Please note that the Welsh letters “ll,” “ch,” “dd,” and “rh” remain in their current form with no phonetic equivalent provided. Refer to the pronunciation guide for guidance.
Annwfn (ANN-oo-vn), also Annwn (ANN-oon)—A Welsh term for the indigenous underworld of the Celts, accessible via liminal locations. Its inhabitants are free to wander into our dimension and interbreed.
Arianrhod (Ar-ee-ANN-rod)—Goddess, daughter of the mother goddess Don, and figure in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi.
Awen (AH-when)—The flowing, unifying spirit of Celtic Paganism.
Ayrwen (AER-wen)—One of the Celtic goddesses of war and battle; a tutelary deity of the river Dee.
Bala (BA-laa)—The town in the county of Gwynedd in North Wales where the tale takes place.
Bard (BARRED)—A Celtic poet or magician.
Beli Mawr (BELL-ee MA-oor)—An ancestor deity of the British pantheon. Literally means “big fire or light.”
Bendigeidfran (Ben-dee-GAYD-vran)—A giant, one of the rulers of the islands of Britain, and a character in the Second Branch of the Mabinogi. His head is said to be buried beneath the Tower of London and protects the islands from attack.
Blodeuedd (Blod-AYE-edd)—A woman created from flowers in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi. Her name changes from Blodeuedd in her human form to Blodeuwedd (Blod-AYE-wedd) when she is in owl form.
Bol Croen (BOL KRR-oyn)—Literally translated as “skin-belly” and synonymous with womb; the coracle, or vessel, into which the newborn Taliesin is placed.
Branwen (BRAN-wen)—Goddess and sister of Bendigeidfran in the Second Branch of the Mabinogi.
Bryn Y Carnau (BR-in Uh KARNN-eye)—A sacred cliff near the lake of Llyn Cerrig Bach on the island of Anglesey.
Caer (KA-eer)—Welsh term for “fort.”
Caergyfylchi (KA-eer-GUV-ul-Chi)—The city reputed to be the location of a temple dedicated to Cerridwen.
Calan Gaeaf (Kal-ANN Gay-av)—The Welsh term for the feast of Samhain/Halloween. Literally translates as “the calends of winter.”
Calan Mai (Kal-ANN My)—The Welsh term for Beltane/May Day. Literally translates as “the calends of May.”
Celtica (KELTEE-KA)—The name given to the combined cultures of the six Celtic nations and the spirit of Celticness that unites them.
Cerridwen (Kerr-ID-wen)—The witch goddess and primary initiator.
Creiddylad (Kray-DD-Ulad)—One of the fairest maidens to have lived; two male deities fight for her hand in marriage every May Day until the end of time. She appears in the epic tale of how Culhwch won Olwen.
Creirfyw (Kray-Rh-view)—One of the fairest maidens to have lived; the daughter of Tegid and Cerridwen, sister of Morfran Afagddu.
Crochen (Kraw-CH-en)—Welsh term meaning “cauldron.”
Culhwch ac Olwen (KILL-Hoo-ch ak OL-wen)—One of the oldest native tales of Wales in which appear characters from the tale of Taliesin.
Cyfarwydd (Kuv-ARR-with)—Literally means “to be familiar,” a term used for magician.
Cynfyd (KIN-Vid)—The “before” world, or the old world.
Dall (DA-ll)—Welsh term meaning “blind.”
Dallmor Dallme (da-LL-more da-LL-mare)—One of the names attributed to Morda, which can be taken to mean “blind sea, blind stone.”
Daroganwr (Darr-oh-GAN-oor)—Welsh term for “prophet.”
Deganwy (Deg-ANN-wee)—A coastal north Wales town reputed to be the home of Maelgwn Gwynedd.
Don (DONN)—Primary Celtic mother goddess whose offspring are the primary characters of many of the Mabinogi tales.
Dryw (DREW)—Alleged old Welsh name for druid/magician.
Duwies (DEEW-yes)—Welsh term meaning “goddess.”
Dwygyfylchi (Dwee-GUV-ul-chi)—The modern-day location of Caergyfylchi.
Dyfrdwy (DUV-rr-dooee)—The modern Welsh name for the river Ayrwen; literally means “the river of the Goddess.”
Efnysien (Ev-NIS-ee-en)—A counterpart to Morfran Afagddu and representation of the shadow aspect found in the Second Branch of the Mabinogi.
Elffin (EL-phin)—The son of Gwyddno Garanhir who discovers Taliesin in the salmon weir.
Feddwit (FEDD-wit)—A fortification in the poem “The Spoils of Annwn.”
Gellilyfdy (Gell-ee-LUV-dee)—The location where John Jones compiled Peniarth MS 111.
Goludd (GOL-eedd)—A fortification in the poem “The Spoils of Annwn.”
Gorsedd (GORE-Seth)—A seating or a collection of bards.
Gwion Bach (GWEE-on BA-ch)—The main protagonist and metaphor for the student of the Celtic mysteries.
Gwyddno Garanhir (GWEEth-No GAR-ann-Heer)—The owner of the weir in which Taliesin is discovered. Garanhir translates as “long shanks.”
