Dahut

Gradlon's flight by Évariste Vital Luminais

Dahut (or Dahud), also called Ahes, was a magician and a princess of Cornouaille (Brittany) present in several Breton legends.

Dahut's birth

The king of Cornouaille, Gradlon, had many ships which he used to wage war against the far away countries of the North. An outstanding strategist, he won most of the battles and pillaged the vanquished, thereby amassing great wealth.

But one day, his sailors tired of all this fighting, and refused to continue to lay siege to a particular castle. The king left Cornouaille, exiling himself to the North. Once while walking alone, he saw a red-headed woman: Malgven, Queen of the North, was standing in front of him. She told him: "I know you; you are courageous and skillful in fighting. My husband is old, his sword was rusted. You and I are going to kill him. Then we shall return to your country of Cornouaille." They killed the king of the North and rode on Morvarc'h ("sea horse" in Breton), the Malgven magical horse. It was black, spit fire from its nostrils and was able to gallop on the sea. They catch up with Gradlon's vessels Gradlon but the run-up of Morvarc'h move away the rest of the fleet the ship where it stopped.

Gradlon and Malgven remained long at sea, so Malgven gave birth to a daughter, Dahut. According to some versions of the story, it killed the queen. According to other versions, she did not die, but some time after the birth of Dahut, she asked Gradlon what he thought about Dahut. He responded, "I already cherish her as I cherish you."

Malgven announced him that the face of Dahut keep the look of hers as to not be forgotten because it was time for her to return to her world, and then added that they would see an island shortly after, and he should let go there.

The legend of Ys

Main article: Ys

Dahut had a key role in the legend of Ys.

Other legends

The dahu

In a legend of the modern folklore, Dahut was punished by God, who transformed her into a strange animal : the dahu.

Mark of Cornwall

Main article: Mark of Cornwall#The legend

In a Breton legend, Mark of Cornwall is also the king of Cornouaille, where, one day, he hunted a doe before discovering she was, actually, the princess Dahut. Dahut, under her human appearance, condemned him to have the ears and the mane of his horse Morvarc'h.

Carhaix

According to a legend, the city of Carhaix was founded by Dahut, a reference to a supposed Breton language etymology "Ker Ahes" (city of Ahes).