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charset=UTF-8"/> <title>Peibiaw: a Cymric God/Hero, also known as Peibio, Peibyaw</title> <style type="text/css" media="Screen"> /*<![CDATA[*/ @import url(/web/20130518093257cs_/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/cascade_ancient.css); /*]]>*/ </style> <script language="JavaScript" src="/web/20130518093257js_/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/crumb.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="print" href="/web/20130518093257cs_/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/print.css"/> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/web/20130518093257im_/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/images/favicon.ico"/> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Nemeton: Top Stories" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/celtnet.rss"/> <link title="Return to Nemeton Home Page" rel="home" href="http://www.celtnet.org.uk"/> </head> <body> <div id="container"> <div id="intro"> <div id="header"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/celtic/" title="Nemeton, home of the Celtic Gods"><img src="/web/20130518093257im_/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/images/nemeton-sacred.gif" alt="Embossed oak trees Nemeton logo"/></a> </div> <div id="global-nav"> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/celtic/">Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/table_contents/gods-list-p.php">Gods List</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/texts.html">Welsh Texts</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/legends/legends.php">Legends</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/genealogies/genealogies.html">Genealogies</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/table_contents/celtic-tribes.html">Celtic Tribes</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/celtic-god-search.html">Search Celtic Gods</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php?c=1">Forum</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="newslettertop"> <center> <script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257js_/http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> <br/> Celtic Gods: The Cymric God/Hero, Peibiaw (also known as Peibio, Peibyaw) </center> </div> <table> <tr> <td> <img src="/web/20130518093257im_/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/images/dogs.gif" height="90" width="100"><br> <img src="/web/20130518093257im_/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/images/dogs.gif" height="90" width="100"> </td><td> <script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257js_/http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> </td><td width="500px"> <div id="title">Peibiaw</div> <div id="subtitle">A Cymric God/Hero, also known as Peibio, Peibyaw</div> <p>Peibiaw (Peibio, Peibyaw) is a Cymric (Welsh) hero known from the Mabinogi of <em>Culhwch ac Olwen</em> where he is one of the magically transformed oxen required by Culhwch to complete his tasks. And is most well known from The Legend of Rhudda the Giant. </p> </td><td> <img src="/web/20130518093257im_/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/images/dogs.gif" height="90" width="100"><br/> <img src="/web/20130518093257im_/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/images/dogs.gif" height="90" width="100"> </td><td> </td> </tr> </table> </div> <br/> <div id="preamble"> <font size="+1"> <b>Synonyms</b>: Peibio, Peibyaw<br/> <b>Cym</b>: <br/><br/> </font> <div style="float:left;width:165px;padding:0;margin:0; solid #fff;background:#fff"> <script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257js_/http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> </div> <p class="p1">Peibiaw, along with the man sometimes considered to be his brother, <a href="/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/gods_n/nyniaw.html">Peibiaw</a> are rather shadowy figures in Cymric mythos. They are first mentioned directly as a passing reference in the Mabinogion of <a href="/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/refs.php">Culhwch ac Olwen</a>. One of the tasks assigned to <a href="/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/gods_c/culhwch.html">Culhwch's</a> by <a href="/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/gods_y/ysbaddaden.html">Ysbaddaden</a> is to yoke together two horned oxen to the plough these oxen being on separate mountains. The tale then goes on to say that the oxen were Nyniaw and Peibiaw whom god turned into oxen on account of their sins. </p> <p>Peibiaw is also mentioned in the <a href="/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/refs.php">Llyfr Llandaf</a> where he is named as the son of <em>Erbin</em> where this tale is related: Peibiaw was the king of Ergynyg who undertook an expedition against his enemies and returning from the fray he had his daughter, Eurddil wash his head. Circumstances made him suspect that his daughter was pregnant and enraged the king had her bundled into a sack before being cast into the river that she might suffer whatever might befall. However, each time she was placed in the river the waters guided her safely to the bank again. Angered that he could not drown her, her father determined to destroy her with fire. A funeral pile was prepared into which the woman was cast alive. The following morning when a servant was sent to retrieve her bones from the ashes found her sitting with her son in her lap, at a spot where a stone is placed in testimony of the child's wonderful nativity. Peibiaw, hearing this, ordered his daughter and her son to be brought before him. He embraced the boy and the child, squirming in his hands, touched him on his head and face so that he was healed of the incurable disease with which he had been afflicted, for he incessantly generated foam at the mouth; which even the constant ministrations of two attendants could scarce wipe away. Realizing that