#llyn tegid

[bluesman56]

Welsh temple by Tony

[ceallaighcreature]

Ah, to be Welsh diaspora whose Welsh side is primarily from the Llyn Tegid area...and I open a book by a Welsh person on Welsh lore and literally in the first paragraph of the introduction is a mention of Llyn Tegid. Blessed.

[lexiconofhope]

If you ever see me call Llyn Tegid by its English name, please know that I have been replaced and that’s an imposter.

[thephantomofthelibrary]

The Legend of Llyn Tegid

Tegid Foel (Tegid the Bald) was a warrior prince of North Wales. He was married to the beautiful Ceridwen. Together they had two children. Their daughter, Creirwy, was the envy of all. She was beautiful, intelligent and talented. However, their son Morfran was slow and plain. The people nicknamed him Afagddu which means utter darkness in reference to his dark features and his darkness of heart. Regardless Ceridwen loved both her children dearly and equally. 

But Ceridwen desperately wanted to help her son. Creirwy was talented but her brother was lacking. Ceridwen possessed the magical cauldron of wisdom which could have granted her son talent in music and poetry, making him intelligent and knowledgeable like his sister,. So she mixed a brew of herbs and potions so strong that only three drops were needed to transform her son. A kind, young servant named Gwion Bach (Little Gwion) was given the task of mixing the brew. As he stirred it, three drops splashed from the giant pot and onto his hand. Without thinking, he licked the potion from his hand. Immediately words for fine poetry were rushing through his head and new tunes to play on the harp. The potion had instantly transformed him into the best Baird in Wales. 

However, when three drops were given to the prince it did not work. The magic of the cauldron had already been used up on the servant. Ceridwen continued to boil more and more potions for her son but none of them worked. 

Many years had passed Prince Tegid had grown colder and darker. He was a gruesome, horrid man. It was not long until Tegid became a tyrant over his kingdom. Famine and drought But Ceridwen was a kindhearted woman and could not bear to see such suffering in the land. She invited all the kingdom to a feast to be held in their castle with great music and fine food. She summoned the greatest harp player in the land, the servant who had stirred the potion. 

He played the most beautiful songs for the feast. The villagers became happy as they filed their stomachs with fine food and their ears with the most beautiful music they had ever heard. As he played a little bird flew in and landed on the harp and sand along to his melodies. But soon the people began to stop listening, In truth they were just as vile as Prince Tegid was. They sneered at Morfran for being dim-witted and ugly. 

As the aggression in the hall grew the harp player stopped his beautiful music. The little bird had started to cry in a shrill voice to him, “Come away, come away, vengeance has come, vengeance has come.” The little bird flew onto the man’s sleeve and began to pull him out. No one noticed the musician leaving the hall. The little bird pulled him out to one of the large mountains that surrounded the kingdom when he heard the rushing of the river. The river that had dried up was returning to the area. But it was returning with a great force that could not be stopped. The river flooded through the village until no building could be seen above the lake that had formed. All that bubbled to the surface was the musician's harp. Prince Tegid and all his vile kingdom vanished beneath the vast waters that gained the name of Llyn Tegid. 

Ceridwen was a powerful sorceress and she survived the surge of water. 

Today the small town of Bala sits on the water’s edge where the Welsh Harp still remains strong. 

This is one of my favourites because it is a myth about one of my favourite places. I have fond memories of travelling with friends to this beautiful lake to swim and sail. (pictures of this beautiful place to come later). 

[bluesman56]

Split paths by Tony

[bluesman56]

St Cywair's Church Bala by Tony

[bluesman56]

Heavy Weather over Lake Bala by Tony Via Flickr: Moel y Garnedd is a member of the Arenig range, with Arenig Fawr lying approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) to the west. It is the high point of an area of moorland known as the Gwastadros

[bluesman56]

Lake Bala Scenic by Tony