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diff --git a/19976.txt b/19976.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..22b8f8f --- /dev/null +++ b/19976.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4027 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Mabinogion Vol. 3 (of 3), Edited by Owen +M. Edwards, Translated by Charlotte Guest + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Mabinogion Vol. 3 (of 3) + + +Editor: Owen M. Edwards + +Release Date: November 30, 2006 [eBook #19976] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MABINOGION VOL. 3 (OF 3)*** + + + + + +Transcribed from the 1912 T. Fisher Unwin edition by David Price, email +ccx074@pglaf.org + + + + + +THE MABINOGION + + +TRANSLATED FROM THE RED BOOK OF HERGEST BY LADY CHARLOTTE GUEST +VOL. III. LONDON +T. FISHER UNWIN +11 PATERNOSTER +BUILDINGS MXCII + +{The finding of Taliesin: p0.jpg} + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +{Picture: p11.jpg} + +This third volume completes the series of Mabinogion and tales translated +by Lady Charlotte Guest. + +As in the two preceding volumes, I have compared Lady Guest's transcript +with the original text in the Red Book of Hergest, and with Dr Gwenogvryn +Evans' scrupulously accurate diplomatic edition. I have, as before, +revised the translation as carefully as I could. I have not altered Lady +Guest's version in the slightest degree; but I have again put in the form +of foot-notes what seems to me to be a better or a more literal +translation. The mistranslations are fairly few in number; but some of +them are quite important, such as the references to pagan baptism or to +the Irish Channel. At the end of my revision I may say that I have been +struck by the comparative accuracy of the transcript of the Red Book +which Lady Guest used, and by the accurate thoroughness with which she +translated every one of the tales. + +This volume contains the oldest of the Mabinogion--the four branches of +the Mabinogion proper--and the kindred tale of Lludd and Llevelys. In +all these we are in a perfectly pagan atmosphere, neither the +introduction of Christianity nor the growth of chivalry having affected +them to any extent. + +The Story of Taliesin is the only one in the series that is not found in +the Red Book of Hergest. It is taken from very much later manuscripts, +and its Welsh is much more modern. Its subject, however, is akin to that +of the Mabinogion proper; if, indeed, the contest between Elphin and the +bards is an echo of the contest between decaying Paganism and growing +Christianity. + +OWEN EDWARDS. + +LLANUWCHLLYN, +13_th_ _September_ 1902. + + + + +PWYLL PRINCE OF DYVED. + + +Pwyll, prince of Dyved, was lord of the seven Cantrevs of Dyved; and once +upon a time he was at Narberth his chief palace, and he was minded to go +and hunt, and the part of his dominions in which it pleased him to hunt +was Glyn Cuch. So he set forth from Narberth that night, and went as far +as Llwyn Diarwyd. {11a} And that night he tarried there, and early {11b} +on the morrow he rose and came to Glyn Cuch; when he let loose the dogs +in the wood, and sounded the horn, and began the chace. And as he +followed the dogs, he lost his companions; and whilst he listened to the +hounds, he heard the cry of other hounds, a cry different from his own, +and coming in the opposite direction. + +And he beheld a glade in the wood forming a level plain, and as his dogs +came to the edge of the glade, he saw a stag before the other dogs. And +lo, as it reached the middle of the glade, the dogs that followed the +stag overtook it, and brought it down. Then looked he at the colour of +the dogs, staying not to look at the stag, and of all the hounds that he +had seen in the world, he had never seen any that were like unto those. +For their hair was of a brilliant shining white, and their ears were red; +and as the whiteness of their bodies shone, so did the redness of their +ears glisten. And he came towards the dogs, and drove away those that +had brought down the stag, and set his own dogs upon it. + +{Picture: p13.jpg} + +And as he was setting on his dogs, he saw a horseman coming towards him +upon a large light grey steed, with a hunting horn about his neck, and +clad in garments of grey woollen in the fashion of a hunting garb. And +the horseman drew near and spoke unto him thus. "Chieftain," said he, "I +know who thou art, and I greet thee not." "Peradventure," said Pwyll, +"thou art of such dignity that thou shouldest not do so." "Verily," +answered he, "it is not my dignity that prevents me." "What is it then, +O chieftain?" asked he. "By Heaven, it is by reason of thine own +ignorance and want of courtesy." "What discourtesy, Chieftain, hast thou +seen in me?" "Greater discourtesy saw I never in man," said he, "than to +drive away the dogs that were killing the stag, and to set upon it thine +own. This was discourteous, and though I may not be revenged upon thee, +yet I declare to Heaven that I will do thee more dishonour than the value +of an hundred stags." "O chieftain," he replied, "if I have done ill I +will redeem thy friendship." "How wilt thou redeem it?" "According as +thy dignity may be, but I know not who thou art?" "A crowned King am I +in the land whence I come." "Lord," said he, "may the day prosper with +thee, and from what land comest thou?" "From Annwvyn," answered he; +"Arawn, a King of Annwvyn, {13} am I." "Lord," said he, "how may I gain +thy friendship?" "After this manner mayest thou," he said. "There is a +man whose dominions are opposite to mine, who is ever warring against me, +and he is Havgan, a King of Annwvyn, and by ridding me of this oppression +which thou canst easily do shalt thou gain my friendship." "Gladly will +I do this," said he, "show me how I may." "I will show thee. Behold +thus it is thou mayest. I will make firm friendship with thee; and this +will I do, I will send thee to Annwvyn in my stead, and I will give thee +the fairest lady thou didst ever behold, to be thy companion, and I will +put my form and semblance upon thee, so that not a page of the chamber, +nor an officer, nor any other man that has always followed me shall know +that it is not I. And this shall be for the space of a year from +to-morrow, and then will we meet in this place." "Yes," said he; "but +when I shall have been there for the space of a year, by what means shall +I discover him of whom thou speakest?" "One year from this night," he +answered, "is the time fixed between him and me, that we should meet at +the Ford; be thou there in my likeness, and with one stroke that thou +givest him, he shall no longer live. And if he ask thee to give him +another, give it not, how much soever he may entreat thee, for when I did +so, he fought with me next day as well as ever before." "Verily," said +Pwyll, "what shall I do concerning my kingdom?" Said Arawn, "I will +cause that no one in all thy dominions, neither man, nor woman, shall +know that I am not thou, and I will go there in thy stead." "Gladly +then," said Pwyll, "will I set forward." "Clear shall be thy path and +nothing shall detain thee, until thou come into my dominions, and I +myself will be thy guide!" + +So he conducted him until he came in sight of the palace and its +dwellings. "Behold," said he, "the Court and the kingdom in thy power. +Enter the Court, there is no one there who will know thee, and when thou +seest {15} what service is done there, thou wilt know the customs of the +Court." + +So he went forward to the Court, and when he came there, he beheld +sleeping rooms, and halls, and chambers, and the most beautiful buildings +ever seen. And he went into the hall to disarray, and there came youths +and pages and disarrayed him, and all as they entered saluted him. And +two knights came and drew his hunting dress from about him, and clothed +him in a vesture of silk and gold. And the hall was prepared, and behold +he saw the household and the host enter in, and the host was the most +comely and the best equipped that he had ever seen. And with them came +in likewise the Queen, who was the fairest woman that he ever yet beheld. +And she had on a yellow robe of