Aeres Twigg is a retired historian and lives in Carmarthen, west Wales.
English review below Cymysgedd or hen ar newydd a geir yn y
gyfrol fach hon syn adrodd hanes baner y Ddraig Goch. Cawn
hanesion am ddyfodiad y ddraig i Gymru gyntaf ar fanerir
Rhufeiniaid, draig wen y Sacsoniaid, draig goch Harri Tudur, ac
ychydig o chwedl Dinas Emrys. Ond hefyd fe gawn amlinelliad o
boblogrwydd y Ddraig Goch heddiw ar ddillad Shirley Bassey, ar
arwyddion Croeso i Gymru ar y ffyrdd, fel symbol i raglenni S4C,
ac y maer tafod, wrth gwrs, yn arwyddlun Cymdeithas yr Iaith
Gymraeg. Gwelwn sut y soniwyd gyntaf am Y Ddraig Goch ddyry
cychwyn yng nghywydd Deio ab Ieuan Ddu ar ddiwedd y bymthegfed
ganrif, a chawn hanes sut y bu ir awdurdodau yn Lloegr ganiatáu
ir faner gael ei defnyddion swyddogol yng Nghymru. Cyfrol liwgar
arall yng nghyfres Cip ar Gymru, syn grynodeb hylaw o hanes y
Ddraig Goch. If you have ever stopped to consider why Wales has
such a striking national flag while most other countries make do
with vertical, horizontal or diagonal stripes, then this is the
book for you. The dragon, we are told, dates back to Roman times
when the Roman armies of the second century used a draco as their
standard. The Saxons brought their white dragon from Denmark and
for six hundred years there was war between the armies of the red
and white dragons until King Offa built his dyke. Henry VIII is
said to have unfurled a twenty-seven foot red dragon on Bosworth
Field after conquering Richard III. Following this historical
approach to the flags story we are shown how the flag, and the
symbol, are used in Wales today to represent Welsh identity. Welsh
celebrities wear it as they perform, and S4C has adapted a series
of links to represent the Welsh Fourth Channel based on the smoking
Red Dragon. This lively publication is colourful and informative
and exudes some of the vivacity which is symptomatic of Welsh life
today.
*Dafydd Ifans @ www.gwales.com*
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