The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition
Arianrod
After the birth concealed at Math’s court, Arianrod declares that the child shall receive no name until she gives it herself. Gwydion later manipulates an encounter to obtain the name from her speech. Her final condition forbids him a wife from the race inhabiting the earth. Math and Gwydion answer it by making a woman from flowers, leading the story towards Blodeuwedd.
Also known as Arianrhod
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In the sources
Principal account
LiteraryAfter the birth concealed at Math’s court, Arianrod declares that the child shall receive no name until she gives it herself. Gwydion later manipulates an encounter to obtain the name from her speech.
Further detail
LiteraryHer final condition forbids him a wife from the race inhabiting the earth. Math and Gwydion answer it by making a woman from flowers, leading the story towards Blodeuwedd.
Context & interpretation
This entry follows the narrative in Charlotte Guest’s 1877 collection, including its particular spellings and arrangement of tales. Characters, enchantments and explanations of place names are presented as features of these stories; the translation alone does not establish their historical reality or a single original religious meaning.
Original passages
Source 1
The Mabinogion
lay this destiny upon him, that he shall never have a name until he receives one fromOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition; active reader leaf 447
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0240-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0240-E001-P0447
- Original scan leaf
- 448
- Recorded leaf number
- 448
- Current Reader position
- 439
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
The Mabinogion
" that he shall never have a wife of the race that now inhabits this earth."Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition; active reader leaf 451
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0240-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0240-E001-P0451
- Original scan leaf
- 452
- Recorded leaf number
- 452
- Current Reader position
- 443
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Continue exploring
Blodeuwedd
The woman made from flowers who becomes an owl after conspiring against Llew.
Same subject and traditionArthur in the Mabinogion
The courtly ruler whose household gathers the companions and quests of Guest’s Welsh romances.
Same subject and traditionBranwen
The princess whose marriage alliance becomes the centre of a catastrophe between two islands.
Same subject and traditionCaridwen
The maker of an inspiration-cauldron whose intended gift is diverted to Gwion Bach.