Goreu fab Custennin
Encyclopedia
Goreu fab Custennin is a hero of Welsh
and early Arthurian mythology
, the son of Custennin, and cousin to Arthur
, Culhwch
and Saint Illtud
through their grandfather Amlawdd Wledig
. He is a significant character in the Middle Welsh Arthurian tale Culhwch and Olwen
, and also appears in a number of other medieval texts. His name may be derived from ; "of Cornwall."
While on the quest to locate the stronghold of Ysbaddaden Bencawr, Culhwch ap Cilydd
and his six companions come across a shepherd
and his flock. They learn that he is Ysbaddaden's brother, and that the giant has murdered twenty-three of his twenty four children. In a bid to save their youngest son from suffering the same fate, the shepherd and his wife hide him away in a chest. Cai
, one of Arthur's
foremost knight
s, offers to take the boy with him on the quest for Olwen
, promising to fight to the death to protect him. The unnamed child later assists Cai and Bedwyr
in the murder of Wrnach the Giant, fighting through three courtyards of the giant's llys. It is through this adventure that he earns his name, ; "The Best."
It is Goreu who ultimately slays Ysbaddaden, dragging him to the mound by his hair and there decapitating
him. He then placed the head on a stake on the citadel and claims his fort and territory as his own, thus avenging the deaths of his brothers.
on his journey to Cornwall
. In Breuddwyd Rhonabwy, he appears briefly as one of Arthur's twenty four chief councillors. The Welsh Triads
refer to a tradition in which Goreu rescued Arthur from three enchanted otherworldy prisons."
Welsh mythology
Welsh mythology, the remnants of the mythology of the pre-Christian Britons, has come down to us in much altered form in medieval Welsh manuscripts such as the Red Book of Hergest, the White Book of Rhydderch, the Book of Aneirin and the Book of Taliesin....
and early Arthurian mythology
Matter of Britain
The Matter of Britain is a name given collectively to the body of literature and legendary material associated with Great Britain and its legendary kings, particularly King Arthur...
, the son of Custennin, and cousin to Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
, Culhwch
Culhwch
Culhwch , in Welsh mythology, is the son of Cilydd son of Celyddon and Goleuddydd, a cousin of Arthur and the protagonist of the story Culhwch and Olwen...
and Saint Illtud
Illtud
Illtyd , was a Welsh saint, founder and abbot of Llanilltud Fawr in the Welsh county of Glamorgan...
through their grandfather Amlawdd Wledig
King Arthur's family
King Arthur's family grew throughout the centuries with King Arthur's legend. Several of the legendary members of this mythical king's family became leading characters of mythical tales in their own right.-Welsh literature:...
. He is a significant character in the Middle Welsh Arthurian tale Culhwch and Olwen
Culhwch and Olwen
Culhwch and Olwen is a Welsh tale about a hero connected with Arthur and his warriors that survives in only two manuscripts: a complete version in the Red Book of Hergest, ca. 1400, and a fragmented version in the White Book of Rhydderch, ca. 1325. It is the longest of the surviving Welsh prose...
, and also appears in a number of other medieval texts. His name may be derived from ; "of Cornwall."
How Culhwch won Olwen
Culhwch
Culhwch , in Welsh mythology, is the son of Cilydd son of Celyddon and Goleuddydd, a cousin of Arthur and the protagonist of the story Culhwch and Olwen...
and his six companions come across a shepherd
Shepherd
A shepherd is a person who tends, feeds or guards flocks of sheep.- Origins :Shepherding is one of the oldest occupations, beginning some 6,000 years ago in Asia Minor. Sheep were kept for their milk, meat and especially their wool...
and his flock. They learn that he is Ysbaddaden's brother, and that the giant has murdered twenty-three of his twenty four children. In a bid to save their youngest son from suffering the same fate, the shepherd and his wife hide him away in a chest. Cai
Sir Kay
In Arthurian legend, Sir Kay is Sir Ector's son and King Arthur's foster brother and later seneschal, as well as one of the first Knights of the Round Table. In later literature he is known for his acid tongue and bullying, boorish behavior, but in earlier accounts he was one of Arthur's premier...
, one of Arthur's
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
foremost knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
s, offers to take the boy with him on the quest for Olwen
Olwen
In Welsh mythology, Olwen is the daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden and cousin of Goreu. She is the heroine of the story Culhwch and Olwen in the Mabinogion....
, promising to fight to the death to protect him. The unnamed child later assists Cai and Bedwyr
Bedivere
In Arthurian legend, Sir Bedivere is the Knight of the Round Table who returns Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake. He serves as King Arthur's marshal and is frequently associated with Sir Kay...
in the murder of Wrnach the Giant, fighting through three courtyards of the giant's llys. It is through this adventure that he earns his name, ; "The Best."
It is Goreu who ultimately slays Ysbaddaden, dragging him to the mound by his hair and there decapitating
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
him. He then placed the head on a stake on the citadel and claims his fort and territory as his own, thus avenging the deaths of his brothers.
Other appearances
He later appears in the Arthurian romance Geraint fab Erbin in which he is named as one of the four squires of Arthur's court and rides alongside the hero GeraintGeraint
Geraint is a character from Welsh folklore and Arthurian legend, a king of Dumnonia and a valiant warrior. He may have lived during or shortly prior to the reign of the historical Arthur, but some scholars doubt he ever existed...
on his journey to Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. In Breuddwyd Rhonabwy, he appears briefly as one of Arthur's twenty four chief councillors. The Welsh Triads
Welsh Triads
The Welsh Triads are a group of related texts in medieval manuscripts which preserve fragments of Welsh folklore, mythology and traditional history in groups of three. The triad is a rhetorical form whereby objects are grouped together in threes, with a heading indicating the point of likeness...
refer to a tradition in which Goreu rescued Arthur from three enchanted otherworldy prisons."