Culhwch and Olwen (Welsh: Culhwch ac Olwen) is a Welsh story that still exists in only two written copies. These copies describe a hero linked to Arthur and his warriors. One full version is found in the Red Book of Hergest, which was created around the year 1400. A second, incomplete version is in the White Book of Rhydderch, made around the year 1325. This story is the longest of the Welsh prose tales that have survived. Lady Charlotte Guest included this tale in a collection she gathered, which she called The Mabinogion.

Synopsis

Culhwch's father, King Cilydd son of Celyddon, loses his wife, Goleuddydd, after a difficult childbirth. When he marries again, young Culhwch refuses to be paired with his new stepsister by his stepmother. Offended, the new queen places a curse on him, stating he can only marry the beautiful Olwen, daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden Pencawr. Though he has never met her, Culhwch becomes very interested in her. His father warns him that he will not find her without the help of his famous cousin, Arthur. Culhwch immediately travels to find his relative. He locates Arthur at his court in Celliwig, Cornwall.

Arthur agrees to help Culhwch in any way he requests, except by giving him his sword Caledfwlch or other named weapons, or his wife. Arthur sends six of his best warriors (Cai, Bedwyr, Gwalchmei, Gwrhyr Gwalstawd Ieithoedd, Menw son of Tairgwaedd, Cynddylig Gyfarwydd) and many others with special skills (including Gwynn ap Nudd) to join Culhwch in his search for Olwen. The group meets relatives of Culhwch who know Olwen and arrange a meeting. Olwen is willing to marry Culhwch, but she cannot do so unless her father, Ysbaddaden, agrees. Ysbaddaden will not consent to the marriage until Culhwch completes about forty difficult tasks, such as obtaining the basket of Gwyddneu Garanhir, rescuing Mabon from prison, and hunting Twrch Trwyth and Ysgithyrwyn. Only a few of these tasks are recorded. In the end, the giant is killed, allowing Olwen to marry her lover.

Scholarship

Most scholars believed that the current version of the text was written by the 11th century, which might make it the earliest story about King Arthur and one of Wales' oldest surviving written texts. However, a 2005 study by linguist Simon Rodway suggested it was written in the second half of the 12th century. The title of the story was added later and does not appear in early manuscripts.

The story is a type of folk tale known as a "bridal quest," specifically the "giant's daughter" story (officially classified as type AT 513A). Features such as a strange birth, a jealous stepmother, a hero who falls in love with someone he has only heard the name of, helpful animals, and impossible challenges support this classification.

While the bridal quest is the story's outer framework, the main events focus on King Arthur and his men rather than the title characters. The story includes two long lists: one names about 200 of the greatest people, animals, and weapons in Arthur's kingdom, who help Arthur's relative, Culhwch, on his quest. The other list details tasks or challenges (called "anoethau" in Welsh) that Culhwch must complete to win the bride's father's approval. Some names in these lists come from Irish legends, religious stories, and real historical figures.

The battle with the fierce boar Twrch Trwyth has roots in Celtic traditions, such as Arthur's earlier boar hunt with his dog Cafall, described in a collection of wonders added to the Historia Brittonum. The vivid description of Culhwch riding his horse is often highlighted, and the story includes details about the Welsh landscape that resemble Irish stories about place names. The scene where Culhwch meets his uncle, King Arthur, at Celliwig is one of the earliest known examples of Arthur's court being given a specific location. This detail provides valuable information for comparing Arthur's court in later stories with depictions of Camelot or Caerleon in Welsh, English, and European Arthurian tales.

Cultural influence

Culhwch's horse-ride story may have been reused in a 16th-century prose "parody" called Araith Wgon, as well as in 17th-century poems based on that work. Tom Shippey, a scholar who studies J. R. R. Tolkien, said that The Tale of Beren and Lúthien, which is part of Tolkien's collection of stories, has some similarities to Culhwch and Olwen.