Is there any non-modern literature that depicts Excalibur pre-Arthur?

>>8608555
"Pre-Arthur"? Excalibur/Caliburn/ Caledfwlch is part of the Arthur legends, right from the Mabinogion and Geoffrey of Monmouth (who says the sword was forged in Avalon and Latinises Caledfwlch as Caliburnus). It doesn't have any extant origin story beyond that, certainly nothing predating Arthur mentions.

>>8608788
Sorry, I'm dense. You meant "backstory to Excalibur before it was given to Arthur, as described within Arthurian legends." That should have been obvious first off. This page reasonably summarizes all the primary-source discussions of the sword and its growing role in Arthur's kingship legend, but it doesn't have much more of a story than that until modern authors.
https://www.timelessmyths.com/arthurian/excalibur.html

Is there any analysis or literature that explains OP pre-trips? Like anything about the history of trips or why they were made, other than to give OP an unstoppable sequence of digits?

>>8608817
Quiet, peasant.

>>8608788
>>8608811
Greetings noble dubsbearer. Thanks for the link, I will read through it. I'm not particularly knowledgeable about Celtic/Arthurian legend but learning about it somewhat. Obviously there are a lot of differences in various retellings but the idea that the sword was given to Arthur (by The Lady of the Lake) suggests that it existed before him and so conceivably such a magical sword would have a story and purpose previous to that happening.

>>8608861
While I'm not well read on Arthurian legend, I've always seen the Excalibur as a poetic symbol, not needing an actual explanation or origin. It serves as an indication of a superior destiny, used to bless the main hero, Arthur, as someone "greater" than the norm - as King. i.e. it's a plot device, and any exposition on it is more or less filler / excess.

>>8608861
The theory that pleases me (with no evidence) is that the writer of the Mabinogion borrowed Caledfwlch from Irish Caladbolg, a sword wielded by (depending on the source) such Irish heroes as Fergus mac Róich, Fergus mac Léti (the sword here called Caladcholg),
So in Irish myth Caladbolg,forged in the Otherworld (Fairyland/Avalon), became the possession of the hero Léte. It passed on to his son Fergus mac Léti and then to Fergus mac Róich, and finally Arthur. It give the Welsh hero nice Irish street cred.
Beowulf and the Celtic Tradition by Martin Puhvel has some great discussion of the various incarnations of this "lightning sword" that kills solar heroes. I'd give him a read if you have a chance.

>>8608555
Like an Excalibur origin story, or a sort of prequel to the Arthurian legend? Is that what you desire, plebian?

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13KB, 360x270px

>>8608959
The only thing I desire
is the cwown.