Ysgithyrwyn Chief Boar (Gwen Jones tr.), Yskithyrwyn Benbaedd (Lady Guest tr.) (; Middle ,
RBH; ẏskithẏr6ẏn
WBR) or "White-tusk chief of Boars" is another
boar
The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...
being hunted, secondary to the great boar
Twrch Trwyth by the Arthur's wild chase party in the Welsh
Arthurian
According to legends, King Arthur (; ; ; ) was a king of Britain. He is a folk hero and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain.
In Welsh sources, Arthur is portrayed as a leader of the post-Ro ...
romance ''
Culhwch ac Olwen
Culhwch (, with the final consonant sounding like Scottish "loch"), in Welsh mythology, is the son of Cilydd, Cilydd son of Celyddon and Goleuddydd, a cousin of King Arthur, Arthur and the protagonist of the story ''Culhwch and Olwen'' (the earli ...
''.
Its
tusk
Tusks are elongated, continuously growing front teeth that protrude well beyond the mouth of certain mammal species. They are most commonly canine tooth, canine teeth, as with Narwhal, narwhals, chevrotains, musk deer, water deer, muntjac, pigs, ...
() was the necessary implement for shaving the giant
Ysbaddaden Chief-Giant. Ysbaddaden proclaimed this tusk was no use to him unless extracted from the boar while still alive, and only Odgar the son of Aedd the king of Ireland was capable of accomplishing this.
This boar was slain (or at least chased down and cornered into inevitable death) not "by the dogs that Yspaddaden had mentioned, but by
Cavall, Arthur's own dog.". In fact it was Kaw of North Britain (Cadw of Pydein, or Pictland
[,p.97 and note 1]), who, mounted on Arthur's mare
Llamrei swung a battle-axe or hatchet () at the boar and spliced its head. Thus it remains dubious whether the extraction of the tusk took place as the giant prescribed (i.e., while the boar was alive, or undertaken by Odgar). But Cadw/Kaw took charge of the tusk, in keeping with Arthur' earlier vow that no other would be entrusted with its care.
Footnotes
References
*(ed., tr.)
(Geraint ab Erbin (W).. p. 4 (E)..p. 67; Kilhwch ac Olwen (W).. p. 195 (E)..p. 249)
*(tr.)
* (Revised edition 1993; Indexed 1989; first published Everyman Library 1949))
*
External links
* Welsh Prose project (Manuscript text search).
Mythological pigs
Welsh mythology
Welsh legendary creatures
Arthurian characters
Pigs in literature
{{fantasy-char-stub