Math Son of Mathonwy

Math Son of Mathonwy was the last Branch of the Mabinogi. Much of the tale centred on Math's nephew Gwydyon. Gwydyon first helped his brother Gilvaethwy seduce a maiden, and later helped Lleu, his nephew, to overcome successive curses by Lleu's own mother. The last part of the tale was about Lleu's unhappy marriage with Blodeuedd.

• The Maiden Under My Feet

• Mother's Blessings

• Blodeuedd

The Maiden Under My Feet

In the north of Wales, there was a lord of Gwynedd named Math. Math was the son of Mathonwy, and brother of Dôn. Math was a powerful sorcerer who liked to rest his feet in the lap of a virgin maiden named Goewin, the daughter of Pebin from Dol Bebin in Arvon. He remained in Caer Dathal, unless there was tumult in his kingdom. Otherwise, his nephews - Gwydyon and Gilvaethwy, the sons of his sister Don, who were his main advisers -oversaw the rest of his kingdom.

Gilvaethwy was in love with Goewin but realised he could not possibly have her, since she was devoted to her duties to his uncle. Gwydyon knew of his brother's problem, and devised a plan to distract their uncle.

Gwydyon advised Math that there were animals known as pigs in Dyved, given to Pryderi's father Pwyll who had developed a friendship with the ruler of the Otherworld Annwvyn.

Math sent his two nephews and ten other men to see if they could buy the pigs from Pryderi, who was the current ruler of Dyved. These pigs came from Arawn, lord of the otherworldly Annwfn, who was a friend of Pryderi's father. Gwydyon tricked Pryderi into exchanging the pigs for twelve magnificent horses and twelve greyhounds, which were only illusions.

Gwydyon and his companions fled with the pigs, before the illusions wore out at the end of the day. When Pryderi realised the deception, he raised his army and followed Gwydyon to Gwynedd.

Gwydyon told his uncle that Pryderi had mustered a force against them. Math had to take his part in the war as the ruler of Gwynedd, and left Goewin behind. During Math's absence, his nephew Gilvaethwy raped Goewin.

The war favoured the Math's army, who had driven Pryderi's forces back. Rather than risk any more lives in battle, Pryderi challenged Gwydyon in single combat. Gwydyon killed Pryderi, using his skills with sword and magic to overcome the chieftain of Dyved.

When Math returned to Caer Dathal, he learned that Goewin was no longer a virgin and that Gilvaethwy had forced himself upon her. Math needed to find another virgin to rest his feet. Math decided to marry Goewin, despite the fact that his nephew had sullied her.

Math punished both Gwydyon and Gilvaethwy by striking them with his magic wand. Gwydyon was transformed into a stag, while Gilvaethwy turned into a hind (a female deer). Math told them to go into the forest to mate, and return a year later with their young.

A year later, a stag and hind returned to Caer Dathal with a fawn. Math transformed the fawn to human form, and named his nephew's son, Hyddwn. Math transformed Gilvaethwy into a wild boar, while his other nephew became a wild sow. They were again told to mate and return a year later.

A year later, Gwydyon and his brother returned with a young pig, which Math transformed into a boy. Math called the boy Hychdwn. Then Math transformed Gwydyon into a wolf while the other brother was turned into a she-wolf.

They returned a year later with a wolf pup, whom Math named Bleiddwn, and Math gave his nephew's third son to a fosterage. Math then said that they were punished enough, and turned his nephews back to their human forms.

Mother's Blessings

With Gwydyon regaining his human shape, he was allowed to resume his role as Math's adviser. Math asked his nephew which virgin should take over Goewin's former duty. Gwydyon suggested his own beautiful sister Aranrhod.

Math tested if his niece was a virgin by making Aranrhod step over his magic wand. Immediately a male infant dropped out of Aranrhod's virgin womb. Math took the child and named him Dylan. However, a second child was also born, whom Gwydyon hid in a chest.

Gwydyon brought up the second son of Aranrhod, who grew rapidly, like Volsung and Sigurd in the Norse mythology. At the age of four, the boy grew as large as boy of eight.

When Gwydyon brought the child before Aranrhod for the first time, Aranrhod became upset and angry when she learned that the boy was her own son.

Aranrhod learned that Gwydyon hadn't yet given the boy a name. Rather than give a blessing to her son, Aranrhod gave Lleu three curses. Gwydyon helped Lleu overcome each curse. The first curse was that her son would receive no name until she gave him a name. Gwydyon tricked Aranrhod into giving her son a name, since she did not recognise him. Her son became known as Lleu of the Skilful Hand.

Aranrhod told Gwydyon that Lleu would not receive any armour and weapon unless she gave them to him. One day, Gwydyon used magic to disguise himself and his nephew. Gwydyon told Aranrhod that there was a fleet of raiders about to invade her land. Aranrhod, who did not recognise her son or brother, armed Lleu with armour and a weapon. Immediately the illusion of the raiding fleet conjured up by Gwydyon vanished.

Then Aranrhod angrily cursed her son that so that he could not have any wife from any race of people. This curse proved almost impossible to overcome, so Gwydyon asked Math to help the young man find a wife.

Blodeuedd

Taking pity on Lleu, Math used his magic wand to create the loveliest woman out of flowers. She was named Blodeuedd. Math had Blodeuedd marry Lleu, and gave him the cantrev of Dinoding to live in.

The marriage did not last because during Lleu's absence, Blodeuedd met a hunter named Goronwy the Staunch, lord of Penllyn. Blodeuedd fell in love with Goronwy. Together they plotted to get rid of Lleu.

Blodeuedd learned from her husband that he could only be killed by a spear that took a whole year to make, and only if he had one foot on a goat's back and one foot in a tub full of water. Blodeuedd treacherously gave this information to her lover. Goronwy immediately set about making the spear.

On that fateful day, Blodeuedd persuaded her husband to take a bath on the bank of the river. When Lleu had one of feet on a goat while the other was still in the tub, Goronwy hurled a spear at Lleu's back. Instead of killing Lleu, he was transformed into an eagle.

Goronwy and Blodeuedd took over Lleu's domain, conquering Ardudwy and Penllyn. Gwydyon and Math were upset over Lleu's disappearance, so Math sent his nephew to find Lleu.

After a year of searching for his nephew, Gwydyon found a weak eagle on top of a dead tree. Gwydyon sang a song, to entice the eagle to come down the tree. Gwydyon used the wand on the eagle so that Lleu resumed his own form. Gwydyon found that his nephew was seriously injured and almost starved to death.

Gwydyon nursed Lleu back to full health. Lleu was given an army to avenge his injury. When Blodeuedd heard the news of her husband's recovery, she fled from Mur Castell. Gwydyon caught up with her, transforming her into an owl called Blodeuwedd.

Goronwy the Staunch tried to make amends and peace with Lleu. Lleu refused to accept any compensation from Goronwy unless he agreed to place himself in the same situation when Goronwy wounded him.

Goronwy had no choice but to accept his punishment. It was Lleu who now wielded the spear, while Goronwy stood on a goat and the tub of water. Goronwy asked if he could place a rock between the spear and where he stood. Lleu agreed to the term.

However the rock was no protection for Goronwy. Lleu's spear pierced through the rock and killed Goronwy.

After this, Lleu won back his home, and lived there until he became king of Gwynedd when Math died or abdicated.