The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition
Mabon, Son of Modron
Mabon was taken from his mother when three nights old. Arthur’s embassy questions successively older animals until the salmon can bring them to the place of imprisonment. Kai breaks through the prison wall and carries Mabon away while Arthur’s warriors attack the castle. His liberation returns a missing person to the company assembling for the larger quest.
Loading your archive…
In the sources
Principal account
LiteraryMabon was taken from his mother when three nights old. Arthur’s embassy questions successively older animals until the salmon can bring them to the place of imprisonment.
Further detail
LiteraryKai breaks through the prison wall and carries Mabon away while Arthur’s warriors attack the castle. His liberation returns a missing person to the company assembling for the larger quest.
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 Modron, who was taken when three nights old from between his mother and the wall." And the Ousel answered, ''When I first came here, there wasOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition; active reader leaf 271
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0240-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0240-E001-P0271
- Original scan leaf
- 272
- Recorded leaf number
- 272
- Current Reader position
- 263
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
The Mabinogion
the wall into the dungeon, and brought away the prisoner upon his back, whilst the fight was going on between the warriors. And Arthur returned home, and MabonOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition; active reader leaf 273
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0240-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0240-E001-P0273
- Original scan leaf
- 274
- Recorded leaf number
- 274
- Current Reader position
- 265
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Continue exploring
The Salmon of Llyn Llyw
The ancient fish that carries Arthur’s searchers to Mabon’s prison.
Same subject and traditionArianrod
The mother who places conditions on Llew’s name, arms and marriage.
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.