Math son of Mathonwy decided to take a wife, and asked the advice of his nephew Gwydion, renowned for his wisdom.

"My sister Arianrhod is worthy of your attentions," Gwydion said, and brought her before the king.

"If you are truly a maiden," Math said to Arianrhod, "then I would take you to be my wife and the mother of my children."

"I am indeed a maiden," she replied coldly.

Math laid a magic wand upon the floor. "Then step over this wand, and it will prove whether or not you speak the truth."

Angered by this insult, Arianrhod complied, and by this trick Math used his magic to impregnate Arianrhod without her knowledge or consent.

Of this union two sons were born, one dark and one bright. The dark son was called Dylan, and had no sooner been given this name than he dove into the ocean and was lost beneath the waves.

Dylan, who was called the Son of the Wave, swam more skillfully than any fish, and no wave ever broke beneath him. When he was killed by the spear of his uncle Govannion, all the waves of Britain, Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man wept for him.

The second child grew more quickly than any mortal, and was much beloved by Gwydion, who raised him. The boy's mother had not seen him since his birth, so Gwydion brought him to her castle in the Menai Straits.

"Who is this?" she asked Gwydion.

"He is one who you should recognize," he replied. "This is your son."

Arianrhod frowned. She had little love for Gwydion, and could not bring herself to think kindly of this stranger who doted upon him, even if he was her own son. "How dare you bring him here, to my house, and shame me before the Court?" she demanded.

"He is a fine boy," Gwydion replied, "and you should feel no shame at having brought him forth."

"A fine boy, you say," Arianrhod said. "Yet he shall have no name, unless I give it to him."

Gwydion had not expected so harsh a reaction. "Very well, if that is the destiny you choose to lay upon him. Nevertheless, he shall have a name."

The next day, Gwydion took the boy to the sea, and disguised them both as cordwainers. He then used his magic to make a boat out of seaweed, and Cordovan leather out of dry sticks. Arianrhod spied them from her castle, and ordered her servants to take the measure of her foot. "Go forth to the cordwainers, and bid them make shoes for me."

The messenger went to the boat, and though he well knew the size of Arianrhod's foot, Gwydion made the shoes too large. "Return to those men, and bid them make a smaller pair," Arianrhod commanded, and this time the shoes Gwydion made were too small for her feet. "But truly, this is beautiful work," Arianrhod said with admiration, and sent her messenger back a third time.

Gwydion refused to make another pair of shoes. "I cannot make shoes for feet I have never seen," he said. "Bid the lady come here herself."

The messenger returned to Arianrhod, who so admired the leatherwork that she agreed and sailed out to greet Gwydion and her son. So Gwydion took the measure of Arianrhod's foot, and as he did so a wren lighted upon the deck. The boy shot the bird with an arrow, hitting its leg between the sinew and bone.

"A fine shot," Arianrhod said. "The lion aimed with a steady hand."

Gwydion smiled, and unmade his magic. "And so shall he be named Llew Llaw Gyffes," he said, for that was the translation of Arianrhod's compliment.

Arianrhod raged at this trick. "A name he shall have, then, and enjoy your triumph. But I swear he shall never have arms, save those that I myself give him."

"Wicked woman!" Gwydion swore. "Despite your malice, he shall have arms."

Gwydion took Llew Llaw Gyffes back to his castle, Dinas Dinllev, and brought up the boy, training his mind and body. But as time passed, it became clear that the boy longed for arms, and could take no joy in anything until he possessed them.

"This has continued long enough," Gwydion said. "Tomorrow we shall go on a journey together."

So Gwydion took Llew along the coast to Bryn Aryen, and at Cevn Clydno gathered horses, and Gwydion laid illusions upon them, giving them the appearance of two youths. Thus disguised, they rode toward Caer Arianrhod, where Gwydion introduced them as bards from Glamorgan.

Arianrhod welcomed them into her castle. She made a feast in their honor, and after that talked to Gwydion of bards' tales. Gwydion happily conversed with Arianrhod for a time; but then he and Llew, pleading exhaustion, retired early.

During the night, Gwydion worked his magic once more. When dawn came, the noise of a great army resounded through the castle. Arianrhod and a handmaiden came to Gwydion and Llew. "Good men, we are besieged by land and sea," Arianrhod told them.

"We shall do all we can to protect the castle," Gwydion promised. "Give us arms, and we shall defend you with our lives."

Arianrhod offered her thanks, and she herself presented arms and armor to Gwydion and Llew Llaw Gyffes.

With that, the din outside faded. "Now we have no need of arms," Gwydion said, "thanks to you, lady." He removed the rest of his illusion, revealing himself and Llew Llaw Gyffes.

Once more Arianrhod raged at him. "How dare you trick me in my own castle? The boy has his arms, then: let him learn to kill men, but he will never betray a woman, for I say that he never shall have a wife from any of the people on earth."

"Vile creature," Gwydion said, and withdrew with Llew back to the court of Math. There he told the king of his most recent meeting with Arianrhod.

"Then we must use magic again to outwit her malice," Math said. He and Gwydion took the blossoms of the oak, the broom and the meadow-sweet, and with them they fashioned a maiden of unsurpassed beauty. They named her Blodeuwedd, and gave her to Llew as his bride.

They made a splendid feast, for it did not only celebrate the marriage, but also celebrated the defeat of Arianrhod's wiles. And after the feast, Math gave the Cantrev of Dinodig to Llew Llaw Gyffes to rule. In that land he dwelt with Bloudeuwedd, in the castle Mur-y-Castell.

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