Also called Lleu of the Skilful Hand, Llew Llaw Gyffes.
Their story
Lleu was the second son of Arianrhod, who laid three destinies on him: that he would have no name, no weapons and no human wife unless she gave them. Gwydion tricked her into naming him when she saw the boy strike a wren with a needle, and into arming him by conjuring a fleet of enemy ships. After Blodeuwedd and Gronw betrayed him, he fled as a rotting eagle to an oak in Nantlle, and Gwydion sang him down and healed him. Lleu took his revenge by throwing a spear through a stone that Gronw held up to shield himself.
Best times to give to them
- Gŵyl Awst (Lughnasadh)
- Calan Mai
- Midsummer
What they like being given
- bread from new grain
- an acorn or oak leaf
- mead or a non-alcoholic honey drink
- a skill practised
How to honour them
- Practise a skill every day, however small, in his honour.
- Visit an old oak and give thanks for its shelter.
- Ask for healing and renewal after betrayal.
How they can help you
- building skill
- recovering from betrayal
- finding your identity
- rebirth
Symbols
- the eagle
- the oak
- the spear
- the wren
He is widely seen as the Welsh counterpart of the Irish Lugh and the Gaulish Lugus.
Sources
- Math fab Mathonwy (the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi)
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