Arawa (Arawn)
Celtic
The gray-clad magician king of the underworld (annwfn), a paradise without war, strife, disease, or hunger. According to the Mabinogian, he switched places for one year with the renowned warrior-king Pwyll. Pwyll earned Arawa's rebuke when he chased the latter's hounds off their pursuit of a stag so that his own might bring down the prey. Arawa appeared and, to appease the lord of Annwfn, Pwyll suggested that he trade forms with Arawa for a year and then, at the conclusion, slay Arawa's enemy Havgan. Pwyll also promised that while he would share a bed with Arawa's queen during this time, he would not make love to her.
Pwyll fulfilled his promise to Arawa. The underworld seer warned Pwyll of Havgan's special power: if injured by the first blow, Havgan would heal and revive with a second. Pwyll took care to strike Havgan only once, ignoring the chieftain's plea for a second strike "just to finish him off".
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