Pryderi

In Welsh mythology, King Pryderi of Dyfed was the son of Pwyll and Rhiannon. He is the only character to appear in all Four Branches of the Mabinogi (although he is not a major character in all of them). Ifor Williams speculated that he was once the focal character of the Mabinogi as a whole, although this theory has been discounted by some subsequent scholars.^[1]

In the First Branch of the Mabinogi, Pryderi disappeared on the night of his birth while in the care of six of Rhiannon's ladies-in-waiting. To avoid the blame, they smeared blood from a puppy on Rhiannon, who was asleep, and claimed that she had eaten the boy.

Teyrnon, Lord of Gwent Is Coed, had a mare who gave birth each year but whose foals had all disappeared. Teyrnon watched his stables and saw a mysterious clawed beast coming to take the foal; Teyrnon cut off the beast's arm and found the child outside the stable. He and his wife adopted the boy, naming him Gwri Wallt Euryn (Gwri of the golden hair). The child grew to adulthood in only seven years and was given the foal which had led Teyrnon to the stable. Teyrnon realized who the child was and returned him to Pwyll and Rhiannon, who named him Pryderi (worry).

Pryderi was part of the vast host that accompanied Brân in the invasion of Ireland in the Second Branch, and was one of only seven men to return to Wales.

In the Third Branch, Pryderi married Cigva and became King of Dyfed after his father died. He then invited Manawydan to live with him in Dyfed, arranging for Manawydan to marry his widowed mother Rhiannon. Soon after, Dyfed turned into a barren wasteland and only Rhiannon, Pryderi, Cigva and Manawydan lived. Manaywdan and Pryderi, while out hunting, saw a white boar which they followed. Pryderi and his mother, Rhiannon, touched a golden bowl that the boar led them to and became enchanted. Manawydan and Cigva were unable to help them until they captured a mouse which was actually the wife of Llwyd, Rhiannon's enemy, and the spell was lifted.

Later, in the Fourth Branch, Pryderi had his pigs stolen by Gwydion, thus starting a war between Pryderi and Gwydion's master Math ap Mathonwy. To avoid unnecessary bloodshed, it was agreed that the outcome of the battle should be decided by single combat between Gwydion and Pryderi. The two contenders met at a place called Y Velen Rhyd in Ardudwy, where Gwydion killed Pryderi.

References

1. ^ The Mabinogion. Translated with an introduction by Jeffrey Gantz. 1976. Penguin Books, London.