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<span>The Branches</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-The_Branches-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle The Branches subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-The_Branches-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-First_branch:_Pwyll,_Prince_of_Dyfed" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#First_branch:_Pwyll,_Prince_of_Dyfed"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.1</span> <span>First branch: <span><span>Pwyll</span></span>, Prince of <span><span>Dyfed</span></span></span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-First_branch:_Pwyll,_Prince_of_Dyfed-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Second_Branch:_Branwen,_Daughter_of_Llŷr" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Second_Branch:_Branwen,_Daughter_of_Llŷr"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.2</span> <span>Second Branch: <span><span>Branwen</span></span>, Daughter of <span><span>Llŷr</span></span></span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Second_Branch:_Branwen,_Daughter_of_Llŷr-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Third_Branch:_Manawydan,_son_of_Llŷr" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Third_Branch:_Manawydan,_son_of_Llŷr"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.3</span> <span>Third Branch: <span><span>Manawydan</span></span>, son of <span><span>Llŷr</span></span></span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Third_Branch:_Manawydan,_son_of_Llŷr-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Fourth_Branch:_Math,_son_of_Mathonwy" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Fourth_Branch:_Math,_son_of_Mathonwy"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.4</span> <span>Fourth Branch: <span><span>Math</span></span>, son of <span><span>Mathonwy</span></span></span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Fourth_Branch:_Math,_son_of_Mathonwy-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Locations" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Locations"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Locations</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Locations-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div 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href="https://cy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedair_Cainc_y_Mabinogi" title="Pedair Cainc y Mabinogi – Welsh" lang="cy" hreflang="cy" data-title="Pedair Cainc y Mabinogi" data-language-autonym="Cymraeg" data-language-local-name="Welsh" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Cymraeg</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-gl mw-list-item"><a href="https://gl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabinogion" title="Mabinogion – Galician" lang="gl" hreflang="gl" data-title="Mabinogion" data-language-autonym="Galego" data-language-local-name="Galician" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Galego</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EB%A7%88%EB%B9%84%EB%85%B8%EA%B8%B0%EC%9D%98_%EB%84%A4_%EA%B0%80%EC%A7%80" title="마비노기의 네 가지 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="마비노기의 네 가지" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li 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class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.unpin">hide</button> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="vector-body" aria-labelledby="firstHeading" data-mw-ve-target-container> <div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"><span class="mw-redirectedfrom">(Redirected from <a href="/w/index.php?title=Caer_Dathyl&redirect=no" class="mw-redirect" title="Caer Dathyl">Caer Dathyl</a>)</span></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Welsh mythology, created between 1050 and 1120</div> <p>The <i><b>Four Branches of the Mabinogi</b></i> or <b><span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Pedair Cainc Y Mabinogi</i></span></b> are the earliest prose stories in the literature of <a href="/wiki/Great_Britain" title="Great Britain">Britain</a>. Originally written in <a href="/wiki/Wales" title="Wales">Wales</a> in <a href="/wiki/Middle_Welsh" title="Middle Welsh">Middle Welsh</a>, but widely available in translations, the <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Mabinogi</i></span> is generally agreed to be a single work in four parts, or "branches." The interrelated tales can be read as mythology, political themes, romances, or magical fantasies. The tales are popular today in book format, as storytelling or theatre performances; they appear in recordings and on film, and continue to inspire reinterpretations in artwork and modern fiction, such as the <i>New Stories of the Mabinogion</i> series<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and <i>The Assembly of the Severed Head</i> by <a href="/wiki/Hugh_Lupton" title="Hugh Lupton">Hugh Lupton</a><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Overview">Overview</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Overview"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Mabinogi</i></span> are known as the <i>Four Branches of the</i> <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Mabinogi</i></span>, or <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Pedair Cainc y Mabinogi</i></span> in Welsh. The tales were compiled from oral tradition in the 11th century. They survived in private family libraries via medieval manuscripts, of which two main versions and some fragments continue to survive today. Early modern scholarship of the <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Mabinogi</i></span> saw the tales as a garbled <a href="/wiki/Welsh_mythology" title="Welsh mythology">Welsh mythology</a> which prompted attempts to salvage or reconstruct them. Since the 1970s the tales have become recognised as a complex secular literature, though rooted in and containing elements of Welsh Mythology, with powerfully explored characters, political, ethical and gendered themes, as well as imaginative fantasies. The style of writing is admired for its deceptive simplicity and controlled wordpower, as well as intricate doublets where mirrorings have been compared to Celtic knotwork.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The world displayed within the <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Mabinogi</i></span> extends across Wales, to Ireland, and into England. It presents a legendary Britain as a united land under a king, yet with powerful separate princedoms, where native <a href="/wiki/Welsh_law" title="Welsh law">Welsh law</a>, <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">hud</i></span> (magic), and romance, combine in a unique synergy. Possible authors who have been proposed for the Four Branches include <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Rhigyfarch" class="mw-redirect" title="Rhigyfarch">Rhigyfarch</a></span></span> and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Gwenllian_ferch_Gruffydd" title="Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd">Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd</a></span></span>.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Each Branch contains several tale episodes in a sequence, and each Branch is titled with the name of a leading protagonist. These titles are <b><span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Pwyll, Branwen, Manawydan</i></span></b> and <b><span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Math</i></span></b>, but this is a modern custom; the Branches are not titled in the mediaeval manuscripts. Only one character appears in all four Branches, <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Pryderi" title="Pryderi">Pryderi</a></span></span>, though he is never dominant or central to any of the Branches. </p> <ul><li><b><span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Pwyll</i></span> <i>Prince of</i> <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Dyfed</i></span></b> tells of the heroic and magical sojourn of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pwyll</span></span> in <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy"><a href="/wiki/Annwn" title="Annwn">Annwfn</a></i></span>, his shapeshifting, chastity and a duel, which all establish a mighty alliance. The formidable <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Rhiannon</span></span> courts him, and he helps her win her freedom to marry him. The strange abduction at birth of their baby son follows, with his rescue, fostering and restoration by the good lord <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Teyrnon" title="Teyrnon">Teyrnon</a></span></span> of the <a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Gwent" title="Kingdom of Gwent">Kingdom of Gwent</a>. The child is named <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi</span></span>.