The Battle of Trees / Cad Goddeu

The Battle of Trees / Cad Goddeu
Curiously verses from the Battle of Trees are alternated with another four or five poems, which makes it difficult to restore continuity Here is the reconstruction done by R Graves with no pretense of being in any way a final version

The cups of the outbreaks have been recently, Will have changed and renewed. When the spell has prospered and litanies, The crown of oak entangle and there is hope for the trees. He stripped the fern, which I find all the secrets, Old Math ap Mathonwy did not know more than me. With nine kinds of powers God has given me: I am a product of fruits harvested from nine types of trees: Plum, quince, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, Pear, black cherry and white, with the Serb on my part. From my seat in Fefynedd a city that is strong, Observe the trees and green things that are hasty. Departing of happiness were about to take The main forms of letters of the alphabet. Travelers are amazed what is horrified warriors Faced with the renewed conflict Such as those caused Gwydion. Under the root of the tongue a very terrible fight, And another furious behind in the head. The alders in the front row started the scuffle, The wild willow and ash quickly ordered. The holly, dark green, took a resolute attitude, The tips of many armed with spear boiled hand. With the trampling of the rapid oak, sky and earth resonates, Recio-Keeper of the Door-is your name in all languages. Grande was the argoma in battle, and the ivy in their flowers, The hazel was the referee at that happy time Tough was the fir and savage, cruel ash, Does not deviate far from a walk, striking directly into the heart. The birch, though very noble, very late in arm, but it was not through cowardice, but because of its large size. Heather console the exhauste people , Poplar long resistance suffered a lot in the fight. Some of them were expelled from the battlefield Because of the holes made in them by force of the enemy. Very angry was the vine, whose followers are elms, I commend much to the rulers of the kingdoms. Warlords were the heavy sledge, with its fruit pest, The hawthorn is not beloved of similar nature. The rush pursued quickly, the broom with his brood, And the Hiniesta not behaved well until the domaron. The yew tree that scatters gifts was grumpy on the sidelines of the fight, With the elder slow to ignite fires that scorched between, And the blessed wild apple laughing with pride, From the Gorch of Maelderw next to the rock. Stay behind the ligustro and honeysuckle, Inexperienced in the battle and pine courtier. But I, but despised because he was not great, Fought trees, in your training in the field of Goddeu Brig.

Note "Brig Goddeu" means Cup trees, it is likely that this battle is waged in Wiltshire before the people of Gwydion invaded South Wales, and as can be interpreted in the chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth in his "History of the Kings Britannia, "could have taken place in the fourth century of our era। Math ap Mathonwy: Math son of Mathonwy, in the Welsh Romance of the cycle of tales of Mabinogi, Gwydion also appears as winner of the Other World, to steal the pig sacred Pryderi, king of circumstantial Another World replacing Arawn. Epilogue Trees are a vital part of our ecosystem, the work of planting is slow, some associations such as "The Friends of Trees Celts' pagan and other groups have been concerned in accordance with the reforestation of social, magic, religion and the trees , Unlike the private and governmental organizations who planted only for purposes of future economic exploitation, without any sense of its inner nature or esoteric profile in the words of JA Johnston. This last, founded in the mid-'80s the "Project Learning Arbóreo Celta," Caer-Eiddyn-This partnership comes to collecting and studying the subject. Based on ancient texts, folk songs, myths and legends, herbalists, and so on. Among its goals is to re-plant some sacred sites, forests, and mounds with the appropriate species of trees. Those interested may contact by letter to: Caer Eiddyn 8 Annandale St. Edinburgh, EH7 4an, Alba * Scotland UK