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| - | ====== The Mabinogi Stories ====== | + | ====== The Mabinogi Stories 1 ====== |
| - | The Mabinogi is made up of four Branches which tell the stories of three Kindreds. | + | The Mabinogi is made up of four Branches which tell the stories of three Kindreds. This page is a retelling of the **First Branch**. |
| - | More detailed, illustrated versions of the Stories are coming soon. This page is a summary of all Four Branches. | + | |
| - | {{:1home_branch.png?150 |}}**Go down to** First Branch: **//[[stories#the_first_branchpwyll|Pwyll]]//**\\ | + | {{:1home_branch.png?150 |}} First Branch: **//[[stories|Pwyll]]//**\\ |
| - | Second Branch: **//[[stories#the_second_branchbranwen|Branwen]]//**\\ | + | Second Branch: **//[[stories2|Branwen]]//**\\ |
| - | Third Branch: **//[[stories#the_third_branchmanawydan|Manawydan]]//**\\ | + | Third Branch: **//[[stories3|Manawydan]]//**\\ |
| - | Fourth Branch: **//[[stories#the_fourth_branchmath|Math]]//** | + | Fourth Branch: **//[[stories4|Math]]//** |
| These names for the Branches are not in the mediaeval manuscripts, but they have been in use for over 150 years since 19thC [[s:guest|Guest]]. //Branwen// is less justified than the others, as her name does not begin the Branch, but is as well established now as the others. | These names for the Branches are not in the mediaeval manuscripts, but they have been in use for over 150 years since 19thC [[s:guest|Guest]]. //Branwen// is less justified than the others, as her name does not begin the Branch, but is as well established now as the others. | ||
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| Pryderi grows up as a fine prince, becomes ruler of Dyfed when Pwyll dies, and conquers wider territories. He marries Cigfa of Gloyw (Gloucester). | Pryderi grows up as a fine prince, becomes ruler of Dyfed when Pwyll dies, and conquers wider territories. He marries Cigfa of Gloyw (Gloucester). | ||
| - | {{:1home_branch.png?150 |}}**Go to** First Branch: **//[[stories#the_first_branchpwyll|Pwyll]]//**\\ | + | {{:1home_branch.png?150 |}} First Branch: **//[[stories|Pwyll]]//**\\ |
| - | Second Branch: **//[[stories#the_second_branchbranwen|Branwen]]//**\\ | + | Second Branch: **//[[stories2|Branwen]]//**\\ |
| - | Third Branch: **//[[stories#the_third_branchmanawydan|Manawydan]]//**\\ | + | Third Branch: **//[[stories3|Manawydan]]//**\\ |
| - | Fourth Branch: **//[[stories#the_fourth_branchmath|Math]]//** | + | Fourth Branch: **//[[stories4|Math]]//** |
| - | + | ||
| - | ===== The Second Branch: BRANWEN ===== | + | |
| - | **Branwen's Blow**\\ | + | |
| - | 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.\\ | + | |
| - | 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.\\ | + | |
| - | {{::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.\\ | + | |
| - | 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.\\ | + | |
| - | After the feast was done the Irish sailed home in their thirteen ships. Branwen distributed rich gifts among great rejoicing, and in due course she bore a son who they named Gwern. But gradually the insult done to Matholwch by the British arose again and there was resentment. Matholwch's kindred mocked him until he and his advisers took revenge, on Branwen.\\ | + | |
| - | She was forced to live in the kitchens, do the baking, and endure a daily blow to her ears by the butcher all bloody from his work. It was kept secret by stopping trade with Britain, and imprisoning anyone who came from there. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | + | ||
| - | **The Assembly of Bran**.\\ | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | **The Assembly of the Head**.\\ | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | **The Singing of the Birds of Rhiannon**.\\ | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | + | ||
| - | {{:1home_branch.png?150 |}}**Go to** First Branch: **//[[stories#the_first_branchpwyll|Pwyll]]//**\\ | + | |
| - | Second Branch: **//[[stories#the_second_branchbranwen|Branwen]]//**\\ | + | |
| - | Third Branch: **//[[stories#the_third_branchmanawydan|Manawydan]]//**\\ | + | |
| - | Fourth Branch: **//[[stories#the_fourth_branchmath|Math]]//** | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | ===== The Third Branch: MANAWYDAN ===== | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | {{:1home_branch.png?150 |}}**Go to** First Branch: **//[[stories#the_first_branchpwyll|Pwyll]]//**\\ | + | |
| - | Second Branch: **//[[stories#the_second_branchbranwen|Branwen]]//**\\ | + | |
| - | Third Branch: **//[[stories#the_third_branchmanawydan|Manawydan]]//**\\ | + | |
| - | Fourth Branch: **//[[stories#the_fourth_branchmath|Math]]//** | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | ===== The Fourth Branch: MATH ===== | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | {{:1home_branch.png?150 |}}**Go to** First Branch: **//[[stories#the_first_branchpwyll|Pwyll]]//**\\ | + | |
| - | Second Branch: **//[[stories#the_second_branchbranwen|Branwen]]//**\\ | + | |
| - | Third Branch: **//[[stories#the_third_branchmanawydan|Manawydan]]//**\\ | + | |
| - | Fourth Branch: **//[[stories#the_fourth_branchmath|Math]]//** | + | |