</li> <li><b><span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Branwen</i></span> <i>Daughter of</i> <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Llŷr</i></span></b> follows <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Branwen</span></span>'s marriage to the King of Ireland, who abuses her due to insult by her half brother, <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Efnysien" title="Efnysien">Efnysien</a></span></span>. A tragically genocidal war develops fomented by <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Efnysien</span></span>, in which a Cauldron which resurrects the dead figures, and the giant king Bran's head survives his death in an enchanted idyll. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi</span></span> is merely named as a war survivor, and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Branwen</span></span> dies, heartbroken.</li> <li><b><span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Manawydan</i></span> <i>Son of</i> <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Llŷr</i></span></b> brother of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Branwen</span></span>, heir to the throne of Britain, becomes <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi</span></span>'s good friend during the war. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi</span></span> arranges his friend's marriage to <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Rhiannon</span></span>. The land of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Dyfed</span></span> is devastated. Journeys in England setting up craft businesses follow. An enchanted trap removes <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi</span></span> and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Rhiannon: Manawydan</span></span> becomes a farmer. He cannily negotiates their release, as well as the restoration of the land, by confronting the villain behind it all.</li> <li><b><span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Math</i></span> <i>Son of</i> <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Mathonwy</i></span></b> is a dark sequence of deception and treachery: war with <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Dyfed</span></span>, the death of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi</span></span>, the double rape of a virgin girl, and the rejection of an unwanted hero son by proud <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Arianrhod. Gwydion</span></span> her magician brother is the architect of all these destinies. He adds an artificially incubated pregnancy, and a synthetic woman. She, <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Blodeuwedd</span></span>, creates a treacherous love triangle, murder in a peculiar manner. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwydion</span></span> makes a shamanic journey of redemption.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="The_Branches">The Branches</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: The Branches"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="First_branch:_Pwyll,_Prince_of_Dyfed"><span id="First_branch:_Pwyll.2C_Prince_of_Dyfed"></span>First branch: <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pwyll</span></span>, Prince of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Dyfed</span></span></h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: First branch: Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Pwyll_Pendefig_Dyfed" title="Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed">Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed</a></div> <p><span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Pwyll Pendefeg Dyfed</i></span>, "<span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pwyll</span></span> Prince of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Dyfed" title="Kingdom of Dyfed">Dyfed</a></span></span>", hunting on his own land, meets the shining <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy"><a href="/wiki/C%C5%B5n_Annwn" title="Cŵn Annwn">Cŵn Annwn</a></i></span> or "Hounds of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Annwfn</span></span>", and takes another man's kill, a stag, for himself. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Arawn" title="Arawn">Arawn</a></span></span>, the king of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Annwfn</span></span>, is greatly offended. As recompense, <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pwyll</span></span> switches bodies with <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Arawn</span></span> and dwells in <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Annwfn</span></span> to vanquish <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Arawn</span></span>'s adversary. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pwyll</span></span> chastely shares the queen's bed for a year. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pwyll</span></span> defeats <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Arawn</span></span>'s enemy <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Hafgan" title="Hafgan">Hafgan</a></span></span>, and is then rewarded with an alliance between his land of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Dyfed</span></span>, and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Annwfn. Pwyll</span></span> then returns home to <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Dyfed</span></span> where he finds it has been well ruled by <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Arawn</span></span> in the past year. </p><p>Next, <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pwyll</span></span> encounters <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Rhiannon" title="Rhiannon">Rhiannon</a></span></span>, a beautiful and powerful maiden on a shining magical horse. They are strangely unreachable by anyone, for as they attempt to approach, <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Rhiannon</span></span> and her horse get further away. Finally, they ask her to stop in which she complies and it is revealed that <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Rhiannon</span></span> has chosen <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pwyll</span></span> as her husband, which he welcomes. On <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Rhiannon</span></span> and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pwyll</span></span>'s wedding day in the court of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Hyfaidd Hen, <a href="/w/index.php?title=Gwawl_fab_Clud&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Gwawl fab Clud (page does not exist)">Gwawl</a></span></span> appears in disguise and tricks <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pwyll</span></span> into giving him the entire wedding feast and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Rhiannon. Rhiannon</span></span> then guides <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pwyll</span></span> through a cunning strategy using her magic bag which can never be filled, to extricate her from her betrothal to the princely <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwawl. Gwawl</span></span> is trapped in the bag and beaten by <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pwyll</span></span>'s men until he agrees to <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Rhiannon</span></span>'s terms, including foregoing vengeance. </p><p><span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Rhiannon</span></span> eventually bears <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pwyll</span></span> a son and heir, but the child disappears the night he is born. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Rhiannon</span></span>'s maids, in fear of their lives, accuse her of killing and eating her own baby. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Rhiannon</span></span> negotiates a penalty where she must sit at the castle gate every day for seven years telling her terrible tale to strangers and offer them a ride on her back. Meanwhile, the child is rescued from its monstrous abductor by <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Teyrnon Twrf Lliant</span></span>. He and his wife adopt the boy who grows heroically apace, and adores horses. They called him <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwri Wallt Efryn</span></span> (<span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwri</span></span> 'Golden Hair', <a href="/wiki/Welsh_language" title="Welsh language">Welsh</a>: <i lang="cy">Gwallt Euraid</i>). <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Teyrnon</span></span> sees the boy's resemblance to <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pwyll</span></span>, so he restores the boy to <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Dyfed</span></span> for a happy ending. