Arawn and Pwyll exchanged forms for a year so that Pwyll could slay Arawn's rival Hafgan with a single blow. Pwyll shared Arawn's queen's bed each night but never touched her, and when the year ended Arawn named him Pwyll Pen Annwn — Head of Annwn — in lasting friendship.
Hafgan warred ceaselessly against Arawn for dominion over Annwn, and no matter how Arawn struck him, a second blow restored Hafgan whole — a curse broken only when Pwyll, wearing Arawn's form, struck him once and refused to strike again.
Arawn reigns as king of Annwn, the Welsh Otherworld, ruling over a realm of eternal abundance where his white, red-eared hounds course through the mist between worlds.
When Amaethon's theft of a dog, lapwing, and roebuck from Arawn provoked the Cad Goddeu, Gwydion fought on his brother's side by enchanting the trees of the forest into warriors and guessing the secret name of Arawn's champion Bran, breaking the Otherworld king's power.
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