Cavall

King Arthur's dog

Cavall (Middle Welsh: cauall RBH & WBR; modernized: Cafall;[1] pronounced [kaˈvaɬ]; Latin: Cabal, var. Caball (ms.K))[2] was King Arthur's dog, used in the hunt for the great boar, Twrch Trwyth (Latin: Troynt, Troit).

Cavall was Arthur's "favourite dog", and during a stag hunt, he was customarily the last dog to be let loose to chase after the game (Gereint Son of Erbin).[3]

## Historia Brittonum

[edit]

Linked to the Welsh literature regarding Arthur's dog Cafall is the mention Arthur's dog Cabal's pawprint, preserved in rock, in the Latin tract of Historia Brittonum (9th century). The print was preserved in rock while the dog was pursuing the boar Troynt. The lore is preserved in the Wonders of Britain (De Mirabilibus Britanniae or Mirabilia in shorthand) appended to the Historia Brittonum.[4] The wondrous nature of this cairn of stones was that even if someone removed that foot-printed stone to another spot, it would be back at its original heap the next day.[5][6][7][a]

Sketch of a footprint stone from Carn Cavall, Lady Guest's Mabinogion (1849)

> There is another marvel in the region which is called Buelt (≈Buellt[9]). There is a mound of stones there and one stone placed above the pile with the pawprint of a dog in it. When Cabal, who was the dog of Arthur the soldier, was hunting the boar Troynt (recté Troit[10]), he impressed his print in the stone, and afterwards Arthur assembled a stone mound under the stone with the print of his dog, and it is called the Carn Cabal (i.e., a cairn[11]). And men come and remove the stone in their hands for the length of a day and a night; and on the next day it is found on top of its mound.

> — J. A. Giles tr., Wonders of Britain §73[12][13]

Lady Charlotte Guest was aware of the local lore that placed the monument at a mountain situated in the "district of Builth", the name by which that area was still being remembered from what was the ancient Buellt cantref of medieval Wales.[8] Nowadays, this mountain is known as Carn Gafallt,[11] but this identification is uncertain according to Geoffrey Ashe.[14] The "Buelt" name is also preserved in present-day Builth Wells (in historic county of Brecknockshire) now part of county Powys.[14][15]

## Culhwch ac Olwen

[edit]

Further information: Twrch Trwyth and Hunting of Twrch Trwyth

Unlike the simple primitive lore, the late Welsh romance Culhwch and Olwen weaves a much more intricate tale, naming many dogs besides Cavall in the hunting party, and the quarry is no longer just the boar Twrch Trwyth itself, its seven offspring (with names), and yet another boar named Yskithyrwyn besides.

### Ysgithyrwyn Chief-Boar

[edit]

Yskithyrwyn Penbaedd (or Ysgithyrwyn Chief Boar) was yet another boar to be hunted by Arthur's band; its tusk, which needed to be extracted while still alive, being another of the "impossible tasks" (anoeth; pl. anoethiau) prescribed by Ysbaddaden Chief-Giant. This tusk was the tool necessary for shaving the giant to groom him up, him being the father of the bride Olwen.

In Culhwch and Olwen, Arthur's dog Cavall is specifically credited with the slaying of Yskithyrwin (or at least with cornering the beast to its doom). Caw of Prydain who rides Arthur's mare Llamrei cleaves Yskithyrwyn's head with a hatchet.

Afterwards, "Bedwyr leading Cavall, Arthur's own dog",[16] joins the other hunters and dogs to pursue the great boar Twrch Trwyth and its piglets. But the specific role played by Cavall is not told.

### List of dogs

[edit]

The other hounds, which either belonged to Arthur's retinue or were recruited elsewhere, include:

* The two (wolf?) pups of Gast Rhymhi[17] (two whelps of the bitch Rhymhi),[18]
* The pups/cubs are possibly named Gwyddrud and Gwyddneu Astrus, though they are introduced as members of Arthur's court.[19][20]
* Aned and Aethelm.[21][22]
* Glas, Glessic, and Gleisad[23][26][b] belonging to the three sons of Cleddyf Kyfwlch, named Bwlch, Kyfwlch, and Sefwlch.
* Drudwyn,[30][31] the pup of Greid the son of Eri.
* two dogs of Glythmyr Ledewic[32] (Glythfyr Ledewig).[33]

#### Cavall the horse

[edit]

Glas, Glesig, and Gleisad are referred to as dogs, and Call, Cuall, and Cafall as horses, and so on down the line, in the list of belongings of sons of Cleddyf, or, at least they are nowadays in modern translations.[34] However, in the first English translation by Lady Guest, Glas, etc. were construed as sword names and Call, Cuall, Cavall as dogs, respectively.

