Olwen

Family: Yspaddaden's household · Role: maiden · First appears: KILHWCH AND OLWEN OR THE TWRCH TRWYTH 1

Life events

• Kilhwch learns he cannot wed until he obtains Olwen, daughter of Yspaddaden Penkawr.(KILHWCH AND OLWEN OR THE TWRCH TRWYTH 1)
  • With: Kilhwch Yspaddaden Penkawr
  • “I declare to thee, that it is thy destiny not to be suited with a wife until thou obtain Olwen, the daughter of Yspaddaden Penkawr.”
• Kilhwch requested that Arthur obtain Olwen, daughter of Yspaddaden Penkawr, as his boon.(KILHWCH AND OLWEN OR THE TWRCH TRWYTH 3)
  • With: Kilhwch Yspaddaden Penkawr
  • “I crave of thee then, that thou obtain for me Olwen, the daughter of Yspaddaden Penkawr”
• Arthur’s messengers return without finding Olwen.(KILHWCH AND OLWEN OR THE TWRCH TRWYTH 4)
  • With: Arthur Kilhwch
  • “Then Arthur sent messengers to every land within his dominions, to seek for the maiden, and at the end of the year Arthur's messengers returned without having gained any knowledge or intelligence concerning Olwen, more than on the first day.”
• Olwen is summoned to meet Kilhwch after Custennin’s wife pledges that he will not harm her.(KILHWCH AND OLWEN OR THE TWRCH TRWYTH 4)
  • With: Kilhwch
  • “We pledge it,” said they. So a message was sent, and she came.”
• Olwen refuses to elope and requires Kilhwch to satisfy her father’s demands.(KILHWCH AND OLWEN OR THE TWRCH TRWYTH 4)
  • With: Kilhwch Yspaddaden Penkawr
  • “I cannot do this, for I have pledged my faith to my father not to go without his counsel, for his life will last only until the time of my espousals. Whatever is, must be. But I will give thee advice if thou wilt take it. Go, ask me of my father, and that which he shall require of thee, grant it, and thou wilt obtain me; but if thou deny him anything, thou wilt not obtain me, and it will be well for thee if thou escape with thy life.”
• Kilhwch accepts Olwen’s conditions and promises to fulfill her father’s demands.(KILHWCH AND OLWEN OR THE TWRCH TRWYTH 4)
  • With: Kilhwch
  • “I promise all this, if occasion offer,” said he.”
• Kilhwch formally asks Yspaddaden for Olwen, but Yspaddaden postpones his answer.(KILHWCH AND OLWEN OR THE TWRCH TRWYTH 4)
  • With: Kilhwch Yspaddaden Penkawr
  • “We come to ask thy daughter Olwen, for Kilhwch the son of Kilydd, the son of Prince Kelyddon.” “Where are my pages and my servants? Raise up the forks beneath my two eyebrows which have fallen over my eyes, that I may see the fashion of my son-in-law.” And they did so. “Come hither to-morrow, and you shall have an answer.”
• Olwen became Kilhwch's bride and remained his wife for life.(KILHWCH AND OLWEN OR THE TWRCH TRWYTH 10)
  • With: Kilhwch
  • “And that night Olwen became Kilhwch's bride, and she continued to be his wife as long as she lived.”

KILHWCH AND OLWEN OR THE TWRCH TRWYTH 1

• parent: Yspaddaden Penkawr “until thou obtain Olwen, the daughter of Yspaddaden Penkawr.”
• courtship with Kilhwch “And the youth blushed, and the love of the maiden diffused itself through all his frame, although he had never seen her.”
• admirer: Kilhwch “I declare to thee, that it is thy destiny not to be suited with a wife until thou obtain Olwen, the daughter of Yspaddaden Penkawr.” And the youth blushed, and the love of the maiden diffused itself through all his frame, although he had never seen her.”

KILHWCH AND OLWEN OR THE TWRCH TRWYTH 3

• parent: Yspaddaden Penkawr “I crave of thee then, that thou obtain for me Olwen, the daughter of Yspaddaden Penkawr”
• courtship with Kilhwch “I crave of thee then, that thou obtain for me Olwen, the daughter of Yspaddaden Penkawr”

KILHWCH AND OLWEN OR THE TWRCH TRWYTH 4

• parent: Yspaddaden Penkawr “We are an embassy from Arthur, come to seek Olwen, the daughter of Yspaddaden Penkawr.”
• courtship with Kilhwch “Ah! maiden, thou art she whom I have loved; come away with me lest they speak evil of thee and of me. Many a day have I loved thee.”

KILHWCH AND OLWEN OR THE TWRCH TRWYTH 10

• parent: Yspaddaden Penkawr (Yspaddaden Penkawr is identified as Olwen's father.) “And thus did Kilhwch obtain Olwen the daughter of Yspaddaden Penkawr.”
• married with Kilhwch (Kilhwch and Olwen marry and remain husband and wife.) “And that night Olwen became Kilhwch's bride, and she continued to be his wife as long as she lived.”

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