Magnificent Mabinogi: Stories and translations

Dr Shân Morgain

The Mabinogi is first and foremost Storytelling so this week glimpses the tales themselves.

FIRST BRANCH

Pwyll lord of ancient Dyfed (SW Wales) makes grand alliance with the fabled King of Annwfn. They shapechange identities so Pwyll can vanquish the King’s enemy – and sleep with the Queen (only he doesn’t). He returns  a famous hero to Dyfed.

Next Pwyll accepts the challenge of Gorsedd Arberth, desiring to ‘see a marvel’. He does. She rides past glowing gold on her pale-white, magnificent horse. Three days effort cannot reach her, until Pwyll simply begs her to stop. Who chased who? Rhiannon explains she came to marry him. Pwyll delightedly consents, including to free her from Gwawl, her existing betrothed.

Rhiannon’s advice

A merry wedding feast begins. Gwawl an unknown to Pwyll , sashays in asking a gift. Yes, says merry Pwyll, so Rhiannon is given away. She saves their honour by cunning advice. Gwawl is tricked into her ‘little’ bag, beaten till he relinquishes her.

‘Where is my boy?’

She wakes, face and hands bloody, her newborn son disappeared. Her terrified Maids have concealed their sleepy failure to guard, saying Rhiannon killed and ate her own child. No defence witness exists.

Pwyll protects her as far as he can, decreeing seven years’ penance. At the gates of Arberth, she retells her crime to travellers and offers herself as a horse. Meanwhile Teyrnon in Gwent rescues a wonder child and years later realises who he is.

Good Teyrnon returns the boy to Dyfed. Pryderi grows up a perfect prince to succeed his father.

SECOND BRANCH

The King of Britain Bendigeidfran marries his sister Branwen to the King of Ireland. But their half-brother colossally insults the Irish by slashing all their horses. Bendigeidfran pays hefty compensation including the ghastly Cauldron. But Ireland is unsatisfied.

Branwen is enslaved in the kitchens, struck daily on her face. Resourcefully she trains a starling to fly to Britain appealing for rescue. Bendigeidfran arrives with the princes of Britain including Pryderi. Branwen peaceweaves. The half-brother chucks her little son in the fire to die.

Peace negotiations erupt into total war. The Cauldron revives Irish dead as zombies, causing genocidal massacre. Bendigeidfran transcends death, sending his cheerful head to London to defend Britain forever. That done Pryderi and best friend Manawydan stay many years entranced by the Birds of Rhiannon.

THIRD BRANCH

Pryderi arrives home to Dyfed and his wife, bringing grieving Manawydan who has lost absolutely everything. Pryderi generously arranges marriage to widow Rhiannon, granting rule of the older part of Dyfed.

The family is happy in their abundant land. But the ghastly Desolation of Dyfed strips away all other humans, the herds and flocks. Survival by hunting becomes miserable. Manawydan leads exile to business projects in English towns. Their success brings envious plots of murder. Manawydan insists they flee to Dyfed.

Pryderi and Manawydan

They hunt a strange white boar to a raw, stone tower. Manawydan begins to understand. Pryderi seeks his dogs inside, becoming trapped by a cosmic golden bowl. Rhiannon fiercely rebukes Manawydan’s inaction, rushing to the rescue. She too becomes imprisoned.

Mice!

Manawydan’s wheat crofts are plundered by hordes of mice. Catching a fat, pregnant one, Manawydan vows to hang it on a mini-gibbet. Student, priest and bishop each beg for mercy, but Manawydan refuses, until the so-called bishop explains.

The mice are shapechanged warriors, the pregnant one his, Llwyd’s, pretty wife. To save her, he releases Rhiannon and Pryderi, and dissolves the Desolation. He is Gwawl’s friend, avenging Rhiannon’s plot years ago.

FOURTH BRANCH

Gwydion of Gwynedd tricks Pryderi to doom and death, pitching Dyfed into war. His successful purpose is one rape. A new virgin is needed for Lord Math. Gwydion’s sister is exposed as pregnant.

Shamed, furious, Arianrhod fleeing, drops ‘something’. Gwydion scoops it, nurtures it, raises foster son Lleu. Arianrhod angrily denies his rights.

Flower Face

Gwydion and Math construct a false woman from flowers for Lleu. She betrays him with a lover, plotting Lleu’s death (a ridiculous concoction). Gwydion tracks dying Lleu, saves him, and avenges his honour.

ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

Charlotte GUEST Graceful classic Mabinogion (1840s), illustrated. Respected scholarly notes, but quaint. FREE online

Patrick K. FORD Welsh Tales, lots of explanation, attractive to mythology buffs. Lots more known 50 years later. Kindle available £5.22

Sioned DAVIES Mabinogion From study of original, spoken/ oral style. Brief wording, brief notes, crying out for an audiobook, less rich for reading. £4.99

Will PARKER FREE online, good, quick check or read. Blends several respected translations.

John K. BOLLARD FREE PDF download. My constant favourite Landscapes of the Mabinogi, simply the best introduction and explanations – apart from mine. Gorgeous photographs of Mabinogi places. Out of print sadly but never mind – get the PDF.

Next week: Mabinogion and other howlers.

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TOP ILLUSTRATION: composite by Shân Morgain (2024). Images from book covers recommended above.

FOR HARD COPY BOOKS Bookfinder.com surveys used/ new prices, adding in postage to your location.

Modern Welsh version Dafydd Evans, Rhiannon Ifans, eds. 1980, 2001. Y Mabinogi (Gomer Press) but rare and costly. Use libraries.

‘Magnificent Mabinogi’ title first used by the playwright director Manon Eames for her famous staging, Aberystwyth Arts 2008; used with her permission.