially the blue of a multiply-folded sword blade). Llasar is also the blue flame of the hot furnace in which the blade is forged. Thus the interpretation of 'Llasar' here could equally be 'blade' as well as 'flame'.

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