Ceffyl Dŵr

We live in Wales and have a river running through our land, this week in #creatureoftheweek we are looking at a dangerous creature that might be lurking in it's depth - the #CeffylDŵr.

The Ceffyl Dŵr is a mythical creature from #Welshfolklore. Stories of the Ceffyl Dŵr are first documented in the ancient welsh tales of the #Mabinogion. The "Ceffyl Dŵr" translates to "water horse" and it's a bit like other #waterhorses such as the Scottish #Kelpie or the Irish #Pooka / #Púca.

It's a supernatural #horse that is usually black, but sometimes white, and lives in lakes, rivers, waterfalls and less commonly, the sea. It has often been spotted by the River #Towy, close to where I live. The stories you'll hear about the Ceffyl Dŵr are different across different regions of Wales.

Sometimes this #watermonster is depicted as a #shapeshifter, capable of transforming into various forms, including a handsome young man or a beautiful woman to lure unsuspecting victims into the water, before changing back to it's horse form and dragging them into the depths./

Other times it is portrayed as just an innocent horse, offering his back to weary #travellers. But it's always a trick! And the traveller, once realising its a trick, is stuck and not able to get off the Ceffyl Dŵr no matter how hard they try.

Sometimes the Ceffyl Dŵr has wings and flies into the air with the unwilling passenger upon it's back. Once high in the sky, it turns into #mist and the rider plummets to their doom.

I went to a folklore art exhibition recently at Queen Street Gallery in Neath and bought a painting of the Ceffyl Dŵr by Jullie Usher. Here is a snap of me with the Gower based artist, looking very happy with my purchase!

Here was the description under the painting: Should you walk Cefn Bryn at twilight and you come across a beautiful white horse, don't get friendly for he is the Ceffyl Dwr, the Water Horse of legend. He will offer you a ride to take you where you want to go, but as you mount his back, his wings will spread, water will spray from his hooves and he will gallop through the night air across Oxwich Bay and then toss you into the deep, cold sea. He will then fly to his hideaway in the depths of the well in Oxwich Churchyard.

Is there any way to escape the evil Ceffyl Dŵr?

The best thing to do is to not get on any random horses, no matter how much you need a ride. And also to ignore any good looking men or women trying to lure you in to any deep #water.

If you do end up on the back of a Ceffyl Dŵr there is one way to #protect yourself; keep a handful of white #hawthorn flowers in your pocket at all times. If you end up on the back of a Ceffyl Dŵr, grab a handful of the #flowers and throw it into the air. The horse will lose all of it's strength and you will be able to escape.

Things to note:

• Hawthorn's only flower between April and June, so best to collect them, dry them out, and keep them in your pockets for all year round protection.

• Hawthorn flowers look VERY similar to #blackthorn flowers - Don't get them mixed up! Blackthorn flowers do nothing to defend against the Ceffyl Dŵr.

The river that runs through our garden is also the route to and from the pub. Hopefully I don't stumble across the monstrous #waterhorse on a drunken walk home....

In Welsh mythology and folklore, the Ceffyl Dŵr serves as a cautionary tale, warning people to be wary of the dangers of open water, especially when pissed.

I came across this wonderful #song about the Ceffyl Dŵr on Youtube by Gareth Davies. Check it out below!

Have you ever stumbled upon the Ceffyl Dŵr on a long walk home? Did you manage to resist it's allure? Let us know in the comments below.