shining satin; and they washed and went +to the table, and they sat, the Queen upon one side of him, and one who +seemed to be an Earl on the other side. + +And he began to speak with the Queen, and he thought from her speech, +that she was the seemliest, and most noble lady of converse and of cheer +that ever was. And they partook of meat, and drink, with songs, and with +feasting; and of all the Courts upon the earth, behold this was the best +supplied with food and drink, and vessels of gold and royal jewels. + +* * * * * + +And the year he spent in hunting, and minstrelsy, and feasting, and +diversions, and discourse with his companions, until the night that was +fixed for the conflict. And when that night came, it was remembered even +by those who lived in the farthest part of his dominions, and he went to +the meeting, and the nobles of the kingdom with him. And when he came to +the Ford, a knight arose and spake thus, "Lords," said he, "listen well. +It is between two Kings that this meeting is, and between them only. Each +claimeth of the other his land and territory, and do all of you stand +aside and leave the fight to be between them." + +{Picture: p16.jpg} + +Thereupon the two Kings approached each other in the middle of the Ford, +and encountered, and at the first thrust, the man who was in the stead of +Arawn struck Havgan on the centre of the boss of his shield, so that it +was cloven in twain, and his armour was broken, and Havgan himself was +borne to the ground an arm's and a spear's length over the crupper of his +horse, and he received a deadly blow. "O Chieftain," said Havgan, "what +right hast thou to cause my death? I was not injuring thee in any thing, +and I know not wherefore thou wouldest slay me. But for the love of +Heaven, since thou hast begun to slay me, complete thy work." "Ah, +Chieftain," he replied, "I may yet repent doing that unto thee. Slay +thee who may, I will not do so." {17} "My trusty Lords," said Havgan, +"bear me hence. My death has come. I shall be no more able to uphold +you." "My Nobles," also said he who was in the semblance of Arawn, "take +counsel and know who ought to be my subjects." "Lord," said the Nobles, +"all should be, for there is no King over the whole of Annwvyn but thee." +"Yes," he replied, "it is right that he who comes humbly should be +received graciously, but he that doth not come with obedience, shall be +compelled by the force of swords." And thereupon he received the homage +of the men, and he began to conquer the country; and the next day by noon +the two kingdoms were in his power. And thereupon he went to keep his +tryst, and came to Glyn Cuch. + +And when he came there, the king of Annwvyn was there to meet him, and +each of them was rejoiced to see the other. "Verily," said Arawn, "may +Heaven reward thee for thy friendship towards me, I have heard of it. +When thou comest thyself to thy dominions," said he, "thou wilt see that +which I have done for thee." "Whatever thou hast done for me, may Heaven +repay it thee." + +Then Arawn gave to Pwyll Prince of Dyved his proper form and semblance, +and he himself took his own; and Arawn set forth towards the Court of +Annwvyn; and he was rejoiced when he beheld his hosts, and his household, +whom he had not seen so long; but they had not known of his absence, and +wondered no more at his coming than usual. And that day was spent in joy +and merriment; and he sat and conversed with his wife and his nobles. And +when it was time for them rather to sleep than to carouse, they went to +rest. + +* * * * * + +Pwyll, Prince of Dyved, came likewise to his country and dominions, and +began to enquire of the nobles of the land, how his rule had been during +the past year, compared with what it had been before. "Lord," said they, +"thy wisdom was never so great, and thou wert never so kind nor so free +in bestowing thy gifts, and thy justice was never more worthily seen than +in this year." "By Heaven," said he, "for all the good you have enjoyed, +you should thank him who hath been with you; for behold, thus hath this +matter been." And thereupon Pwyll related the whole unto them. "Verily, +Lord," said they, "render thanks unto Heaven that thou hast such a +fellowship, and withhold not from us the rule which we have enjoyed for +this year past." "I take Heaven to witness that I will not withhold it," +answered Pwyll. + +And thenceforth they made strong the friendship that was between them, +and each sent unto the other horses, and greyhounds, and hawks, and all +such jewels as they thought would be pleasing to each other. And by +reason of his having dwelt that year in Annwvyn, and having ruled there +so prosperously, and united the two kingdoms in one day by his valour and +prowess, he lost the name of Pwyll Prince of Dyved, and was called Pwyll +Chief of Annwvyn from that time forward. + +* * * * * + +Once upon a time, Pwyll was at Narberth his chief palace, where a feast +had been prepared for him, and with him was a great host of men. And +after the first meal, Pwyll arose to walk, and he went to the top of a +mound that was above the palace, and was called Gorsedd Arberth. "Lord," +said one of the Court, "it is peculiar to the mound that whosoever sits +upon it cannot go thence, without either receiving wounds or blows, or +else seeing a wonder." "I fear not to receive wounds and blows in the +midst of such a host as this, but as to the wonder, gladly would I see +it. I will go therefore and sit upon the mound." + +And upon the mound he sat. And while he sat there, they saw a lady, on a +pure white horse of large size, with a garment of shining gold around +her, coming along the high way that led from the mound; and the horse +seemed to move at a slow and even pace, and to be coming up towards the +mound. "My men," said Pwyll, "is there any among you who knows yonder +lady?" "There is not, Lord," said they. "Go one of you and meet her, +that we may know who she is." And one of them arose, and as he came upon +the road to meet her, she passed by, and he followed as fast as he could, +being on foot; and the greater was his speed, the further was she from +him. And when he saw that it profited him nothing to follow her, he +returned to Pwyll, and said unto him, "Lord, it is idle for any one in +the world to follow her on foot." "Verily," said Pwyll, "go unto the +palace, and take the fleetest horse that thou seest, and go after her." + +And he took a horse and went forward. And he came to an open level +plain, and put spurs to his horse; and the more he urged his horse, the +further was she from him. Yet she held the same pace as at first. And +his horse began to fail; and when his horse's feet failed him, he +returned to the place where Pwyll was. "Lord," said he, "it will avail +nothing for any one to follow yonder lady. I know of no horse in these +realms swifter than this, and it availed me not to pursue her." "Of a +truth," said Pwyll, "there must be some illusion here. Let us go towards +the palace." So to the palace they went, and they spent that day. And +the next day they arose, and that also they spent until it was time to go +to meat. And after the first meal, "Verily," said Pwyll, "we will go the +same party as yesterday to the top of the mound. And do thou," said he +to one of his young men, "take the swiftest horse that thou knowest in +the field." And thus did the young man. And they went towards the +mound, taking the horse with them. And as they were sitting down they +beheld the lady on the same horse, and in the same apparel, coming along +the same road. "Behold," said Pwyll, "here is the lady of yesterday. +Make ready, youth, to learn who she is." "My Lord," said he, "that will +I gladly do." And thereupon the lady came opposite to them. So the +youth mounted his horse; and before he had settled himself in his saddle, +she passed by, and there was a clear space between them. But her speed +was no greater than it had been the day before. Then he put his horse +into an amble, and thought that notwithstanding the gentle pace at which +his horse went, he should soon overtake her. But this availed him not; +so he gave his horse the reins. And still he came