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Rhiannon</span></span> is vindicated as is <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pwyll</span></span>'s loyalty to her. Their son is renamed <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi</span></span> "Loss", as is custom from his mother's first words to him: <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Pryderi</i></span> puns on anxiety and labour. In due course, <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi</span></span> inherits the rule of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Dyfed</span></span>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Second_Branch:_Branwen,_Daughter_of_Llŷr"><span id="Second_Branch:_Branwen.2C_Daughter_of_Ll.C5.B7r"></span>Second Branch: <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Branwen</span></span>, Daughter of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Llŷr</span></span></h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Second Branch: Branwen, Daughter of Llŷr"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Branwen_ferch_Ll%C5%B7r" title="Branwen ferch Llŷr">Branwen ferch Llŷr</a></div> <p>In the second branch, <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Branwen" title="Branwen">Branwen</a></span></span>, sister of <a href="/wiki/Br%C3%A2n_the_Blessed" title="Brân the Blessed">Brân the Blessed</a>, king of <a href="/wiki/Sub-Roman_Britain" title="Sub-Roman Britain">Britain</a>, is requested by and given in marriage to <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Matholwch" title="Matholwch">Matholwch</a></span></span>, king of Ireland. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Brân</span></span>'s half-brother <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Efnysien</span></span>, angered that no one consulted him, insults <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Matholwch</span></span> by mutilating all his valuable horses so horribly they become useless. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Brân</span></span> the Blessed gives <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Matholwch</span></span> compensation in the form of new horses and treasure, then added a <a href="/wiki/Pair_Dadeni" title="Pair Dadeni">magical cauldron</a> (<a href="/wiki/Welsh_language" title="Welsh language">Welsh</a>: <i lang="cy">Pair Dadeni</i>) which can restore the dead to life, although the revived persons will always remain unable to speak. The legend of this cauldron, when the two kings compare its lore, is that it came from Ireland. </p><p>In Ireland, <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Matholwch</span></span> and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Branwen</span></span> have a son, <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Gwern" title="Gwern">Gwern</a></span></span>. The Irish nobles continue to be hostile because of what <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Efnysien</span></span> did. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Matholwch</span></span> allows them to sway him, and casts <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Branwen</span></span> away to serf in the kitchens, struck on the face every day by a low-caste butcher. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Branwen</span></span> trains a <a href="/wiki/Starling" title="Starling">starling</a> to take a message to <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Brân</span></span> across the <a href="/wiki/Irish_Sea" title="Irish Sea">Irish Sea</a>. He musters his host and crosses the sea to war on <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Matholwch. Brân</span></span> is so huge he wades across with his ships beside him. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Branwen</span></span> persuades the Irish to sue for peace by building a colossal building to house <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Brân</span></span>, which he has never had before. </p><p>The Irish hide two hundred warriors in the house, hanging in bags on its pillars. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Efnysien</span></span> shrewdly suspects treachery and disbelieves the Irish story these are bags of flour. He crushes the skull of each hidden warrior, singing after he does it. Later, at the feast, <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Efnysien</span></span> deliberately seeks to create discord. He throws his infant nephew <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwern</span></span> on the fire and kills him. Fighting breaks out and the Irish use the Cauldron to revive their dead. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Efnysien</span></span> hides among the corpses to get in the Cauldron, stretches and cracks it, dying as he does so. </p><p>The war had become a genocide. Five pregnant women survive to repopulate Ireland. Only Seven Survivors remained of the British host, besides <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Branwen</span></span>. One is <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Manawydan" title="Manawydan">Manawydan</a>, Branwen</span></span>'s other brother, and his good friend <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi. Brân</span></span>, mortally wounded by a poisoned spear, bids the survivors to cut off his head, and take it to bury at the White Tower in London. He prophesies his head will be their good companion and advise them, while they will sojourn for many years of idyllic feasting, first at <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Harlech" title="Harlech">Harlech</a></span></span> in <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Gwynedd" title="Gwynedd">Gwynedd</a></span></span>, then on the isle of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Grassholm" title="Grassholm">Gwales</a></span></span> in <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Dyfed</span></span>. But on arriving back in Britain, <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Branwen</span></span> dies of grief for the many who have died. </p><p><span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Brân</i></span> means 'raven'; <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy">Branwen</i></span> means 'white raven'; and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Efnysien</span></span> means 'trouble, strife'. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Third_Branch:_Manawydan,_son_of_Llŷr"><span id="Third_Branch:_Manawydan.2C_son_of_Ll.C5.B7r"></span>Third Branch: <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Manawydan</span></span>, son of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Llŷr</span></span></h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Third Branch: Manawydan, son of Llŷr"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Manawydan_fab_Ll%C5%B7r" title="Manawydan fab Llŷr">Manawydan fab Llŷr</a></div> <p><span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Pryderi" title="Pryderi">Pryderi</a></span></span> of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Dyfed</span></span> returns from the Irish War as one of its few survivors, to reunite with his mother <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Rhiannon</span></span>, and his wife <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Cigfa" title="Cigfa">Cigfa</a></span></span>. He brings with him his beloved war comrade, <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Manawydan" title="Manawydan">Manawydan</a></span></span>, the heir to the kingship of all Britain. But <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Manawydan</span></span>'s rights as heir to Britain have been usurped by <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Caswallon" class="mw-redirect" title="Caswallon">Caswallon</a></span></span>, and he does not want more war. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi</span></span> establishes him as the lord of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Dyfed</span></span>, including marriage to <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Rhiannon</span></span>, a union which both partners welcome. The four of them, <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi, Cigfa, Rhiannon</span></span> and her new husband <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Manawydan</span></span>, become very good friends indeed, and travel the land of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Dyfed</span></span> admiring how bountiful it is. </p><p>Together they sit the <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gorsedd Arberth</span></span>, as <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pwyll</span></span> once did. A clap of thunder, a bright light, and magical mist descend. Afterwards the land is devastated of all other life except wild animals. The four live by hunting, but after two years they want more, so they travel to England. In three towns in turn they craft saddles, shields and shoes of such quality that the local craftsmen cannot compete, so their envy becomes dangerous. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi</span></span> dislikes the lower class way of life, and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Manawydan</span></span> stops him from fighting their enemies. Instead <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Manawydan</span></span> insists on moving away. After three attempts like this, they return to <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Dyfed</span></span>. </p><p>Once more living as hunters <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi</span></span> and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Manawydan</span></span> follow a shining white boar to a strange castle. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi</span></span>, against <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Manawydan</span></span>'s advice, follows his hounds inside to become trapped there by a golden bowl. