The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition
Taliesin in Guest’s Tale
Elphin discovers a child within a leathern bag caught at his father’s weir. The shining forehead gives the boy the name Taliesin, explained in the note as a radiant brow. The infant immediately sings a consolation that promises greater service than the fish Elphin expected to catch. The poem turns apparent failure at the weir into the arrival of an unexpected gift.
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In the sources
Principal account
LiteraryElphin discovers a child within a leathern bag caught at his father’s weir. The shining forehead gives the boy the name Taliesin, explained in the note as a radiant brow.
Further detail
LiteraryThe infant immediately sings a consolation that promises greater service than the fish Elphin expected to catch. The poem turns apparent failure at the weir into the arrival of an unexpected gift.
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
and said to Elphin, '' Behold a radiant brow !Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition; active reader leaf 498
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0240-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0240-E001-P0498
- Original scan leaf
- 499
- Recorded leaf number
- 499
- Current Reader position
- 490
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
The Mabinogion
to harm thee." And this was the first poem that Taliesin ever sang, being to console Elphin in his grief for that the produce of the weirOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: The Mabinogion, Guest’s 1877 edition; active reader leaf 499
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0240-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0240-E001-P0499
- Original scan leaf
- 500
- Recorded leaf number
- 500
- Current Reader position
- 491
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Continue exploring
Caridwen
The maker of an inspiration-cauldron whose intended gift is diverted to Gwion Bach.
Shared source pageElphin
The unfortunate heir whose empty weir yields Taliesin instead of a catch of fish.
Shared source pageGwion Bach
The cauldron-stirrer whose accidental taste brings foreknowledge and a flight through changing forms.
Same subject and traditionArianrod
The mother who places conditions on Llew’s name, arms and marriage.