Children of Don (thing)

In Welsh mythology, the pantheon is generally agreed to be divided into two warring camps: the Children of Don and the Children of Llyr. The Children of Don are the decendents of the goddess Don and god Beli (also called Beli Mawr, Belin, and Belinos/Belinus), and are more or less analoguous to the Tuatha de Dananns of Irish mythology. They were often at war with the Children of Llyr for the kingship of Prydein (Britain), and according to the Mabinogion won.

It may be that they are later gods of the Celts, as opposed to the family of Llyr, who may have been indiginous gods; the family of Don seem to represent civilization (agriculture, smithing), while the Children of Llyr are more primal, dealing with natural forces (the sea; death; love).

The Children of Don (or Family of Don) are as follows:

• Manogan: progenetor of Beli; none else is known.
• Mathonwy: progenetor of Don and her brother Math ap Mathonwy; nothing else is known.
• Beli: god of light (Celtic: Belinos--shining one?), consort of Don; later made into the legendary king Belinnus/Beli Mawr. Eponym of Bilingsgate.
• Don: mother goddess of the Cymry; equivalent to the Irish Danu.
• Math ap Mathonwy: "Rich" god of the underworld (possibly equivalent with Pluto) and of magic.

These are the actual children of Don and Beli:

• Arianrhod: "Silver Wheel" goddess of the stars and moon, mother of Llew Llaw Gyffes and Dylan eil Ton by her brother Gwydion
• Gwydion: "Wise Man"? (some debate on this; "gwyddion" means "trees"; "gwyddonydd" means scientist. As the druids (oak men?) were considered quite wise...) god of magic, druid of the family, a master bard and magician; somewhat of a trickster and dark character.
  • Dylan Eil Ton: "Dark son of the Wave" son of Arianrhod and god of the sea.
  • Llew Llaw Gyffes: "Lion of the Long Hand" though the real name appears to be Lleu, equivalent to the Irish Lugh.
• Gilfaethwy: lovestruck brother of Gwydion and Arianrhod who rapes Gowein in The Mabiongion with Gwydion's help.
• Afallach: "Apples" king of the isle Afallach/Avalon in some myths; father of Modron in some Welsh genealogies.
  • Modron: "Mother" mother goddess, mother of Mabon; husbands are Mellt/Meldos (hypothetical) and in later texts Urien of Rheged.
    • Mabon ap Modron: "Son" prisoner, representative of the sun.
• Caswallawn: usurper of Manawyddan ap Llyr and killer of Caradawg ap Bran; king of Britain. Possibly confused with the historical Cassivelaunus.
• Llefelys: "Speaker"? (some possible relation to speaking) made into legendary king of Brittany.
• Nudd/Lludd: Lludd: "Obstacle" Nudd: "Fog" god of war; related to Irish god Nuada. Later made into legendary King Lud of Ludgate and supposed eponym of London (Caer Lud: Lundein). He is sometimes confused with Llyr
  • Gwyn ap Nudd: "White (or Fair/Beautiful) son of Fog" king of the fairies and lord of the Wild Hunt; psychopomp.
  • Edern ap Nudd: "Eternal son of Fog" shadowy, sometimes listed as Sir Yder in Arthurian romance.
  • Creiddylad: daughter of Lludd/Nudd, though sometimes called daughter of Llyr, which makes her the original of Cordelia. Possibly a goddess of spring, or a type of Persephone
• Amaethon: "Plow" god of agriculture.
• Gofannon: "Smith" god of smithing.
• Peibaw: made into legendary king. Turned into ox with his brother Nynniaw after a fight over who was stronger; these oxen pulled the chariot of the sun. This may be a later invention, though.
• Nynniaw: made into legendary king.
• Penardun: "Sovereignty" wife of Llyr in some texts; goddess of the land, like the Irish Eriu.