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Manawydan</span></span> waits, then reports to <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Rhiannon</span></span> who rebukes his failure to rescue his friend. But when she follows her son she too becomes trapped. Alone with <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Cigfa, Manawydan</span></span> reassures her he will respect her virtue. After another attempt in England as shoemakers, the pair return to <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Dyfed</span></span>, and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Manawydan</span></span> farms three fields of wheat next to <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gorsedd Arberth</span></span>. But his first field's harvest is cut down by thieves, and his second. He sits vigil at night, and sees a horde of mice eating the ripe corn. He catches a slow, fat one. Against <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Cigfa</span></span>'s protest he sets up a miniature gibbet to hang it as a thief. </p><p>A scholar, a priest and a bishop in turn offer him money if he will spare the mouse which he refuses. When asked what he wants for the mouse's life he first demands an explanation. The bishop tells him he is <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Llwyd</span></span>, friend of the wronged <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwawl</span></span>, the mouse is <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Llwyd</span></span>'s shapeshiften wife, and the devastation of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Dyfed</span></span> is to avenge <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwawl. Manawydan</span></span> bargains to release of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi</span></span> and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Rhiannon</span></span>, and the lifting of the curse on <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Dyfed</span></span>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Fourth_Branch:_Math,_son_of_Mathonwy"><span id="Fourth_Branch:_Math.2C_son_of_Mathonwy"></span>Fourth Branch: <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Math</span></span>, son of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Mathonwy</span></span></h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Fourth Branch: Math, son of Mathonwy"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Math_fab_Mathonwy_(branch)" title="Math fab Mathonwy (branch)">Math fab Mathonwy (branch)</a></div> <p><span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Gwynedd" title="Gwynedd">Gwynedd</a></span></span> in North Wales is ruled by the magician king <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Math_fab_Mathonwy" title="Math fab Mathonwy">Math fab Mathonwy</a></span></span>, whose feet must be held by a virgin at all times except while he is at war. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Math</span></span>'s nephew <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Gilfaethwy" title="Gilfaethwy">Gilfaethwy</a></span></span> is infatuated with <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Goewin" title="Goewin">Goewin</a></span></span>, the royal maiden foot-holder, so <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gilfaethwy</span></span>'s brother <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Gwydion" title="Gwydion">Gwydion</a></span></span> plots to aid him. He deceives <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi</span></span> of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Dyfed</span></span> with magical sham gifts of horses and dogs, in exchange for <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi</span></span>'s valuable swine, a gift from <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Annwfn. Dyfed</span></span> makes war in revenge, so <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Math</span></span> leaves <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Goewin</span></span> without his protection. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwydion</span></span> and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gilfaethwy</span></span> rape her, and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwydion</span></span> kills <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Pryderi</span></span> in single combat. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Math</span></span> marries <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Goewin</span></span> in compensation for her rape. He punishes the two brothers by shapeshifting them into animal pairs who must mate and bear young; first deer, then boars, then wolves. The sons they bear become <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Math</span></span>'s foster sons, and after three years the brothers are reconciled with <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Math</span></span>. </p><p><span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwydion</span></span> suggests his sister <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Arianrhod" title="Arianrhod">Arianrhod</a></span></span> as the new footholder. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Math</span></span> magically tests her virginity requiring her to step over his wand. She immediately gives birth to a son, <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Dylan_ail_Don" title="Dylan ail Don">Dylan ail Don</a></span></span>, who takes to the sea. She also drops a scrap of life which <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwydion</span></span> scoops up and incubates in a chest by his bed. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Arianrhod</span></span> is deeply shamed and angered so she utterly rejects the boy. She swears a doom upon him that he cannot have a name, nor warrior arms, unless she gives them to him. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwydion</span></span> tricks her into naming the boy <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Lleu_Llaw_Gyffes" title="Lleu Llaw Gyffes">Lleu Llaw Gyffes</a></span></span> (Bright Skillful Hand) by speaking to him, not knowing who he is as he is shapeshifted. More shapeshifting fakes a military attack so <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Arianrhod</span></span> gives them arms - dressing and arming <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Lleu</span></span> herself. </p><p><span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Arianrhod</span></span>'s third curse is <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Lleu</span></span> may not marry a human woman. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwydion</span></span> and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Math</span></span> construct a beautiful wife for him from <a href="/wiki/Oak" title="Oak">oak blossom</a>, <a href="/wiki/Genisteae" title="Genisteae">broom</a> flowers, and <a href="/wiki/Filipendula_ulmaria" title="Filipendula ulmaria">meadowsweet</a>, naming her <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Blodeuwedd" title="Blodeuwedd">Blodeuwedd</a></span></span> (Flower Face). But <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Blodeuwedd</span></span> and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Gronw_Pebr" title="Gronw Pebr">Gronw Pebr</a></span></span> fall deeply in love. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gronw</span></span> tells her to find out the secret of <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Lleu</span></span>'s protected life, which she does in the trust of her marriage bed. She begs <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Lleu</span></span> to explain so she can know how to protect him. The method is complicated, taking a year of almost impossible effort but <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gronw</span></span> completes it and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Lleu</span></span> falls to his spear, transforms into an eagle and departs. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Blodeuwedd</span></span> and <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gronw</span></span> then live together. </p><p><span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwydion</span></span> pursues a quest to find <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Lleu</span></span>, who far away in eagle form perches up a tree, dying. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwydion</span></span> tracks a sow which he finds eating maggots falling from <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Lleu</span></span>'s rotting body. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwydion</span></span> sings a magical <span title="Welsh-language text"><i lang="cy"><a href="/wiki/Englyn" title="Englyn">englyn</a></i></span> (poem) gradually bringing <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Lleu</span></span> back to humanity. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gronw</span></span> offers to compensate <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Lleu</span></span>; but <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Lleu</span></span> insists on returning the blow as it was struck against him. