Branwen was the daughter of Llyr, the Welsh equivilent of the Irish Sea god Lir, and sister the Bran the Blessed, and Manawydan. Branwen was promised in marriage to the High King Matholwch but her half brother Efnisien felt insulted by not being consulted on the arrangement. In spite he cut off the lips, ears, and tails of Matholwch's horses. In compensation and to preserve the peace, Bran offered the Irish king replacement horses and a magic cauldron. When the king returned home Branwen was initially welcomed warmly, and bore the king a son named Gwern, Soon however, friends and family of Maholwch began to complain that the compensation from Bran was not enough, and to placate them, he made Branwen give up her position as queen and become a cook in the kitchens instead. For the next three years as she worked in the kitchens, she reared a starling whom she taught to recognise her brother Bran. She sent it to find him with a message telling of her treatment. When Bran learned what had transpired with his sister, he raised an army and set forth to invade Ireland where the Britons slew every Irish man there was.