no nearer to her than +when he went at a foot's pace. And the more he urged his horse, the +further was she from him. Yet she rode not faster than before. When he +saw that it availed not to follow her, he returned to the place where +Pwyll was. "Lord," said he, "the horse can no more than thou hast seen." +"I see indeed that it avails not that any one should follow her. And by +Heaven," said he, "she must needs have an errand to some one in this +plain, if her haste would allow her to declare it. Let us go back to the +palace." And to the palace they went, and they spent that night in songs +and feasting, as it pleased them. + +And the next day they amused themselves until it was time to go to meat. +And when meat was ended, Pwyll said, "Where are the hosts that went +yesterday and the day before to the top of the mound?" "Behold, Lord, we +are here," said they. "Let us go," said he, "to the mound, to sit there. +And do thou," said he to the page who tended his horse, "saddle my horse +well, and hasten with him to the road, and bring also my spurs with +thee." And the youth did thus. And they went and sat upon the mound; +and ere they had been there but a short time, they beheld the lady coming +by the same road, and in the same manner, and at the same pace. "Young +man," said Pwyll, "I see the lady coming; give me my horse." And no +sooner had he mounted his horse than she passed him. And he turned after +her and followed her. And he let his horse go bounding playfully, and +thought that at the second step or the third he should come up with her. +But he came no nearer to her than at first. Then he urged his horse to +his utmost speed, yet he found that it availed nothing to follow her. +Then said Pwyll, "O maiden, for the sake of him whom thou best lovest, +stay for me." "I will stay gladly," said she, "and it were better for +thy horse hadst thou asked it long since." So the maiden stopped, and +she threw back that part of her head dress which covered her face. And +she fixed her eyes upon him, and began to talk with him. "Lady," asked +he, "whence comest thou, and whereunto dost thou journey?" "I journey on +mine own errand," said she, "and right glad am I to see thee." "My +greeting be unto thee," said he. Then he thought that the beauty of all +the maidens, and all the ladies that he had ever seen, was as nothing +compared to her beauty. "Lady," he said, "wilt thou tell me aught +concerning thy purpose?" "I will tell thee," said she. "My chief quest +was to seek thee." "Behold," said Pwyll, "this is to me the most +pleasing quest on which thou couldst have come; and wilt thou tell me who +thou art?" "I will tell thee, Lord," said she, "I am Rhiannon, the +daughter of Heveydd Hen, and they sought to give me to a husband against +my will. But no husband would I have, and that because of my love for +thee, neither will I yet have one unless thou reject me. And hither have +I come to hear thy answer." "By Heaven," said Pwyll, "behold this is my +answer. If I might choose among all the ladies and damsels in the world, +thee would I choose." "Verily," said she, "If thou art thus minded, make +a pledge to meet me ere I am given to another." "The sooner I may do so, +the more pleasing will it be unto me," said Pwyll, "and wheresoever thou +wilt, there will I meet with thee." "I will that thou meet me this day +twelvemonth at the palace of Heveydd. And I will cause a feast to be +prepared, so that it be ready against thou come." "Gladly," said he, +"will I keep this tryst." "Lord," said she, "remain in health, and be +mindful that thou keep thy promise; and now will I go hence." So they +parted, and he went back to his hosts and to them of his household. And +whatsoever questions they asked him respecting the damsel, he always +turned the discourse upon other matters. And when a year from that time +was gone, he caused a hundred knights to equip themselves and to go with +him to the palace of Heveydd Hen. And he came to the palace, and there +was great joy concerning him, with much concourse of people and great +rejoicing, and vast preparations for his coming. And the whole court was +placed under his orders. + +And the hall was garnished and they went to meat, and thus did they sit; +Heveydd Hen was on one side of Pwyll, and Rhiannon on the other. And all +the rest according to their rank. And they eat and feasted and talked +one with another, and at the beginning of the carousal after the meat, +there entered a tall auburn-haired youth, of royal bearing, clothed in a +garment of satin. And when he came into the hall, he saluted Pwyll and +his companions. "The greeting of Heaven be unto thee, my soul," said +Pwyll, "come thou and sit down." "Nay," said he, "a suitor am I, and I +will do mine errand." "Do so willingly," said Pwyll. "Lord," said he, +"my errand is unto thee, and it is to crave a boon of thee that I come." +"What boon soever thou mayest ask of me, as far as I am able, thou shall +have." "Ah," said Rhiannon, "Wherefore didst thou give that answer?" +"Has he not given it before the presence of these nobles?" asked the +youth. "My soul," said Pwyll, "what is the boon thou askest?" "The lady +whom best I love is to be thy bride this night; I come to ask her of +thee, with the feast and the banquet that are in this place." And Pwyll +was silent because of the answer which he had given. "Be silent as long +as thou wilt," said Rhiannon. "Never did man make worse use of his wits +than thou hast done." "Lady," said he, "I knew not who he was." "Behold, +this is the man to whom they would have given me against my will," said +she. "And he is Gwawl the son of Clud, a man of great power and wealth, +and because of the word thou hast spoken, bestow me upon him lest shame +befall thee." "Lady," said he, "I understand not thine answer. Never +can I do as thou sayest." "Bestow me upon him," said she, "and I will +cause that I shall never be his." "By what means will that be?" asked +Pwyll. "In thy hand will I give thee a small bag," said she. "See that +thou keep it well, and he will ask of thee the banquet, and the feast, +and the preparations which are not in thy power. Unto the hosts and the +household will I give the feast. And such will be thy answer respecting +this. And as concerns myself, I will engage to become his bride this +night twelvemonth. And at the end of the year be thou here," said she, +"and bring this bag with thee, and let thy hundred knights be in the +orchard up yonder. And when he is in the midst of joy and feasting, come +thou in by thyself, clad in ragged garments, and holding thy bag in thy +hand, and ask nothing but a bagfull of food, and I will cause that if all +the meat and liquor that are in these seven Cantrevs were put into it, it +would be no fuller than before. And after a great deal has been put +therein, he will ask thee, whether thy bag will ever be full. Say thou +then that it never will, until a man of noble birth and of great wealth +arise and press the food in the bag, with both his feet saying, 'Enough +has been put therein;' and I will cause him to go and tread down the food +in the bag, and when he does so, turn thou the bag, so that he shall be +up over his head in it, and then slip a knot upon the thongs of the bag. +Let there be also a good bugle horn about thy neck, and as soon as thou +hast bound him in the bag, wind thy horn, and let it be a signal between +thee and thy knights. And when they hear the sound of the horn, let them +come down upon the palace." "Lord," said Gwawl, "it is meet that I have +an answer to my request." "As much of that thou hast asked as it is in +my power to give, thou shalt have," replied Pwyll. "My soul," said +Rhiannon unto him, "as for the feast and the banquet that are here, I +have bestowed them upon the men of Dyved, and the household, and the +warriors that are with us. These can I not suffer to be given to any. In +a year from to-night a banquet shall be prepared for thee in this palace, +that I may become thy bride." + +So Gwawl went forth to his possessions, and Pwyll went also back to +Dyved. And they both spent that year until it was the time for the feast +at the palace of Heveydd Hen. Then