The Mabinogion | Page 3

The
other, and less ancient, are full of such allusions, and of ecclesiastical
terms. Both classes, no doubt, are equally of Welsh root, but the former
are not more overlaid or corrupted, than might have been expected,
from the communication that so early took place between the Normans
and the Welsh; whereas the latter probably migrated from Wales, and
were brought back and re-translated after an absence of centuries, with
a load of Norman additions. Kilhwch and Olwen, and the dream of
Rhonabwy, may be cited as examples of the older and purer class; the
Lady of the Fountain, Peredur, and Geraint ab Erbin, of the later, or
decorated.
Besides these, indeed, there are a few tales, as Amlyn and Amic, Sir
Bevis of Hamtoun, the Seven Wise Masters, and the story of
Charlemagne, so obviously of foreign extraction, and of late
introduction into Wales, not presenting even a Welsh name, or allusion,
and of such very slender intrinsic merit, that although comprised in the
Llyvr Coch, they have not a shadow of claim to form part of the Canon
of Welsh Romance. Therefore, although I have translated and examined
them, I have given them no place in these volumes.
There is one argument in favour of the high antiquity in Wales of many
of the Mabinogion, which deserves to be mentioned here. This
argument is founded on the topography of the country. It is found that
Saxon names of places are very frequently definitions of the nature of
the locality to which they are attached, as Clifton, Deepden,

Bridge-ford, Thorpe, Ham, Wick, and the like; whereas those of Wales
are more frequently commemorative of some event, real or supposed,
said to have happened on or near the spot, or bearing allusion to some
person renowned in the story of the country or district. Such are "Llyn
y Morwynion," the Lake of the Maidens; "Rhyd y Bedd," the Ford of
the Grave; "Bryn Cyfergyr," the Hill of Assault; and so on. But as these
names could not have preceded the events to which they refer, the
events themselves must be not unfrequently as old as the early
settlement in the country. And as some of these events and fictions are
the subjects of, and are explained by, existing Welsh legends, it follows
that the legends must be, in some shape or other, of very remote
antiquity. It will be observed that this argument supports REMOTE
antiquity only for such legends as are connected with the greater
topographical features, as mountains, lakes, rivers, seas, which must
have been named at an early period in the inhabitation of the country by
man. But there exist, also, legends connected with the lesser features, as
pools, hills, detached rocks, caves, fords, and the like, places not
necessarily named by the earlier settlers, but the names of which are,
nevertheless, probably very old, since the words of which they are
composed are in many cases not retained in the colloquial tongue, in
which they must once have been included, and are in some instances
lost from the language altogether, so much so as to be only partially
explicable even by scholars. The argument applies likewise, in their
degree, to camps, barrows, and other artificial earth-works.
Conclusions thus drawn, when established, rest upon a very firm basis.
They depend upon the number and appositeness of the facts, and it
would be very interesting to pursue this branch of evidence in detail. In
following up this idea, the names to be sought for might thus be
classed:-
I. Names of the great features, involving proper names and actions.
Cadair Idris and Cadair Arthur both involve more than a mere name.
Idris and Arthur must have been invested with heroic qualifications to
have been placed in such "seats."
II. Names of lesser features, as "Bryn y Saeth," Hill of the Dart; "Llyn

Llyngclys," Lake of the Engulphed Court; "Ceven y Bedd," the Ridge
of the Grave; "Rhyd y Saeson," the Saxons' Ford.
III. Names of mixed natural and artificial objects, as "Coeten Arthur,"
Arthur's Coit; "Cerrig y Drudion," the Crag of the Heroes; which
involve actions. And such as embody proper names only, as "Cerrig
Howell," the Crag of Howell; "Caer Arianrod," the Camp of Arianrod;
"Bron Goronwy," the Breast (of the Hill) of Goronwy; "Castell mab
Wynion," the Castle of the son of Wynion; "Nant Gwrtheyrn," the Rill
of Vortigern.
The selection of names would demand much care and discretion. The
translations should be indisputable, and, where known, the connexion
of a name with a legend should be noted. Such a name as "Mochdrev,"
Swine-town, would be valueless unless accompanied by a legend.
It is always valuable to find a place or work called after an individual,
because it may help to support some tradition of his existence or