Gwiffred petit

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Gwiffred petit , the Little King (Welsh brenhin bychan ), is a legendary figure from Celtic mythology . He is a minor character in the Middle Cymrian story Gereint fab Erbin ("Gereint, Erbins Sohn"), one of the "three romances" ( Y Tair Rhamant ).

United fab heiress

Gwiffred petit is the ruler of a valley and a castle that Gereint and Enid visit during their adventure trip.

"Lord," said Gereint, "tell me who owns this beautiful valley and the castle town there." - "I'll tell you," was the answer, "Gwiffred petit the French call him and the Little King the Welsh."

Gereint learns from the informant that Gwiffred fights with anyone who dares to cross the bridge to his valley. Gereint does not want to deviate from his path and rides on, when he suddenly sees himself being followed.

[...] behind him a knight on a mighty-strong, mightily striding, broad-hoofed and wide-chested warhorse, and he had never seen a smaller man than he saw now.

Since Gereint refuses to repent for entering the valley, they fight violently with their lances, Gwiffred being difficult to hit because of his small figure. Unified, he finally throws him from his horse and in a foot fight with the swords he can hit the Little King so hard that he asks for mercy. Unified, she grants him against the promise of friendship, but refuses to have his wounds treated in Gwiffred's castle and rides on with Enid.

When Gereint is later fatally wounded while defeating three giants and kills Count Limwris with the last of his strength, because he harassed and slaps Enid, Gwiffred petit comes to his aid, brings him to his brother-in-law's castle and lets the best doctors heal him again . He also accompanies the two of them on their last adventure, the fight against the fog magic, and guides them safely back to their kingdom.

Matière de Bretagne

In the novel versions of the Matière de Bretagne of Chrétien de Troyes ' poem Erec et Enide , the name of the Little King is also Gwiffred petit . Birkhan concludes from this that this French model was available to the author of the Welsh story - the name of Count Limwris is also identical to the French Limors .

See also

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Helmut Birkhan: Celtic stories from the Emperor Arthur. Part 1, p. 226.
  2. ↑ Helmut Birkhan: Celtic stories from the emperor Arthur. Part 1, p. 53.