Gwawl the son of Clud set out to the +feast that was prepared for him, and he came to the palace, and was +received there with rejoicing. Pwyll, also, the chief of Annwn came to +the orchard with his hundred knights, as Rhiannon had commanded him, +having the bag with him. And Pwyll was clad in coarse and ragged +garments, and wore large clumsy old shoes upon his feet. And when he +knew that the carousal after the meat had begun, he went towards the +hall, and when he came into the hall, he saluted Gwawl the son of Clud, +and his company, both men and women. "Heaven prosper thee," said Gwawl, +"and the greeting of Heaven be unto thee." "Lord," said he, "May Heaven +reward thee, I have an errand unto thee." "Welcome be thine errand, and +if thou ask of me that which is just, thou shalt have it gladly." "It is +fitting," answered he. {26} "I crave but from want, and the boon that I +ask is to have this small bag that thou seest filled with meat." "A +request within reason is this," said he, "and gladly shalt thou have it. +Bring him food." A great number of attendants arose and begun to fill +the bag, but for all that they put into it, it was no fuller than at +first. "My soul," said Gwawl, "will thy bag be ever full?" "It will +not, I declare to Heaven," said he, "for all that may be put into it, +unless one possessed of lands, and domains, and treasure, shall arise and +tread down with both his feet the food that is within the bag, and shall +say, 'Enough has been put herein.'" Then said Rhiannon unto Gwawl the +son of Clud, "Rise up quickly." "I will willingly arise," said he. So +he rose up, and put his two feet into the bag. And Pwyll turned up the +sides of the bag, so that Gwawl was over his head in it. And he shut it +up quickly and slipped a knot upon the thongs, and blew his horn. And +thereupon behold his household came down upon the palace. And they +seized all the host that had come with Gwawl, and cast them into his own +prison. And Pwyll threw off his rags, and his old shoes, and his +tattered array; and as they came in, every one of Pwyll's knights struck +a blow upon the bag, and asked, "What is here?" "A Badger," said they. +And in this manner they played, each of them striking the bag, either +with his foot or with a staff. And thus played they with the bag. Every +one as he came in asked, "What game are you playing at thus?" "The game +of Badger in the Bag," said they. And then was the game of Badger in the +Bag first played. + +"Lord," said the man in the bag, "If thou wouldest but hear me, I merit +not to be slain in a bag." Said Heveydd Hen, "Lord, he speaks truth. It +were fitting that thou listen to him, for he deserves not this." +"Verily," said Pwyll, "I will do thy counsel concerning him." "Behold +this is my counsel then," said Rhiannon; "Thou art now in a position in +which it behoves thee to satisfy suitors and minstrels, let him give unto +them in thy stead, and take a pledge from him that he will never seek to +revenge that which has been done to him. And this will be punishment +enough." "I will do this gladly," said the man in the bag. "And gladly +will I accept it," said Pwyll, "since it is the counsel of Heveydd and +Rhiannon." "Such then is our counsel," answered they. "I accept it," +said Pwyll. "Seek thyself sureties." "We will be for him," said +Heveydd, "until his men be free to answer for him." And upon this he was +let out of the bag, and his liegemen were liberated. "Demand now of +Gwawl his sureties," said Heveydd, "we know which should be taken for +him." And Heveydd numbered the sureties. Said Gwawl, "Do thou thyself +draw up the covenant." "It will suffice me that it be as Rhiannon said," +answered Pwyll. So unto that covenant were the sureties pledged. +"Verily, Lord," said Gwawl, "I am greatly hurt, and I have many bruises. +I have need to be anointed, with thy leave I will go forth. I will leave +nobles in my stead, to answer for me in all that thou shall require." +"Willingly," said Pwyll, "mayest thou do thus." So Gwawl went towards +his own possessions. + +And the hall was set in order for Pwyll and the men of his host, and for +them also of the palace, and they went to the tables and sat down. And +as they had sat that time twelvemonth, so sat they that night. And they +eat, and feasted, and spent the night in mirth and tranquillity. And the +time came that they should sleep, and Pwyll and Rhiannon went to their +chamber. + +And next morning at the break of day, "My Lord," said Rhiannon, "arise +and begin to give thy gifts unto the minstrels. Refuse no one to-day +that may claim thy bounty." "Thus shall it be gladly," said Pwyll, "both +to-day and every day while the feast shall last." So Pwyll arose, and he +caused silence to be proclaimed, and desired all the suitors and the +minstrels to show and to point out what gifts were to their wish and +desire. {28} And this being done the feast went on, and he denied no one +while it lasted. And when the feast was ended, Pwyll said unto Heveydd, +"My Lord, with thy permission I will set out for Dyved to-morrow." +"Certainly," said Heveydd, "may Heaven prosper thee. Fix also a time +when Rhiannon may follow thee." "By Heaven," said Pwyll, "we will go +hence together." "Wiliest thou this, Lord?" said Heveydd. "Yes, by +Heaven," answered Pwyll. + +And the next day, they set forward towards Dyved, and journeyed to the +palace of Narberth, where a feast was made ready for them. And there +came to them great numbers of the chief men and the most noble ladies of +the land, and of these there were none to whom Rhiannon did not give some +rich gift, either a bracelet, or a ring, or a precious stone. And they +ruled the land prosperously both that year and the next. + +And in the third year the nobles of the land began to be sorrowful at +seeing a man whom they loved so much, and who was moreover their lord and +their foster-brother, without an heir. And they came to him. {29} And +the place where they met was Preseleu, in Dyved. "Lord," said they, "we +know that thou art not so young as some of the men of this country, and +we fear that thou mayest not have an heir of the wife whom thou hast +taken. Take therefore another wife of whom thou mayest have heirs. Thou +canst not always continue with us, and though thou desire to remain as +thou art, we will not suffer thee." "Truly," said Pwyll, "we have not +long been joined together, and many things may yet befall. Grant me a +year from this time, and for the space of a year we will abide together, +and after that I will do according to your wishes." So they granted it. +And before the end of a year a son was born unto him. And in Narberth +was he born; and on the night that he was born, women were brought to +watch the mother and the boy. And the women slept, as did also Rhiannon, +the mother of the boy. And the number of the women that were brought +into the chamber, was six. And they watched for a good portion of the +night, and before midnight every one of them fell asleep, and towards +break of day they awoke; and when they awoke, they looked where they had +put the boy, and behold he was not there. "Oh," said one of the women, +"the boy is lost!" "Yes," said another, "and it will be small vengeance +if we are burnt or put to death because of the child." Said one of the +women, "Is there any counsel for us in the world in this matter?" "There +is," answered another, "I offer you good counsel." "What is that?" asked +they. "There is here a stag-hound bitch, and she has a litter of whelps. +Let us kill some of the cubs, and rub the blood on the face and hands of +Rhiannon, and lay the bones before her, and assert that she herself had +devoured her son, and she alone will not be able to gainsay us six." And +according to this counsel it wast settled. And towards morning Rhiannon +awoke, and she said, "Women, where is my son?" "Lady," said they, "ask +us not concerning thy son, we have nought but the blows and the bruises +we got by struggling with thee, and of a truth we never saw any woman so +violent as thou, for it was of no avail to contend with thee. Hast thou +not thyself devoured thy son? Claim him not therefore of us." "For +pity's sake," said