Not So Much A Nice Beaver.
If there's one thing I enjoy, it's reading tales of yore and looking for the inner meanings of societal benefit.
Usually, a story from the past involves a group of uneducated working-class that experience a negative
occurrence and unable to 'think-out-of-the-box', look to their betters for a positive outcome.
Knights and Noblemen are the classic protagonists in British parables, they take on a quest that traditionally
involves a curse or jinx that befalls the champion. Thus, the higher bracket of society displays its sympathetic
awareness of those who serve them!
In many tales, a beautiful maiden is also part of the storyline, along with romance and sacrifice. Such narratives
are hoped to influence the importance of civil comportment and the true meaning of a unified society to the
listener. Men and women together, solving problems.
So here we go.
Legend has it that in a small Welsh community, a unique scheme was hatched to get rid of a nasty-looking monster
that assisted in ruining crops and drowning livestock. This creature held the title 'Afanc' and lived in waters inside
-now what is known as Snowdonia National Park of North-West Wales.
In Welsh, Afanc means 'Beaver' and although descriptions of the beast range from a crocodile, an ugly demon, Afanc's
standard brand is of what its name means, a giant Beaver.
![[Image: attachment.php?aid=9247]](http://rogue-nation3.com/attachment.php?aid=9247)
The monster's residence was a pool that connected to the River Conwy, where farmers and villagers endured Afanc's
periodic rage by causing the river to flood and decimate their livelihoods. The people knew that the only way to solve
their dilemma was to either destroy the huge brute or come up with another idea of making Afanc go away.
Most myths -at this point, introduce a Knight or a gallant character of nobility to take care of the business, but not this one.
It seems the Welsh legends were better plotted than simply relying on traditional story formulas. Some researchers attach
the Welsh fabled figure of Hu Gadarn to the story, the customary interjection of a hero, but the main characters are the
villagers.
This fairly unique twist of limiting a 'hero's' interaction in a thought-provoking story around the fire's hearth on a cold
Winter's night, offers the need to display that all of us are important and can conquer any problems together.
Yes, this tale is strictly about the denizens of the Conwy valley.
As the floods increased, the folk along the river agreed something had to be done and pondering on the resident of
Llyn-yr-Afanc -translated as 'The Beaver Pool', they recalled how their ancestors had failed to simply kill the monster
due to it's tough, spear/arrow and sword-resistant skin.
Now this is where the tale of the River Conwy monster makes a twist in the usual legend recipe. Instead of relying on
a handsome chap riding to their rescue on a flared-nostriled steed, the story stays within the troubled community of
the farming villagers.
Not wishing to leave the fertile lands along the river, the Elders of the Betws-y-Coed parish are looked to for a plan of
action and the result was quite unusual. Under the summit of Yr Widdfa the highest mountain in Wales and known in
English as Mount Snowdon, is a remote body of water named 'Llyn Glaslyn'.
Surrounded by steep banks, the wise men believed this lonely pool would be ideal to move the monster to.
Remember, the thick hide of Afanc had proven many times that any attempt to kill the brute was futile.
Requesting that the best Blacksmiths in Wales to forge the strongest chains of iron ever made in the hope that the Afanc
could be bound secure by them, they also commissioned Hu Gadarn to bring his two mighty long-horned oxen to pull the
grizzly fiend out of its home and drag the beast up to its new residence.
Now... how to entice Afanc from it's watery den?
One of the older Elders recalled that in most instances of monster behaviour (here come the story-telling formula!) these horrible
creatures are coquettish when it comes to beautiful females. It seems beaver-shaped leviathans have a romantic penchant for
nubile women!
Although the thought of being snatched by the ugly inhabitant of the pool wasn't something a maiden would put on their bucket-list,
a farmer's daughter eventually stepped forth and volunteered to stand as... well, bait! She is reported to be a beautiful maiden and
had one arrow in her quiver that the Elders did not know about. She possessed a angelic voice.
With total silence, the chains were laid and the strong oxen were hidden nearby. The men of the village concealed themselves in
bushes close to the shore of Afanc's pool and waited for the stratagem to succeed. As the maiden approached Afanc's pool, she
began to call to him. The water bubbled and churned as the huge monstrous head broke the water's surface and stared at the lone
woman with it's great green eyes.