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gronw</span></span> is cowardly and attempts to evade it using a stone shield. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Lleu</span></span> kills <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gronw</span></span> with his spear, which pierces him through the stone. <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Gwydion</span></span> punishes <span title="Welsh-language text"><span lang="cy" style="font-style: normal;">Blodeuwedd</span></span> by transforming her into an owl, a pariah among birds. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Locations">Locations</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Locations"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Some of the locations mentioned in the text have been identified in reality. Many are associated with <a href="/wiki/Narberth,_Pembrokeshire" title="Narberth, Pembrokeshire">Arberth</a> and the surrounding district. Some have not been identified and may be methodological or in need of further archeological and historical discoveries (ex. Caer Dathyl).<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Mabinogion" title="Mabinogion">Mabinogion</a>, a larger collection of British/Welsh medieval literary tales</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.gwales.com/goto/biblio/en/9781854115898/">"New Stories from the Mabinogion: Bird, Blood, Snow"</a>. <i>GWales</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">22 January</span> 2025</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=GWales&rft.atitle=New+Stories+from+the+Mabinogion%3A+Bird%2C+Blood%2C+Snow&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gwales.com%2Fgoto%2Fbiblio%2Fen%2F9781854115898%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFour+Branches+of+the+Mabinogi" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFLupton2018" class="citation book cs1">Lupton, Hugh (2018). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=JjOWtAEACAAJ"><i>The Assembly of the Severed Head</i></a>. Propolis Books. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-9929460-5-0" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-9929460-5-0"><bdi>978-0-9929460-5-0</bdi></a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">22 January</span> 2025</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Assembly+of+the+Severed+Head&rft.pub=Propolis+Books&rft.date=2018&rft.isbn=978-0-9929460-5-0&rft.aulast=Lupton&rft.aufirst=Hugh&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DJjOWtAEACAAJ&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFour+Branches+of+the+Mabinogi" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Bollard, John Kenneth. 1974. <i>The Structure of the Four Branches of the Mabinogi</i>. Trans. of the Hon. Soc. of Cymmrodorion, 250–76.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">S Davies trans, <i>Mabinogion</i> (Oxford 2007) p. 239</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFAnwyl1901" class="citation journal cs1">Anwyl, E. (1901). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/zcph.1901.3.1.123/html">"The Four Branches of the Mabinogi"</a>. <i>Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie</i>. <b>3</b> (1). <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1515%2Fzcph.1901.3.1.123">10.1515/zcph.1901.3.1.123</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0084-5302">0084-5302</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Zeitschrift+f%C3%BCr+celtische+Philologie&rft.atitle=The+Four+Branches+of+the+Mabinogi&rft.volume=3&rft.issue=1&rft.date=1901&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1515%2Fzcph.1901.3.1.123&rft.issn=0084-5302&rft.aulast=Anwyl&rft.aufirst=E.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.degruyter.com%2Fdocument%2Fdoi%2F10.1515%2Fzcph.1901.3.1.123%2Fhtml&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AFour+Branches+of+the+Mabinogi" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Resources">Resources</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Resources"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1;min-width:0}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1237033735">@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox{display:none!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}</style><div class="side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Wikisource-logo.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/40px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="38" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/60px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/120px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="410" data-file-height="430" /></a></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist"><a href="/wiki/Wikisource" title="Wikisource">Wikisource</a> has original text related to this article: <div style="margin-left: 10px;"><b><a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Mabinogion" class="extiw" title="wikisource:Mabinogion">Mabinogion</a></b></div></div></div> </div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Introductory">Introductory</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Introductory"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>ONLINE - FREE translation in English, a page for each Branch, by <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.mabinogi.net/translations.htm">Will Parker</a>. Includes footnotes.</li> <li>BOOK John Bollard's edition in English, 'Legend and Landscape of Wales: The Mabinogi' 2007. Illustrated with photographs of the sites in the tales. (See Translations)</li> <li>BOOK Sioned Davies translation 'The Mabinogion' 2008. (See Translations)</li> <li>VIDEO Cybi. (1996) <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.valleystream.co.uk/mabinogion-tube.html">The Mabinogion.</a></i> Partly free on YouTube, fuller version of the retelling on DVD, by Cybi the laughing monk. Valley Stream.</li> <li>RECORDING Jones, Colin. 2008. “<i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20141216020251/http://themabinogion.com/album/mabinogion-the-four-branches">Mabinogion, the Four Branches</a>.</i>” Recordings of the Guest text, with background music. The first episode is free on the site.</li> <li>Ifor Williams, 'Pedeir Keinc y Mabinogi, Allan o Lyfr Gwyn Rhydderch' 1930, 1951. In Welsh. Scanned at <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/celt/mcymr/pkm/pkm.htm">online</a>.</li> <li>Tales from the Mabinogion, trans. Gwyn Thomas. Illustrated by Margaret Jones. 2006.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Key_resources_for_study">Key resources for study</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Key resources for study"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Morgain, Shan. (2013) <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.zotero.org/groups/mabinogistudy/items">The Mabinogi Bibliography</a>.</i> Comprehensive annotated bibliography, searchable on tags; can derive citations. Includes much material on the wider Mabinogion, and some background context e.g. history, language.</li> <li>Parker, Will. (2002) “<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.mabinogi.net/bibliog_essay.htm">Bibliographic Essay</a>. The Four Branches of the Mabinogi, A Medieval Celtic Text; English Language Scholarship 1795-1997.” Mabinogi.net. A survey of Mabinogi scholarship from the 19thC to the end of the 20thC.</li> <li>Parker, Will. (2003) <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.mabinogi.net">Annotated translation of the Four Branches</a>. Mabinogi.net.</i> Translations made for his book (Parker, Will. (2005) <i>The Four Branches of the Mabinogi</i>. Dublin: Bardic Press. See www.mabinogi.net for Parker's articles.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Welsh_sources">Welsh sources</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Welsh sources"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>For the Welsh text in Middle Welsh spelling see Williams, Ifor. (1930, 1951). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/celt/mcymr/pkm/pkm.htm">Pedeir Keinc y Mabinogi</a>. Allan o Lyfr Gwyn Rhydderch. CUP. Classic text for modern students, and Welsh speakers, based on all the surviving MSS. This was the first modern use of the title <i>Pedair Keinc y Mabinogi</i>. </p><p>For the Welsh text in modernised spelling see J. M. Edwards, <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/mabinogionolyfr00edwa">Mabinogion (o Lyfr Coch Hergest)</a>: Pwyll, Pendefig Dyfed, Branwen Ferch Llyr, Manawyddan fab Llyr, Math fab Mathonwy</i> (Wrecsam: Hughes A'i Fab, 1921) </p><p>The Four Branches are edited individually in Middle Welsh with English glossary and notes as follows: </p> <ul><li>First Branch: R. L. Thomson, <i>Pwyll Pendeuic Dyuet</i>. Dublin: <a href="/wiki/Dublin_Institute_for_Advanced_Studies" title="Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies">Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies</a>, 1957.</li> <li>Second Branch: D. S. Thomson, <i>Branwen Uerch Lyr</i>. Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1976.</li> <li>Third Branch: Patrick K. Ford, <i>Manawydan uab Llyr</i>. Belmont, Mass.: Ford and Bailie, 2000.