"And the penance that was imposed upon her was... that she
should relate the story to all who should come there."
____ Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed, from "The Mabinogion"
On the night that Rhiannon (Hree-ANN'on) gave birth, her baby was stolen by an otherworldly former suitor. In the morning, the nurses were terrified of being punished for their lack of vigilance, so they killed a litter of puppies, spilled the blood upon Rhiannon's bed, and threw the small bones about in such a way as to cause onlookers to believe that the mother had devoured her own baby. Her husband Pwyll (POO'ilh), was reluctant to condemn her, but condemned she was. Her punishment was that she stand at the mounting block in the courtyard for seven years, to stop all comers and tell them her terrible deed and to offer to carry the guest into the hall on her own back. When her child was eventually restored to her, she was released from her undeserved punishment.
For many, telling untrue stories against themselves is a daily experience. This may begin unconsciously. A parent or teacher may start the process in the early years with an observation such as, "You'll never come to any good." If this message is reiterated often enough, the story becomes self-fulfilling, accepted and believed by the person who might originally have denied its truth. Whatever the cause, the false story that we tell against ourselves can poison our lives and embitter our relationships with others. An the exemplar of those who have been burdened with false report, Rhiannon is the lifter of burdens and the singer of the true song. She can help restore self-esteem and allow a new story to shine forth.
"Examine closley the 'never' and 'always' accounts and all the sorry untruths that have become part of your own story. Begin to tell a new story about yourself, taking every opportunity to detach yourself from the old, unhappy stories that you tell against yourself."
[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]
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