Rhiannon; "The Lord God knows all things. Charge me +not falsely. {30} If you tell me this from fear, I assert before Heaven +that I will defend you." "Truly," said they, "we would not bring evil on +ourselves for any one in the world." "For pity's sake," said Rhiannon; +"you will receive no evil by telling the truth." But for all her words, +whether fair or harsh, {31a} she received but the same answer from the +women. + +And Pwyll the chief of Annwvyn arose, and his household, and his hosts. +And this occurrence could not be concealed, but the story went forth +throughout the land, and all the nobles heard it. Then the nobles came +to Pwyll, and besought him to put away his wife, because of the great +{31b} crime which she had done. But Pwyll answered them, that they had +no cause wherefore they might ask him to put away his wife, save for her +having no children. "But children has she now had, therefore will I not +put her away, if she has done wrong, let her do penance for it." + +So Rhiannon sent for the teachers and the wise men, and as she preferred +doing penance to contending with the women, she took upon her a penance. +And the penance that was imposed upon her was, that she should remain in +that palace of Narberth until the end of seven years, and that she should +sit every day near unto a horse-block that was without the gate. And +that she should relate the story to all who should come there, whom she +might suppose not to know it already; and that she should offer the +guests and strangers, if they would permit her, to carry them upon her +back into the palace. But it rarely happened that any would permit. And +thus did she spend part of the year. + +Now at that time Teirnyon Twryv Vliant was Lord of Gwent Is Coed, and he +was the best man in the world. And unto his house there belonged a mare, +than which neither mare nor horse in the kingdom was more beautiful. And +on the night of every first of May she foaled, and no one ever knew what +became of the colt. And one night Teirnyon talked with his wife; "Wife," +said he, "it is very simple of us that our mare should foal every year, +and that we should have none of her colts." "What can be done in the +matter?" said she. "This is the night of the first of May," said he. +"The vengeance of Heaven be upon me, if I learn not what it is that takes +away the colts." So he caused the mare to be brought into a house, and +he armed himself, and began to watch that night. And in the beginning of +the night, the mare foaled a large and beautiful colt. And it was +standing up in the place. And Teirnyon rose up and looked at the size of +the colt, and as he did so he heard a great tumult, and after the tumult +behold a claw came through the window into the house, and it seized the +colt by the mane. Then Teirnyon drew his sword, and struck off the arm +at the elbow, so that portion of the arm together with the colt was in +the house with him. And then did he hear a tumult and wailing, both at +once. And he opened the door, and rushed out in the direction of the +noise, and he could not see the cause of the tumult, because of the +darkness of the night; but he rushed after it and followed it. Then he +remembered that he had left the door open, and he returned. And at the +door behold there was an infant boy in swaddling clothes, wrapped around +in a mantle of satin. And he took up the boy, and behold he was very +strong for the age that he was of. + +Then he shut the door, and went unto the chamber where his wife was. +"Lady," said he, "art thou sleeping?" "No, Lord," said she, "I was +asleep, but as thou camest in I did awake." "Behold here is a boy for +thee if thou wilt," said he, "since thou hast never had one." "My Lord," +said she, "What adventure is this?" "It was thus," said Teirnyon; and he +told her how it all befell. "Verily, Lord," said she, "What sort of +garments are there upon the boy?" "A mantle of satin," said he. "He is +then a boy of gentle lineage," she replied. "My Lord," she said, "if +thou wilt, I shall have great diversion and mirth. I will call my women +unto me, and tell them that I have been pregnant." "I will readily grant +thee to do this," he answered. And thus did they, and they caused the +boy to be baptized, and the ceremony was performed there; {33} and the +name which they gave unto him, was Gwri Wallt Euryn, because what hair +was upon his head was as yellow as gold. And they had the boy nursed in +the court until he was a year old. And before the year was over, he +could walk stoutly. And he was larger than a boy of three years old, +even one of great growth and size. And the boy was nursed the second +year, and then he was as large as a child six years old. And before the +end of the fourth year, he would bribe the grooms to allow him to take +the horses to water. "My Lord," said his wife unto Teirnyon, "Where is +the colt which thou didst save on the night that thou foundest the boy?" +"I have commanded the grooms of the horses," said he, "that they take +care of him." "Would it not be well, Lord," said she, "if thou wert to +cause him to be broken in, and given to the boy, seeing that on the same +night that thou didst find the boy, the colt was foaled and thou didst +save him." "I will not oppose thee in this matter," said Teirnyon. "I +will allow thee to give him the colt." "Lord," said she, "may Heaven +reward thee; I will give it him." So the horse was given to the boy. +Then she went to the grooms and those who tended the horses, and +commanded them to be careful of the horse, so that he might be broken in +by the time that the boy could ride him. + +And while these things were going forward, they heard tidings of Rhiannon +and her punishment. And Teirnyon Twryv Vliant, by reason of the pity +that he felt on hearing this story of Rhiannon, and her punishment, +enquired closely concerning it, until he had heard from many of those who +came to his court. Then did Teirnyon, often lamenting the sad history, +ponder within himself, and he looked steadfastly on the boy, and as he +looked upon him, it seemed to him that he had never beheld so great a +likeness between father and son, as between the boy and Pwyll, the chief +of Annwvyn. Now the semblance of Pwyll was well known to him, for he had +of yore been one of his followers. And thereupon he became grieved for +the wrong that he did, in keeping with him a boy whom he knew to be the +son of another man. And the first time that he was alone with his wife, +he told her, that it was not right that they should keep the boy with +them, and suffer so excellent a lady as Rhiannon to be punished so +greatly on his account, whereas the boy was the son of Pwyll, the chief +of Annwvyn. And Teirnyon's wife agreed with him, that they should send +the boy to Pwyll. "And three things, Lord," said she, "shall we gain +thereby. Thanks and gifts for releasing Rhiannon from her punishment; +and thanks from Pwyll, for nursing his son, and restoring him unto him; +and thirdly, if the boy is of gentle nature, he will be our foster-son, +and he will do for us all the good in his power." So it was settled +according to this counsel. + +And no later than the next day was Teirnyon equipped, and two other +knights with him. And the boy, as a fourth in their company, went with +them upon the horse which Teirnyon had given him. And they journeyed +towards Narberth, and it was not long before they reached that place. And +as they drew near to the palace, they beheld Rhiannon sitting beside the +horse block. And when they were opposite to her. "Chieftain," said she, +"go not further thus, I will bear every one of you into the palace, and +this is my penance for slaying my own son and devouring him." "Oh fair +lady," said Teirnyon, "think not that I will be one to be carried upon +thy back." "Neither will I," said the boy. "Truly, my soul," said +Teirnyon, "we will not go." {35} So they went forward to the palace, and +there was great joy at their coming. And at the palace a feast was +prepared, because Pwyll was come back from the confines of Dyved. And +they went into the hall and washed, and Pwyll rejoiced to see Teirnyon. +And in this order they sat. Teirnyon