## Etymology

[edit]

Ifor Williams has made a study of occurrences of Cafall in old Welsh poetry.[35]

A number of scholars have commented upon the similarity of the dog's name to the Latin word caballus for "horse". In an article from 1936, R. J. Thomas said that "the name Cabal is from Latin caballus 'horse', which he considers a quite natural metaphor since the dog was strong and swift, and he compares the horse of Conall Cernach which had a dog's head".[36] Furthermore, the form cabal existed in Old Welsh.[37]

Bromwich further remarks, "Since carn means both 'hoof' and 'cairn' it seems more probable that Cabal/Cafall originally designated Arthur horse.. rather than his hound".[38]

## See also

[edit]

* Husdent
* Hengroen

## Explanatory notes

[edit]

1. ^ Guest's notes also provides a sketch of the footprint (shown right) as well as facsimile of the Latin text from Harley 3859.
2. ^ However, Lady Guest parsed the text so that these were the three "grinding gashers", i.e., sword names.[27][28] Translator Gantz(2003) agreed with the possibility they are sword names.[29]

## References

[edit]

Citations

1. ^ Jones & Jones trr. (1993), 107, 110, 199
2. ^ Mommsen (1898), p. 217 textual variants note to line 23. The codices used for this portion of the work are CDGHKLQ.
3. ^ Guest ed., tr. (1849), p. 87.
4. ^ Ashe, Geoffrey. "Nennius", in: Lacy, Norris J., et al., edd., The Arthurian Encyclopedia, New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1986, pp. 404–406: "The appendix of Mirabilia ("Marvels") may be a little later than the rest of the book, but not much" (p. 406).
5. ^ Rhys (1901), pp. 537–539.
6. ^ Guest ed., tr. (1849), pp. 358–360.
7. ^ Higham, Nicholas J. (2018) [1932]. King Arthur: The Making of the Legend. Yale University Press. pp. 204–207\. ISBN 9780300240863.
8. ^ a b Guest ed., tr. (1849), p. 359 writes: "a mountain in the district of Builth, to the South of Rhayader Gwy[i.e., on the River Wye], and within sight of that town", then on p. 360, quotes the correspondence from her informant that: "Carn Cavall..generally pronounced Corn Cavall, is a lofty and rugged mountain, in the upper part of the district anciently called Buellt, now written Builth, in Breconshire".
9. ^ "district of Builth" in Brecknockshire[8] Fletcher (1906), p. 15, n5 gives "Brecknock-Radnor", apparently meaning Brecknockshire and Radnorshire
10. ^ Fletcher (1906), p. 320: "Two names in the Mirabilia should be replaced by better variant readings, Troynt by Troit, and Anir by Amr".
11. ^ a b Roberts (1991), p. 90: "Carn Cabal is a cairn.. now.. Corn Gaffalt, a hill.. in north Brecknockshire, between Rhaeadr [i.e., Rhayader, Radnorshire] and Builth Wells".
12. ^ Wonders of Britain, Ch. 73 . Translated by J. A. Giles – via Wikisource. "There is another marvel in the region which is called Buelt.."
13. ^ Cf. Guest ed., tr. (1849), p. 359 and Guest tr. (1877), p. 289, notes, p. , translated from Stevenson (1838), §73
14. ^ a b Ashe, Geoffrey (2013) [1996]. "Topography and Local Legends". In Lacy, Norris J.; Ashe, Geoffrey; Ihle, Sandra Ness; Kalinke, Marianne E.; Thompson, Raymond H. (eds.). The New Arthurian Encyclopedia: New edition. Routledge. p. 456\. ISBN 9781136606335. "Buelt in central Wales, where Builth Wells preserves the name"
15. ^ The Latin text's editor also annotates on the place name "Buelt" as "Brecknock-Radnor", Fletcher (1906), p. 15, n5
16. ^ Guest ed., tr. (1849), p. 311 / a bedwyr a chauall ki arthur ynyl w ynteu. p. 239
17. ^ Guest ed., tr. (1849), pp. 266, 301 / gast rymi p. 210, gast rymhi 235
18. ^ Jones & Jones trr. (1993), pp. 88, 105.
19. ^ Stephens, Meic (1998). "Rhymhi". The New Companion to the Literature of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. p. 634\. ISBN 9780708313831.
20. ^ Bromwich & Evans (1992), Culhwch, pp. 100, 146n: "Gwydrut a Gwyden Astrus" make this identification. The family of wolves reverts to human form by grace of God, but it is rather a mystery how Culhwch's bridal quest was helped by this.
21. ^ Guest ed., tr. (1849), pp. 290, 316 / "anet ac aethlem", pp. 227, 246
22. ^ Jones & Jones trr. (1993), pp. 100, 112
23. ^ Bromwich & Evans (1992), p. 27: "Glas , Glessic , Gleissat , eu tri chi; Call , Cuall , Cauall , eu tri meirch"
24. ^ Jones & Jones trr. (1993), p. 89,100.
25. ^ Kibler, William W.; Palmer, R. Barton, eds. (2014). "Arthur in Early Wales/Culhwch and Owen". Medieval Arthurian Epic and Romance: Eight New Translations. Translated by Davis, Craig. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. pp. 73, 74, 82, 89, (94, 96). ISBN 978-0-7864-4779-4.
26. ^ Besides Bromwich's edition, several modern translations interpret these as dogs' name, e.g. Jones & Jones: "Glas, Glesig Gleisad, their three dogs"[24] or Davis: "Glas [Grey], Glesig, Gleisad [Salmon]--their three dogs. Call [Clever], Cuall [Quick], Cafall [Steed]--their three horses",[25] etc.
27. ^ Guest ed., tr. (1849), Welsh, pp. 211, 227; translation pp. 267, 291: "three grinding gashers, Glas, Glessic, and Clersag. Their three dogs, Call, Cuall, and Cavall. Their three horses, Hwyrdydwg, and Drwgdydwg, and Llwyrdydwg"
28. ^ Tunnell, Michael O. (2003). "Glessic (GLES-sik), Prince". The Prydain Companion: A Reference Guide to Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles. Henry Holt and Company. p. 107\. ISBN 9781429960007.
29. ^ The Mabinogion. Translated by Gantz, Jeffrey. Penguin UK. 2003. fn71. ISBN 9780141920467.
30. ^ Guest ed., tr. (1849), pp. 286, 303, 306 / drutywyn, pp. 225, 236, 237
31. ^ Jones & Jones trr. (1993), pp. 98, 106, 110.
32. ^ Guest ed., tr. (1849), pp. 306, 311 / deu gi glythmyr lewic, glythuyr ledewic, letewic, pp. 238, 242.
33. ^ Jones & Jones trr. (1993), pp. 89, 100.
34. ^ Such as Gwyn & Thomas Jones', 1949 and Jeffrey Gantz's, 1976.
35. ^ Bromwich & Evans (1992), p. 153, notes that Ifor Williams has studied "..instances of cafall < Lat. caballus..in the Hengerdd(old poetry) CA 1203; CLlH vii, 22a; PT 38n. on caffon. (Ifor Williams, CA=Canu Aneirin, 1938; CLlH=Canu Llywarch Hen, 1935; PT=Poems of Taliesin)
36. ^ Ford, Patrick K. (1982), "On the Significance of some Arthurian Names in Welsh", Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies, 30: 268, summarizing from R. J. Thomas, "Cysylltiad Arthur gogledd Ceredigion", Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies 8 (2): 124–125.
37. ^ Roberts (1991), p. 90.
38. ^ Bromwich & Evans (1992), p. 153.

