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| ~~NOTOC~~ | ~~NOTOC~~ | ||
| ====== The Mabinogi Stories ====== | ====== The Mabinogi Stories ====== | ||
| - | The Mabinogi is made up of four Branches which tell the stories of three Kindreds. This page is a summary of all Four Branches. | + | The Mabinogi is made up of four Branches which tell the stories of three Kindreds. This page is a retelling, a summary of all Four Branches. |
| {{:1home_branch.png?150 |}}**Go down to** First Branch: **//[[stories#the_first_branchpwyll|Pwyll]]//**\\ | {{:1home_branch.png?150 |}}**Go down to** First Branch: **//[[stories#the_first_branchpwyll|Pwyll]]//**\\ | ||
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| ===== The Second Branch: BRANWEN ===== | ===== The Second Branch: BRANWEN ===== | ||
| - | **Branwen's Blow**\\ | + | **Branwen's Blows**\\ |
| The king of Britain, Bendigeidfran has a beautiful sister, Branwem, the highest lady in Britain. They also have a brother Manawydan, and two half brothers by another mother. The King of Ireland arrives in thirteen ships at Bendigeidfran's court at Harlech rock, asking for alliance by marriage with Branwen. After feasting British and Irish together, the Council of Britain agreed that Branwen Lady of Britain and Matholwuch King of Ireland would be married.\\ | The king of Britain, Bendigeidfran has a beautiful sister, Branwem, the highest lady in Britain. They also have a brother Manawydan, and two half brothers by another mother. The King of Ireland arrives in thirteen ships at Bendigeidfran's court at Harlech rock, asking for alliance by marriage with Branwen. After feasting British and Irish together, the Council of Britain agreed that Branwen Lady of Britain and Matholwuch King of Ireland would be married.\\ | ||
| The wedding feast was held at Aberffraw in pavilion tents, for Bendigeidfran had never been contained in a house. All was well, Branwen and Matholwch slept together that night, and the feast continued.\\ | The wedding feast was held at Aberffraw in pavilion tents, for Bendigeidfran had never been contained in a house. All was well, Branwen and Matholwch slept together that night, and the feast continued.\\ | ||
| But Efnysien, one of Branwen's half brothers, was a quarrelsome man. He objected to his sister's wedding feeling that he had not been properly consulted. To show his anger at being insulted he mutilated Matholwch's fine horses most horribly, cutting their lips, ears, eyelids and tails.\\ | But Efnysien, one of Branwen's half brothers, was a quarrelsome man. He objected to his sister's wedding feeling that he had not been properly consulted. To show his anger at being insulted he mutilated Matholwch's fine horses most horribly, cutting their lips, ears, eyelids and tails.\\ | ||
| When Matholwch heard of it he was amazed that he had been given the peerless Branwen and then insulted. He left for his ships. However Bendigeidfran sent two noble messengers to overtake them who listened to Matholwch's anger. Bendigeidfran then sent his own brother Manawydan to offer the highest honour payment that can be paid: all the horses would be replaced and as well a silver rod, and a gold plate the size of a face. For Bendigeidfran wished it to be clear the insult was not his making.\\ | When Matholwch heard of it he was amazed that he had been given the peerless Branwen and then insulted. He left for his ships. However Bendigeidfran sent two noble messengers to overtake them who listened to Matholwch's anger. Bendigeidfran then sent his own brother Manawydan to offer the highest honour payment that can be paid: all the horses would be replaced and as well a silver rod, and a gold plate the size of a face. For Bendigeidfran wished it to be clear the insult was not his making.\\ | ||
| - | {{::caluldron2.jpg?200 |}} On his side Matholwch's Council felt that they would not get a better offer and to refuse would bring shame. So it was agreed and the two kings once more joined their companies in feasting. But Bendigeidfran felt Matholwch was not truly happy so he offered to add to the huge compensation already being paid. He gave Matholwch a Cauldron of enchantment which revived any dead man placed inside it, except he would be voiceless.\\ | + | {{::caluldron2.jpg?180 |}} On his side Matholwch's Council felt that they would not get a better offer and to refuse would bring shame. So it was agreed and the two kings once more joined their companies in feasting. But Bendigeidfran felt Matholwch was not truly happy so he offered to add to the huge compensation already being paid. He gave Matholwch a Cauldron of enchantment which revived any dead man placed inside it, except he would be voiceless.\\ |
| As the kings conversed Matholwch asked after the Cauldron's provenance and Bendigeidfran recounted the tale. It had come from Ireland with two refugees, Llassar and Cymidei, who fled the white hot Iron House. Matholwch gave their tale from Ireland. He himself had been sitting a hill by a lake, when an enormous, evil looking man with red blond hair came up from the water with a cauldron on his back. With him came his even more monstrous wife. They told the Irish king she would birth a boy who in sex weeks would be a fully armed warrior.\\ | As the kings conversed Matholwch asked after the Cauldron's provenance and Bendigeidfran recounted the tale. It had come from Ireland with two refugees, Llassar and Cymidei, who fled the white hot Iron House. Matholwch gave their tale from Ireland. He himself had been sitting a hill by a lake, when an enormous, evil looking man with red blond hair came up from the water with a cauldron on his back. With him came his even more monstrous wife. They told the Irish king she would birth a boy who in sex weeks would be a fully armed warrior.\\ | ||
