Skip to content
Geraint son of Erbin, a MythSource painting
Celtic

Geraint son of Erbin

01Identity

Geraint son of Erbin in Celtic tradition

Geraint is the son of Erbin and a knight of Arthur's company. At Whitsuntide, an insult to Gwenhwyvar's maiden draws him into a challenge that leads to the Sparrow-Hawk tournament and to Enid, daughter of Earl Ynywl. He marries her, then leaves Arthur's court to defend his father's ageing lands in Cornwall. Geraint establishes his authority and becomes celebrated there, but a long retreat into private life costs him the fellowship of his nobles. When Enid's sorrowful words awaken his suspicion, he sets out with her through dangerous country and orders her to keep silence. She repeatedly warns him of danger despite his command, while he faces successive bands of attackers. Their journey includes further battles, a near-fatal wound and an encounter with the enchanted games behind a hedge of mist. Enid's steadfast presence and Geraint's return to her side bring their estrangement to an end. The romance follows both his public reputation and his relationship with Enid, and closes with their renewed life together.

SourceThe Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877): Geraint the Son of Erbin, printed pp. 141–184

Top questions

The quick answers

02The myths

The myths of Geraint son of Erbin

1 myth, with sources recorded for each.

Geraint and Enid

At Whitsuntide, Geraint meets Gwenhwyvar on the way to Arthur's hunt and sees a knight whose dwarf has struck one of the queen's maidens. Geraint follows the knight to a town but lacks arms and a lady to stand with him at its Sparrow-Hawk contest. Earl Ynywl lends him armour and offers his daughter Enid as his partner. Geraint defeats Edeyrn, the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk, and requires him to make amends to Gwenhwyvar. He then restores Ynywl's lands, takes Enid to Arthur's court and marries her. After three years of tournaments, Geraint returns to Cornwall at his father's request. He protects Erbin's territories and prospers, but gradually withdraws from his companions to remain with Enid. She grieves that he has abandoned his former life. Misreading her words as a sign of disloyalty, he makes her ride ahead and forbids her to speak.

Enid warns Geraint when robbers plan to seize them, and he defeats each group, taking their horses and arms. He later wounds the Earl Dwrm and survives a series of further encounters, including a fight with Gwiffert Petit, the Little King. Geraint falls from his horse, apparently dead, after killing giants who had murdered another knight. Enid's refusal to eat until he eats too moves him to rise and kill an earl who strikes her. Gwiffert brings them to physicians, and after Geraint recovers, they continue together. At a castle beyond a hedge of mist, Geraint enters the enchanted games and defeats their champion. He demands that the games, the hedge and its enchantment end. The mist vanishes, the divided hosts make peace, and Geraint returns with Enid to his lands, where they live in honour and prosperity.

Geraint and Enid, a MythSource painting of the scene

83 sources· checked 2026-10-01

  1. 1The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  2. 2The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  3. 3The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  4. 4The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  5. 5The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  6. 6The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  7. 7The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  8. 8The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  9. 9The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  10. 10The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  11. 11The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  12. 12The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  13. 13The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  14. 14The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  15. 15The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  16. 16The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  17. 17The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  18. 18The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  19. 19The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  20. 20The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  21. 21The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  22. 22The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  23. 23The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  24. 24The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  25. 25The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  26. 26The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  27. 27The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  28. 28The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  29. 29The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  30. 30The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  31. 31The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  32. 32The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  33. 33The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  34. 34The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  35. 35The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  36. 36The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  37. 37The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  38. 38The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  39. 39The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  40. 40The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  41. 41The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  42. 42The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  43. 43The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  44. 44The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  45. 45The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  46. 46The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  47. 47The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  48. 48The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  49. 49The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  50. 50The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  51. 51The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  52. 52The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  53. 53The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  54. 54The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  55. 55The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  56. 56The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  57. 57The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  58. 58The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  59. 59The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  60. 60The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  61. 61The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  62. 62The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  63. 63The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  64. 64The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  65. 65The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  66. 66The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  67. 67The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  68. 68The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  69. 69The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  70. 70The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  71. 71The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  72. 72The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  73. 73The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  74. 74The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  75. 75The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  76. 76The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  77. 77The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  78. 78The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  79. 79The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  80. 80The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  81. 81The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  82. 82The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1
  83. 83The Mabinogion (Lady Charlotte Guest translation, 1877)T1