The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition
Rhonabwy
Unable to rest on the dirty bedding of Heilyn’s house, Rhonabwy lies upon a yellow calf-skin. His sleep takes him into a journey across a transformed landscape with his companions. In the dream, Iddawc points out a stone in Arthur’s ring that enables remembrance of what Rhonabwy sees. Memory becomes part of the dream’s own explanation of its survival.
Loading your archive…
In the sources
Principal account
LiteraryUnable to rest on the dirty bedding of Heilyn’s house, Rhonabwy lies upon a yellow calf-skin. His sleep takes him into a journey across a transformed landscape with his companions.
Further detail
LiteraryIn the dream, Iddawc points out a stone in Arthur’s ring that enables remembrance of what Rhonabwy sees. Memory becomes part of the dream’s own explanation of its survival.
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
he went to lie upon the yellow calf-skin that was stretched out on the floor. And there he slept. As soon as sleep had come uponOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition; active reader leaf 326
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0240-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0240-E001-P0326
- Original scan leaf
- 327
- Recorded leaf number
- 327
- Current Reader position
- 318
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
The Mabinogion
the properties of that stone to enable thee to remember that thou seest here to-night, and hadst thou not seen the stone, thou wouldest never have been ableOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition; active reader leaf 328
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0240-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0240-E001-P0328
- Original scan leaf
- 329
- Recorded leaf number
- 329
- Current Reader position
- 320
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Continue exploring
Arianrod
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.
Same subject and traditionCaridwen
The maker of an inspiration-cauldron whose intended gift is diverted to Gwion Bach.