Branwen Daughter of Llyr

 Wales, a strong, independent nation that was destroyed when King Bendigeidfran agreed to marry his sister, Branwen, to the King of Ireland. In the short story, Branwen Daughter of Llyr, there is an underlined theme of hatred toward the Irish. The Welsh have an underlying opposition toward the Irish.  Perhaps the man that despised the Irish the most was Bendigeidfran’s brother Efnisien.

 It was King Malthwch’s plan to unite the countries together. This would have worked except the countries would never be able to get over the fact that the Welsh thought the Irish were below them. An instance that shows the Welsh’s, particularly Efnisien' animosity toward the Irish is after the party celebrating Branwen and Malthwch’s engagement, Efnisien decided that he was going to dismember Malthowch’s horses until they were useless.  

There are many other instances in this short account, most dealing with Efnisien, that back up the Welsh’s despise of the Irish, such as when he kills his own nephew. Branwen and Malthowch had a son, and when the Welsh and the Irish hold council in Ireland on Branwen’s behalf, he picks up the child and throws him into the fire, burning him alive. The boy’s father was an Irishman, therefore making him half Irish. Malthowch being the current King of Ireland also meant that one day his and Branwen’s son would be king of Ireland.

Efnisien was a great warrior that put the needs of his country before his own. He had a deep hatred of the Irish that drove him to do such inhumane things such as murder his nephew to killing 200 Irish soldiers with his bare hands to butcher the king of Ireland’s horses. He did whatever it took to make sure the Irish stayed below the Welsh.