Those Hilarious Welshmen

[tealin]

I've been reading the Mabinogion, a collection of Welsh mythology/folktales. It's interesting, and figuring out how to pronounce stuff is fun, but I can't help but find humour in some of the scenes where it's probably not intended.

Here's the original text (with some stuff cut out for brevity's sake):

Gwalchmei caught up his spear and shield, and mounted his horse and came to where Gereint was.
'Wilt thou tell who thou art, or wilt thou come see Arthur who is here close by?'
'I will not tell thee who I am...' said he.
'It shall never be told of me,' said Gwalchmei, 'that I let thee get away from me before I learn who thou art.' And he bore down upon him with a spear and thrust at him into his shield so that the shaft was splintered in pieces and the horses forehead to forehead. and he looked closely at him, and knew him. 'Alas, Gereint,' said he, 'is it thou who art here?'
'I am not Gereint,' said he.
And he looked about him and perceived Enid [Gereint's wife], and greeted her and welcomed her.

I will probably be forbidden from ever entering Wales for this, but here's what I got out of it:

Comments

[priscellie.livejournal.com]

*snorks* Hopefully this won't start up another Danish cartoon debacle. XD

[thearchduchess.livejournal.com]

I read it as the man that he met was not Gereint, but Enid in disguise. This doesn't make sense either. I give up in disgust.

hee hee hee!

[graciouswings.livejournal.com]

You will be welcomed and showered in Welshcakes, dear. The Welsh people are blessed with a rich tradition of folklore and art - and also a very dry sense of humour.
Can we look forward to Mabinogion - the comic?

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

I am looking forward to the Welshcakes... I really want to visit Wales. Didn't get to go this last time (or Scotland) but someday!

As for a Mabinogion comic, whoo ... it's a long one. Wasn't there a Welsh animation company that did a feature or something several years ago?

[dried-frog-pill.livejournal.com]

I love their expressions XD Especially Enid's smile and wave and Gwalchmei's "waitaminute...*lightbulb* moment XD

[copperbadge.livejournal.com]

LOL, this is great!

If you know the later Arthurian myths at all, Gwalchmai is actually Gawain, and when you encounter Peredur, that's Percival. The Mabinogion is what kindled my love for the character of Gawain (and righteous indignation at his shoddy treatment later :D).

*sings BNL's "Enid"*

[tony-cliff.livejournal.com]

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

also, remember that thing you said about Catherine Zeta-Jones? Man, i'm supprised she hasn't had thee killed yet.

[tony-cliff.livejournal.com]

ps. nice horses. It took me like an hour of research and drawing to get just ONE horse looking right.

[twirlynoodle.livejournal.com]

I've been studying horses for a few days.

And I don't remember what I said about Catherine Zeta-Jones.

[tony-cliff.livejournal.com]

is joke. ha ha ha ha ha.

or.

[j-mar.livejournal.com]

Could've been Enid's male paramour... :\

[fani.livejournal.com]

Um....this sounds pointless...the story. and Random!

[sydpad.livejournal.com]

LOL! At first reading it sounds like Enid is the warrior, and I thought, 'kick ass!!'. But this is funnier..

I read a bunch of Viking sagas a few years ago, which featured people being really sad because they had to axe a friend to death because their honour had been besmirched in some obscure way no one had realized at the time. They'd give a big speech about how tragic it all was and then... axe their friend to death. Why can't we all just get along??!?

[pyri-prongs.livejournal.com]

XD Ohhhh dear, if I ever get around to reading the Mabinogion now I'll picture it like that.
As always, much love for your expressive faces. As graciouswings mentioned, I assure you that no-one but crazy welsh fundies would take offense at this (and now I'm hungry for welshcakes!)

[infiniteviking]

*snickering at Gwalchmei's O HAY I KNOW U expression*

[maggiebloome.livejournal.com]

LOL I love Enid's ^^ face.

[lareth.livejournal.com]

This is hilarious.

And... Oh, god, I should keep my mouth shut because the artwork is fantastic but...

Lances are couched under the right armpit and aimed across the body. The shield is held on the left side. Though I can certainly see how drawing them correctly would lead to some ugly overlaps, so maybe you did it the other way on purpose.

[gardendoor.livejournal.com]

Bwahaha! Oh, that's great! I love the 'hey, baby' pose with Enid.

[wondrousstrange.livejournal.com]

Do more Arthurian drawings pretty please! Finish up Disney's Sword and the Stone. Ohohoh, draw Mordred!
wIsn't Welsh wspelling wwwwwwwonderful?w