Powerful Women
Although not appearing in the first two branches, Arthur's queen takes a role later on
Queen Guinevere
It is a serious breach of etiquette to break this rule when hunting
It turns out, this simple thing was all Pwyll needed to do to catch Rhiannon and her horse
Ask
A handy object if you're a beggar and need to store some food
A magic bag
This forward-thinking woman translated The Mabinogion into English between 1838 and 1847
Lady Charlotte Guest
An ancient goddess strongly associated with horses and birds
Rhiannon
This group decided the right way to deal with a missing baby was to claim "Mommy ate him"
The queen's handmaidens
Although he was out hunting as usual, Pwyll somehow wandered into this magical realm
Arawn
Caswallan's use of this device is one of the earliest in British literature
A magic cloak (of invisibility)
Recently, scholars have argued that this term is a better understanding for Mabinogi than "branch"
Thread
The underworld queen not named in The Mabinogion
Out of annoyance that his input wasn't sought, Efnysien mutilates these innocent animals
Matholwch's horses
After Pwyll rashly promises him anything, Gwawl claims this
Rhiannon's hand in marriage
As a general rule, seeing this animal is a clue that humans have left the mortal realm
Dogs with red ears
Legend has it that sleeping on one will make you a poet, a prophet, or a madman
A barrow
An ancient goddess associated with birds
Branwen
This trickster prince threw his own nephew into a fire
Efnysien
The first clue that the Irish have that Bran is coming to rescue his sister is the spotting of this enormous feature
A mountain moving across the water
Not many people can live as just a head
Bran the Blessed
This bronze-age ring is the grave of Branwen herself
They have no names, but without them, Ireland would not have been repopulated after the battle with Bran
The five pregnant survivors
After marrying the princess, he beat her and made her work as a scullery maid
Matholwch
Efnysien
Usually thought of for cooking, this vessel returns soldiers to life every day
The Black Cauldron
The only character to appear in all four branches of The Mabinogion
Peredur