Celtic Gods: The Cymric god, Niwl (Earl Fog)

Niwl
A Cymric God, also known as Iarll Niwl, Yniwl Iarll: Earl Fog

Niwl (Iarll Niwl, Yniwl Iarll) is a Cymric (Welsh) god known from the Mabinogion of Gereint fab Erbin where he is Enid's father and may represent the survival of the mythos of Nudd/Nodons into Medieval times.



Synonyms: Iarll Niwl, Yniwl Iarll
Gaul: Earl Fog

Niwl or Yniwl is the earl who is portrayed as Enid's father in the Mabinogion of Gereint fab Erbin where his name is given as Yniwl Iarll. This name is almost unknown in Cymric literature, except for the Mabinogion and Triad 88 of the Trioedd Ynys Prydein where Enid, the daughter of Niwl Iarll is named as one of the 'Three Splendid Maidens of Arthur's Court'. It should be noted that in this triad the earl's name is given as 'Niwl' and not 'Yniwl' indicating that, in common with other nouns beginning in 'n' the name 'Niwl' gained a prosthetic 'Y'.

The original name may well have been 'Iarll-y-Niwl' (Earl of the Fog) which later was corrupted to Yniwl Iarll. This was a name known to a number of the Gogynfeirdd such as Tudur Aled, Gryffudd ap Meredudd and Rhiserdyn but otherwise seems unknown in Cymric literature.

However, the character of Iarll Niwl may relate to the folk figure of the Brenin Llwyd (the Grey King) who is also sometimes known as Y Brenin Nudd (The Mist King). He is the controller of mists and fogs who resides in the mountain fastnesses of Wales who brings down the fogs and mists to secure his victims. The Earl of Fog of the ancient tales and the Mist King of folklore could therefore be one and the same figure and represents the survival of an ancient deity in later folklore. 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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