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Ruth Lacon’s <span class="push-double"></span>​<span class="pull-double">“</span>The Old Grey Mare and Chrysophylax,” from the <span class="push-double"></span>​<span class="pull-double">“</span>2022 Beyond Bree Calendar”
The Old Grey Mare and Chrysophylax
 — Ruth Lacon
2022 Beyond Bree Calendar

The Old Grey Mare and Chrysophylax

— Ruth Lacon

8 February 2022 | Beyond Bree, February, 2022, 1

Giles’s old grey mare is an interesting character with surprisingly deep roots. One influence may well be King Arthur’s mount, the mare Llamrei, in Culhwch and Olwen” in the Mabinogion. Thanks to Dimitra Fimis research, we know Tolkien owned facsimiles of some of the key texts as well as translations, so it’s highly likely he knew about this horse. As with much else in Culhwch,” Arthur’s choice of a plain mare instead of one of the magical animals the story abounds in may well be intended as a comic touch, which would fit beautifully with Farmer Giles and his mare.…

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date recorded 📅2022-02-08
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