The Battle of the Trees
Translated from the Original text, the Kat Godeu
Welsh, 12th century


The Battle of the Trees, Cad Goddeu, is attributed to Talesien, who partook of a most unusual battle when Gwydon the enchanter summoned up the plants and trees of Britain against an otherworldly force marshalled by Peblig the Strong, and ultimately led it against Arawn, King of Annwn. This encounter is sometimes called the Battle of Achren.

The poet Robert Graves put forth the idea that the trees represent alpabetical concepts which were related, as in Irish ogam, to musical notes, seasonal cycles, and various other correspondences. It has also been put forth that the garbled text of the Cad Goddeu contains the remains of pre-Christian druidic beliefs about sacred groves. This can, of course, only be guessed at because Celtic druidism was transmitted orally in the form of story and song.

In the complete version of the Cad Goddeu there appears to be an intermixing of several poems, and several speakers as well, including Blodeuwedd (Blod eh weth), the maiden composed of flowers.



"w hen plants and trees were sent to war
warriors against Peblig's power
the alder tree was at the fore

willow and rowan, tardy both
plum sharp, starved for death
briar scarred a host in wrath

bramble's rampart spared no foes
ivy snared, bean-fostered ghosts
sea gorse was a source of woes

cherry mocked, birch armed late
a foreign tree wore foreign shape
fir was foremost, royal by right

before kings, ash took the field
loyal elm would never yield
hazel there for war was steeled

hedge plants fought like bulls of battle
green holly showed its mettle
hawthorn was not gentle

fern and broom, trodden and plundered
mannerless gorse made foes surrender
heather, a handful, persuing a hundred

mighty oak, doom's door
heaven and earth before him cower
but chestnut shamed the princely fir



This battle was said to have been fought to obtain three creatures from the underworld. These three creatures were a dog, a roebuck, and a lapwing. The dog was the guardian of the secret, the roebuck hides the secret, and the lapwing disguises the secret.


dark of darkness, levelled craigs
fire of wood, force of wave
it was then the Great Shout was made



Within the ranks of Arawn's forces were a number of mighty warriors, and one of these was invincible as long as his name remained a secret. It was the clever Gwydion who finally guessed it, saying these words:


sure-hoofed my spurred horse
on your shield alder sprigs
Bran is your name, Bran of the branches

sure-hoofed my horse of war
on your hand are sprigs of alder
Bran you are, by the branch you bear



Thus the battle was won by Gwydon the enchanter and his army of the trees.


tips of beech sprout anew
green again whatever grew
and oaks from the Gorchan of
Maelderw



Regarding the secret powers possessed by the otherwordly dog, roebuck, and lapwing, it is said in the Triads:


three primary essentials of genius
an eye that can see nature
a heart that can feel nature
and a boldness that dares follow it."





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