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Cŵn Annwn

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The Cŵn Annwn are associated with death, as they have red ears. The Celts associated the colour red with death. White is associated with the supernatural, and white animals are commonly owned by gods or other inhabitants of the Otherworld.
180:, saw the Cŵn Annwn take down a stag, he set his own pack of dogs to scare them away. Arawn then came to him and said that as repentance for driving away the Cŵn Annwn, Pwyll would have to defeat 161:
According to Welsh folklore, their growling is loudest when they are at a distance, and as they draw nearer, it grows softer and softer. Their coming is generally seen as a death portent.
191:. However, the Annwn of medieval Welsh tradition is an otherworldly place of plenty and eternal youth and not a place of punishment like the Christian concept of Hell. 265:
A Ci Annwn's goal in the Wild Hunt is to hunt wrongdoers into the ground until they can run no longer, just as the criminals did to their victims.
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Christians came to dub these mythical creatures as "The Hounds of Hell" or "Dogs of Hell" and theorised they were therefore owned by
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In other traditions similar spectral hounds are found, e.g. Gabriel Hounds (England), Ratchets (England), Yell Hounds (
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The Cŵn Annwn are associated with the Wild Hunt. They are supposed to hunt on specific nights (the eves of
198:, "Matilda of the Night". An alternative name in Welsh folklore is Cŵn Mamau ("Hounds of the Mothers"). 1618: 1103: 740: 128: 626: 1628: 353: 657: 1613: 1508: 1381: 861: 255: 158:, where it is believed "the howling of these huge dogs foretold death to anyone who heard them". 802: 795: 416:
Abad, Rubén Abad. (2008). "La divinidad celeste/solar en el panteón céltico peninsular". In:
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rode to King Arthur's court with two "Otherworld" dogs accompanying him, possibly Cŵn Annwn.
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An Encyclopedia of Fairies: Hobglobins, Brownies, Bogies and Other Supernatural Creatures
358: 307: 258:. The Cŵn Annwn also came to be regarded as the escorts of souls on their journey to the 938: 172:, king of Annwn, is believed to set the Cŵn Annwn loose to hunt mundane creatures. When 1008: 993: 888: 867: 855: 534: 526: 343: 231: 28: 1438: 1218: 1188: 1183: 1038: 760: 751: 643:
The Hound of the Baskervilles: Hunting the Dartmoor Legend, P Weller,Halsgrove, 2008
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as the underworld king and king of the fair(y) folk is named in later medieval lore.
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Fleming, Fergus; Husain, Shahrukh; Littleton, C. Scott; Malcor, Linda A. (1996).
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Loomis, R. S. (1941). "The Spoils of Annwn: An Early Arthurian Poem".
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is also known to have a pack of nine white hounds, perhaps Cŵn Annwn.
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Hunting grounds for the Cŵn Annwn are said to include the mountain of
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The hounds are sometimes accompanied by a fearsome hag called
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Publications of the Modern Language Association of America
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HarperElement. p. 119. 545: 502: 478: 453: 410: 394: 371: 121:(Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed), the 1: 627:"The story behind the Hound" 144:, they were associated with 123:First Branch of the Mabinogi 7: 317: 57:Hounds of Annwn, Cwn Annwfn 10: 1650: 1634:Dogs in the United Kingdom 849:The Dream of Macsen Wledig 294:. Similar hounds occur in 109:, presided over by either 1609:Welsh legendary creatures 1559: 1472: 1337: 881: 819: 750: 706: 699: 688: 354:Hound of the Baskervilles 61: 53: 42: 34: 24: 462:Welsh Ghostly Encounters 164: 418:Espacio, Tiempo y Forma 49:, Yell Hounds, Ratchets 16:Welsh mythical creature 1372:Cavall (Cafall, Cabal) 127: 115: 803:The Dream of Rhonabwy 796:Peredur son of Efrawg 708:Four Branches of the 269:Colouring and meaning 228:Michael the Archangel 1624:Mythological canines 810:Geraint son of Erbin 720:Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed 365:Notes and references 329:Black dog (folklore) 117:Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed 94:Welsh pronunciation: 81:Welsh pronunciation: 1578:Cauldron of rebirth 1084:Goreu fab Custennin 1069:Glewlwyd Gafaelfawr 460:Pugh, Jane (1990). 435:Ross, Anne (1986). 378:Briggs, Katharine M 113:, king of Annwn in 85:[kuːnˈanʊn] 21: 994:Cymidei Cymeinfoll 889:Afaon fab Taliesin 868:Lludd and Llefelys 856:Englynion y Beddau 734:Manawydan fab Llŷr 727:Branwen ferch Llŷr 552:Aaron, J. (2013). 344:Dip (Catalan myth) 298:– particularly on 125:and alluded to in 98:[kiːˈanʊn] 29:Legendary creature 19: 1619:Mythological dogs 1596: 1595: 1039:Elffin ap Gwyddno 877: 876: 761:Culhwch and Olwen 741:Math fab Mathonwy 278:Similar creatures 129:Math fab Mathonwy 69: 68: 1641: 1629:Dogs in religion 1500:Cantre'r Gwaelod 1109:Gwyddno Garanhir 789:Geraint and Enid 704: 703: 681:Celtic mythology 674: 667: 660: 651: 650: 644: 641: 635: 634: 623: 617: 616: 598: 592: 591: 573: 558: 557: 549: 543: 542: 506: 500: 499: 486:Celtic Mythology 482: 476: 475: 457: 451: 450: 432: 421: 414: 408: 398: 392: 375: 288:Herne the Hunter 132: 120: 100: 95: 87: 82: 43:Similar entities 22: 18: 1649: 1648: 1644: 1643: 1642: 1640: 1639: 1638: 1599: 1598: 1597: 1592: 1555: 1468: 1439:Llamhigyn y Dŵr 1347:Adar Llwch Gwin 1339: 1333: 1019:Dywel fab Erbin 954:Caradog ap Bran 873: 815: 768:Preiddeu Annwfn 746: 700:Texts and tales 695: 692:Welsh mythology 684: 678: 648: 647: 642: 638: 625: 624: 620: 613: 599: 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Index

Legendary creature
Gabriel Hounds
Welsh mythology
[kuːnˈanʊn]
[kiːˈanʊn]
Annwn
Wild Hunt
Arawn
Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed
First Branch of the Mabinogi
Math fab Mathonwy
Gwyn ap Nudd
Wales
migrating
geese
Cadair Idris
Arawn
Pwyll
Dyfed
Hafgan
Satan
Mallt-y-Nos
Da Derga
Culhwch
St. John
St. Martin
Michael the Archangel
All Saints
Christmas
New Year

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