The terrified girl began to sing and as Afanc approached, his his rage-filled speed slowed as her sweet voice offering a Welsh
lullaby began to calm the beast. The maiden followed the instructions of the Elders and slowly retreated away from the pool's edge,
but kept up her mesmerising lilt. Such action caused Afanc's enchantment to force himself to follow the singing lady and swaying
to the beautiful sound, the monster lumbered onto the shore to listen further.
A few minutes later, as the soft melody washed over the huge animal, Afanc closed his eyes and fell asleep.
At the anxious girl's sign, the men crept up to the sleeping monster and began carefully fastening the chains around the huge body.
Harnessing the shackles to the mighty oxen, the strain of the initial pulling woke Afanc from his slumber and realising it had been
tricked, began to make its escape back into its lair.
Roaring and snorting with rage, the beast struggled in its restraints as the men and oxen dragged it from the edge of the water.
With reinforcements arriving, the men slowly began their trek up the Lledr Valley and towards the north-west where Llyn Glaslyn
resided. In English, Llyn Glaslyn means Lake of the Blue Spring.
The oxen and men struggled to pull Afanc up one mountain and one of the oxen pulled so hard one of its eyes popped out.
From the poor beast's tears a new lake was formed called Pwll Llygad yr Ych, in Welsh which means Pool of the Ox's Eye in English.
With the captured prize slowly losing the will to fight, they finally reached Llyn Glaslyn just below the summit of Mount Snowdon.
Releasing the chains the Afanc shook and roared and leaped into the deep water of its new home.
Here, like most stories the true meaning of the tale is fully displayed. The men cheered as the beast submerged into the lake and
began to boast of their individual endeavours. The Elders looked on and sighed as the bragging turned into scuffles and arguments
about who was better than who.
For it was only the combined strength of the men, women and the oxen working together in unison that defeated the monster and
to the wise, the only true boast. Such is the foolishness of man.
As for Afanc the giant Beaver, it is said it remains to this day in Llyn Glaslyn. But just be careful if you're ever hiking in that area...
resist the need to sing!
If there's one thing I enjoy, it's reading tales of yore and looking for the inner meanings of societal benefit.
Usually, a story from the past involves a group of uneducated working-class that experience a negative
occurrence and unable to 'think-out-of-the-box', look to their betters for a positive outcome.
Knights and Noblemen are the classic protagonists in British parables, they take on a quest that traditionally
involves a curse or jinx that befalls the champion. Thus, the higher bracket of society displays its sympathetic
awareness of those who serve them!
In many tales, a beautiful maiden is also part of the storyline, along with romance and sacrifice. Such narratives
are hoped to influence the importance of civil comportment and the true meaning of a unified society to the
listener. Men and women together, solving problems.
So here we go.
Legend has it that in a small Welsh community, a unique scheme was hatched to get rid of a nasty-looking monster
that assisted in ruining crops and drowning livestock. This creature held the title 'Afanc' and lived in waters inside
-now what is known as Snowdonia National Park of North-West Wales.
In Welsh, Afanc means 'Beaver' and although descriptions of the beast range from a crocodile, an ugly demon, Afanc's
standard brand is of what its name means, a giant Beaver.
The monster's residence was a pool that connected to the River Conwy, where farmers and villagers endured Afanc's
periodic rage by causing the river to flood and decimate their livelihoods. The people knew that the only way to solve
their dilemma was to either destroy the huge brute or come up with another idea of making Afanc go away.
Most myths -at this point, introduce a Knight or a gallant character of nobility to take care of the business, but not this one.
It seems the Welsh legends were better plotted than simply relying on traditional story formulas. Some researchers attach
the Welsh fabled figure of Hu Gadarn to the story, the customary interjection of a hero, but the main characters are the
villagers.
This fairly unique twist of limiting a 'hero's' interaction in a thought-provoking story around the fire's hearth on a cold
Winter's night, offers the need to display that all of us are important and can conquer any problems together.
Yes, this tale is strictly about the denizens of the Conwy valley.
