Gwydion fab Dôn (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈɡwɨ̞djɔn vaːb ˈdoːn]) is a magician in Welsh mythology. He appears most often in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, a story that mainly focuses on his relationship with his young nephew, Lleu Llaw Gyffes. He also appears in the Welsh Triads, the Book of Taliesin, and the Stanzas of the Graves.
The name Gwydion may be interpreted as "Born of Trees."
Mythological exploits
Gilfaethwy, the nephew of King Math fab Mathonwy of Venedotia, becomes obsessed with Goewin, the virgin foot-holder of his uncle. His brother, Gwydion, plans to start a war between the north and the south. To do this, Gwydion uses his magic to steal magical pigs from the Demetian king, Pryderi. In response, Pryderi leads an army to attack Gwynedd. During the war, while Math is distracted, Gilfaethwy attacks Goewin.
Pryderi and his men fight a battle near Maenor Bennardd and Maenor Coed Alun but are forced to retreat. They are chased to Nant Call, where many of his men are killed, and then to Dol Benmaen, where Pryderi suffers another defeat. To stop further fighting, it is decided that Gwydion and Pryderi will fight in single combat. They meet at Y Velen Rhyd in Ardudwy. Because of Gwydion’s strength, bravery, and magic, he defeats Pryderi, who dies. The men of Dyfed return home, grieving their leader’s death.
When Math learns about the attack on Goewin, he turns his nephews into animals as punishment. Gwydion becomes a stag, then a sow, and finally a wolf. Gilfaethwy becomes a hind, a wild boar, and a she-wolf. Each year, they have a child, who is sent to Math: Hyddwn, Hychddwn, and Bleiddwn. After three years, Math frees them and searches for a new foot-holder. Gwydion suggests his sister, Arianrhod, who is tested for virginity by Math. During the test, Arianrhod gives birth to a boy named Dylan, who becomes connected to the sea until his death at the hands of his uncle, Gofannon.
Arianrhod runs away, but something small falls from her as she leaves. Gwydion collects it and places it in a chest. Later, he hears a baby crying and opens the chest to find a boy. Some scholars believe this boy may have been Gwydion’s son in an earlier version of the story.
Years later, Gwydion takes the boy to Caer Arianrhod to meet his mother. Arianrhod, ashamed of her loss of virginity, places a curse on the boy, saying only she can name him. Gwydion tricks her by pretending to be a cobbler and making her come to him. The boy throws a stone at a wren, and Arianrhod remarks on his skill. Gwydion reveals his identity and names the boy Lleu Llaw Gyffes, meaning “the fair-haired one with the skillful hand.” Arianrhod places another curse on Lleu, saying only she can give him arms. Gwydion tricks her again, and she unknowingly arms Lleu, leading her to place a third curse: Lleu shall never have a human wife.
To counteract these curses, Math and Gwydion create a beautiful woman named Blodeuwedd from flowers. Blodeuwedd falls in love with Gronw Pebr, the lord of Penllyn, and they plot to kill Lleu. Blodeuwedd tricks Lleu into revealing how he can be killed. She arranges his death by using a spear forged over a year and striking him at dusk. Lleu transforms into an eagle and escapes. Gwydion finds him on an oak tree, uses a magical song to bring him back, and heals him. Gwydion and Math reclaim Lleu’s lands from Gronw and Blodeuwedd. In a final battle, Lleu kills Gronw by throwing a spear through a stone placed between them. Gwydion turns Blodeuwedd into an owl, hated by all birds. The story ends with Lleu becoming king of Gwynedd.
A large tradition once surrounded the Battle of the Trees, a mythological war between the sons of Dôn and the forces of Annwn, the Welsh Otherworld. Amaethon, Gwydion’s brother, steals a white roebuck and a puppy from Arawn, king of Annwn, causing a battle. Gwydion fights alongside his brother and, with Lleu’s help, turns trees and plants into warriors. The oak is described as a brave protector, while the aspen falls in battle. A warrior fighting for Arawn cannot be defeated unless his name is guessed. Gwydion identifies him from the alder on his shield and sings two poems to defeat him.
