Rhiannon by Brandy Mearnic

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Rhiannon is a goddess of horses and is of Welsh mythology. Rhiannon is found in the Mabinogion in the First and Third Branch. She is the mother of the hero Pryderi, king of Dyfed, and the wife of Pwyll and then later, the wife of Manawydan.

Rhiannon is an early Celtic diety. Her name derives from early Britton form Rigantona, meaning “great queen goddess.” Her name also means “white witch.” She is associated with horses in the First Branch and may be related to Epona.

Rhiannon is a good witch, a Healer. She can manifest her dreams and desires. She travels on a white horse with myseterious birds that carry healing powers.

In the First Branch, Demetian king Pwyll sees Rhiannon. She is a beautiful woman who is dressed in gold, silky brocade and she is riding a white horse. It takes several days before Pwyll catches her attention. She tells him that she would rather marry him than her fiance, Gwawl ap Clud. A year later Pwyll accidentally promises Gwawl to Rhiannon. He wins her back through outwitting and dishonoring Gwawl. Pwyll and Rhiannon marry and attempt to give an heir to kingdom. Finally a boy is born and on the night of his birth he disappears while in the hands of Rhiannon's ladies-in-waiting. Rhiannon is accused of eating her own son and is forced to do penance for her crime. The boy is found outside a stable by Teyron, the lord of Gwent Is Coed. Him and his wife raised the child and called him Gwri Walt Euryn, which means Gwri of the Golden hair because the hair on his head was the color of gold. As he got older he grew to a superhuman pace and his resemblance to Pwyll was noticeable. He was reunited with Pwyll and Rhiannon and they changed his name to Pryderi, which means “loss”. Pwyll dies a peaceful death and Pryd...

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...wn all three offers. The bishop then asked him what he wanted for the mouse's life and he said that he wanted the release of his wife and her son. He also demanded the release of the mist. The bishop agreed to Manawydan's demands. The bishop was actually Llwyd ap Cil Coed, the mice were his attendants and the captured mouse was Llwyd's pregnant wife, Gwenaby. It had turned out that Llwyd was seeking revenge for the humiliation of his friend Gwawl ap Clud by Pwyll and Rhiannon. The mist over Dyfed was then lifted.

The Mabinogi to not see Rhiannon as nothing more than a human. Nevertheless, Rhiannon may be an earlier Goddess of Celtic polytheism. Rhiannon comes from two archetypes of myth: a beautiful queen goddess and a wife wrongfully accused of killing her only son.

Some people see her as a horse goddess related to Epona because of her association with horses.

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