A fifth story sometimes included is the Tale of Taliesin, however this story was not found in the earlier manuscripts and is thought to have been included at a later stage. The next two, Culhwch and Olwen and The Dream of Rhonabwy, involve King Arthur and his companions. Lludd and Llefelys tells the story of Britain suffering from three strange plagues. In the Independent Tales, The Dream of Macsen Wledig involves an emperor marrying a maiden he saw in a dream. The fourth involves Math and Gwydion, who come into conflict with Pryderi. In the third, Pryderi return home with Manawydan, brother of Branwen. In the second Pryderi is scarcely mentioned, however Branwen marries the King of Ireland. In the first story, Pwyll, Pryderi grows into a man. The first four stories, the Four Branches of the Mabinogi, all containing a central character, Pryderi. Peredur fab Efrog (Peredur, son of Efrawg).Owain, neu Iarlles y Ffynnon (Owain, the Lady of the Fountain).Breuddwyd Rhonabwy ( The Dream of Rhonabwy).Breuddwyd Macsen Wledig (The Dream of Macsen Wledig).

Independent Tales from Welsh tradition and legend Math fab Mathonwy (Math, son of Mathonwy).Manawydan fab Llŷr (Manawydan, son of Llŷr).Branwen ferch Llŷr (Branwen, daughter of Llŷr).Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed (Pwyll, Prince/Lord of Dyfed).The Mabinogion is divided into three categories:įour Branches of the Mabinogi (“Pedair Cainc y Mabinogi”) Curiously, the name ‘The Mabinogion’ is thought to have arisen from a translation error of ‘Mabinogi’, meaning ‘tale of a hero’s boyhood’. Lady Charlotte Guest was the first to translate these stories to English in the mid-19 th century. The stories were originally found in two manuscripts, the White Book of Rhydderch (1300-1325) and the Red Book of Hergest (1375-1425), however some of the stories are thought to have been written as early as the 11 th century. The Mabinogion is a collection of Welsh stories, mostly mythology and folklore, including the earliest Arthurian myths.

The Mabinogion by Unknown