Creiddylad, (cree-THIL-ahd) Welsh Goddess of Flowers and Love, is celebrated on Beltane, better known today as May Day. Creiddylad is the eternal May Queen, always seeking peace and stability. She remains eternally constant in the face of all change.

Divinatory Meaning

Self-love, love, abundance, the ability to accept gifts, stability, trust. Creiddylad helps us move out of fear and into a consciousness of love and the power of a loving universe to provide. 

Her Story

Creiddylad is mentioned only briefly in The Mabinogion but her symbolism reveals that she is surely an ancient and important Goddess, whose original stories have been lost to the mists of time.  

Creiddylad, the daughter of Lludd Silver-hand, was promised in marriage to her heart's desire, Gwythyr ap Greidawl. But before their marriage could be consummated she was abducted by Gwyn ap Nudd, who possessed many dark aspects akin to the Lord of the Underworld. 

Gwythyr gathered together his warriors and set out to rescue his love from Gwyn.  A fierce battle ensued, during which Gwyn, who emerged as the victor, committed horrendous acts of brutality and butchery.  

King Arthur, hearing of this brutality, marched off to Gwyn's lands to settle the matter. He declared that neither man could marry Creiddylad and bade her return to the home of  her father. An arrangement was made forcing the two men to battle each other in single combat for the hand of Creiddylad every year at Beltane. Creiddylad's destiny was set; she would remain an eternal maiden, living outside of time, as the seasons circled around her continually. 

Long before the warring of men, the Caillleach, Winter Queen, and Brigid, Spring/Summer Goddess, peacefully ushered in the change of seasons as year after year they passed the mantle of protection one to the other. But as consciousness changed from one of magical union with the natural world to one of dominance over it, the wars of men began. This changing world view created a change in the stories told about nature. Now instead of two Goddesses helping us through the journey of the cycles of the year, two warrior gods fought for the dominance of seasons - winter won over summer, the wheel turned and summer won over winter. Creiddylad, as the Divine Feminine, became the lynchpin the two forces eternally circled around.

Though Creiddylad’s ancient stories have been lost to us, it is clear that she became the vehicle of peace and love in a world turned violent by patriarchal hierarchy. In the Medieval telling of her tale she appears to be a pawn whose own desires are thwarted by those of men. But a deeper truth lies hidden, and Creiddylad, who had freely chosen her love, returns to her father’s home, returning to her original status of Goddess, unattached and free. Hers is the promise of love in the ongoing battle between men, the battle of light and dark symbolized by the season. She is the eternal May Queen who ushers in the growing season. Then at Samhain her hold loosens and winter returns at the hands of the Dark Lord.

Creiddylad, a Fertility Goddess, emerges when Earth is filled with flowers opening to receive kisses from the sun. She is the promise of love, golden glowing moon-flowing love, enduring through all hardship and despair. She bestows her gifts of abundance on us all. Creiddylad also shows us the necessity of self-love. Only by truly loving ourselves can we love another.

Not only does Creiddylad gift humanity with an abundant Earth, she gives us the ability to accept and receive that abundance.

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