The texts include references to
King Arthur and other semi-historical characters from
sub-Roman Britain, mythic figures such as
Brân the Blessed, undeniably historical personages such as
Alan IV, Duke of Brittany (who is called
Alan Fyrgan) and
Iron Age characters such as Caswallawn (
Cassivellaunus) and Caradoc (
Caratacus). Some triads simply give a list of three characters with something in common (such as "the three frivolous bards of the island of Britain") while others include substantial narrative explanation. The triad form probably originated amongst the Welsh
bards or poets as a
mnemonic aid in composing their poems and stories, and later became a rhetorical device of Welsh literature. The Medieval Welsh tale
Culhwch and Olwen has many triads embedded in its narrative.
Examples As edited and translated by Rachel Bromwich, two characteristic examples of the Welsh triads are: 36. Teir Gormes a doeth y'r Enys Hon, ac nyt aeth vrun dracheuyn: Ỽn o nadunt Kywdaỽt y Corryanyeit, a doethant eman yn oes Caswallawn mab Beli, ac nyt aeth ỽn un onadunt dracheuyn. Ac or Auia pan hanoedynt. Eil, Goemes y Gwydyl Fychti. Ac nyt aeth ỽr un onadunt dracheuyn. Tryded, Gormes y Saesson, a Hors a Hengyst yn benaduryeit arnadunt. :Three Oppressions that came to this Island, and not one of them went back: One of them (was) the people of the Cor(y)aniaid, who came here in the time of
Caswallawn son of
Beli: and not one of them went back. And they came from Arabia. The second Oppression: the
Gwyddyl Ffichti. And not one of them went back. The third Oppression: the
Saxons, with
Horsa and
Hengist as their leaders. 46. Teir Pryf Uuch Enys Prydein: Brech, buwch ỽaelgỽn Gwyned, a Thonnllwyt, buwch meibyon Eliffer Godgordỽawr, a Chornillo, buỽch Llawuroded ỽarỽaỽc. :Three Principal Cows of the Island of Britain: Speckled, cow of
Maelgwn Gwynedd, and Grey-Skin, cow of the sons of
Eliffer of the Great Warband, and Cornillo, cow of
Llawfrodedd the Bearded. ==Earliest surviving collection==