batch.motif.celtic-welsh-mabinogion-guest-gutenberg-l8058-l8139
---
record_id: batch.motif.celtic-welsh-mabinogion-guest-gutenberg-l8058-l8139
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
passage_locator:
label: PEREDUR THE SON OF EVRAWC / GERAINT THE SON OF ERBIN / THE DREAM OF RHONABWY
/ PWYLL PRINCE OF DYVED; lines 8058-8139
start: '8058'
end: '8139'
translation: The Mabinogion
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: And Gwydion struck him with his magic wand, so that he returned to his own
form.
summary: Gwydion draws the eagle down from the oak with verses and restores him
to the form of Llew Llaw Gyffes. Llew is healed, seeks retribution, and recovers
his right. Blodeuwedd flees, her maidens drown, and Gwydion transforms her into
an owl. Gronw Pebyr refuses compensation terms, undergoes a mirrored spear-blow
ordeal at the river Cynvael, and is slain when Llew's dart pierces the protective
slab. Llew then regains possession of the land and governs Gwynedd.
language: English
quote_policy: quoted
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: An eagle descends from a tree in stages while Gwydion sings verses naming
the oak and saying it bears Llew Llaw Gyffes.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The eagle comes onto Gwydion's knee, and Gwydion uses a magic wand to restore
him to his own form.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: After restoration, Llew is described as extremely wasted, then is taken to
Caer Dathyl and healed by physicians before the year's end.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: Llew asks Math for retribution against the one who caused his suffering and
for restoration of his right.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:5
text: Blodeuwedd flees with her maidens toward a mountain court; the maidens, moving
with their faces turned backward from fear, fall into a lake and drown.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:6
text: Gwydion overtakes Blodeuwedd and declares that he will turn her into a bird
rather than slay her.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:7
text: The passage explains that Blodeuwedd becomes an owl, is hated and attacked
by other birds, and keeps the name Blodeuwedd.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: Gronw Pebyr sends messengers offering land, domain, gold, or silver as compensation
for Llew's injury; Llew refuses and demands a reciprocal dart-blow at the original
place.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:9
text: Gronw asks whether any of his warriors, household, or foster-brothers will
stand the blow for him; they refuse and are called the third disloyal tribe.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:10
text: At the river Cynvael, Gronw and Llew exchange the positions they had occupied
at the earlier wounding.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:11
text: Gronw places a slab between himself and Llew's blow; Llew's dart pierces the
slab and Gronw, killing him.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: obs:12
text: The slab on the bank of the river Cynvael is said to remain with a hole through
it and to be called Llech Gronw.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:13
text: Llew takes possession of the land a second time and governs it prosperously,
becoming lord over Gwynedd.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Llew Llaw Gyffes
description: A figure first present as an eagle in the tree, restored by Gwydion
to his own form, later healed, seeking retribution, slaying Gronw, and regaining
lordship.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:7
- ev:10
- ev:11
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Gwydion
description: He sings verses to the eagle, restores Llew with a magic wand, pursues
Blodeuwedd, and transforms her into an owl.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Math son of Mathonwy
description: Llew addresses him as lord; he affirms that the wrongdoer will not
maintain possession of what is Llew's right.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Blodeuwedd
description: She flees from Gwydion, is overtaken, and is transformed into an owl
as punishment for shame done to Llew.
role_refs:
- role:7
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Blodeuwedd's maidens
description: They flee with Blodeuwedd, fall into a lake while looking backward
from fear, and drown.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Gronw Pebyr
description: He offers compensation for Llew's injury, agrees to the reciprocal
blow, uses a slab as protection, and is killed by Llew's dart.
role_refs:
- role:10
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Gronw's warriors, household, and foster-brothers
description: They refuse to stand the blow in Gronw's place and are named as the
third disloyal tribe.
role_refs:
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Good physicians of Gwynedd
description: They are brought to Llew at Caer Dathyl and heal him before the end
of the year.
