mari lywd
(Grey Mary or Grey Mare or Holy Mary)
Mari Lywd is a horse-figure that belongs to Welsh tradition and it has its own ritual that takes place during the Christmas season and New Year. It consists of wassail-singing groups taking a horse’s skull covered with a white sheet and decorated with colourful ribbons from door to door of all the inhabitants. This was carried by a man who is concealed under the sheet, carrying the decorated skull and operating the jaw to make it snap.
The wassailing party that escorted Mari Lywd normally dressed up as Sergeant, Merryman, Punch and Judy and led Mari to the door of the house and engaged in a poetic contest with the owner of the house, whom Mari’s party would sing a poem at the door, to have permission to sing and enter the house, and which the owner ‘tries to persist’ in not allowing them in. The aim of the party is to outwit the owners in a riddling contest.
Normally it took fifteen verses before they were eventually allowed to enter, by the happy ‘persuaded’ owner. The ballad lyrics were made up on the spot by both parties, however there is seven verses that were said only at the start of the singing contest. (The words and lyrics varied from local dialect and areas):
The wassailing party that escorted Mari Lywd normally dressed up as Sergeant, Merryman, Punch and Judy and led Mari to the door of the house and engaged in a poetic contest with the owner of the house, whom Mari’s party would sing a poem at the door, to have permission to sing and enter the house, and which the owner ‘tries to persist’ in not allowing them in. The aim of the party is to outwit the owners in a riddling contest.
Normally it took fifteen verses before they were eventually allowed to enter, by the happy ‘persuaded’ owner. The ballad lyrics were made up on the spot by both parties, however there is seven verses that were said only at the start of the singing contest. (The words and lyrics varied from local dialect and areas):
The Mari Lwyd Song
Well, gentle friends
Here we come To ask may we have leave To ask may we have leave To ask may we have leave To sing. |
If we may not have leave,
Then listen to the song That tells of our leaving That tells of our leaving That tells of our leaving Tonight. |
We have cut our shins
Crossing the stiles To come here To come here To come here Tonight. |
If there are people here
Who can compose englynion Then let us hear them now Then let us hear them now Then let us hear them now Tonight. |
If you've gone to bed too early
In a vengeful spirit, Oh, get up again good–naturedly Oh, get up again good–naturedly Oh, get up again good–naturedly Tonight. |
The large, sweet cake
With all kinds of spices: O cut generous slices O cut generous slices O cut generous slices This Christmas–tide. |
O, tap the barrel
And let it flow freely; Don't share it meanly Don't share it meanly Don't share it meanly This Christmas–tide. |
Once inside the house, Mari would run widely after the girls, snapping at them with its jaws until the house owners offered Mari and her party a feast of food and drinks. This ritual was to bless the house and its inhabitant’s good luck for another year.
PRESENT CENTURY
Sadly, this tradition (which, of course, may be represented in other countries) seems to have once been practiced in the whole of Wales, but in recent years its practice has been reduced to the South of Wales, where its practice is relatively little and its normally seen outside of Glamorgan, where it is not yet completely extinct.
ORIGINS
The origin of this custom is said to date back into Celtic times. It seems to be linked to a great horse cult that strongly existed in pagan times with a Celtic horse Goddess named Rhiannon of the Mabinogion, whom also parallels with the Gaul-Roman Goddess Epona. There might not be any link between Eponain Gaul, The Great Uffington Chalk Horse or Mari Lwyd, but there are strong signs of such connections. The legend behind this custom is that Mari Lwyd was cast out of the Bethlehem stable into the cold night in order to make room for the pregnant Virgin Mary, who needed a place to give birth to a more prestigious child. Ever since, Mari Lwyd has been roaming around the world searching for a place to give birth to her colt.
Mari Lwyd is believed to be ritual of ancient times to celebrate the festival of light, - signifying rebirth and hope in time of darkness. Mari Lwyd is the rebirth of a dead horse who is accompanied with wassailers who might represent the dead who also have risen to remind the living of their existence.
Mari Lwyd is believed to be ritual of ancient times to celebrate the festival of light, - signifying rebirth and hope in time of darkness. Mari Lwyd is the rebirth of a dead horse who is accompanied with wassailers who might represent the dead who also have risen to remind the living of their existence.
EXTRAS
Hugh Lupton is a British story teller, one of the most known figures in the Oral Storytelling Traditions wrote a song named Mari Lwyd.
The Mari Lwyd - Lyrics by Hugh Lupton
The Hodening hoss,
The marbury dun, Old Bone-face the deathless am I, Heavy with Foal Two thousand years Bridled with sorrow, Saddled with fear, I canter through pastures Of tremble and quake, I gallop the track Between sleep and awake Seeking the deep of welcome and stint for my tears Let me in! |
The mare-headedd queen
The Mari-Lwyd I was mother of all the herds Ten thousand years my shining foals Bridled with starlight Saddled with gold Leapt the divide Between living and dead Quickened the year With each toss of the head Galloped the deep of beauty And never grew old Let me in! |
But Mother of God, The Mary Mild.
The pregnant Virgin came Bursting with Jehovah seed She entered my stable And cried out her need With ropes I was dragged From the birthing straw Aching with foal I was heaved to the door Swapping warmth for bitter weather And birth of a rival creed Let me in! |
And now I am nightmare
I am rattling womb The Uffington wraith I’ve become Forced into darkness You’ve made me a fiend Bridled with shadow Saddled with scream From window to window Traversing the night My face in your glass In a shudder of light Seeking that deep of welcome Befitting a Queen Let me in once again Let me in! |
Written by Lady Grey ©