Gwydion (GWEED-eeon)—A magician renowned for his skills in magic who appears in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi and is mentioned by name in several of the Taliesin poems.
Gwyn ap Nudd (GWIN ap NEE-th)—A Celtic deity. Reputedly the king of the fairies, he leads the Wild Hunt on Samhain Eve to gather the spirits of the dead. He fights with Gwythyr every May Day for the hand of Creiddylad.
Gwyniad (GWIN-iad)—Small white fish. A remnant from the Ice Age, they inhabit the lake at Bala and are unique to that location—they aren’t found anywhere else on the planet.
Gwythyr ap Greidol (GWEE-thr ap GRAY-dol)—A Celtic deity who fights Gwyn ap Nudd for the hand of Creiddylad.
Iolo Morganwg (YOLO More-GAN-oog)—Poet genius and recorder of Druidic wisdom and theology, some of which is believed to be forged.
Llanfair Caereinion (LL-ann Vai-rr Kare-EIN-eeon)—The village reputed to be the birthplace of Gwion Bach.
Llanuwchllyn (Llann-EWWch–ll-in)—The village on the western shores of Lake Tegid.
Lleu Llaw Gyffes (LL-ay LL-aw GUFF-ess)—Abandoned son of Arianrhod, a central figure in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi. His name literally means “light, of skilful hand.”
Llyn Cerrig Bach (LL-in KERR-eeg BA-ch)—Sacred lake on the island of Anglesey. A site of significant Druidic offerings discovered during the Second World War.
Llyn Tegid (LL-in TEG-id)—The Welsh name for the lake famed in the tale.
Llyr (LL-ir)—Celtic god of the sea whose offspring play significant roles in the Mabinogi tales. He was one of the three exalted prisoners of the islands of Britain.
Mabinogi (Mab-INN-Og-ee)—Small tales, or tales of youth, the collective name given to a series of native Welsh tales, the most famed being the Four Branches of the Mabinogi. Mabinogion is an Anglicisation assumed to have been coined by Lady Charlotte Guest; the correct form—Mabinogi—appears in the original manuscripts.
Maelgwn Gwynedd (MA-eel-Goon GWIN-eth)—King of Gwynedd in the sixth century.
Manawydan (Man-ah-WID-ann)—Primary character in the Third Branch of the Mabinogi.
Mona (Moan-Ah)—The Celto-Romano name for the island of Mon/Anglesey, chief seat of the British druids.
Mor (More)—Welsh word meaning “sea.”
Morda (MORE-da)—The blind man employed to stoke the fires beneath the cauldron.
Morfran Afagddu (More-VRA-nn Av-AG-thee)—The ugly son of Tegid and Cerridwen, the brother of Creirfyw.
Ochren (OCH-wren)—A fortification in the poem “The Spoils of Annwn.”
Ogyrwen (OGRE-wen)—Of unknown origin, believed to be a spirit of personification or a goddess of great antiquity.
Pair (PA-eer)—Welsh term meaning “cauldron.” Used interchangeably with crochen.
Pedryfan (Ped-RUV-ann)—The four-walled enclosure synonymous with the island of Britain. A fortification in the poem “The Spoils of Annwn.”
Pharaon (FAR-Ah-on)—Legendary priesthood of magicians perpetuated by Edward Davies.
Pheryllt (FAIR-ee-llt)—The unknown caste of magicians that Cerridwen consulted, also synonymous with the magician Virgil.
Pryderi (PRUD-erry)—The kidnapped son of Rhiannon who is the main protagonist in the First, Third, and Fourth Branches of the Mabinogi.
Prydwen (PRUD-wen)—The divine feminine figure in the poem “The Spoils of Annwn,” she is represented as a ship that carries Arthur, Taliesin, and their explorers on a quest in search of the cauldron.
Pwca (POO-ka)—A mischievous Welsh nature spirit.
Pwyll (PWEE-ll)—The main character of the First Branch of the Mabinogi who trades places with the King of Annwn. He is Rhiannon’s husband.
Rhiannon (Rhee-ANN-onn)—A goddess, also known as Epona in Celto-Romano culture, and a main character in the First and Third Branches of the Mabinogi. She is the otherworldly wife of Pwyll and the mother of Pryderi.
Rigor (REE-gor)—A fortification in the poem “The Spoils of Annwn.”
Siddi (SIDD-ee)—A fortification in the poem “The Spoils of Annwn.”
Syw (SEE-OO)—Alleged old Welsh name for “sage” or “sorcerer.”
Taliesin (Tal-YES-inn)—The Prophetic Spirit, poet, he with the radiant brow; Gwion Bach becomes Taliesin.
Tegid Foel (TEG-id Vo-yal)—Cerridwen’s husband, the tutelary deity of Lake Tegid in Bala.
Vandwy (VAN-doo-ee)—A fortification in the poem “The Spoils of Annwn.”
Wydr (WID-hr)—A fortification in the poem “The Spoils of Annwn.”
Ynys Y Kedeirn (UN-is Ugh KED-airn)—A Welsh term meaning “Island of the Mighty,” an old name for the island of Britain.