00:10The Avanc, also known as Adanc, was a legendary lake monster from Welsh mythology and folklore. It is described as
00:19having the body of a beaver and the head of a crocodile, or looks like a dwarf, frog or demon
00:25with sharp claws.
00:26This creature is sometimes, likened to the Loch Ness Monster. Myths say that the Avanc is a creature born of
00:34the Earth, and lived in a pool called the Avanc Pool in the River Conway. It was a gigantic beast
00:41who, when annoyed, was strong enough to break the banks of the pool causing the floods. Many attempts had been
00:48made to kill him but it seems that his hide was so tough that no spear, arrow or any man
00:54-made weapon could pierce it.
00:56It is also said to have magical powers and even the ability to speak Welsh. Hence, people thought the Avanc
01:04could only be defeated with magic, specifically the use of the oppositional base elements of fire and air.
01:10This creature lives in the lakes of Wales where it preys on anyone foolish enough to fall in, or take
01:18a swim in the waters. Its victims are devoured instantly. The Avanc featured prominently in several myths, and these myths
01:27greatly vary in how the monster was either trapped or killed.
01:31In a bizarre story, the beast caused a huge flood with the thrashings of its tail. The waters killed everyone
01:39in the country except for a man called Dwifan and his wife Dwifan, who built an ark to save themselves.
01:46The couple then founded the British race.
01:49In a more interesting legend, the legend of the River Conway, it is said that there was a period in
01:55time when the good folk who lived along the Conway Valley were constantly plagued with terrible floods that both drowned
02:02their livestock and ruined their crops.
02:04However, the cause of this destruction to people's farms and livelihood was not a natural occurrence. All knew that the
02:12floods were caused by the Avanc. One day, the wise men of the valley held a meeting and decided that
02:19if force wouldn't work, then the Avanc must somehow be enticed out of his pool and removed to a lake
02:25far away beyond the mountains, where he could cause no further trouble.
02:30The lake chosen to be the Avanc's new home was the lake of the Blue Fountain, under the dark imposing
02:37shadow of Mount Snowdon. Preparations started straight away, the finest blacksmith in the land forged the strong iron chains that
02:46would be required to bind and secure Avanc, and they sent for a man named Hugh Garden and his two
02:52long-horned oxen, the mightiest oxen in Wales, to come aid them in their mission.
02:57But there was a problem. How could they coax the Avanc out of its lake? And bind him with chains
03:03and then hitch him to the oxen? They got to find out that the Avanc, like several other ugly old
03:10monsters, has a weakness for beautiful women and could be tricked into falling asleep in a young maiden's lap.
03:16In the entire village, only one maiden, the daughter of a local farmer, was brave enough to volunteer for the
03:24quest. The girl approached the Avanc's lake while her father and the rest of the men remained hidden a short
03:31distance away. Standing on the shore she called softly to him, the waters began to heave and churn, and through
03:38it appeared the huge head of the monster.
03:41Although tempted to turn and run the girl bravely stood her ground and, gazing fearlessly into the monster's green-black
03:49eyes, began to sing a gentle Welsh lullaby.
03:52Slowly the massive great body of the Avanc crawled out of the lake towards the girl. So sweet was the
03:59song that the Avanc's head slowly sank to the ground in slumber. The girl signalled to her father, and he
04:07and the rest of the men emerged from their hiding places and set about binding the Avanc with the forged
04:13iron chains.
04:14Just when they had finished their task, the Avanc awoke, and with a roar of fury at being tricked, the
04:21monster slid back into the lake. In a slightly different version, its enraged thrashings crushed the poor maiden.
04:30Fortunately the chains were long and a few of the men had been quick enough to hitch them onto the
04:35mighty oxen. The oxen braced their muscles and began to pull. Slowly, the Avanc was dragged out of the water,
04:44but it took the strength of who gardens Oxen and every available man to pull him onto the bank.
04:50They dragged him up the valley, and then headed north-west toward the lake of the Blue Fountain. On the
04:57way up a steep mountain field one of the oxen was pulling so hard that it lost an eye, and
05:03the tears the oxen shed formed a pool known as the Pool of the Ox's Eye.
05:07The mighty oxen struggled on until they reached the lake of the Blue Fountain, close to the summit of Snowden.
05:15There the chains of the Avanc were loosed, and with a roar, the monster leapt straight into the deep blue
05:22water that was to become his new home. And thus, encased within the sturdy rock banks of the lake he
05:29remains trapped forever.
05:31Another intriguing legend narrated how the Avanc was killed by the legendary Sir Percival, the son of Ephraug. In the
05:39tale, the Avanc of the lake resided in a cave near the palace of the sons of the king of
05:44the torches. The palace was so named because the Avanc slayed the three sons of the king each day, only
05:51for them to be resurrected by the maidens of the court. It is not stated why this continued.
05:57When Percival asked to ride with the three chieftains, who sought out the Avanc daily, they stated that they would
06:05not accept his company because if he was slain they would not be able to bring him back to life.
06:11Percival continued to the cave on his own, wishing to kill the creature to increase his fame and honor. On
06:18his journey he met a maiden who stated that the Avanc would slay Percival through cunning, as the beast was
06:25invisible and killed his victims with poisoned arts.
06:28The maiden, was in fact the queen of Constantinople, and gave Percival an adder stone that would make the creature
06:36visible. Percival ventured into the cave and with the aid of the stone, pierced the Avancs before beheading it. When
06:43the three chieftains arrived at the cave they marveled, then stated that it was predicted that Percival would kill the
06:50Avanc.
06:51In yet other versions, which are the most popular versions, the Avancs death was ascribed to the legendary King Arthur.
07:00Indeed, several stories of King Arthur mentioned the ferocious Avanc.
07:04King Arthur was said to have fought and dragged the creature from the lake on his horse, Lamerai, where he
07:11then managed to kill it. There is even a hoof print in a rock near Lindbafog which, legend says, was
07:18made by his horse when he hauled and killed the beast. Few other legends say that the Avanc still survives
07:25and is living in Lake Thorn.
07:29King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur,
07:32King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur,
07:37King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur,
07:37King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur,
07:39King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur,
07:39King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur,
07:39King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur,
07:39King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur
