White Crow

ALSO KNOWN AS:

Bronwen (“White Hill” or “White Breast”)

ORIGIN:

Wales

Branwen, daughter of Llyr and sister of Bran and Manawyden, heroine of the Welsh epic, the Second Branch of the Mabinogi, is described as the world’s most beautiful woman. Matholwch, King of Ireland, came to her father’s court in Harlech, North Wales, seeking her hand in marriage. Her father and Bran agreed. A wedding feast was arranged.

Branwen’s half brother Efnisien (same mother; different father) arrived in the midst of festivities, wondering what was going on. Offended and enraged that he wasn’t consulted about his sister’s nuptials, Efnisien retaliated by mutilating Matholwch’s stabled horses. The act was intended as a grave insult and was taken as such. Matholwch finally appeared to be appeased by the gift of Bran’s magical cauldron.

Branwen returned to Ireland with her new husband, but in fact Matholwch was not mollified or perhaps never had good intentions. Branwen is forced to labor as a cook. The butcher boxes her ears daily. She is humiliated, degraded, and abused. As is common with abusers, Matholwch tried to keep Branwen’s situation secret. He was very careful that her family in Wales be kept unaware of her fate.

Resourceful Branwen caught a young starling and trained it to carry messages for her although this took years. She tied a letter to its leg and sent it to Bran who soon arrived with an army. In the ensuing battles, Branwen and Matholwch’s son is killed; Bran is decapitated, and both nations are devastated. (On the Welsh side everyone dies but seven warriors; Ireland is completely depopulated except for some pregnant women.)

A phase of the early British Bronze Age, approximately 1650–1400 BCE, is named the Bedd Branwen Period. There is some speculation that if there was a historic Branwen, then that is the era in which she lived.

Branwen survives and returns home, but upon landing at Aber Alaw on Anglesey, she dropped dead from heartbreak and shame that she could have been the root cause of so much death and destruction. Branwen is described as one of Britain’s three powerful matriarchs. She has emerged in recent years as a significant Neo-Pagan goddess invoked for love, marital happiness, success, and protection against abuse and humiliation.

BIRDS:

Raven, starling

Sacred site:

Bedd Branwen, allegedly her grave, is a now-ruined cairn on the banks of the Alaw River in Anglesey.

SEE ALSO:

Bran; Manawyden; Rhiannon

SOURCE:

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses– Written by :Judika Illes Copyright © 2009 by Judika Illes.