Welsh folklore, Wirt Sikes
Arawn
In the Pwyll passage reproduced by Sikes, an unfamiliar pack brings a stag down before the prince. Their exceptional white bodies and red ears draw his attention away from the prey. Sikes identifies the pack as the hounds of Arawn, a crowned king in Annwn. Their ownership places the encounter within another sovereign’s domain rather than making the dogs ownerless apparitions.
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In the sources
Principal account
TraditionalIn the Pwyll passage reproduced by Sikes, an unfamiliar pack brings a stag down before the prince. Their exceptional white bodies and red ears draw his attention away from the prey.
Further detail
TraditionalSikes identifies the pack as the hounds of Arawn, a crowned king in Annwn. Their ownership places the encounter within another sovereign’s domain rather than making the dogs ownerless apparitions.
Context & interpretation
This entry is limited to the Pwyll excerpt and identification in British Goblins. It does not claim to summarise Arawn’s complete role in the Mabinogion, which requires the longer narrative in its own edition.
Original passages
Source 1
British Goblins
he never saw any like them in colourOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Wirt Sikes, British Goblins (1880), active reader leaf 249
Exact passage checked against active scan text and its original-leaf mapping; whitespace and scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0044-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0044-E001-P0249
- Original scan leaf
- 250
- Recorded leaf number
- 250
- Current Reader position
- 248
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
British Goblins
the hounds of ArawnOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Wirt Sikes, British Goblins (1880), active reader leaf 249
Exact passage checked against active scan text and its original-leaf mapping; whitespace and scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0044-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0044-E001-P0249
- Original scan leaf
- 250
- Recorded leaf number
- 250
- Current Reader position
- 248
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Continue exploring
Annwn
A shadow realm reached through fairy lakes and ruled in different tales by named kings.
Shared source pageCŵn Annwn
Otherworld hounds whose cries can foretell a funeral route.
Shared source pagePwyll
The prince of Dyfed whose hunt brings him into contact with Annwn’s hounds.
Same subject and traditionGwyn ap Nudd
The fairy king who rules a splendid court and the shadow realm of Annwn.