Also called Arawn, King of Annwn.
Their story
Arawn, king of Annwn, met Pwyll in Glyn Cuch when Pwyll drove Arawn's white, red-eared hounds off a stag. To make amends Pwyll took Arawn's shape for a year and a day, defeated his enemy Hafgan, and never slept with Arawn's wife. Arawn was so moved by this loyalty that the two remained friends and exchanged gifts ever after. Later tradition says the Battle of the Trees began when Amaethon stole creatures from Arawn's land.
Best times to give to them
- Calan Gaeaf
- at a death or anniversary
- midwinter
What they like being given
- bread and red wine or juice
- a candle for the dead
- the names of your dead spoken aloud
How to honour them
- Honour him as a lord of the Otherworld who values honesty and fair dealing.
- On Calan Gaeaf, sit in the dark for a while and remember those who have gone.
How they can help you
- grief
- making amends
- friendship and loyalty
- facing mortality
Symbols
- white hounds with red ears
- the grey horse
- the hunting horn
Annwn is an Otherworld of feasting and honour in the Mabinogi, not a place of punishment.
Sources
- Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed (the First Branch of the Mabinogi)
- Trioedd Ynys Prydein
More Celtic gods
- The Dagda The good god, father of all
- Lugh Master of all the arts
- Cernunnos The antlered one of the wild
- Manannán mac Lir Lord of the sea and the Otherworld
- Aengus The young god of love
- Nuada The king with the silver hand
- Dian Cécht Physician of the Tuatha Dé Danann
- Goibniu Smith of the gods and brewer of the feast