As the floods increased, the folk along the river agreed something had to be done and pondering on the resident of
Llyn-yr-Afanc -translated as 'The Beaver Pool', they recalled how their ancestors had failed to simply kill the monster
due to it's tough, spear/arrow and sword-resistant skin.
Now this is where the tale of the River Conwy monster makes a twist in the usual legend recipe. Instead of relying on
a handsome chap riding to their rescue on a flared-nostriled steed, the story stays within the troubled community of
the farming villagers.
Not wishing to leave the fertile lands along the river, the Elders of the Betws-y-Coed parish are looked to for a plan of
action and the result was quite unusual. Under the summit of Yr Widdfa the highest mountain in Wales and known in
English as Mount Snowdon, is a remote body of water named 'Llyn Glaslyn'.
Surrounded by steep banks, the wise men believed this lonely pool would be ideal to move the monster to.
Remember, the thick hide of Afanc had proven many times that any attempt to kill the brute was futile.
Requesting that the best Blacksmiths in Wales to forge the strongest chains of iron ever made in the hope that the Afanc
could be bound secure by them, they also commissioned Hu Gadarn to bring his two mighty long-horned oxen to pull the
grizzly fiend out of its home and drag the beast up to its new residence.
Now... how to entice Afanc from it's watery den?
One of the older Elders recalled that in most instances of monster behaviour (here come the story-telling formula!) these horrible
creatures are coquettish when it comes to beautiful females. It seems beaver-shaped leviathans have a romantic penchant for
nubile women!
Although the thought of being snatched by the ugly inhabitant of the pool wasn't something a maiden would put on their bucket-list,
a farmer's daughter eventually stepped forth and volunteered to stand as... well, bait! She is reported to be a beautiful maiden and
had one arrow in her quiver that the Elders did not know about. She possessed a angelic voice.
With total silence, the chains were laid and the strong oxen were hidden nearby. The men of the village concealed themselves in
bushes close to the shore of Afanc's pool and waited for the stratagem to succeed. As the maiden approached Afanc's pool, she
began to call to him. The water bubbled and churned as the huge monstrous head broke the water's surface and stared at the lone
woman with it's great green eyes.
The terrified girl began to sing and as Afanc approached, his his rage-filled speed slowed as her sweet voice offering a Welsh
lullaby began to calm the beast. The maiden followed the instructions of the Elders and slowly retreated away from the pool's edge,
but kept up her mesmerising lilt. Such action caused Afanc's enchantment to force himself to follow the singing lady and swaying
to the beautiful sound, the monster lumbered onto the shore to listen further.
A few minutes later, as the soft melody washed over the huge animal, Afanc closed his eyes and fell asleep.
At the anxious girl's sign, the men crept up to the sleeping monster and began carefully fastening the chains around the huge body.
Harnessing the shackles to the mighty oxen, the strain of the initial pulling woke Afanc from his slumber and realising it had been
tricked, began to make its escape back into its lair.
Roaring and snorting with rage, the beast struggled in its restraints as the men and oxen dragged it from the edge of the water.
With reinforcements arriving, the men slowly began their trek up the Lledr Valley and towards the north-west where Llyn Glaslyn
resided. In English, Llyn Glaslyn means Lake of the Blue Spring.
The oxen and men struggled to pull Afanc up one mountain and one of the oxen pulled so hard one of its eyes popped out.
From the poor beast's tears a new lake was formed called Pwll Llygad yr Ych, in Welsh which means Pool of the Ox's Eye in English.
With the captured prize slowly losing the will to fight, they finally reached Llyn Glaslyn just below the summit of Mount Snowdon.
Releasing the chains the Afanc shook and roared and leaped into the deep water of its new home.
Here, like most stories the true meaning of the tale is fully displayed. The men cheered as the beast submerged into the lake and
began to boast of their individual endeavours. The Elders looked on and sighed as the bragging turned into scuffles and arguments
about who was better than who.
For it was only the combined strength of the men, women and the oxen working together in unison that defeated the monster and
to the wise, the only true boast. Such is the foolishness of man.
As for Afanc the giant Beaver, it is said it remains to this day in Llyn Glaslyn. But just be careful if you're ever hiking in that area...
resist the need to sing!
Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe.