Heinin Vardd

Also known as: Heinin · Role: first and wisest bard · First appears: TALIESIN 3

Life events

• Taliesin's lip-playing causes the royal bards to imitate him before Maelgwn.(TALIESIN 3 · 📍 court of Maelgwn)
  • With: Taliesin
  • “at the moment that they passed by the corner wherein he was crouching, Taliesin pouted out his lips after them, and played ‘Blerwm, blerwm,’ with his finger upon his lips. Neither took they much notice of him as they went by, but proceeded forward till they came before the king, unto whom they made their obeisance with their bodies, as they were wont, without speaking a single word, but pouting out their lips, and making mouths at the king, playing ‘Blerwm, blerwm,’ upon their lips with their fingers, as they had seen the boy do elsewhere.”
• Maelgwn orders Heinin Vardd struck after the bards repeatedly ignore his commands.(TALIESIN 3 · 📍 court of Maelgwn)
  • With: Maelgwn Gwynedd
  • “At the last the king ordered one of his squires to give a blow to the chief of them named Heinin Vardd; and the squire took a broom, and struck him on the head, so that he fell back in his seat.”
• Heinin Vardd reveals that Taliesin's supernatural influence caused the bards' strange behavior.(TALIESIN 3 · 📍 court of Maelgwn)
  • With: Taliesin Maelgwn Gwynedd
  • “Oh honourable king, be it known to your grace, that not from the strength of drink, or of too much liquor, are we dumb, without power of speech like drunken men, but through the influence of a spirit that sits in the corner yonder in the form of a child.”
• Taliesin defeats the royal bards, leaving Heinin and the others unable to answer him.(TALIESIN 3 · 📍 court of Maelgwn)
  • With: Taliesin Maelgwn Gwynedd
  • “But when he came, he could do no other, but play ‘blerwm’ on his lips; and when he sent for the others of the four and twenty bards, they all did likewise, and could do no other.”

TALIESIN 3

• employer: Maelgwn Gwynedd (Heinin is identified as Maelgwn's bard.) “And when the king knew that he was the bard of Elphin, he bade Heinin, his first and wisest bard, to answer Taliesin and to strive with him.”
• rivals with Taliesin “he bade Heinin, his first and wisest bard, to answer Taliesin and to strive with him.”
• with Taliesin (Heinin called Taliesin by the name Merddin.) “Idno and Heinin called me Merddin,”

TALIESIN 4

• rivals with Taliesin (The two are opposing bards in a poetic challenge.) “If thy bards, Heinin, be competent, Let them reply to me, Taliesin.”
• with Taliesin (Taliesin challenges Heinin and his bards.) “If thy bards, Heinin, be competent, Let them reply to me, Taliesin.”

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Extracted from the original text of The Mabinogion. Made with Rho MD.