Manawyddan Son of Llyr

Manawyddan Son of Llyr was the third Branch of the Mabinogi. The following story took place straight after Manawyddan buried Bran's head on White Hill, in London.

The Third Branch of Mabinogi tells how Manawyddan lived with Pryderi, and his mother and wife were beset with enchantments from Pryderi's enemies.

• Let's take up a trade or two...

• Lifting the Enchantment

Let's take up a trade or two...

After burying Bran's head on White Hill, Manawyddan was depressed that he had no home any more, since his cousin Casswallawn, son of Beli, had taken over the kingdom. Pryderi offered Manawyddan land of his own in Dyved and his mother's hand in marriage. Manawyddan readily agreed with Pryderi, since Rhiannon was still a very beautiful woman.

They lived happily together with Pryderi's wife Kigva (Cigfa), until one morning they discovered that the people of Dyved had mysteriously vanished. Manawyddan and Rhiannon, Pryderi and Kigva were the only people in Pryderi's home.

Realising that they could not possibly survive without civilization, they moved to Hereford in England and took on a trade of saddlemaking. They became so skilled and rich that their rivals became jealous. They soon found out that a mob was conspiring to set about lynching the two couples.

Pryderi set about defending them, but Manawyddan insisted that they should leave Hereford in peace and find another town to practise a different trade.

They decided to take up the trade of shield making. Again they were driven out of this town, because everyone was buying their shields and none of their competitors' shields. Rather than fight with the mobs, they left the town.

But the same thing happened in the next town, when they decided to manufacture shoes. They decided to return to Dyved.

When Manawyddan, Pryderi and their wives arrived in Dyved, they still found the land deserted, but they discovered a mysterious palace that wasn't there when they had left. Pryderi wanted to investigate, but he did not return. Rhiannon, fearing for her son, decided to find him, against Manawyddan's advice that it was dangerous.

Rhiannon found her son frozen in place, holding a golden bowl. When Rhiannon touched the bowl, she was also frozen in place, like a statue. Then the building with them in it, vanished.

Kigva was distressed, but Manawyddan assured her that he would take care of her. They decided to return to England.

Lifting the Enchantment

They took up the shoe making trade in England until they were driven out. Manawyddan decided to return to Dyved. This time Manawyddan and Kigva took up farming in Arberth.

When it was time to harvest the wheat, he found that one of the crops was stripped bare, leaving only naked stalks. He checked the second crop and decided to reap it the next day. However this crop was also stripped. Manawyddan realised someone was trying to ruin him, decided to guard the last crop.

That night, he witnessed a large horde of mice stripping the croft. Manawyddan only managed to capture one fat mouse. Manawyddan returned to Kigva and told her what had happened. Manawyddan decided to hang the little thief in the morning. Kigva thought Manawyddan had lost his mind, thinking to hang a mouse.

In the morning, Manawyddan was preparing to hang the mouse. Kigva thought that it was unfitting for a lord to perform such a deed; she told him she would kill the mouse herself. Manawyddan insisted that the mouse deserved hanging, like a common thief. Kigva decided that it was futile to argue with Manawyddan any further.

Manawyddan took the mouse with him to the hill in Gorsedd Arberth. A scholar wandered towards Manawyddan, asking what he was doing. Manawyddan told him that he was going to hang one of the thieves who had destroyed his crop. The scholar at first tried to persuade him to let the mouse go; Manawyddan refused. Then the scholar tried to buy the mouse for one pound. Again, Manawyddan refused. So the scholar left.

As Manawyddan continued with his preparation to hang the mouse, he met a priest who asked him what he was doing. Manawyddan told the priest the same thing as he told the scholar. The priest told him that this strange act was rather degrading for one of Manawyddan's station. The priest also tried to persuade Manawyddan to release the mouse or let him buy the mouse, offering three pounds. Manawyddan refused the priest as he did with the scholar. So the priest departed.

Next, Manawyddan encountered the archbishop. Manawyddan told archbishop the same thing that he had told the scholar and priest. The archbishop also offered to buy the mouse's freedom, at first seven pounds, then twenty-four pounds. Manawyddan told the archbishop that he would execute the mouse, regardless what the price was. The archbishop then offered all the horses in his land. Still Manawyddan refused.

Then the archbishop asked what he would accept to free the mouse. Manawyddan told the archbishop, he would accept nothing less than the return of Rhiannon and her son Pryderi, along with removing the enchantment on the land of Dyved.

Manawyddan also learned that the mouse was the archbishop's wife. The archbishop was actually Llywd, the son of Kil Coed, and friend of Gwawl. The same Gwawl who was punished by Pwyll, who tricked Llywd's friend into playing the Badger in the Bag game. Llywd had decided to avenge Gwawl upon Pryderi. During Pryderi and his mother's disappearance, they were transformed into donkeys and forced to work in Llywd's land.

When Llywd's wife and followers found out that Manawyddan and Kigva were living in Dyved, they asked him (Llywd) to transform them into mice, so that they could destroy Manawyddan's crop.

Manawyddan told Llywd he would not release his wife, until Llywd promised no further revenge upon them. Llywd had no choice but to accept Manawyddan's peace proposal to end the feud.

Manawyddan released the mouse to Llywd when he was reunited with Rhiannon and Pryderi. The enchantment on the land was lifted. The people who had vanished years ago, were returned to Dyved.