Lleu llaw Gyffes
The Welsh equivalent to Lug
Arianrhod discovered that she was pregnant andwas so dismayed that she had the child adopted by Gwydion and cursed it, saying that it would have no name until she gave it one (which she swore she would never do). Gwydion tricked her however by disguising himself and the child. arianrhod came accross them one day as the child was practicing his aim. He managed to hit a bird on the leg with a stone and Arianrhod said that the fair one (Lleu) had a skillful hand (Llaw Gyffes). Gwydion claimed that she has thus maned the child.
Angry, Arianrhod cursed the child again saying that he would never bear weapons unless she herself strapped them on him. Again Gwydion disgused himself and Lleu and they gained entry to the castle. Using magic, Gwydion made it seem as though the castle were under attack and Arianrhod armed the strangers.
Arianrhod cursed her son one more time saying he would marry no mortal woman. So Math Mathonwy and Gwydion created a wife for him out of flowers and calle dher Blodeuwedd.
Later, Blodeuwedd had an adulterous affair and her lover (Gronwr) stabbed Lleu with a poisoned spear. Lleu flew into the air in the shape of an eagle in terrible pain. Gwydion found him and used magic to return him to human form and heal him. Gronwr agreed to take one blow from Lleu as penance but contrived to be standing behind a rock. Lleu was not to be tricked however and made such a mighty blow that the spear penetrated the rock and split Gronwr's spine. Blodeuwedd was turned into an owl and banished to cry in the darkness.
Adapted from 'A guide to the Gods' by Richard Carlyon
