#Celtic#MythologyMonday: „Gantz believes that the Arawn-Havgan ("summer white") dispute is the basis for the changing of the seasons.
In the tale of "Pwyll Lord of Dyved," Pwyll encounters some #Otherworld dogs, distinctively marked by their white coats and red ears, with their master from the Otherworld, Arawn of Annwvyn. Because Pwyll has hunted Arawn's stag, he owes Arawn a favor. Arawn asks Pwyll to take his place in the Otherworld to battle Havgan. Pwyll accepts Arawn's challenge and lives Arawn's life. Pwyll is a mortal and cannot stay in the Otherworld. His refusal to engage in sexual union with Arawn's wife allows him to return.
Pwyll remains in the Otherworld for one year and one day, and then he must engage in battle with Havgan. In their combat, Pwyll mortally wounds Havgan with a single blow and although Havgan begs Pwyll to finish him off, Pwyll will not because he has vowed to Arawn not to do so. Pwyll's faithfulness to Arawn's request might be seen as an effort not to entirely destroy Havgan as he is a representation of summer. Pwyll's fate is to merge the two kingdoms & not destroy the one. Pwyll & Arawn as winter figures must merge with summer to explain the seasonal changes that fall brings to the land of Annwvyn.“
Source: Benigni/Carter/Ua Cuinn „The Myth of the Year“