between Pwyll and Rhiannon, and +Teirnyon's two companions on the other side of Pwyll, with the boy +between them. And after meat they began to carouse and to discourse. And +Teirnyon's discourse was concerning the adventure of the mare and the +boy, and how he and his wife had nursed and reared the child as their +own. "And behold here is thy son, lady," said Teirnyon. "And whosoever +told that lie concerning thee, has done wrong. And when I heard of thy +sorrow, I was troubled and grieved. And I believe that there is none of +this host, who will not perceive that the boy is the son of Pwyll," said +Teirnyon. "There is none," said they all, "who is not certain thereof." +"I declare to Heaven," said Rhiannon, "that if this be true, there indeed +is an end to my trouble." {36a} "Lady," said Pendaran Dyved, "well hast +thou named thy son Pryderi, and well becomes him the name of Pryderi, son +of Pwyll, chief of Annwvyn." "Look you," said Rhiannon, "will not his +own name become him better?" "What name has he?" asked Pendaran Dyved. +"Gwri Wallt Euryn, is the name that we gave him." "Pryderi," said +Pendaran, "shall his name be." "It were more proper," said Pwyll, "that +the boy should take his name from the word his mother spoke when she +received the joyful tidings of him." And thus was it arranged. + +"Teirnyon," said Pwyll, "Heaven reward thee that thou hast reared the boy +up to this time, and, being of gentle lineage, {36b} it were fitting that +he repay thee for it." "My Lord," said Teirnyon, "It was my wife who +nursed him, and there is no one in the world so afflicted as she at +parting with him. It were well that he should bear in mind what I and my +wife have done for him." "I call Heaven to witness," said Pwyll, "that +while I live I will support thee and thy possessions, as long as I am +able to preserve my own. And when he shall have power, he will more +fitly maintain them than I. {37a} And if this counsel be pleasing unto +thee, and to my nobles, it shall be that, as thou hast reared him up to +the present time, I will give him to be brought up by Pendaran Dyved, +from henceforth. And you shall be companions and shall both be foster- +fathers unto him." "This is good counsel," said they all. So the boy +was given to Pendaran Dyved, and the nobles of the land were sent with +him. And Teirnyon Twryv Vliant, and his companions, set out for his +country, and his possessions, with love and gladness. And he went not +without being offered the fairest jewels and the fairest horses and the +choicest dogs; but he would take none of them. + +Thereupon they all remained in their own dominions. And Pryderi, the son +of Pwyll the chief of Annwvyn, was brought up carefully as was fit, so +that he became the fairest youth, and the most comely, and the best +skilled in all good games, of any in the kingdom. And thus passed years +and years, until the end of Pwyll the chief of Annwvyn's life came, and +he died. + +And Pryderi ruled the seven Cantrevs of Dyved prosperously, and he was +beloved by his people, and by all around him. And at length {37b} he +added unto them the three Cantrevs of Ystrad Tywi and the four Cantrevs +of Cardigan; and these were called the Seven Cantrevs of Seissyllwch. And +when he made this addition, Pryderi the son of Pwyll the chief of +Annwvyn, desired to take a wife. And the wife he chose was Kicva, the +daughter of Gwynn Gohoyw, the son of Gloyw Wlallt {38} Lydan, the son of +Prince Casnar, one of the nobles of this island. + +And thus ends this portion of the Mabinogion. + +{Picture: p38.jpg} + + + + +BRANWEN THE DAUGHTER OF LLYR. + + +{Picture: p39.jpg} + +Bendigeid Vran, the son of Llyr was the crowned king of this Island, and +he was exalted from the crown of London. {39a} And one afternoon he was +at Harlech in Ardudwy, at his court, and he sat upon the rock of Harlech, +looking over the sea. {39b} And with him were his brother Manawyddan the +son of Llyr, and his brothers by the mother's side, Nissyen and +Evnissyen, and many nobles likewise, as was fitting to see around a king. +His two brothers by the mother's side were the sons of Eurosswydd, by his +mother, Penardun, {40} the daughter of Beli son of Manogan. And one of +these youths was a good youth and of gentle nature, and would make peace +between his kindred and cause his family to be friends when their wrath +was at the highest; and this one was Nissyen; but the other would cause +strife between his two brothers when they were most at peace. And as +they sat thus, they beheld thirteen ships coming from the South of +Ireland, and making towards them, and they came with a swift motion, the +wind being behind them, and they neared them rapidly. "I see ships +afar," said the king, "coming swiftly towards the land. Command the men +of the court that they equip themselves, and go and learn their intent." +So the men equipped themselves and went down towards them. And when they +saw the ships near, certain were they that they had never seen ships +better furnished. Beautiful flags of satin were upon them. And behold +one of the ships outstripped the others, and they saw a shield lifted up +above the side of the ship, and the point of the shield was upwards, in +token of peace. And the men drew near that they might hold converse. +Then they put out boats and came towards the land. And they saluted the +king. Now the king could hear them from the place where he was, upon the +rock above their heads. "Heaven prosper you," said he, "and be ye +welcome. To whom do these ships belong and who is the chief amongst +you?" "Lord," said they, "Matholwch king of Ireland is here and these +ships belong to him." "Wherefore comes he?" asked the king, "and will he +come to the land?" "He is a suitor unto thee, lord," said they, "and he +will not land unless he have his boon." "And what may that be?" enquired +the king. "He desires to ally himself with thee, lord," said they, "and +he comes to ask Branwen the daughter of Llyr, that, if it seem well to +thee, the Island of the Mighty may be leagued with Ireland and both +become more powerful." "Verily," said he, "let him come to land, and we +will take counsel thereupon." And this answer was brought to Matholwch. +"I will go willingly," said he. So he landed, and they received him +joyfully; and great was the throng in the palace that night, between his +hosts and those of the court; and next day they took counsel, and they +resolved to bestow Branwen upon Matholwch. Now she was one of the three +chief ladies of this Island, and she was the fairest damsel in the world. + +And they fixed upon Aberffraw, as the place where she should become his +bride. And they went thence, and towards Aberffraw the hosts proceeded; +Matholwch and his host in their ships; Bendigeid Vran and his host by +land, until they came to Aberffraw. And at Aberffraw they began the +feast and sat down. And thus sat they. The King of the Island of the +Mighty and Manawyddan the son of Llyr, on one side, and Matholwch on the +other side, and Branwen the daughter of Llyr beside him. And they were +not within a house, but under tents. No house could ever contain +Bendigeid Vran. And they began the banquet and caroused and discoursed. +And when it was more pleasing to them to sleep than to carouse they went +to rest, and that night Branwen became Matholwch's bride. + +And next day they arose, and all they of the court, and the officers +began to equip and to range the horses and the attendants, and they +ranged them in order as far as the sea. + +And behold one day, Evnissyen, the quarrelsome man of whom it is spoken +above, came by chance into the place, where the horses of Matholwch were, +and asked whose horses they might be. "They are the horses of Matholwch +king of Ireland, who is married to Branwen, thy sister; his horses are +they." "And is it thus they have done with a maiden such as she, and +moreover my sister, bestowing her without my consent? They could have +offered no greater insult to me than this," said he. And thereupon he +rushed under the horses and cut off their lips at the teeth, and their +ears close to their heads, and their tails {42} close to their backs, and +wherever he