Notes
GDG 22
This is one of many poems of misadventure, in which Dafydd invites his audience to laugh at his anti–heroic persona. As he awaits his lover in the woodland his peace is disturbed by a fox which he spies resting calmly near his lair. Like an experienced bowman he takes aim, only for his bow to snap into three pieces. The second half of the poem contains a vivid description of the fox, conveying its instinctive ferocity whilst at the same time marvelling at its striking colour and its defiance in avoiding its pursuers. Despite his anger Dafydd cannot fail to admire the animal, and the descriptive dyfalu sequence is more positive than the imagery which characterizes most of the poems of misadventure, without the usual curse in the closing couplets.
3. Ofydd The Latin poet Ovid, see 95.1n.
5. inseiliwn The literal meaning of inseilio is 'to seal' (see 83.45n., 105.21), here apparently used in the sense of securing or protecting the house of leaves.
10. llên Literature, i.e. poetry or song as a metaphor for the dogs' barking; cf. carol in line 28. The fifteenth–century poet Gutun Owain uses similar imagery in a poem requesting hunting dogs, OPGO XI.33–40.
28. carol A borrowing from Middle English, referring here to singing rather than dancing; cf. Cwrelael yn caroli in the poem of uncertain authorship to the Blackcock (162.3). This is the earliest example in GPC 430, but caroli 'to dance' occurs in the Book of the Anchorite (1346), see ib. 431.
31. lluman brain Probably a red banner used to frighten crows, cf. GPC s.v. lluman1. A less likely meaning is 'scarecrow', see ib. s.v. lluman2.
33. drych nod brain Literally 'a prominent crow–mirror', although other interpretations are possible. A mirror used to frighten crows, as a metaphor for the fox's shining coat?
34. daroganair 'Prognostication', a reference to the bardic tradition of prophesy where the red dragon represented Wales.
42. Annwn The otherworld of Celtic mythology which was believed to be beneath the earth, see 59.29–30n.