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- Categories:Gender, Mythology
- British, Magic, Shapeshifter, Fantasy, Medieval text; animal
change, in The Mabinogion
Description
In the Math, Son of Mathonwy section of the Mabinogion is the tale
of the brothers Gilvaethwy and Gwydyon. After raping their cousin
Goewin they are punished by their uncle Math, who uses a magic wand
to change them into, respectively, a hind and a stag. A year later
they return with a fawn, which Math turns into a human boy he names
Hyddwen. Then he turns the hind into a boar and the stag into a
sow. Another year passes, and the two return this time with a small
piglet. Math turns this piglet into a young boy, which he names
Hychdwn. Then he turns the boar into a she-wolf, and the sow into a
wolf. A year later they return with a wolf-cub, which Math turns
into a boy he names Bleiddwin. Then he releases the two nephews
from their enchantment. After this in the Mabinogion the story
follows Gwydyon, and nothing more is heard of Gilvaethwy; however,
other Welsh tales make reference to a sister of Gwydyon named
"Gelvae", whom Math's son takes to wife. This may be a possible
indication that - in some versions of the tale, at least - Gwydyon
came back male while Gilvaethwy came back female.
Links
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originally posted by Zelmane on 2002-04-03, no edits, entryid=4460
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