Quite a lot of really tenuous ones on here so I'm going to add my own. SPOILERS I think the Welsh myth of Lleu Llaw Gyffess and Blodeuwedd (google it I lived in Wales for 4 years and still have some issues with pronunciation) from the fourth branch of the Mabinogion and also the excellent and classic 1967 young adult fantasy-ish novel The Owl Service which directly draws on this myth. may have partially (note partially) served as inspiration for the back story between Robert, Lyanna and Rheagar. While stories of love, affairs, betrayal, hurt pride and revenge aren't particularly uncommon there are some similarities between the two that makes me think Martin may have been thinking of this story while writing it. Particularly Lyanna and Blodeuwedd. I'm not a hundred 100% convinced but here goes. To recap the story: Lleu is a hero in welsh mythology with a very odd back story which includes how his mother places a tynged on him meaning he will never marry a human woman, his uncle (a magician) and his king create him a woman from flowers to be his wife and get round the curse. however when he was away she fell in love with a neighboring lord Gronw Pebr and had an affair. They then plot to kill him (as i say partial inspiration) so they can be together and Blodeuwedd tricks him into revealing how he can be killed (since he can not be killed during the day or night, nor indoors or outdoors, neither riding nor walking, not clothed and not naked, nor by any weapon lawfully made). they arrange the very circumstance needed and Gronw thows a spear (made over a year during the hour when everyone is at mass) but it doesnt kill him, he transforms into an eagle and flees. His uncle gwydion finds him and turns him back. Lleu then demands Gronw stand and take the same as he got. standing on either side of a river Gronw has a stone placed between the two of them, but Lleu throws his spear through the rock and it kills Gronw. He then curses Bloduewedd and turns her into an owl, the bird hated by all others. the Owl Service is about 3 teenagers getting caught up in the myth repeating itself in them. It is quite brilliant. I'm not 100% about this one but as Lyanna is repeatedly associated with flowers, robert kills rheagar essentially across a river and a few other small points to go alongside the love and betrayal. This reading also fits in with one thing i think which is that not only did Lyanna go voluntarily with Rheagar (which is a pretty standard conclusion i gather) but Robert at the very least suspected it. Also just in general a lot of things are coincidences and even more are certain patterns, ideas, words, concepts etc that permeate the culture aren't references. Similarly Martin is not transcribing anything, he is at best in every case using it as a foundation for his ideas. That and many i suspect are just plucked out of the air either unconsciously using something as the base for an idea or it being just pure coincidence. although i do like how there are definitely some very direct references. However bit disappointed there seem to be so many Robert Jordan as he is a terrible writer. and relax...