could clutch their eyelids, he cut them to the very bone, and +he disfigured the horses and rendered them useless. + +And they came with these tidings unto Matholwch, saying that the horses +were disfigured, and injured so that not one of them could ever be of any +use again. "Verily, lord," said one, "it was an insult unto thee, and as +such was it meant." "Of a truth, it is a marvel to me, that if they +desire to insult me, they should have given me a maiden of such high rank +and so much beloved of her kindred, as they have done." "Lord," said +another, "thou seest that thus it is, and there is nothing for thee to do +but to go to thy ships." And thereupon towards his ships he set out. + +And tidings came to Bendigeid Vran that Matholwch was quitting the court +without asking leave, and messengers were sent to enquire of him +wherefore he did so. And the messengers that went, were Iddic the son of +Anarawd, and Heveydd Hir. And these overtook him and asked of him what +he designed to do, and wherefore he went forth. "Of a truth," said he, +"if I had known I had not come hither. I have been altogether insulted, +no one had ever worse treatment than I have had here. But one thing +surprises me above all." "What is that?" asked they. "That Branwen the +daughter of Llyr, one of the three chief ladies of this Island, and the +daughter of the King of the Island of the Mighty, should have been given +me as my bride, and that after that I should have been insulted; and I +marvel that the insult was not done me before they had bestowed upon me a +maiden so exalted as she." "Truly, lord, it was not the will of any that +are of the court," said they, "nor of any that are of the council that +thou shouldest have received this insult, and as thou hast been insulted, +the dishonour is greater unto Bendigeid Vran than unto thee." "Verily," +said he, "I think so. Nevertheless he cannot recall the insult." These +men returned with that answer to the place where Bendigeid Vran was, and +they told him what reply Matholwch had given them. "Truly," said he, +"there are no means by which we may prevent his going away at enmity with +us, that we will not take." "Well, lord," said they, "send after him +another embassy." "I will do so," said he. "Arise Manawyddan son of +Llyr, and Heveydd Hir, and Unic Glew Ysgwyd, and go after him, and tell +him that he shall have a sound horse for every one that has been injured. +And beside that, as an atonement for the insult, he shall have a staff of +silver, as large and as tall as himself, and a plate of gold of the +breadth of his face. And show unto him who it was that did this, and +that it was done against my will; but that he who did it is my brother, +by the mother's side, and therefore it would be hard for me to put him to +death. And let him come and meet me," said he, "and we will make peace +in any way he may desire." + +The embassy went after Matholwch, and told him all these sayings in a +friendly manner, and he listened thereunto. "Men," said he, "I will take +counsel." So to the council he went. And in the council they considered +that if they should refuse this, they were likely to have more shame +rather than to obtain so great an atonement. They resolved therefore to +accept it, and they returned to the court in peace. + +Then the pavilions and the tents were set in order after the fashion of a +hall; and they went to meat, and as they had sat at the beginning of the +feast, so sat they there. And Matholwch and Bendigeid Vran began to +discourse; and behold it seemed to Bendigeid Vran, while they talked, +that Matholwch was not so cheerful as he had been before. And he thought +that the chieftain might be sad because of the smallness of the atonement +which he had, for the wrong that had been done him. "Oh man," said +Bendigeid Vran, "thou dost not discourse to-night so cheerfully as thou +wert wont. And if it be because of the smallness of the atonement, thou +shalt add thereunto whatsoever thou mayest choose, and to-morrow I will +pay thee the horses." "Lord," said he, "Heaven reward thee." "And I +will enhance the atonement," said Bendigeid Vran, "for I will give unto +thee a cauldron, the property of which is, that if one of thy men be +slain to-day, and be cast therein, to-morrow he will be as well as ever +he was at the best, except that he will not regain his speech." And +thereupon he gave him great thanks, and very joyful was he for that +cause. + +And the next morning they paid Matholwch the horses as long as the +trained horses lasted. And then they journeyed into another commot, +where they paid him with colts until the whole had been paid, and from +thenceforth that commot was called Talebolion. + +{Picture: p46.jpg} + +And a second night sat they together. "My lord," said Matholwch, "whence +hadst thou the cauldron which thou hast given me?" "I had it of a man +who had been in thy land," said he, "and I would not give it except to +one from there." {45} "Who was it?" asked he. "Llassar Llaesgyvnewid; +he came here from Ireland, with Kymideu Kymeinvoll, his wife, who escaped +from the Iron House in Ireland, when it was made red hot around them, and +fled hither. And it is a marvel to me that thou shouldst know nothing +concerning the matter." "Something I do know," said he, "and as much as +I know I will tell thee. One day I was hunting in Ireland, and I came to +the mound at the head of the lake, which is called the Lake of the +Cauldron. And I beheld a huge yellow-haired man coming from the lake +with a cauldron upon his back. And he was a man of vast size, and of +horrid aspect, and a woman followed after him. And if the man was tall, +twice as large as he was the woman, and they came towards me and greeted +me. 'Verily,' asked I, 'wherefore are you journeying?' 'Behold this,' +said he to me, 'is the cause that we journey. At the end of a month and +a fortnight this woman will have a son; and the child that will be born +at the end of the month and the fortnight will be a warrior fully armed.' +So I took them with me, and maintained them. And they were with me for a +year. And that year I had them with me not grudgingly. But thenceforth +was there murmuring, because that they were with me. For from the +beginning of the fourth month they had begun to make themselves hated and +to be disorderly in the land; committing outrages, and molesting and +harassing the nobles and ladies; and thenceforward my people rose up and +besought me to part with them, and they bade me to choose between them +and my dominions. And I applied to the council of my country to know +what should be done concerning them; for of their own free will they +would not go, neither could they be compelled against their will, through +fighting. And [the people of the country,] being in this strait, they +caused a chamber to be made all of iron. Now when the chamber was ready, +there came there every smith that was in Ireland, and every one who owned +tongs and hammer. And they caused coals to be piled up as high as the +top of the chamber. And they had the man, and the woman, and the +children, served with plenty of meat and drink; but when it was known +that they were drunk, they began to put fire to the coals about the +chamber, and they blew it with bellows until the house was red hot all +around them. Then was there a council held in the centre of the floor of +the chamber. And the man tarried until the plates of iron were all of a +white heat; and then, by reason of the great heat, the man dashed against +the plates with his shoulder and struck them out, and his wife followed +him; but except him and his wife none escaped thence. And then I +suppose, lord," said Matholwch unto Bendigeid Vran, "that he came over +unto thee." "Doubtless he came here," said he, "and gave unto me the +cauldron." "In what manner didst thou receive them?" "I dispersed them +through every part of my dominions, and they have become numerous and are +prospering everywhere, and they fortify the places where they are with +men and arms, of the best that were ever seen." + +That night they continued to discourse as much as they would, and had +minstrelsy and carousing, and when it was more