Branwen

In Branwen Daughter of Llyr, birds are a recurring and strong motif . Birds play a large role in insulting Bendigeidfran. When Branwen has been sent to work in the kitchen rather than holding her rightful place as the queen of Ireland, which is the ultimate insult, she sends a bird to her brother telling him of how the Irish are abusing her. Previous to the message recieved from the bird, Bendigeidfran had not known the suffering Branwen had endured. Birds are used in this story, as in many others, to symbolize freedom. Branwen uses the bird, in this case the the one carrying her letter, to help her escape. After the defeat of the Irish by the men of the Island of the Mighty, they feast for seven years while the birds of Rhiannon sing, and this is a symbol of their victory and consequent freedom.