I love daffodils. To me, they're a sign that spring is on the way. A fresh new start. They're also the national emblem of Wales, of course. (So are leeks for some strange reason.)
When I bought my first daffodils of the year yesterday, I had no idea that today would be such a great day for the Welsh.
First, it's St Dwynwen's Day. St Dwynwen is the patron saint of lovers and, therefore, the Welsh equivalent of St Valentine. Apparently, St Dwynwen's Day celebrations have really taken off in Wales over recent years, so much so that Tesco have been known to sell bilingual Welsh/English cards for lovers to exchange.
There are many different stories about Dwynwen, but this is my favourite. Way back in the 5th century, Dwynwen, who was the prettiest of 24 (!) daughters, fell in love with a prince. Her father, however, had already made arrangements for her to marry someone else. Dwynwen was so upset that she begged God to make her forget her prince. While she was asleep, she was visited by an angel who supposedly carried a potion that a) made her forget her prince and b) turned him into a block of ice. Pretty drastic stuff, eh.
But there's a hole in the plot…
You see, after this, Dwynwen was visited by God and granted three wishes. Her first wish was that her prince was thawed out (yes, that's the prince she'd forgotten), the second that God grant all lovers true happiness, and the third that she should never marry. Another plot hole coming up … As all three came true (but the second didn't, did it?), Dwynwen, as a mark of gratitude, devoted her life to God.
I have to say I don't believe there's much truth in this story. Too many errors. And surely, Dwynwen's father would have relented. "Oh, go on then, Dwynwen. If you're going to kick up such a fuss, you can marry your confounded prince."
I don't know the true story of Dwynwen but happy St Dwynwen's Day!
The second reason it's a good day to be Welsh is that Cardiff FC booked their trip to Wembley last night. They're in the Carling Cup Final after beating Crystal Palace in a match that ended with a penalty shoot-out. Goalkeeper Tom Heaton was the hero of the night after saving not one but two spot kicks. So congratulations, Cardiff!
Are there any Welsh people reading this who can put me right about the real story of Dwynwen? Is there anyone who can tell me why the Welsh have the daffodil and the leek as national emblems? I'm curious.