A Meditation on Alban Elfed

Alban Elfed – the autumnal equinox – is important to me of course.  Though I don’t follow the modern tradition of identifying Mabon with the equinox per se – nevertheless with Alban Elfed approaching, and with it Calan Gaeaf not long after, my thoughts turn to Mabon the huntsman, not least because with the turning of the year and the slow end of summer it’s natural to seek out this god and his eternal youth, and his place between worlds.

I first came on Mabon (intellectually) early on, in my exploration of what there was of the ancient tales of my homeland. Mabon ap Modron figures of course in the 12^th Century tale Kilhwch and Olwen, found in its most complete form in the Red Book of Hergest and preserved for us as one of the twelve (sometimes thirteen)  romances included with the Mabinogi.

Read spiritually, Kilhwch and Olwen isn’t one tale, but three (apt!)  interwoven in interesting ways.  But one of the most interesting is the dual path to Mabon ap Modron.