The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition
Elen Luyddawc
When Maxen reaches the castle he saw in sleep, the maiden becomes his bride and asks for territories and three chief castles as her portion. The dream’s recognition becomes an arrangement of places and rule. The tale then credits Helen with the making of roads between the castles. It explains their name through her connection with the island’s people, who undertake the work for her.
Also known as Helen Luyddawc
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In the sources
Principal account
LiteraryWhen Maxen reaches the castle he saw in sleep, the maiden becomes his bride and asks for territories and three chief castles as her portion. The dream’s recognition becomes an arrangement of places and rule.
Further detail
LiteraryThe tale then credits Helen with the making of roads between the castles. It explains their name through her connection with the island’s people, who undertake the work for her.
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
of Rome ; and to have three chief castles made for her, in whatever places she might choose in the Island of Britain. And she chose toOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition; active reader leaf 474
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0240-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0240-E001-P0474
- Original scan leaf
- 475
- Recorded leaf number
- 475
- Current Reader position
- 466
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
The Mabinogion
this cause are they called the roads of Helen Luyddawc, that she was sprung from a native of this island, and the men of the Island of BritainOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition; active reader leaf 474
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0240-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0240-E001-P0474
- Original scan leaf
- 475
- Recorded leaf number
- 475
- Current Reader position
- 466
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
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