The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition
Kilhwch
Kilhwch is named for the swine’s burrow where he is found after his birth. The account immediately also establishes his noble lineage and kinship with Arthur. His stepmother declares that he can have no suitable wife until he obtains Olwen. The declaration creates a desire for a woman he has never seen and sends him towards Arthur for help.
Also known as Culhwch
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In the sources
Principal account
LiteraryKilhwch is named for the swine’s burrow where he is found after his birth. The account immediately also establishes his noble lineage and kinship with Arthur.
Further detail
LiteraryHis stepmother declares that he can have no suitable wife until he obtains Olwen. The declaration creates a desire for a woman he has never seen and sends him towards Arthur for help.
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
to a mountain where there was a swineherd, keeping a herd of swine. And through fear of the swine the queen was delivered. And the swineherdOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition; active reader leaf 242
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0240-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0240-E001-P0242
- Original scan leaf
- 243
- Recorded leaf number
- 243
- Current Reader position
- 234
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
The Mabinogion
diffused itself through all his frame, although he had never seen her. And his father inquired of him, " What has come over thee my son, and what aileth theeOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition; active reader leaf 244
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0240-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0240-E001-P0244
- Original scan leaf
- 245
- Recorded leaf number
- 245
- Current Reader position
- 236
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
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