Cave legends occur across Wales and probably the most common tale is that of 'Ogof Arthur' or Arthur's Cave where the great Brythonic leader, Arthur sleeps until his nation (the Welsh, obviously!) require him once more in their time of need.Though truly a figure of the 'old north' the collapse of Brythonic Britain with the Anglo-Saxon incursions brought all the tales and legends of Arthur into the sphere of Wales. After all so many from the Old North settled in Gwynedd and the Cymry (Welsh) no matter their origins were the the remaining rump of the Brython (ancient Brions). As a result of this tales of Arthur's final resting place ocurr throughout Wales. Indeed an Ogof Arthur (Arthur's Cave) is known everywher from Mynydd y Cnwc, Llangwyfan Môn (Anglesea) to his assiciations with Caerleon (originally Caerllion (Fotress of the Legions) and the three Craig-y-Ddionas (Crag of the City) from Morgannwg (Glamorgan): one near Llantrisant, the other from Ystradyfodgwg and the third from Pontneddfachan. As it happens the tale I am most familiar with, and probably the one with the best historical claim is the tale of Ogof Arthur from Pontneddfechan.

The Tale Arthur's Cave

Arthur and Garwed the Giant

The reputation of Arthur as a giant killer is well known from the folk tales of Wales and Cornwall, both (see the tale of Rhitta the Giant). The tale of another of Arthur's giant-killing episode is directly linked to the various episodes linking Arthur to Craig-y-Ddinas near Pontneddfechan in the Vale of Neath which according to some legends is Arthur's final resting place.

The tale itself relates to Garwed the Giant who was terrorizing the neighbourhood around Craig-y-Ddinas. He was preying on the local cattle herds and when the cattle were moved away or he had consumed them all he terrorized the local people to supply him with live bullocks and heiffers. Matters had become so desperate that envoys were sent to Arthur's court in Caerllion to request assistance. It just so happened that the envoys arrived when Arthur was holding court at Caerllion and the Great Leader heard their petition himself. On hearing of their troubles he personally vowed to rid their land of the marauding giant.

The following morning Arthur arrayed himself in his armour and mounting his favourite charger he rode out with Bedwyr and Cei at his side.

The horsemen reached the outskirts of Pontneddfechan when they heard a terrible sound of rending which was accompanied by a roaring sound. Spurring their horses the three heroes turned north-eastwards and rode full gallop towards that terrible sound. Something whistled through the air above them and the riders immediately halted their steeds; and only just in time as a huge, damp, clod of earth thwacked wetly onto the path just ahead of them. Moments later and all three riders spurred their steeds off the path and into the nearby woods as wattle fences, crumbling sheets of daub, hunks of thatch and tree-trunk posts &2014; now shredded to little more than cordwood — darkened the skies and rained down upon them.

Barking an order, Arthur, undaunted, led his compatriots onwards through the wooded verge of the track and towards the source of the destruction. For a while the thudding of their horses' hooves and the whipping of the branches about them almost covered the sounds of roaring and pounding ahead of them. But soon enough, as they veered from the tree verge and back onto the path the pounding became so pronounced that the very ground beneath them began to shake.

Within instants they had broken through into a clearing, coming upon what had once been a farmstead — but which was now little more than a ruined wreck. In the midst of the ruination there was a giant squatting upon his haunches within a crater of his own creation. His hands wrapped around a byre which he held up to the sky and rattled even as one roving eye peered within. Every now and then he would raise his hands to rattle the byre, sending clouds of clay and whitewash drifting to the ground by his feet. Then he would tilt the building upwards so that he could peer within once more.

Arthur and his teulu reached within striking distance of the giant just as he crushed the byre in his hands and hurled it spear-like into the air. Halting his steed, Arthur dismounted and handed the reins to Bedwyr before calmly walkint towards the giant figure before him. Tilting his head upwards Arthur addressed the giant, saying: 'I am Arthur, protector of this realm — to whom am I addressing?'

'Puny mannikin,' replied the giant, inclining his head to look at the small figure before him, 'I am Garwed and these are my feeding grounds. If you truly are the protector of this realm, bring me kine before I start feeding on your people.'

Arthur gathered himself to his full height and suddenly he seemed to grow in both stature and majesty. 'Garwed,' he said, addressing the giant, 'you have consumed all the fair beasts of the regions hereabouts...'

The giant roared at this and raised his hand as if to swat Arthur away. But Arthur raised his own hand as if in a sign of appeasement. 'But...', he continued, '...there is a realm close to this that is overflowing with fine white cattle.'

'SHOW ME,' thundered the giant.

Instead of replying Arthur simply mounted his steed and with a wave of his hand indicated that Garwed should follow the three mounted men. As they turned their steeds' heads and cantered westwards the giant loped behind them, each footfall shaking the ground as it impacted with the earth. They rode quietly for a good half hour even as the giant's grumblings grew louder and louder behind them until they eventually emerged into a clearing beside a river. Before them stood a single imposing crag, rough inposing and shaped like a lopsided triangle. Arthur simply slowed his steed, pointed at the crag and of Craig y Ddinas and began to slowly ease his steed along the riverbank. Eventually they veered from the riverbank and began heading immediately towards the crag of Craig y Dinas and Arthur urged his steed into a canter and then a gallop, forcing the giant to enter into a long-legged lope to keep up with them. Within moments they were passing an ancient gnarled hazel tree at the base of Craig y Ddinas, heading for the outcrop itself. At the lower slope Arthur dismounted from his steed and motioned his companions to do likewise. Then all three warriors waited for the giant to catch-up with them.

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The core of this folk-tale is derived from 'The Recollections and Anecdotes of Edward Williams', London, 1850, by Elijah Waring which gives the central tale of the Treasure of Arthur's Cave. The remaining elements of the tale are based on a stitching-together of fragments of surviving folk-lore.