Rhiannon of the Steeds
Goddess of Horses, Birds, Enchantments and Fertility
The goddess Rhiannon is such a woman. March 4th is the date in the Welsh calendar on which she is honoured. In earlier times this would be a day of celebration and feasting, but like so many celebrations, this has fallen by the wayside. She is also known as Rhiannon of the Steeds or Rhiannon of the Birds and, as her name suggests, is often associated with horses.
Rhiannon's Guises
Like many goddesses and deities, Rhiannon is seen in many guises. Most recently many will have heard of her through the lyrics of songwriter Stevie Nicks, from Fleetwood Mac fame, when she penned a song about the goddess. Some regard her as a ‘shape-shifter’ usually taking the form of a white horse, or as a goddess with the body of a woman but with a mare’s head on her shoulders, a mythical creature who carried the spirits of the dead on her back during their journey to the underworld. She has been called Nimue or Vivian, lady of the lake from Arthurian legend.
The Legend of Rhiannon
Her name is derived from the Welsh word ‘Rhiain’ meaning maiden. Like so many legends and traditions, there are many variations of the same story. The story of Rhiannon is no different. Traditionally, her story can be traced back to the mid- thirteen-century myth Mabinogiaon. This is the story of how Pwyll, Prince of Dyved was enchanted by a woman, dressed in gold, sitting astride a horse. Every time he got close to her, she seemed to push her horse onward, eventually Pwyll called to her to stop.
‘Gladly’ she said, ‘but it would have been better for the horses had you asked before.’
Pwyll found himself face to face with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. After passing the trials that she set him, the path of their love eventually ran smoothly.
In the third year of their union, Rhiannon bore a son. After the birth she and her attendants fell asleep. Some hours later the handmaidens awoke to find that the baby had disappeared, fearing their master’s reaction they killed some puppies and smeared Rhiannon with blood so that she would be accused of slaying and eating her new born baby. Her penance was to tell her story to whoever would listen and carry visitors to court on her back as if she were a horse.
Unbeknown to her, the child had been found by a couple and raised as their own. On hearing of Rhiannon's plight they took the child to the castle. There they saw Rhiannon sitting on the mounting block close to the castle walls. As they approached she said ‘Chieftain, come no nearer. I will carry each one of you to court since that is my punishment for killing my son and destroying him with my own hands.’
The couple delivered the child to its rightful parents. In thanks for the safe return of their son, Pwyll and Rhiannon offered them jewels, horses and dogs, but they would take nothing.
Following her death, Rhiannon has been seen on numerous occasions riding a white horse. Always, three birds, one of whose song brings death to the wicked, accompany her, the second restores life to the dead and the third heals anyone who hears it sing. Usually seen in Wales, her vision has also been sighted across the Welsh borders in the English countryside.
Rhiannon's Association with Epona
It has also been argued that the goddess Rhiannon of the Steeds is more ancient than first believed, and that in fact she is related to Epona, also known as the Great Mare. Epona is first and foremost a horse goddess. The Greek Agesilaos wrote that Epona was born from the union of a man, Phoulonious Stellos and a mare.
Usually images of Epona are portrayed as a woman sitting astride a horse, but equally she can be seen depicted in a female form surrounded by a number of horses. As you would expect, images of Epona are most commonly found in stables or barns across Europe, statuettes of the goddess were placed in small niches cut into the walls, often garlanded with flowers and sometimes carved with an image of a mare’s head. Although there is no direct proof, some have argued that followers of Epona carved the Uffington White Horse; it is believed to date back to around 1400 BC and is the largest monument to Epona in the British Isles. Although the carving is that of a horse, some have claimed that she is in fact a representation of the dragon slain by Saint George, or that she is a bird like creature.
Like all legends, the story of Rhiannon is steeped in mystery and hearsay; its true origins are likely to remain unknown.
Sources:
- Celtnet.org
- Taliatook.com
- TimelessMyths.com
- GoddessinWales.co.uk
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