Aranrhod

The virgin goddess. Aranrhod (Arianrhod) was the daughter of the goddess Don and Beli. Aranrhod was the sister of Amathon, Gilvaethwy, Govannon, Gwydyon and Nudd. Aranrhod was the goddess of the sky and fertility.

Aranrhod gave birth to Dylan and Lleu when she stepped over the magic wand of uncle Math to prove that she was a virgin. Her brother Gwydyon adopted her son Lleu as his own, while some would say that Gwydyon was actually the father of Dylan and Lleu.

Aranrhod refused to recognise Lleu as her own son. Aranrhod gave three curses to her son instead of three blessings. Aranrhod refused to give Lleu a name, weapons and armour when he reached manhood, and cursed her son that he could not marry a woman of any race of people. Her brother Gwydyon tricked Aranrhod into giving Lleu his name and later the weapons.

Aranrhod's third curse was the most difficult to overcome. Gwydyon called upon his uncle King Math to aid him in finding a bride for Lleu. With their combined magic, they created a woman out of flowers. This flower-woman was named Blodeuedd, and she was the most beautiful woman in the world, but she turned out to be an unfaithful wife to Lleu which almost cost him his life.

See Math Son of Mathonwy in the Mabinogion, about Aranrhod and her son Lleu.