Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain
Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain is one of the Three
Welsh Romances associated with the
Mabinogion. It is analogous to
Chrétien de Troyes'
Old French poem
Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. It survives in the
White Book of Rhydderch and the
Red Book of Hergest, both from the
14th century.
The tale's hero,
Owain, is based on the historical figure
Owain mab Urien. The romance consists of a hero marrying his love, the Lady of the Fountain, but losing her when he neglects her for knighly exploits. With the aid of a lion he saves from a serpent, he finds a balance between his marital and social duties and rejoins his wife.
It was once thought
Owain and
Yvain were derived from a common lost source, but it now seems more likely that
Owain was directly or indirectly based on Chrétien's poem, and added local literary touches to appeal to a Welsh audience. It is possible, however, that Chrétien had a
Celtic source, evidence of which can be found in certain episodes in the
Life of St. Mungo (also called St. Kentigern), where the saint's father Owain tries to woo his mother,
Lot of Lothian's daughter. The episodes are similar enough to
Yvain to suggest an oral tradition that inspired the hagiography and the
French and
Welsh romances.
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Owain or the Lady of the Fountain: Translation by Lady Charlotte Guest
