So What's the Deal with Llew? Part Three: The Death of Llew

For a while, Llew and Blodeuwedd live happily. But she eventually grows and learns, and realizes that she's been forced into a marriage that was not of her choice. Then, one day Llew goes off to visit his uncle Math, leaving Blodeuwedd alone in the castle.

By chance, a neighboring lord, Gronw Pebyr happens to be on a stag hunt, and with the hour growing late, asks for hospitality from Blodeuwedd. The two immediately fall in love, but realize the only way they can be together is to murder Llew.

There's a problem with this, however. As the son of a goddess and the nephew of two powerful magicians, Llew could be killed neither by day nor by night, indoors or out of doors, clothed or naked, riding or walking, nor by any lawfully made weapon.

Eventually Blodeuwedd, pretending fear for her husband's safety, worms the secret of the way to kill Llew. He may only be killed at twilight (or on the Summer Solstice) when on the bank of a river with one foot on the back of a he-goat (or a buck) and the other on the rim of a bath, under the thatch canopy of an unfinished house. (Sure, that's not at all complex!)

It takes Gronw a year and a day, working only on Sundays (though the Sunday bit was probably put in by later Christians telling the story) to create the spear.

Once again, faking concern, Bloduwedd asks Llew to show her the exact circumstances so that she won't have to worry. They set up this complex arrangement and with Llew balancing like this, Gronw leaps from the woods and stabs him. Llew turns into an eagle and flies away.

Understandably furious with his creation, Gwydion turns Blodeuwedd into an owl. He searches for Llew but cannot find him until he hears of a sow (the goddess Cerridwen) who has been eating rotting flesh dropped by an eagle sitting high in a tree. Being immortal, Llew still cannot merely die, but the spear in his flesh keeps festering. With a powerful magickal song, Gwydion persuades Llew to come down from the tree, pulls the spear from his flesh and restores him to life and health.

And now for the fun stuff as we get to tear this myth apart to understand it.