Editing Gawain (section)

==Gwalchmei==
Gawain's precursor, Gwalchmei son of Gwyar, was a hero of [[Welsh mythology]] and clearly a major figure of the now largely lost oral tradition. His popularity greatly increased after foreign versions, particularly those derived from [[Geoffrey of Monmouth]]'s ''[[Historia Regum Britanniae]]'', became known in Wales.<ref name="Bromwich368">Bromwich, p. 368.</ref> The ''Gwyar'' (meaning "gore"<ref>Pughe, p. 195.</ref> or "spilled blood/bloodshed"<ref>Rhys, p. 169.</ref>) in Gwalchmei ap Gwyar is likely the name of Gwalchmei's mother, rather than his father, as is the standard in the [[Welsh Triads]].<ref name="Bromwich369" /> Gwyar appears as a daughter of [[Amlawdd Wledig]] in one version of the hagiographical genealogy ''[[Bonedd y Saint]]''. The 14th-century fragment ''Birth of Arthur'', a Welsh text that adapts scenes from Geoffrey, substitutes Gwyar for Anna, Geoffrey's name for Gawain's mother, [[Morgause|the Queen of Orkney]].<ref>Bromwich, pp. 369–70.</ref> His father is named as ''Emyr Llydaw'' (Emperor of Brittany), that is [[Budic II of Brittany]]. There, Gwalchmei is given three sisters: Gracia, Graeria, and Dioneta, the last of which being a counterpart of [[Morgan le Fay|Morgan]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CsV7qXZa8kUC&pg=PA291|title=Journey to Avalon: The Final Discovery of King Arthur|last1=Barber|first1=Chris|last2=Pykitt|first2=David|year= 1997|publisher=Weiser Books|isbn=978-1609251468|language=en}}</ref>

Early references to Gwalchmei include the Welsh Triads; the ''[[Englynion y Beddau]]'' (''Stanzas of the Graves''), which lists the site of his grave; the ''Trioedd y Meirch'' (''Triads of the Horses''), which praises his horse named Keincaled (known as [[Gringolet]] in the works of medieval French authors); and [[Cynddelw]]'s elegy for [[Owain Gwynedd]], which compares Owain's boldness to that of Gwalchmei.<ref name="Bromwich367"/> In the Welsh Triads, Triad 4 lists him as one of the "Three Well-Endowed Men of the Isle of Britain" (probably referring to his inheritance);<ref>Bromwich, p. 9.</ref> Triad 75 describes him as one of the "Three Men of the Island of Britain who were Most Courteous to Guests and Strangers";<ref>S Davies, ''Mabinogion'' (Oxford 2007) p. 245.</ref> and Triad 91 praises his fearlessness.<ref>Bromwich, pp. 205, 234.</ref> Some versions of Triads 42 and 46 also praise his horse Keincaled, echoing the ''Triads of the Horses''.<ref>Bromwich, pp. 111–12, 127–28.</ref> The singling out of Gwalchmei as Most Courteous evokes his role in the ''Mabinogion'', where he regularly serves as an intermediary between [[King Arthur]]'s court and stranger knights.<ref>S. Davies trans., ''Mabinogion'' (Oxford 2007) p. 245.</ref>

An early Welsh romance ''[[Culhwch and Olwen]]'', composed in the 11th century (though not recorded until the 14th), and eventually associated with the ''[[Mabinogion]]'',<ref>Hall, pp. 2–3.</ref> ascribes to Gwalchmei the same relationship with Arthur that Gawain is later given: he is the son of Arthur's sister and one of his leading warriors.<ref name="Bromwich367"/> However, he is mentioned only twice in the text, once in the extensive list of Arthur's court towards the beginning of the story, and again as one of the "Six Helpers" whom Arthur sends with the protagonist [[Culhwch]] on his journey to find his love [[Olwen]].<ref name="Bromwich368" /> Unlike the other helpers, he takes no further part in the action. This suggests he was added to the romance later, likely under the influence of the Welsh versions of Geoffrey's ''Historia''.<ref name="Bromwich368"/> He also appears in ''[[Peredur son of Efrawg|Peredur fab Efrawg]]'' (''Peredur son of Efrawg''), part of the ''Mabinogion'', where he aids the hero [[Peredur]] in the final battle against the [[Nine sorceresses|nine witches of Caer Loyw]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://medieval_literature.enacademic.com/467/Peredur|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625211502/http://medieval_literature.enacademic.com/467/Peredur|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 June 2013|title=Peredur|website=Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias|access-date=5 December 2018}}</ref> A similar motif was mentioned by the 16th-century Welsh scholar [[Sion Dafydd Rhys]] in an unrecorded oral tale in which Gwalchmei destroyed three evil witch-sisters, wives of the giants previously slain by Arthur, killing them within their castles through his cunning, as they could not be defeated otherwise, due to their powers.<ref>[http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/giants_wales.html ''The Giants of Wales and Their Dwellings''] by Sion Dafydd Rhys (Peniarth MS 118 f.829–837, ca. 1600].</ref> Gwalchmei himself appears as a giant in Welsh folklore.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vzxTAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA262 | title=Arthuriana: Early Arthurian Tradition and the Origins of the Legend | isbn=9781445221106 | last1=Green | first1=Thomas | date=7 November 2009 | publisher=Lulu.com }}</ref>