Plant Annwn/Gwragedd Annwn
Plant Annwn
the horned lord of the Underworld
and the Wyld Hunt, may be
considered the High Court of the Welsh Fae.
They are similar in many ways
to the Irish Tuatha De Dannan.
Like the Daoine Sidhe,
they live underground--in this case,
under lakes. Also like them,
they enjoy rades and/or hunts.
They live in courtly manner
and have hounds and cattle.
Beneath the lakes of Wales, it is said,
one may see the towes and battlements
of the Faerie kingdom of the Plant Annwn.
This is a land of wondrous secrets;
of beautiful gardens and grand feasts.
Their faery lord, Gwynn Ap Nudd,
is a horned god, similar to Cernunnos.
He is perhaps better known
as Lord of the Wyld Hunt
(which creates an association with Herne the Hunter
as well), in which he leads his hounds,
the Cwn Annwn, across the Welsh countryside.
These faery hounds are much larger
than normal dogs and are all white,
save for their red ears. This horned
lord also protects the speckled faery
cattle of the Plant Annwn--
the Gwartheg Y Llyn.
Gwragedd Annwn
are known as the Gwragedd Annwn.
They are said to be extremely beautiful,
and are often described as twins--
all of them identical--in Welsh legend.
Sometimes, they marry mortal men,
but often these marriages end badly
since faery maidens aren't exactly "normal."
(Gwragedd Annwn may cry at weddings
and laugh or sing at funerals.)
It is said, however, that these maidens
possess great knowledge of the healing arts,
which they often teach their children.