The traditional Welsh name for the Milky Way was Caer Wydion, meaning “Gwydion’s Castle.” In the 10th century, Old Welsh genealogies mention Lou Hen, believed to be Lleu, and his father, Gwydion. They are linked to historical leaders of the Catuvellauni tribe.
Early Welsh poetry references Gwydion. A poem asks if Lleu and Gwydion will perform magic, while another describes Gwydion creating a woman from flowers and stealing pigs. Another poem mentions a lost battle at Nant Ffrangon. A poem also calls Gwynedd the “Land of Gwydion.”
Welsh Triads list Gwydion as one of the “Three Golden Shoemakers of Britain” and note that Math taught him one of the “Three Great Enchantments.” The Stanzas of the Graves say Gwydion was buried at Dinas Dinlle, Lleu’s city.
A poem in the Black Book of Carmarthen, the Dialogue of Taliesin and Ugnach, has Taliesin mention Gwydion’s name.
Gwydion in other media
Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain, a series of children's fantasy novels inspired by Welsh myths, includes a character named Gwydion. This character is based on the Gwydion from myth but has very different behavior. In Prydain, Prince Gwydion is part of the Sons of Don, the ruling family of Prydain, and serves as King Math's war leader. He becomes king after High King Math is killed. Gwydion meets Taran when the boy, who is an Assistant Pig-Keeper, chases his pig, Hen Wen, after it runs away. They travel together until they are captured and separated at Spiral Castle. In the first three books of the five-novel series, Gwydion defeats the Horned King by saying his real name, leads a quest to find the Black Cauldron, and helps Taran, Fflewddur Fflam, Gurgi, and Prince Rhun rescue Princess Eilonwy from the sorceress Achren. Later, he defends Caer Dathyl and, as High King, leads an attack on Annuvin by the sea. In the books, Prince Gwydion is skilled in tracking, forestry, and fighting. As a member of the Royal House of Don, he often wears a pendant with a golden disk that represents the sun.
Patricia Kennealy-Morrison's Keltiad series—based on Irish, Welsh, and Scottish legends but set in an interstellar, Star Wars-style world—features a character named Gwydion Prince of Don as one of its main heroes. Like Alexander, Kennealy-Morrison bases her character on the mythological Gwydion but makes him more relatable through her own ideas. Gwydion is the lover and First Lord of War to Queen Aeron Aoibhell of Keltia. He eventually becomes her husband and king, while having many adventures inspired by stories from the Mabinogion. He is a talented bard, sorcerer, and warrior, connected to the magical Sidhefolk of Keltia. He is shown as Aeron's true and equal partner. He plays a major role in the Battle of the Trees, which ends The Throne of Scone, the last book published in the series.
Gwydion appears briefly in Neil Gaiman's 2001 novel American Gods. In the story, he is a young, eager worker with acne at a supermarket in Humansville, Missouri.
Gwydion is a character in the 2003 animated film Y Mabinogi, where he is voiced by Philip Madoc.
He also appears in Phillip Mann's alternate history series A Land Fit for Heroes, Judith Tarr's fantasy series The Hound and the Falcon and Alamut, Robert Carter's The Language of Stones series, the books of Welsh author Jenny Sullivan, and Jenny Nimmo's Snow Spider Trilogy. In The Mists of Avalon, Gwydion is the birth name of both King Arthur and Mordred. In the Junkyard Druid series by M. D. Massey, Gwydion is the real identity of the mage Click, revealed in the seventh book, Druid Vengeance. A minor character named Gwydion appears in The Oaken Throne by Robin Jarvis. He is also included in Alan Garner's novel The Owl Service through the character of Huw Halfbacon (a name referencing stealing pigs).
The name Gwydion appears in the Sierra game King's Quest III, where a prince named Alexander of Daventry is kidnapped by an evil wizard named Manannan, who renames him Gwydion.
In the 2018 video game Red Dead Redemption 2, Gwydion is the name of Josiah Trelawny's horse.
In the novel The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones, Gwydion is a main character, a Prince of Gwynedd, in a retelling of the Wild Hunt in Annwvyn.