| Matholwch took them on and for a year it was well but then they became insulting and hated. They would not leave so the Council decided to kill them. An iron house was built and the problem family persuaded to go inside it with much food and drink. Once they were drunk the iron was heated with brush fires but the couple forced their way out and fled - to Britain.\\ | Matholwch took them on and for a year it was well but then they became insulting and hated. They would not leave so the Council decided to kill them. An iron house was built and the problem family persuaded to go inside it with much food and drink. Once they were drunk the iron was heated with brush fires but the couple forced their way out and fled - to Britain.\\ | ||
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| **The Singing of the Birds of Rhiannon**\\ | **The Singing of the Birds of Rhiannon**\\ | ||
| The Seven journeyed to Harlech, and met a crowd of men and women on the road. Manawydan asked them for news but they said there was none, at least nothing new since Caswallawn took over Britain and ruled it from London. The Seven asked questions and learned that Caswallawn had murdered the regents Bendigeidfran had left in charge. He had used a cloak of invisibility and Caradawg, Bendigeidfran's son, died of shock to see it.\\ | The Seven journeyed to Harlech, and met a crowd of men and women on the road. Manawydan asked them for news but they said there was none, at least nothing new since Caswallawn took over Britain and ruled it from London. The Seven asked questions and learned that Caswallawn had murdered the regents Bendigeidfran had left in charge. He had used a cloak of invisibility and Caradawg, Bendigeidfran's son, died of shock to see it.\\ | ||
| - | {{ ::skylark_2.png?200|}} Then the Seven came to Harlech and feasted in abundance. There came three Birds who sang a song to them; so that when they heard the song, every other sound seemed unlovely compared to this. The Birds appeared as a distant sighting, far above the ocean, yet their song was as clear as if they were right beside them. They were at that feast for seven years.\\ | + | {{ ::skylark_3.png?200|}} Then the Seven came to Harlech and feasted in abundance. There came three Birds who sang a song to them; so that when they heard the song, every other sound seemed unlovely compared to this. The Birds appeared as a distant sighting, far above the ocean, yet the song was as clear as if they were right beside them.\\ |
| - | At the end of seven years they made their way to Gwales in Pembrokeshire, where a great, royal hall above the ocean was prepared for them. All the grief that they had known from this world was gone from memory. Manawydan reminded them that of the four doors the one facing Cornwall must not be opened.\\ | + | At the end of seven years they made their way to Gwales in Pembrokeshire, where a great, royal hall above the ocean was prepared for them. All the grief that they had known from this world was gone from memory. Manawydan reminded them that of the four doors of the hall the one facing Cornwall must not be opened.\\ |
| So passed eighty years with no cares or awareness of time.\\ | So passed eighty years with no cares or awareness of time.\\ | ||
| - | But Heilyn ap Gwyn rose up and swore upon his beard that he would find out what happened if that door was opened. So he did it and suddenly they all thought of their loved ones, and the sad things too that they had known, and of their king. Now they had to complete his mission so they journeyed to London with the Head and buried it there. According to tradition no oppression could come upon the land while the Head was hdden there.\\ | + | But Heilyn ap Gwyn rose up and swore upon his beard that he would find out what happened if that fourth door was opened. So he did it, and suddenly they all thought of their loved ones, of the sad things that they had known, and of their king. Now they had to complete his mission, so they journeyed to London with the Head and buried it there. According to tradition no oppression could come upon the land while the Head was hdden there.\\ |
| - | In Ireland there was none left except five pregnant women from whome that land was populated. That is how there are five regions in Ireland. | + | In Ireland there were none left except five pregnant women from whom that land was repopulated. There are five regions in Ireland because of it. |
| {{:1home_branch.png?150 |}}**Go to** First Branch: **//[[stories#the_first_branchpwyll|Pwyll]]//**\\ | {{:1home_branch.png?150 |}}**Go to** First Branch: **//[[stories#the_first_branchpwyll|Pwyll]]//**\\ | ||
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| ===== The Third Branch: MANAWYDAN ===== | ===== The Third Branch: MANAWYDAN ===== | ||
| + | In London after burying the Head, Manawydan mourned his great losses for all the others could return to their homes but not him.\\ | ||
| + | Pryderi had become his close friend and counselled him, pointing out that his ambitions for territory were known to be modest. Manawydan could have a new family by marrying Rhiannon, Pryderi's mother, who Pryderi described as still beautiful and skilled at converse. Pryderi proposed to grant Manawydan the use of his own realm of Dyfed to rule jointly with Rhiannon (for he himself had his new lands to rule).More, Pryderi vowed his own deep friendship.\\ | ||
| + | Much comforted, Manawydan agreed and they came to Dyfed where Rhiannon and Cigfa, Pryderi's wife, welcomed them with a feast. | ||
| {{:1home_branch.png?150 |}}**Go to** First Branch: **//[[stories#the_first_branchpwyll|Pwyll]]//**\\ | {{:1home_branch.png?150 |}}**Go to** First Branch: **//[[stories#the_first_branchpwyll|Pwyll]]//**\\ | ||
