Three Red-Speared Bards of the Island of Britain:

"Tristfardd" is a rather odd name; it could potentially mean "Sad Bard." Of course, I'm not sure if "trist" is a loan word from the Normans, or if it is simply a cognate. At any rate, the bard of Urien of Rheged is usually thought to be Taliesin, who wrote any number of poems to that king. I'm not aware of any bard named Tristfardd; Nennius doesn't mention him, and no works survive. I assume this is a nickname, perhaps refering to the death-songs of either Taliesin or Aneurin.

Owain is of course Sir Yvain of later romance. He was a historical prince of Rheged, thought ot be northern Britain.


Back to The Welsh Triads