Rhiannon is a mythical character who appears in the first and third branches of the Mabinogi. She is portrayed as both human and otherworldly, with spiritual connections to animals including horses and birds.

Rhiannon chooses Pwyll, Lord of Dyfed over opposing suitor Gwawl. Until this point, she remains unavailable as a distant goddess-like figure on a magical white horse that cannot be reached. She is often associated with the goddess Epona, protector of horses and one of the leaders of the soul into the afterlife. This association with freedom and autonomy makes Rhiannon an enduring icon.

She first appears at the court of Arberth in Pembrokeshire and is intellectually superior to her husband who is portrayed as rash and somewhat gullible. This is reinforced three years later, when Pwyll is easily convinced that Rhiannon has committed infanticide. One night, when their child Pryderi disappears while in the care of her maids, Rhiannon is smeared in the blood of slaughtered puppies and set up as scapegoat. Her ‘horse’ association continues as she is forced to pay penance by carrying travellers on her back to court while telling her story.

Meanwhile, Pryderi, like his mother appears both human and otherworldly. As a baby, he is discovered by Teyrnon (Lord of Gwent) when a mysterious clawed beast attempts to snatch a foal. Furthermore, he grows at a superhuman pace and shows an affinity with horses. Nevertheless, it is his similarity to his father that finds Pryderi returned to his rightful home to release Rhiannon from her penance.

In the third branch of The Mabinogi, Rhiannon’s status grows ever stronger as her son inherits the Lordship of Dyfed. However, her influence is again diminished through marriage (this time to Manawydan) who is gifted sovereignty for protecting the court from invasion. This is illustrated through a dark mist that descends over the land to destroy the animals and humans outside of court. Later in the tale, Rhiannon eventually rebukes Manawydan for abandoning Pryderi when he is captured by a magic bowl and the mother and son disappear in another magical mist, along with the tower at Arberth.

Rhiannon is a figure of mystery that appeals to popular culture as much as she connects with ancient Celtic religion and mythical archetype. Her birds are described as able to ‘wake the dead and lull the living to sleep’, a metaphor for her enduring appeal.

Cymeriad chwedlonol yw Rhiannon sy’n ymddangos yn y gyntaf a’r drydedd o bedair cainc y Mabinogi. Caiff ei phortreadu fel dynes go iawn ac fel person arallfydol, gyda chysylltiadau ysbrydol ag anifeiliaid gan gynnwys ceffylau ac adar. 

Mae Rhiannon yn dewis Pwyll, Pendefig Dyfed, yn hytrach na Gwawl i’w briodi. Ffigwr tebyg i dduwies ar geffyl gwyn hudol oedd Rhiannon cyn hynny nad oedd modd mynd yn agos ati. Cysylltir hi yn aml â’r dduwies Epona, sef duwies ceffylau ac un o arweinwyr yr enaid i’r bywyd tragwyddol. Mae’r cysylltiad hwn â rhyddid ac annibyniaeth yn gwneud Rhiannon yn eicon oesol. 

Mae hi’n ymddangos gyntaf yn llys Arberth yn Sir Benfro fel rhywun mwy deallus na’i gŵr, a bortreadir fel gŵr byrbwyll hawdd ei dwyllo. Atgyfnerthir hyn dair blynedd yn ddiweddarach, pan argyhoeddir Pwyll bod Rhiannon wedi lladd eu baban. Y noson ar ôl geni Pryderi y mab, mae’r baban yn diflannu tra yng ngofal ei morynion, ac mae’r morynion hynny yn lladd cŵn bach ac yn iro wyneb Rhiannon â gwaed y cŵn a thaeru ei bod wedi lladd ei mab. Mae ei chysylltiad â ‘cheffylau’ yn parhau wrth iddi gael ei chosbi drwy orfod cludo ymwelwyr ar ei chefn i’r llys a dweud wrthynt am ei throsedd. 

Yn y cyfamser, mae Pryderi, fel ei fam, yn ymddangos yn berson dynol ac yn arallfydol. Fel baban, mae Teyrnon (Arglwydd Gwent) yn ei ddarganfod pan fydd crafanc fawr yn ceisio gafael mewn ebol. Mae Pryderi yn tyfu’n gyflym iawn ac yn gallu magu perthynas â cheffylau. Serch hynny, ei debygrwydd i’w dad sy’n gweld Pryderi yn cael ei ddychwelyd i’w gartref go iawn a rhyddhau Rhiannon o’i phennyd. 

Yn nhrydedd gainc y Mabinogi, mae statws Rhiannon yn tyfu’n fwy fwy cadarn wrth i’w mab etifeddu Pendefigaeth Dyfed. Fodd bynnag, mae ei dylanwad yn lleihau unwaith eto drwy briodas (y tro hwn â Manawydan) sy’n cael penarglwyddiaeth am amddiffyn y llys rhag goresgyniad. Mae niwl trwchus yn disgyn dros Ddyfed sy’n dinistrio’r anifeiliaid a’r bobl y tu hwnt i’r llys. Yn ddiweddarach yn y chwedl, mae Rhiannon yn ceryddu Manawydan am beidio ag achub Pryderi pan gaiff ei ddal mewn cawg hud, ac mae’r fam a’r mab yn diflannu mewn niwl arall hud a lledrith, ynghyd â’r tŵr yn Arberth.

Mae Rhiannon yn wraig ledrithiol sy’n apelio i ddiwylliant poblogaidd ac a gysylltir â’r grefydd Geltaidd hynafol ac yn enghraifft glasurol o ffigwr chwedlonol. Disgrifir ei hadar fel rhai all ‘ddeffro’r meirw a suo’r byw i gysgu’, sef trosiad ar ei hapêl oesol.