Reprinted them in affordable mass market paperbacks. It reprinted works of fantasy literature that were at that time out of print or at least not easily available to American readers. The Ballantine Adult Fantasy series, edited by Lin Carter, was launched in 1969. The consequences of Gwydion’s grand scheme do not end there…. Infuriated at the insult dealt to Goewin, Math doles out a draconian punishment to the two brothers.

In his experience, reluctance is always a pose. To Gilfaethwy’s astonishment, Goewin does not appreciate this at all. While the armies clash, Gilfaethwy accosts and rapes Goewin, left unguarded while Math is distracted by war. The war ends with Dyfed’s catastrophic defeat and Pryderi’s death.

This gives Gwydion something else he can use: war between Dyfed and Gwynedd. Gwydion tricks Dyfed out of a breeding stock of pigs. It follows that any means, fair or foul, are excusable where Dyfed is concerned. Gwydion sets out to acquire pigs for Grynedd and in so doing acquire Goewin for his brother.ĭyfed’s people are generally seen as an invaders by Gwynedd’s inhabitants. Until now, pigs have been utterly unknown in ancient Britain and while nobody in Gwynedd ever seen a pig or eaten one, their natural instinct is to covet Dyfed’s pigs. Pryderi, Prince of Dyfed, was gifted pigs by Arawn, king of otherworldy Annwn. Tiring of Gilfaethwy’s gloom, Gilfaethwy’s brother Gwydion comes up with a plan both extremely cunning and extremely foolish.

Gilfaethwy is obsessed with Goewin, who to Gilfaethwy’s astonishment has no interest in surrendering her position as Math’s (King of Gwynedd in north Wales) virginal foot holder 1 for a dalliance with a man who has had and who expects to have as many lovers as a field has blades of grass. 1970’s The Island of the Mighty is either the first (by publication order) or the fourth (by internal chronology) of Evangeline Walton’s Mabinogion Tetralogy.

The mabinogion tetralogy