Llawfrodedd Farchog

Llawfrodedd Farchog or Llawfrodedd Farfog (Middle Welsh) is a hero of Welsh tradition. The meaning of the personal name "Llawfrodedd" is uncertain, the epithets "Farchog" ("marchog") and "Farfog" ("barfog") mean "horseman" and "bearded" respectively.

His name is mentioned in a couple of ancient Welsh texts. In Triad 46 of the Trioedd Ynys Prydein, Llawfrodedd is said to own one of the Three Prominent Cows of the Island of Britain, that cow being Cornillo (little horn). Appendix III of the triads also mentions the knife of Llawfrodedd, which would serve for twenty-four to eat at table, and is named as one of the Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain.

Llawfrodedd also occurs amongst the ranks of the heroes of Arthur's court in the Mabinogion tales of "Culhwch and Olwen" (probably the oldest surviving tale) and the tale of "Breuddwyd Rhonabwy" (which ranks amongst the latest of the tales but retains a corpus of ancient material). Llawfrodedd is also named by some of the "Gogynfeirdd" (court poets of the Welsh princes), indicating that this figure and his exploits were well known to medieval Welsh poets.

What seems likely is that Llawfrodedd was one of the 'Men of the North', a sixth-century figure who lived at the same time as Urien Rheged and Llywarch Hen. He may well have been included in the lost material concerning these two great heroes and battle leaders, but in a similar manner to his contemporaries his tales were later merged with those of Arthur and any original material concerning this hero's exploits in the 'Old North' were lost.

References

* [http://www.celtnet.org.uk/gods_ll/llawfrodedd.html Celtnet]