Legends are stories which have been told for hundreds of years.

Over the years storytellers may have altered or added parts to the story. Eventually these

stories were written down.Legends give us an insight into the lives, cultures

and landscapes of a time long ago.

The following Legend is from Wales, it gives us an insight into the lives and beliefs of Welsh people who lived hundreds of years ago.

A nobleman called Tegid Foel once lived in Penllyn, with his wife, Ceridwen.

Now Ceridwen was a witch and she lived with Tegid in a mansion at the centre of the land where Llyn Tegid lies today.

They had a son called Morfran and a daughter called Creirfyw.  

 They also had another son, called Afagddu. Poor Afagddu was the ugliest man in the whole world.

Ceridwen worried that Afagddu would never be accepted among noblemen and decided to boil a spell in a cauldron to make him handsome. 

 The spell had to be boiled for a year and a day, until three excellent drops of the spell were obtained from the cauldron.

Gwïon Bach was put in charge of boiling the spell.

Morda was given the job of keeping the fire burning.

 Around a year after starting to boil the spell Gwïon had an accident and dropped three large drops of the spell on his finger.

The spell had been sabotaged and to make the situation even worse, the spell was so hot, Gwïon put his finger in his mouth.

He instantly learnt everything, including the fact that Ceridwen was a threat to him.

Gwïon had such a fright that he escaped to his home in Powys.

According to the legend, the first three drops of the liquid give wisdom; the rest are poisonous.

Gwion instantly gains great knowledge and wisdom.

The potion has given him the ability to change shape, and he turns himself into a……..

Now over to you.

• Read the beginning of this legend again. Try to answer these questions

• What has Gwion changed into?• How will the problem be resolved?• What will happen to Gwion in the

end?• What will happen to Afagddu?

• What about Ceridwen?