Myth, Magic and/or Legend Exhibited

¶ … myth, magic and/or legend exhibited by each character.

The heroes in myths and legends exhibit important characteristics of the cultures they belong to. Usually, the legend and mythical characters are outstanding beings, endowed with supernatural or magical powers. Thus, it is interesting to analyze the differences between the different cultures in the light of the way in which the mythical stories are framed and their main characters. The stories as well as the characters embody the principal beliefs of a certain people. Therefore, the mythical characters are, according to their positive or negative role, either the embodiment of the main virtues and aspirations of a certain culture or the opposite.

The main attributes of Noah from the Biblical flood legend and those of Gwyn from one of the best known Welsh legends are constructed very differently. Interestingly, both of the myths are concerned with the idea of a flood and the way in which a whole country or the entire population of the earth (as in Noah's flood) disappear under the waters. Thus, the Biblical story of the flood is central for Christian religion as it incorporates many important symbols. The story relates how God destroyed the whole of the human race as a punishment for its evil nature and its impurity. Noah is the only man that God singles out from all the people as a righteous man who deserved to begin the human race again: "Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God."(Genesis, 6:9) Therefore, not only is Noah an outstanding character, but he is "perfect in his generations," that is, his entire family and his ancestors have been pure and godly. Moreover, Noah is the first man that God makes a covenant with, in the name of all the rest of the people: "And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savor; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done."(Genesis, 8: 20-21) When Noah's family brings a sacrificial offering after the flood, God is pleased and determines not to ever destroy the whole of mankind again. Noah becomes thus an intercessor between God and the people, and an emblem of true righteousness and virtue. It is because of the purity and goodness that God sees in Noah, that mankind is saved from complete destruction. The story is thus an instance of mankind's sinfulness and of God's wrath, but it is also an example of the possibility for goodness and righteousness that is intrinsic in man. Noah is thus an emblematic character for the possibilities of man to attain perfection and to "walk with God."

The story of one of the best known Welsh legends, that of the Cardigan Bay, shares a few similarities with the Biblical story of the flood. Thus, the Welsh legend relates about the existence of a mysterious kingdom surrounded by waters that used to lie in the same spot where Cardigan Bay is found today. As the kingdom was below the sea-level, its inhabitants were forced to guard at all times the great walls circling the city, to keep the waters from flooding in. At one time, at a great party, the prince that was supposed to ensure the walls are well guarded, got drunk and fell asleep with the rest of the company. The only one who was guarding the walls was Gwyn, who, when seeing the ominous storm approaching, rang the great bell to get the villagers to help him mend the holes that started to form in the wall. Nobody answered Gwyn however, and when he saw that everyone was asleep and couldn't be woken up because of the drink and food they had, he decided to escape. In his flight he took the princess with him, who was the only one awake. The legend is obviously symbolic and Gwyn stands out as an exemplary character who has been singled out from the entire people for salvation: "After a few hours Gwyn started to get nervous. It was getting quite dark, no-one had come to relieve him yet and a storm was brewing. The storm became much worse and a hole appeared in the wall. Gwyn rushed to the main tower and rang the bell as loudly as he could, but no help came."("Welsh Legend") the fact that he takes the princess with him enhances the meaningfulness of the flood and the resemblance with the story of Noah: not only is Gwyn the savior of the princess, but he becomes thus the only representative of his country and the beginner of a new race of people. The princess symbolizes thus the perpetuation of the race through Gwyn. Also, like in Noah's story, the people are punished for the sinfulness and their indolence that makes them eat and drink so much that they forget about their own safety.