Re: Calen marth!

["Raymond A. Brown" <raybrown@clara.co.uk>]

At 9:28 am -0500 2/3/99, John Cowan wrote:
>Raymond A. Brown wrote:
>
>> But today leeks
>> & daffodils are worn.
>
>Hmm.  So the daffodil is "St. David's flower"?

In the sense that it's worn on St David's Day.

However, the leek is firmly associated with St David.  The ancient
tradition is that St David on one occasion caused his fellow countrymen
under King Cadwaladr to wear leeks in their caps to distinguish themselves
from their Saxon foes.  The tradition is ancient and Shakespeare refers to
it in Henry V, where the Welsh are reputed to have worn leeks in their caps
at the battle of Poitiers.

In the Welsh language the daffodil as associated with St Peter where
daffodils are: cennin Pedr "Peter's leeks" (singular - cenhinen Bedr).
Indeed, that Wales, unlike England, Scotland or Ireland has _two_ national
plants is thought to be due to this odd use of 'cennin' in Welsh - or maybe
the Welsh found leeks boring and hit upon the idea of having something more
attractive while pretending it was some form of leek  :)

Anyway, whatever the truth, daffodils are worn on St David's Day and all
those school halls where eisteddfodau are held will be decorated with
daffodils.

Ray.


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