he had been healed by the child he loved him above all his other sons and grandsons. And of the place he was born <em>Maglle</em> (<em>mag</em> [nurture], lle [place]) he made the boy heir, and also of the entire island which took its name from his mother, Eurddil, that is, Ynys Eurddclyd, which others call Maes Mall Llecheu. </p> <p>The tale of Nyniaw and Peibiaw's transformation into oxen is given by Taliesin Williams in the notes to his poem <em>Colyn Dolphyn</em>> Taliesin Williams, of course, is the son of Iolo Marogannwg and as such the tale could be considered suspect (indeed, Iolo himself names Nyniaw and Peibiaw as the two oxen used by <a href="/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/gods_h/hu_gadarn.html">Hu Gadarn</a> in pulling the addanc from the lake). In this instance though the tale of Nyniaw and Peibiaw seems to be a genuine folk tale and a fuller account is given by Gwyn Jones in his book <a href="/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/refs.php">Welsh Legends and Folk Tales</a>. The tale is related below: </p> <p>The full tale can be seen here: <a href="/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/legends/rhith_gawr.html">The Legend of Rhudda, Gawr</a> but to summarize: Long ago two kings lived in the realm of Prydain and one would be hard-pressed to say which one was the vainest and most arrogant of the two. One day they happened to be walking across one of Nyniaw's fields and, modest as ever, he turned to his companion and remarked: 'I do not believe that there is a larger or more even field in the world than this field of mine. What do you think, Peibiaw, have you ever seen it equal?' </p> <p>'Ah,' Peibiaw replied, 'you are obviously no judge of land, for I have at least half a score better at home. I think that you had better come and see what a proper field looks like some time.' </p> <p>'My flocks, then,' remarked Nyniaw as he first pointed here and then there and everywhere. 'Tell the truth now, did you ever see herds and flocks so numerous and fine?' </p> <p>'Often', his rival responded, 'and they all belong to me.' </p> <p>'I think you boast,' Nyniaw rejoindered. 'However, if you meet me here tonight and I shall show you such fields that will make your mouth run dry and your eyes water.' </p> <p>That night they came to the same place when the moon was full and a fleece of stars painted the ribbon of the milky way. 'Now look upwards,' Nyniaw said, 'and behold my most beauteous and extensive field.' </p> <p>Peibiaw gazed upwards, but bewildered he enquired: 'where is it then?' </p> <p>The whole firmament of heaven,' Nyniaw responded. 'As far as the eye can discern that is my whole field. Deny it, if you dare...' </p> <p>'Why should I deny this,' Peibiaw responded, 'when I see me entire flock graze free of charge across its entire expanse.' </p> <p>'Where, then, are they?' enquired Nyniaw, shocked. </p> <p>'Those clusters and galaxies of stars,' replied Peibiaw, 'are my milk-white cattle and my snow-white sheep. And flock ever had a shepherdess wondrous as mine.' </p> <p>'Who then is she?' demanded Nyniaw. </p> <p>She is the moon, great and golden and leads them where the pasture is at its richest.' </p> <p>'They shall not graze in my pasture...' threatened Nyniaw. </p> <p>'Believe me, they shall...' retorted Peibiaw. </p> <p>This volley of yeas and nays continued for some time until one shouted: 'Over my dead body' and the other retorted with: 'Over mine' and they came to blows. This escalated until their armies were brought to bear and their kingdoms were laid waist and their armies slain — all over the grazing rights to the firmament. </p> <p>Tales of the two kings' folly eventually reached the ears of <a href="/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/gods_rh/rhudda.html">Rhudda Gawr</a> who at the time was ruler of North Wales. He berated the limitless folly of the two men, adding: 'surely they know that the grazing rights of the firmament are mine!'. Rhudda amassed his armies and marched on the two warring kings. He easily overwhelmed their remaining forces and imposed peace. Utterly vanquishing Nyniaw and Peibiaw he marked his disapproval of their presumption by removing their beards all in one piece and from these he fashioned a cap for himself. This done he wondered out that night to number his seep up in the firmament. </p> <p>The matter might have ended here had not the other 26 sovereigns taken offence at the outrage afforded to Nyniaw and Peibiaw and amassed their armies to march on Rhudda. However, Rhudda easily defeated them and taking the kings' beards he stitched them into a cloak for himself. The kings of neighbouring realms attack next but Rhudda takes their beards as well. Until Rhudda hears of a new young king in the south, one known as Arthur. However, Arthur defeats Rhudda and forces him to take his own beard and weave it into the his own cloak; which he is then forced to wear for the remainder of his life as a mark of his shame. </p> </div>  <iframe frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="NO" width="728" height="90" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257if_/http://ad.yieldmanager.com/st?ad_type=iframe&ad_size=728x90搂ion=1233065"></iframe>  <br/><br/> <p>If you would like to try the foods of the time of the ancient Celts, then why not have a look at the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/ancient-recipes.php">ancient recipes</a> section of this site. For the foods of the time when some of these tales were written down, take a look at the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/medieval-recipes.php">Medieval recipes</a> section of the site and, in particular, the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093257/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/forme-cury-contents.php">recipes from The Forme of Cury</a>. </p> <br/><br/> <p>Couldn't find what you were looking for? 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