Anonymous
×
Create a new article
Write your page title here:
We currently have 2,416 articles on Monstropedia. Type your article name above or click on one of the titles below and start writing!



Monstropedia
2,416Articles
Revision as of 20:30, 18 April 2010 by Admin (talk | contribs) (Reverted edits by Black Adam (Talk) to last version by Admin)

The addanc (also called adanc, addane, afanc, avanc, abhac, abac) is a lake monster.


Lore

From Welsh mythology that also appears in Celtic folklore and British folklore.


Description

Its exact description varies; it is described alternately as resembling a crocodile, beaver or dwarf, and is sometimes said to be a demon.


Place

The lake in which it dwells varies; it is variously said to live in Llyn Llion, Llyn Barfog, near Brynberian Bridge or in Llyn yr Afanc, a lake in Betws-y-Coed that was named after the creature.


Powers / Weaknesses

According to one version of the myth, also put forth by Iolo Morgannwg, one which locates it in Llyn Llion, Hu Gadarn's oxen dragged the addanc out of the lake; once it was out of the water, it was powerless and could be killed.

An alternate myth relates that it was rendered helpless by a maiden who let it sleep upon her lap; while it slept, the maiden's fellow villagers bound the creature in chains. The creature was awakened and made furious; its enraged thrashings crushed the maiden, in whose lap it still laid. It was finally dragged away to the lake Cwm Ffynnon, or killed by Peredur.


History

The addanc was a monstrous creature that, like most lake monsters, was said to prey upon any foolish enough to fall into or swim in its lake.

According to a version of an addanc legend as put forth by Iolo Morgannwg its thrashings caused massive flooding which ultimately drowned all inhabitants of Britain save for two people, Dwyfan and Dwyfach, from whom the later inhabitants of the British Isles descended.

Some later British legends ascribe the creature's death to King Arthur or to Percival (Peredur's name in the Arthurian legend).