Bibliography

English Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Kilhwch and Olwen

English Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Geraint the Son of Erbin

English Wikisource has original text related to this article:

History of the Britons (Wonders of Britain)

* Bromwich, Rachel; Evans, Daniel Simon (1992), Culhwch and Olwen: an edition and study of the oldest Arthurian tale, University of Wales Press, ISBN 9780708311271
* Guest, Charlotte (1849). The Mabinogion: From the Llyfr Coch o Hergest (google). Vol. 2\. London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans.: Geraint ab Erbin Welsh, p. 4; English, p. 67\. Kilhwch ac Olwen Welsh, p. 195; English, p. 249.
* Fletcher, Robert Huntington, ed. (1906). The Arthurian material in the chronicles. Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature 10. Modern Language Departments of Harvard University/Ginn & Co. pp. 32–4\. Archived from the original on 2008-03-11.
* —— (1877). The Mabinogion (google). London: Quaritch.
* Jones, Gwyn; Jones, Thomas (1993). "Culhwch and Olwen". The Mabinogion. Everyman Library. London: J. M. Dent. pp. 80–113\. ISBN 978-0-460-87297-3. (Revised edition 1993; Indexed 1989; first published Everyman Library 1949)
* —— (2011) [1949]. "Culhwch and Olwen". The Mabinogion. Read Books. ISBN 978-1446546253.
* Mommsen, Theodor, ed. (1898). "Historia Brittonvm cvm additamentis Nennii". Chronica Minora. Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Auctorum Antiquissimi xiii. Vol. 3\. Berlin: Weidmann. pp. 111–222.
* Rhys, John (1901), Celtic folklore: Welsh and Manx, vol. 2, pp. 520–502, 537–539
* Roberts, Brynley F. (1991). "3 Cuhlhwch ac Olwen, the Triads, Saints' Lives". In Bromwich, Rachel; Jarman, A. O. H.; Roberts, Brynley F. (eds.). The Arthur of the Welsh: The Arthurian Legend in Medieval Welsh Literature. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. pp. 73–96\. ISBN 9781786837349.
* Stevenson, Joseph, ed. (1838), "Nennii Historia Britonum ad fidem codicum manuscriptorum", Publications of the English Historical Society, vol. 4, sumptibus Societatis

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