role_refs:
- role:13
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
roles:
- id: role:1
label: restored wounded hero
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Llew is restored from eagle form, is wasted, and is later healed.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:2
label: avenger seeking reciprocal justice
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Llew refuses compensation and demands to stand where Gronw stood and cast
a dart at him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: role:3
label: magical restorer
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Gwydion brings the eagle down and restores him with a magic wand.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:4
label: punitive transformer
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Gwydion overtakes Blodeuwedd and transforms her into a bird, identified as
an owl.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:5
label: lord affirming rightful possession
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Math states that the other man cannot maintain possession of what is Llew's
right.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:6
label: restored ruler
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Llew retakes possession of the land and becomes lord over Gwynedd.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: role:7
label: fugitive wrongdoer
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Blodeuwedd flees when she hears Gwydion is coming and is blamed for shame
done to Llew.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: role:8
label: transformed owl
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The passage says she is turned into a bird and that Blodeuwedd is an owl
in the language of the present time.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:9
label: drowned companions
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The maidens flee with Blodeuwedd and all drown except Blodeuwedd herself.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:10
label: wrongdoer facing retribution
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Gronw is identified as the one from whom Llew demands satisfaction for the
injury and is later slain.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:10
- id: role:11
label: failed protected target
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Gronw places a slab between himself and the blow, but the dart pierces both
slab and body.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: role:12
label: disloyal retainers
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: They refuse to suffer one stroke for their lord and are called the third
disloyal tribe.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:13
label: healers
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: They are brought to Llew and he is healed before the end of the year.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: oak tree bearing Llew
literal_form: Oak tree in which the eagle descends from the top or center to lower
branches while Gwydion sings.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: magic wand
literal_form: Wand used by Gwydion to strike the eagle and restore him to his own
form.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: owl Blodeuwedd
literal_form: Bird form into which Blodeuwedd is transformed; said to be hated and
attacked by other birds.
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:4
label: mountain refuge
literal_form: Mountain and court toward which Blodeuwedd and her maidens flee.
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs:
- mountain
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:5
label: river Cynvael
literal_form: River crossed by Blodeuwedd's party and later the setting of the reciprocal
dart-blow.
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:1
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: sym:6
label: lake of drowning
literal_form: Lake into which Blodeuwedd's maidens fall and drown.
associated_figures:
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:7
label: reciprocal dart
literal_form: Dart thrown by Llew at Gronw in the reversed position of the former
wounding.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: sym:8
label: pierced slab called Llech Gronw
literal_form: Stone slab placed between Gronw and Llew's dart, pierced through and
later named Llech Gronw.
associated_figures:
- fig:6
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: sym:9
label: rightful land of Llew
literal_form: Land or possession described as Llew's right and retaken by him after
Gronw's death.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:11
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Eagle descends from the oak and is restored
summary: Gwydion sings to the oak, the eagle descends to his knee, and Gwydion restores
the eagle to Llew's own form with a magic wand.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Llew's healing and demand for retribution
summary: Llew is taken to Caer Dathyl, healed by physicians, and then asks Math
for retribution and recovery of his right.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: scene:3
label: Flight and transformation of Blodeuwedd
summary: Blodeuwedd flees with her maidens across the river toward the mountain;
the maidens drown, and Gwydion turns Blodeuwedd into an owl hated by other birds.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:5
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: scene:4
label: Refusal of compensation and demand for mirrored blow
summary: Gronw offers material compensation, but Llew demands that Gronw stand where
Llew had been wounded while Llew stands where Gronw had stood.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: scene:5
label: Disloyal retainers refuse substitution
summary: Gronw asks his warriors, household, and foster-brothers to take the blow
in his place, but all refuse and are labeled disloyal.
figure_refs:
- fig:6
- fig:7
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: scene:6
label: Slaying of Gronw at the river Cynvael
summary: At the river Cynvael, Gronw places a slab before him; Llew's dart pierces
the slab and kills Gronw, and the stone is named Llech Gronw.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
- sym:7
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: scene:7
label: Llew regains rule
summary: Llew takes possession of the land again, governs prosperously, and becomes
lord over Gwynedd.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
symbol_refs:
- sym:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Animal-form restoration by magical touch
taxonomy_refs:
- shapeshifter
- return
basis: Llew appears as an eagle in a tree and is restored to his own form when Gwydion
strikes him with a magic wand.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: The passage presents transformation and restoration but does not explain
the original transformation within this excerpt.
