Also called Bendigeidfran, Brân fab Llŷr, Bran.
Their story
Bendigeidfran was a giant king of the Island of the Mighty, so huge that no house could hold him. He married his sister Branwen to Matholwch of Ireland and gave him a cauldron that brought dead warriors back to life. When Branwen was mistreated, he waded across the sea and lay down as a bridge for his army, saying that he who would be a leader must be a bridge. Wounded by a poisoned spear, he told his men to cut off his head, which feasted and talked with them for eighty-seven years, and was then buried at the White Mount in London to guard Britain from invasion.
Best times to give to them
- Calan Gaeaf
- Calan Mai
- when a community needs protecting
What they like being given
- a feast shared with friends
- bread and ale or juice
- a black feather found on the ground
- a song for the fallen
How to honour them
- Be a bridge for others: help people across a hard time.
- Share a meal and stories with friends, as his companions did at Harlech.
- Visit the ravens at the Tower of London and remember the legend of his head.
How they can help you
- protecting home and people
- leadership through service
- grief and remembrance
- good company
Symbols
- the raven
- the severed head
- the bridge
- the cauldron of rebirth
The link between his head and the ravens of the Tower of London is modern folklore.
Sources
- Branwen ferch Llŷr (the Second Branch of the Mabinogi)
- Trioedd Ynys Prydein
More Celtic gods
- The Dagda The good god, father of all
- Lugh Master of all the arts
- Cernunnos The antlered one of the wild
- Manannán mac Lir Lord of the sea and the Otherworld
- Aengus The young god of love
- Nuada The king with the silver hand
- Dian Cécht Physician of the Tuatha Dé Danann
- Goibniu Smith of the gods and brewer of the feast