</li> <li>Fourth Branch: Patrick K. Ford, <i>Math uab Mathonwy</i>. Belmont, Mass.: Ford and Bailie, 1999.</li> <li>For the <b>Middle Welsh</b> text closely copied from the mediaeval manuscripts (diplomatic editions) see: Rhys, John; and Evans, John Gwenogvryn. 1907,1973, 2010. The White Book of the Mabinogion: Welsh Tales and Romances Reproduced from the Peniarth Manuscripts. Series of Welsh Texts 7. Pwllheli. Also Evans transcript of the Llyfr Coch 1887.</li></ul> <p><b>The three mediaeval manuscripts</b> which have survived into modern times, were scribed in the 13th and 14th centuries, later than the compilation period of the work in the 11th century. The text in all three does not greatly differ, but it is thought that they are not copies of each other, but of lost earlier originals. The oldest is only a fragment; <b>Peniarth 6</b>, c. 1225; containing parts of the Second and Third Branches. The other two are named by the colour of their covers: <i>LLyfr Gwyn</i> ("White Book") and <i>Llyfr Coch</i> ("Red Book"). </p><p>The oldest complete version is the "<a href="/wiki/White_Book_of_Rhydderch" title="White Book of Rhydderch">White Book of Rhydderch</a>" (<i>Llyfr Gwyn Rhydderch</i>), one of the <a href="/wiki/Peniarth_Manuscripts" title="Peniarth Manuscripts">Peniarth Manuscripts</a>. It was scribed c. 1350 by five different writers, probably commissioned by <a href="/wiki/Ieuan_ab_Rhydderch_ab_Ieuan_Llwyd" class="mw-redirect" title="Ieuan ab Rhydderch ab Ieuan Llwyd">Ieuan ab Rhydderch ab Ieuan Llwyd</a> near <a href="/wiki/Ceredigion" title="Ceredigion">Ceredigion</a>. It was then copied and studied by various Welsh scholars. About 1658, it was acquired by the antiquary <a href="/wiki/Robert_Vaughan_(antiquary)" title="Robert Vaughan (antiquary)">Robert Vaughan</a> and preserved in his famous library of Hengwrt near <a href="/wiki/Dolgellau" title="Dolgellau">Dolgellau</a>, <a href="/wiki/Gwynedd" title="Gwynedd">Gwynedd</a>. In 1859 it was passed to the Peniarth library by <a href="/wiki/William_Watkin_Edward_Wynne" title="William Watkin Edward Wynne">William Watkin Edward Wynne</a>. Finally, John Williams presented it to the <a href="/wiki/National_Library_of_Wales" title="National Library of Wales">National Library of Wales</a> in 1904, where it can be viewed today in two volumes. </p><p>The second complete version which has survived is the "<a href="/wiki/Red_Book_of_Hergest" title="Red Book of Hergest">Red Book of Hergest</a>" (<i>Llyfr Coch Hergest</i>). The scribing was c. 1382–1410, in a time of unrest culminating in <a href="/wiki/Owain_Glynd%C5%B5r" title="Owain Glyndŵr">Owain Glyndŵr</a>'s uprising. The scribe has been identified as Hywel Fychan fab Hywel Goch of <a href="/wiki/Buellt" title="Buellt">Buellt</a>, who worked for Hopcyn ap Tomas ab Einion (fl. 1337–1408) near <a href="/wiki/Swansea" title="Swansea">Swansea</a>. The Hopcyn library changed hands due to war and politics several times, with owners including the Vaughans of Hergest. The MS. wandered on, sometimes slightly dubiously via 'borrowing'. <a href="/wiki/Edward_Lhuyd" title="Edward Lhuyd">Edward Lhuyd</a> is one of many who copied it to study. In 1701 it was donated to Jesus College Oxford where it remains today. Here it was copied by the young <a href="/wiki/Ioan_Tegid" title="Ioan Tegid">Ioan Tegid</a> when a student at <a href="/wiki/University_of_Oxford" title="University of Oxford">University of Oxford</a> c. 1815-17 for <a href="/wiki/Charles_Bosanquet" title="Charles Bosanquet">Charles Bosanquet</a>. Later Tegid, as a senior bard and scholar, assisted <a href="/wiki/Lady_Charlotte_Guest" title="Lady Charlotte Guest">Lady Charlotte Guest</a> in her bilingual publication series, <i>The <a href="/wiki/Mabinogion" title="Mabinogion">Mabinogion</a></i>, which brought the tales to the modern world. Her volume containing the Mabinogi was published in 1845, and her work is still popular today. </p><p><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.llgc.org.uk/en/visit/things-to-do/exhibitions0/previous-exhibitions/4-books-welsh-icons-united/"><i>Welsh Icons United</i></a> a 2014 exhibition at the National Library of Wales, guested the Llyfr Coch, the Red Book, as part of its display; thus bringing the two main Mabinogi MSS. under one roof for the first time. (12 October – 15 March 2014) </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Translations_into_English">Translations into English</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Translations into English"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Pughe, William Owen. 1795. “<i>The Mabinogion, or Juvenile Amusements, Being Ancient Welsh Romances</i>.” Cambrian Register, 177–87. First publication, and English trans. of the first story in the First Branch. Also: Pughe, William Owen. 1829. “<i>The Mabinogi: Or, the Romance of Math Ab Mathonwy</i>.” The Cambrian Quarterly Magazine and Celtic Repository 1: 170–79. English trans. of the First Branch.</li> <li>Guest, Charlotte; aka Charlotte Schreiber, trans. and editor. <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=5160">The Mabinogion</a></i>. (1845 part of a series, bilingual; 1849 part of 3 vols bilingual; 1877 one vol. English only.) Llandovery, Wales; and London; simultaneously. Guest's trans. continue to introduce many to the stories today in her characteristically flowing style.</li> <li>Ellis, Thomas Peter., and Lloyd, John; trans. (1929) <i>The Mabinogion: A New Translation by T.P. Ellis and John Lloyd</i>. Oxford: Clarendon Press. An accurate and useful edition for students.</li> <li>Jones, Gwyn and Thomas Jones; trans. (1949) <i>The Mabinogion.</i> Everyman's Library, 1949; revised 1974, 1989, 1993. The first major edition to supplant Guest. <ul><li>2001 Edition, (Preface by John Updike), <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-375-41175-5" title="Special:BookSources/0-375-41175-5">0-375-41175-5</a>.</li></ul></li> <li>Gantz, Jeffrey; trans. (1976) <i>The Mabinogion.</i> London and New York: Penguin Books. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-14-044322-3" title="Special:BookSources/0-14-044322-3">0-14-044322-3</a>. A popular edition for many years, still very readable pocket edition.</li> <li>Ford, Patrick K. ; trans. (1977)<i>The Mabinogi and Other Medieval Welsh Tales</i>. Berkeley: University of California Press. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-520-03414-7" title="Special:BookSources/0-520-03414-7">0-520-03414-7</a>. Focuses on the native tales of the Mabinogion, including the Mabinogi.</li> <li>Parker, Will. 2003. “<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.mabinogi.net/translations.htm">Mabinogi Translations</a>." Very useful free online resource for instant access, and quick checks.</li> <li>Bollard, John K. trans, and Griffiths, Anthony; photog. (2006) <i>The Mabinogi: Legend and Landscape of Wales</i>. Gomer Press, Llandysul. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-84323-348-7" title="Special:BookSources/1-84323-348-7">1-84323-348-7</a>. An excellent introduction, clear, beautifully designed, with photographs of the Mabinogi sites today.</li> <li>Davies, Sioned. (2007) <i>The Mabinogion</i>. Oxford: Oxford University Press. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-283242-5" title="Special:BookSources/0-19-283242-5">0-19-283242-5</a>. A modern edition in practical format, backed by solid scholarship.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien" title="J. R. R. Tolkien">J. R. R. Tolkien</a> began work on a translation of <i>Pwyll Prince of Dyfed</i>. His translation is held at the <a href="/wiki/Bodleian_Library" title="Bodleian Library">Bodleian Library</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Modern_interpretations">Modern interpretations</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Modern interpretations"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Evangeline_Walton" title="Evangeline Walton">Walton, Evangeline</a>. "The Mabinogion Tetralogy." Prose retelling. "<i>The Island of the Mighty</i>" 1970, first publ. as "The Virgin and the Swine" 1936; "<i>The Children of Llyr</i>" 1971; "<i>The Song of Rhiannon</i>" 1972; "<i>Prince of Annwn</i>" 1974. As a tetralogy New York: Ballantine Books. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-58567-504-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-58567-504-3">978-1-58567-504-3</a>.</li> <li>Cybi. (1996) <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.valleystream.co.uk/mabinogion-tube.html">The Mabinogion.</a></i> Partly free on YouTube and a fuller version of the retelling on DVD, by Cybi the laughing monk. Valley Stream. A lovely intro.</li> <li>Hayes, Derek W. (2007). <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20141112151942/http://www.s4c.co.uk/otherworld/">Otherworld</a>.</i> S4C / BBC Wales. Animation and video with leading musicians and actors, using cutting edge CGI tech. of the time, an impressive work. See artwork on the site.</li> <li>Arberth Studios. (2008) <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rhiannon-Curse-The-Four-Branches/dp/B001GG7DSO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409620394&sr=8-1&keywords=rhiannon">Rhiannon: Curse Of The Four Branches</a></i> (PC DVD). Not very closely based, more loosely inspired.