Horn of Bran the Niggard

The Horn of Bran the Niggard from the North was one of the Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain. The earliest sources of the legend of the Thirteen Treasures are unknown, but they represent a tantalizing glimpse of pre-Christian Celtic Mythology in sub-Roman Britain.

In the Welsh Triads it is said that Myrddin asked for those treasures from all the lords and kings who had them. They agreed that if he should obtain the Horn of Bran the Niggard he should obtain theirs from them, supposing that he would never get the Horn.

Nevertheless Merlin got the Horn, and after that he obtained the other treasures as well, and went with them to the "Glass House" and they (i.e. the Treasures) remain there for ever. Where or what this "glass house" is, is unknown. There are several tales of Merlin disappearing into the earth to await his return and perhaps this is one of them.

A parallel to the Horn of Bran the Niggard can be found in Greek mythology. An addition to the Welsh text states that Hercules obtained the Horn of Bran the Niggard from the head of the centaur (Nessus) after he was slain. Following this the wife of the Centaur wetted Hercules' shirt in his (the centaur's) blood. When Hercules had put on the shirt it became impossible for him to ever take it off until the shirt had eaten his flesh and skin to the bone, thus Hercules was slain. At sometime after this the Horn came into the possession of this Bran, who presumably on account of some alleged meanness, was given the name Bran the Niggard. Bran the Niggard should not be confused with Bran Fendigaid.