Humber the Hun

Humber the Hun wis a legendary Keng o certain ancient "Huns" (Agathyrsi) in Albion, namely the Pechts, dated tae the early 1st millennium BC as accoontit bi Geoffrey o Monmouth. The name in Eirse is Eber Finn frae which cam Eboracum, Īweriū, Híomhair, an Hibernia.

Summary

Accordin tae Geoffrey, follaein the division o Britain amongst Locrinus, Kamber, an Albanactus, Humber invaded Albany which wis re-namit efter the Scoti, an killed Albanactus in open battle. The remainin Albians fled sooth where Locrinus allied wi Kamber an defeated Humber near a river in which Humber wis drooned. The river wis thereafter kent as the Humber which marked the soothern border o the Kinrick o Northumbria an is ane o the main rivers o Ingland.

Whan Locrinus raided Humber's ships efter his daith, he foond Humber's consort Estrildis, the dochter o the Keng o Germany there. Thus Humber's Huns war allied tae Locrina wi thair Queen Estrildis eventually marryin Locrinus. The River Severn wis namit efter her dochter Hafren.

Interpretation

"Hun" is an early Germanic wird for "warrior", in this case frae Scythia an through this legend Geoffrey alludes tae the arrival o warriors o the earliest Germanic peoples in the British Isles frae Himberland which the Pechts wis assumed tae be. The venerable Bede mentioned the Scythian origin o the Pechts an the sixteenth century British chronicler Raphael Holinshed an aa mentioned the Agathyrsi Scyth oreegin o the Pechts, an thair tradition o paintin thair bodies blue. The legendary ancient alliance atween Scythian Huns an the Celts is recalled again as the wife o Míl Espáine (Golam) an the wife o Goídel Glas war baith cried Scota.

In Pop-culture

Scots protestants are still referred tae as Huns by Gaels.

North Welsh leid Speakers aften refer tae Sooth Welsh speakers as Huns (hwntw) wha in turn refer tae the North Welsh Speakers as Gogs (gogledd).