- id: motif:2
label: Punitive transformation into an etiological animal
taxonomy_refs:
- shapeshifter
basis: Gwydion punishes Blodeuwedd by changing her into an owl, and the passage
explains the present name and hostility of other birds toward owls.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: The broader backstory of Blodeuwedd's offense lies partly outside this
passage.
- id: motif:3
label: Mirrored retribution at the site of injury
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Llew refuses payment and requires Gronw to stand where Llew stood when wounded,
while Llew stands where Gronw stood and casts a dart.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:9
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: No supplied taxonomy family directly names this judicial or vengeance
pattern.
- id: motif:4
label: Pierced memorial stone explaining a place-name
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The slab is pierced by the dart, remains on the river bank with a hole, and
is called Llech Gronw.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: This is an etiological place-object motif, but no matching taxonomy reference
is supplied.
- id: motif:5
label: Restoration of rightful lordship after retribution
taxonomy_refs:
- royal_legitimacy
- return
basis: Math frames the possession as Llew's right; after Gronw is slain, Llew takes
possession again and becomes lord over Gwynedd.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:10
- ev:11
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage supports recovery of lordship, but the institutional basis
for royal legitimacy is not elaborated here.
- id: motif:6
label: Disloyal retainers refuse substitution for their lord
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Gronw's warriors, household, and foster-brothers refuse to suffer one stroke
in his stead and are named as a disloyal tribe.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: This is a social-loyalty motif without a supplied taxonomy reference.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 8058-8073
quote_or_summary: The eagle descends in the oak as Gwydion sings verses naming the
oak and saying that it bears Llew Llaw Gyffes.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary.
- id: ev:2
type: quote
locator: 8074-8077
quote_or_summary: "“Gwydion struck him with his magic wand, so that he returned
to his own form”; the restored figure is described as skin and bone."
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short quotation.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: 8078-8080
quote_or_summary: Llew goes to Caer Dathyl, good physicians of Gwynedd are brought
to him, and he is healed before the end of the year.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 8081-8086
quote_or_summary: Llew asks Math for retribution for his woe; Math says the offender
cannot keep possession of what is Llew's right.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: 8087-8094
quote_or_summary: Blodeuwedd hears Gwydion is coming, flees with her maidens toward
the mountain, and the maidens fall into a lake and drown while looking backward
in fear.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: 8094-8105
quote_or_summary: Gwydion overtakes Blodeuwedd and says he will not kill her but
will turn her into a bird; the passage identifies Blodeuwedd as an owl hated by
other birds.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: 8106-8115
quote_or_summary: Gronw sends messengers offering land, domain, gold, or silver;
Llew refuses and demands that Gronw receive a dart-blow at the place of the earlier
wounding.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: 8116-8122
quote_or_summary: Gronw asks his warriors, household, and foster-brothers to stand
the blow for him; they refuse and are called the third disloyal tribe.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: 8123-8131
quote_or_summary: At the river Cynvael, Gronw and Llew take each other's former
positions; Gronw asks to place a slab between himself and the blow, and Llew allows
it.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: 8132-8136
quote_or_summary: Llew's dart pierces the slab and Gronw, killing him; the pierced
slab remains by the river Cynvael and is called Llech Gronw.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary.
- id: ev:11
type: summary
locator: 8137-8139
quote_or_summary: Llew takes possession of the land a second time, governs prosperously,
and is lord over Gwynedd.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Passage events and figures are explicit. Motif labeling is limited to patterns
directly present in the excerpt and supplied taxonomy references where applicable.
No comparison claims are made because the passage itself does not support external
comparison.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Only the provided passage and metadata were used.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:celtic-welsh-mabinogion-guest-gutenberg__l8058-l8139
passage_sha256=a30d386304f0d4b6690d4e55f6db13e60d1ab78cd19b69b31012ff59e3264fed