Libeaus Desconus - Themes and Influences - Welsh Mythology

Welsh Mythology

The collection of medieval Welsh stories known as the Mabinogion includes a short romance Peredur, considered to date from the late-twelfth or early-thirteenth century. This tale follows Chrétien's Perceval, le Conte du Graal for the most part (with deviations) and seems to know of the Graal continuation by Manessier Peredur may not simply be a working over of Chretien's Perceval, however, but based upon an earlier version of the story, one from which both Chretien de Troyes and the author of a lost twelfth century romance – a romance upon which both Le Bel Inconnu and Libeaus Desconus may be based – each took as the basis for their respective works. The story of Peredur climaxes near the end of the tale with the slaying of a serpent. Many of the incidents in the story not following Chretien's Conte du Graal are likely to represent a 'Celtic tradition'. and 'confused or half-remembered stories about the hero.'

Peredur may be the original name of Perceval, since Perceval in Old French is a meaningless 'pierce-valley'. Peredur seems similar to the Mabinogion character Pryderi in temperament and other evidence suggests as well that Pryderi may be the original of Peredur. Pryderi was born to the goddess Rhiannon, elsewhere in the Mabinogion, but snatched away by a monster and a dead puppy disguised to be his body. He returned again when the monster was killed and was brought up as Gwri Golden Hair, brought to his father's court, returned to Rhiannon and renamed Pryderi. Thus, like the mythological Ulster hero Cú Chulainn, Pryderi had two names and associations with a dog. It has been considered 'well-known that the stories of the youth of Cú Chulainn resemble those of the youth of Perceval.' Peredur goes to one of the nine Hags of Gloucester to learn how to wield arms, just as Cú Chulainn went to the witch Skatha to learn how to fight.