Pennod 37 (cyfres 2, pennod 4)

Wedi trafod natur ac arwyddocâd cronicl mawr Elis Gruffydd yn y bennod ddiwethaf, edrychwn y tro hwn ar nifer o straeon a gynhwyswyd yn y gwaith sydd o ddiddordeb neilltuol. Mae’n bosibl edrych ar y straeon hyn fel chwedlau gwerin Cymraeg nas cofnodwyd mewn unman arall – hanesion a glywodd Elis ar lafar pan oedd yn blentyn yn sir y Fflint a/neu straeon a welodd mewn llawysgrifau Cymraeg sydd bellach wedi diflannu. Diolch i Elis mae gennym y fersiwn cynharach sydd goroesi o ddwy stori gysylltiedig sy’n darlunio hanes y bardd arallfydol Taliesin, naratifau llawn hwyl sydd hefyd yn dweud llawer am y modd y canfyddai’r Cymry rym barddoniaeth.

Sylwn hefyd ar chwedl sy’n darlunio’r Brenin Arthur fel merchetwr hunanol eiddigeddus. Ac yntau’n filwr ffyddlon ym myddin Harri VIII, cofnododd Elis nifer o chwedlau’n ymwneud â ‘hanes’ y Tuduriaid hefyd, gan gynnwys un sy’n dyrchafu Harri VII fel ‘y mab darogan’ ar draul Owain Glyndŵr, stori gariad sy’n egluro tarddiad y teulu, ac un am y brudiwr o fardd Rhobin Ddu a broffwydodd am enedigaeth Harri Tudur.

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Old Welsh Legends and Tudor Propaganda: Elis Gruffydd ( Part 2)

Having discussed the nature and significance of Elis Gruffydd’s long chronicle in the last episode, we look this time at a number of stories of special interest which were included in the work. It’s possible to look at these narratives as Welsh folktales which were note recorded anywhere else – stories which Elis Gruffydd heard recited orally when he was a child in Flintshire and/or tales which he saw in Welsh manuscripts which have since disappeared. Thanks to Elis Gruffydd we have the earliest version of two connected tales presenting the history of the otherworldly poet Taliesin, narratives full of fun which also say a great deal about the way in which the Welsh perceived the power of poetry.

We also mention a tale which depicts King Arthur as a selfish and jealous womanizer. A loyal soldier in the army of Henry VIII, Elis recorded a number of tales having to do with the ‘history’ of the Tudors as well, including one which elevates Henry VII as y mab darogan (the prophesied savior of the Welsh) above Owain Glyndŵr, a love story which explains the origins of the family, and one about the prophet bard Rhobin Ddu who foresaw the birth of Henry Tudor.

Cyflwynwyd gan: Yr Athro Jerry Hunter a'r Athro Richard Wyn Jones

Cynhyrchwyd gan: Richard Martin

Cerddoriaeth: Might Have Done gan The Molenes

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Darllen Pellach / Further Reading:

- Patrick K. Ford (gol.), Ystoria Taliesin (1992)

- Jerry Hunter, ‘Taliesin at the Court of Henry VIII: Aspects of the writings of Elis Gruffydd’, Trafodion Anrhydeddus Gymdeithas y Cymmrodorion (2003).

- Jerry Hunter, ‘Poets, Angels and Devilish Spirits: Elis Gruffydd’s Meditations on Idolatry,’ yn Joseph F. Nagy a Leslie Ellen Jones (goln.), Heroic Poets and Poetic Heroes in Celtic Tradition (Dulyn, 2005).