</li> <li>Eames, Manon. (2008) <i>Magnificent Myths of the Mabinogi</i>. Stage performance of the full <i>Mabinogi</i>, in Aberystwyth. Staged in a slightly abridged version by Jill Williams at the Pontardawe Arts Centre, 2009. Each was performed by youth theatre.</li> <li>Jones, Colin. 2008. <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20141216020251/http://themabinogion.com/album/mabinogion-the-four-branches">Mabinogion, the Four Branches</a>.</i> Recordings of the Guest text, with atmospheric background music. The first episode is free on the site.</li> <li>In 2009 Seren Books began publishing a radical new interpretation of the tales, as a series, setting them in modern times and in different countries. The series completed 2014. See <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.serenbooks.com/news/stories-from-the-mabinogion-grand-finale-london-launch">here</a>.</li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Damh_the_Bard_(musician)&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Damh the Bard (musician) (page does not exist)">Damh the Bard</a> has released three albums retelling the first three branches in a combination of song and spoken word with accompaniment. "Y Mabinogi - The First Branch" (2017), "Y Mabinogi - The Second Branch" (2018), "Y Mabinogi - The Third Branch" (2020). As of 2024, the final album is forthcoming. See <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.paganmusic.co.uk/discography/">here</a>.</li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist 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class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background:#c1e6c1;;background:#90db90;"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Welsh_mythology" title="Template:Welsh mythology"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Welsh_mythology" title="Template talk:Welsh mythology"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Welsh_mythology" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Welsh mythology"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Celtic_mythology_series116" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Celtic_mythology" title="Celtic mythology">Celtic mythology</a> series</div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="background:#c1e6c1;"><div><b><a href="/wiki/Welsh_mythology" title="Welsh mythology">Welsh mythology</a></b></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#c1e6c1;;width:1%">Texts and tales</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#c1e6c1;;width:1%"><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Four Branches of the <i>Mabinogi</i></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Pwyll_Pendefig_Dyfed" title="Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed">Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Branwen_ferch_Ll%C5%B7r" title="Branwen ferch Llŷr">Branwen ferch Llŷr</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Manawydan_fab_Ll%C5%B7r" title="Manawydan fab Llŷr">Manawydan fab Llŷr</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Math_fab_Mathonwy_(branch)" title="Math fab Mathonwy (branch)">Math fab Mathonwy</a></i></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#c1e6c1;;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Matter_of_Britain" title="Matter of Britain">Arthurian</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Culhwch_and_Olwen" title="Culhwch and Olwen">Culhwch and Olwen</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Preiddeu_Annwfn" title="Preiddeu Annwfn">Preiddeu Annwfn</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Pa_gur" title="Pa gur">Pa gur</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Three_Welsh_Romances#Owain,_or_the_Lady_of_the_Fountain" title="Three Welsh Romances">Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Three_Welsh_Romances#Geraint_and_Enid" title="Three Welsh Romances">Geraint and Enid</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Peredur_son_of_Efrawg" title="Peredur son of Efrawg">Peredur son of Efrawg</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Dream_of_Rhonabwy" title="The Dream of Rhonabwy">The Dream of Rhonabwy</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Geraint_son_of_Erbin" title="Geraint son of Erbin">Geraint son of Erbin</a></i></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#c1e6c1;;width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Taliesin" title="Taliesin">Taliesin</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Cad_Goddeu" title="Cad Goddeu">Cad Goddeu</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Welsh_Triads" title="Welsh Triads">Welsh Triads</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Welsh_mythology#The_Dream_of_Macsen_Wledig" title="Welsh mythology">The Dream of Macsen Wledig</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Englynion_y_Beddau" title="Englynion y Beddau">Englynion y Beddau</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Giants_(Welsh_folklore)" title="Giants (Welsh folklore)">Giant tales</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Lludd_and_Llefelys" title="Lludd and Llefelys">Lludd and Llefelys</a></i></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#c1e6c1;;width:1%">Characters</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Afaon_fab_Taliesin" title="Afaon fab Taliesin">Afaon fab Taliesin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Amaethon" title="Amaethon">Amaethon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Arawn" title="Arawn">Arawn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Arianrhod" title="Arianrhod">Arianrhod</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/King_Arthur" title="King Arthur">Arthur</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Afallach" title="Afallach">Afallach</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Beli_Mawr" title="Beli Mawr">Beli Mawr</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bleiddwn" title="Bleiddwn">Bleiddwn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Blodeuwedd" title="Blodeuwedd">Blodeuwedd</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bedivere" title="Bedivere">Bedwyr</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Br%C3%A2n_the_Blessed" title="Brân the Blessed">Bendigeidfran</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Branwen" title="Branwen">Branwen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sir_Kay" title="Sir Kay">Cai</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Caradog_ap_Bran" title="Caradog ap Bran">Caradog ap Bran</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cassivellaunus" title="Cassivellaunus">Caswallawn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ceridwen" title="Ceridwen">Ceridwen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cigfa" title="Cigfa">Cigfa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Creiddylad" title="Creiddylad">Creiddylad</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Culhwch" title="Culhwch">Culhwch</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cyhyraeth" title="Cyhyraeth">Cyhyraeth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cyledr_Wyllt" title="Cyledr Wyllt">Cyledr Wyllt</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cymidei_Cymeinfoll" title="Cymidei Cymeinfoll">Cymidei Cymeinfoll</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cynon_ap_Clydno" title="Cynon ap Clydno">Cynon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/D%C3%B4n" title="Dôn">Dôn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Drudwas_ap_Tryffin" title="Drudwas ap Tryffin">Drudwas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dylan_ail_Don" title="Dylan ail Don">Dylan ail Don</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dywel_fab_Erbin" title="Dywel fab Erbin">Dywel fab Erbin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Edern_ap_Nudd" title="Edern ap Nudd">Edern ap Nudd</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Efnysien" title="Efnysien">Efnysien</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Saint_Elen" title="Saint Elen">Elen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Elffin_ap_Gwyddno" title="Elffin ap Gwyddno">Elffin ap Gwyddno</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eliwlod" title="Eliwlod">Eliwlod</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eufydd_fab_D%C3%B4n" title="Eufydd fab Dôn">Eufydd</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Euroswydd" title="Euroswydd">Euroswydd</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Geraint" title="Geraint">Geraint</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gilfaethwy" title="Gilfaethwy">Gilfaethwy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Glewlwyd_Gafaelfawr" title="Glewlwyd Gafaelfawr">Glewlwyd Gafaelfawr</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Goewin" title="Goewin">Goewin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gofannon" title="Gofannon">Gofannon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Goreu_fab_Custennin" title="Goreu fab Custennin">Goreu fab Custennin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gronw_Pebr" title="Gronw Pebr">Gronw Pebr</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gwawl" title="Gwawl">Gwawl</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gwern" title="Gwern">Gwern</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gwrhyr_Gwalstawd_Ieithoedd" title="Gwrhyr Gwalstawd Ieithoedd">Gwrhyr</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gwyddno_Garanhir" title="Gwyddno Garanhir">Gwyddno Garanhir</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gwydion" title="Gwydion">Gwydion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gwyn_ap_Nudd" title="Gwyn ap Nudd">Gwyn ap Nudd</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gwythyr_ap_Greidawl" title="Gwythyr ap Greidawl">Gwythyr</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gawain" title="Gawain">Gwalchmei</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hafgan" title="Hafgan">Hafgan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hefeydd" title="Hefeydd">Hefeydd</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hueil_mab_Caw" title="Hueil mab Caw">Hueil mab Caw</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hychddwn" title="Hychddwn">Hychddwn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hyddwn" title="Hyddwn">Hyddwn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Iddog_ap_Mynio" title="Iddog ap Mynio">Iddog ap Mynio</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Idris_Gawr" title="Idris Gawr">Idris</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Llefelys" title="Llefelys">Llefelys</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lleu_Llaw_Gyffes" title="Lleu Llaw Gyffes">Lleu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ll%C5%B7r" title="Llŷr">Llŷr</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lludd_Llaw_Eraint" title="Lludd Llaw Eraint">Lludd</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Llwyd_ap_Cil_Coed" title="Llwyd ap Cil Coed">Llwyd</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mabon_ap_Modron" title="Mabon ap Modron">Mabon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Madoc_ap_Uthyr" title="Madoc ap Uthyr">Madoc ap Uthyr</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Magnus_Maximus" title="Magnus Maximus">Macsen Wledig</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mallt-y-Nos" title="Mallt-y-Nos">Mallt-y-Nos</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Manawydan" title="Manawydan">Manawydan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Math_fab_Mathonwy" title="Math fab Mathonwy">Math</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Matholwch" title="Matholwch">Matholwch</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Menw" title="Menw">Menw</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Modron" title="Modron">Modron</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Morfydd" title="Morfydd">Morfydd</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Morfran" title="Morfran">Morfran</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Merlin" title="Merlin">Myrddin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nisien" title="Nisien">Nisien</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Olwen" title="Olwen">Olwen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Penarddun" title="Penarddun">Penarddun</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Penpingion" class="mw-redirect" title="Penpingion">Penpingion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Peredur" title="Peredur">Peredur</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pryderi" title="Pryderi">Pryderi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pwyll" title="Pwyll">Pwyll</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rhiannon" title="Rhiannon">Rhiannon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Saint_Cyllin" class="mw-redirect" title="Saint Cyllin">Saint Cyllin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Saint_Eigen" title="Saint Eigen">Saint Eigen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sanddef" title="Sanddef">Sanddef</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Seithenyn" title="Seithenyn">Seithenyn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Taliesin" title="Taliesin">Taliesin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tegid_Foel" title="Tegid Foel">Tegid Foel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Teyrnon" title="Teyrnon">Teyrnon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ysbaddaden" title="Ysbaddaden">Ysbaddaden</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#c1e6c1;;width:1%">Animals and<br />creatures</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Adar_Llwch_Gwin" title="Adar Llwch Gwin">Adar Llwch Gwin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Adar_Rhiannon" title="Adar Rhiannon">Adar Rhiannon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aderyn_y_Corff" title="Aderyn y Corff">Aderyn y Corff</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Afanc" title="Afanc">Afanc</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brenin_Llwyd" title="Brenin Llwyd">Brenin Llwyd</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cavall" title="Cavall">Cavall (Cafall, Cabal)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ceffyl_D%C5%B5r" title="Ceffyl Dŵr">Ceffyl Dŵr</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Giants_(Welsh_folklore)" title="Giants (Welsh folklore)">Cewri</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Coblyn" title="Coblyn">Coblyn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Coraniaid" title="Coraniaid">Coraniaid</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/C%C5%B5n_Annwn" title="Cŵn Annwn">Cŵn Annwn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cyhyraeth" title="Cyhyraeth">Cyhyraeth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dragon" title="Dragon">Dreigiau</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Welsh_Dragon" title="Welsh Dragon">Red</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/White_dragon" title="White dragon">White</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gwragedd_Annwn" title="Gwragedd Annwn">Gwragedd Annwn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gwyllgi" title="Gwyllgi">Gwyllgi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gwyllion" title="Gwyllion">Gwyllion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Llamhigyn_y_D%C5%B5r" title="Llamhigyn y Dŵr">Llamhigyn y Dŵr</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Morgen_(mythological_creature)" title="Morgen (mythological creature)">Morgens</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Changeling#Wales" title="Changeling">Plentyn Newid</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/P%C3%BAca" title="Púca">Pwca</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Twrch_Trwyth" title="Twrch Trwyth">Twrch Trwyth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tylwyth_Teg" title="Tylwyth Teg">Tylwyth Teg</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#c1e6c1;;width:1%">Locations</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Annwn" title="Annwn">Annwn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cornwall" title="Cornwall">Cornwall</a> (<a href="/wiki/Celliwig" title="Celliwig">Celliwig</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Caer_Sidi" title="Caer Sidi">Caer Sidi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cantre%27r_Gwaelod" title="Cantre'r Gwaelod">Cantre'r Gwaelod</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dyfed" title="Dyfed">Dyfed</a> (<a href="/wiki/Narberth,_Pembrokeshire" title="Narberth, Pembrokeshire">Arberth</a>, <a href="/wiki/Grassholm" title="Grassholm">Gwales</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gwynedd" title="Gwynedd">Gwynedd</a> (<a href="/wiki/Aberffraw" title="Aberffraw">Aberffraw</a>, <a href="/wiki/Cantref_Arfon" class="mw-redirect" title="Cantref Arfon">Arfon</a>, <a href="/wiki/Ardudwy" title="Ardudwy">Ardudwy</a>, <a href="/wiki/Caer_Dathyl" class="mw-redirect" title="Caer Dathyl">Caer Dathyl</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ireland" title="Ireland">Ireland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/London" title="London">London</a> (<a href="/wiki/Ludgate" title="Ludgate">Ludgate</a>)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="background:#c1e6c1;;width:1%">Items</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cross_of_Neith" title="Cross of Neith">Cross of Neith</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Excalibur" title="Excalibur">Excalibur</a> (Caledfwlch)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pair_Dadeni" title="Pair Dadeni">Cauldron of rebirth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Llech_Ronw" title="Llech Ronw">Llech Ronw</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thirteen_Treasures_of_the_Island_of_Britain" title="Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain">Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Carl Phelpstead, <i>Tolkien and Wales: Language, Literature and Identity</i>, pp60</span> </li> </ol></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=desktop&type=1x1&usesul3=0" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&oldid=1271615489">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Four_Branches_of_the_Mabinogi&oldid=1271615489</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a 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