pleasant to them to sleep +than to sit longer, they went to rest. And thus was the banquet carried +on with joyousness; and when it was finished, Matholwch journeyed towards +Ireland, and Branwen with him, and they went from Aber Menei, with +thirteen ships and came to Ireland. And in Ireland was there great joy +because of their coming. And not one great man or noble lady visited +Branwen unto whom she gave not either a clasp, or a ring, or a royal +jewel to keep, such as it was honourable to be seen departing with. And +in these things she spent that year in much renown, and she passed her +time pleasant, enjoying honour and friendship. And in the meanwhile, it +chanced that she became pregnant, and in due time a son was born unto +her, and the name that they gave him was Gwern the son of Matholwch, and +they put the boy out to be foster-nursed, in a place where were the best +men of Ireland. + +And behold in the second year a tumult arose in Ireland, on account of +the insult which Matholwch had received in Wales, and the payment made +him for his horses. And his foster-brothers, and such as were nearest +unto him, blamed him openly {48a} for that matter. And he might have no +peace by reason of the tumult until they should revenge upon him this +disgrace. And the vengeance which they took was to drive away Branwen +from the same chamber with him, and to make her cook {48b} for the court; +and they caused the butcher, after he had cut up the meat, to come to her +and give her every day a blow on the ear, and such they made her +punishment. + +"Verily, lord," said his men to Matholwch, "forbid now the ships and the +ferry boats and the coracles, that they go not into Wales, and such as +come over from Wales hither, imprison them that they go not back for this +thing to be known there." And they did so; and it was thus for no less +than three years. + +{Picture: p49.jpg} + +And Branwen reared a starling in the cover of the kneading trough, and +she taught it to speak, and she taught the bird what manner of man her +brother was. And she wrote a letter of her woes, and the despite with +which she was treated, and she bound the letter to the root of the bird's +wing, and sent it towards Wales. And the bird came to this Island, and +one day it found Bendigeid Vran at Caer Seiont in Arvon, conferring +there, and it alighted upon his shoulder and ruffled its feathers, so +that the letter was seen, and they knew that the bird had been reared in +a domestic manner. + +Then Bendigeid Vran took the letter and looked upon it. And when he had +read the letter, he grieved exceedingly at the tidings of Branwen's woes. +And immediately he began sending messengers to summon the Island +together. And he caused seven score and four countries to come unto him, +and he complained to them himself of the grief that his sister endured. +So they took counsel. And in the counsel they resolved to go to Ireland, +and to leave seven men as princes here. And Caradawc the son of Bran, as +the chief of them, and their seven knights. In Edeyrnion, were these men +left. And for this reason were the seven knights placed in the town. +{50a} Now the names of these seven were Caradawc the son of Bran, and +Heveydd Hir, and Unic Glew Ysgwyd, and Iddic the son of Anarawc +Gwalltgrwn, and Fodor the son of Ervyll, and Gwlch Minascwrn, and Llassar +the son of Llaesar Llaesgygwyd, and Pendaran Dyved as a young page with +them. And these abode as seven ministers to take charge of this Island; +and Caradawc the son of Bran was the chief amongst them. + +Bendigeid Vran, with the hosts of which we spoke, sailed towards Ireland, +and it was not far across the sea, and he came to shoal water. It was +but by two rivers; the Lli and the Archan were they called; and the +nations covered the sea. {50b} Then he proceeded with what provisions he +had on his own back, and approached the shore of Ireland. + +Now the swineherds of Matholwch were upon the sea shore, and they came to +Matholwch. "Lord," said they, "greeting be unto thee." "Heaven protect +you," said he, "have you any news?" "Lord," said they, "we have +marvellous news; a wood have we seen upon the sea, in a place where we +never yet saw a single tree." "This is indeed a marvel," said he; "saw +you aught else?" "We saw, lord," said they, "a vast mountain beside the +wood, which moved, and there was a lofty ridge on the top of the +mountain, and a lake on each side of the ridge. And the wood, and the +mountain, and all these things moved." "Verily," said he, "there is none +who can know aught concerning this, unless it be Branwen." + +Messengers then went unto Branwen. "Lady," said they, "What thinkest +thou that this is?" "The men of the Island of the Mighty, who have come +hither on hearing of my ill treatment and my woes." "What is the forest +that is seen upon the sea?" asked they. "The yards and the masts of +ships," she answered. "Alas," said they, "what is the mountain that is +seen by the side of the ships?" "Bendigeid Vran, my brother," she +replied, "coming to shoal water; there is no ship that can contain him in +it." "What is the lofty ridge with the lake on each side thereof?" "On +looking towards this Island he is wroth, and his two eyes on each side of +his nose are the two lakes on each side of the ridge." + +The warriors and chief men of Ireland were brought together in haste, and +they took counsel. "Lord," said the nobles unto Matholwch, "there is no +other counsel than to retreat over the Linon, (a river which is {52a} in +Ireland,) and to keep the river between thee and him, and to break down +the bridge that is across the river, for there is a load-stone at the +bottom of the river that neither ship nor vessel can pass over." So they +retreated across the river, and broke down the bridge. + +Bendigeid Vran came to land, and the fleet with him by the bank of the +river. "Lord," said his chieftains, "knowest thou the nature of this +river, that nothing can go across it, and there is no bridge over it?" +"What," said they, "is thy counsel concerning a bridge?" "There is +none," said he, "except that he who will be chief let him be a bridge. I +will be so," said he. And then was that saying first uttered, and it is +still used as a proverb. And when he had lain down across the river, +hurdles were placed upon him, and the host passed over thereby. + +And as he rose up, behold the messengers of Matholwch came to him, and +saluted him, and gave him greeting in the name of Matholwch, his kinsman, +and showed how that of his good will he had merited of him nothing but +good. "For Matholwch has given the kingdom of Ireland to Gwern the son +of Matholwch, thy nephew and thy sister's son. And this he places before +thee, as a compensation for the wrong and despite that has been done unto +Branwen. And Matholwch shall be maintained wheresoever thou wilt, either +here or in the Island of the Mighty." Said Bendigeid Vran, "Shall not I +myself have the kingdom? {52b} Then peradventure I may take counsel +concerning your message. From this time until then no other answer will +you get from me." "Verily," said they, "the best message that we receive +for thee, we will convey it unto thee, and do thou await our message unto +him." "I will wait," answered he, "and do you return quickly." + +The messengers set forth and came to Matholwch. "Lord," said they, +"prepare a better message for Bendigeid Vran. He would not listen at all +to the message that we bore him." "My friends," said Matholwch, "what +may be your counsel?" "Lord," said they, "there is no other counsel than +this alone. He was never known to be within a house, make therefore a +house that will contain him and the men of the Island of the Mighty on +the one side, and thyself and thy host on the other; and give over thy +kingdom to his will, and do him homage. So by reason of the honour thou +doest him in making him a house, whereas he never before had a house to +contain him, he will make peace with thee." So the messengers went back +to Bendigeid Vran, bearing him this message. + +And he took counsel, and in the council it was resolved that he should +accept this, and this was all done by the advice of Branwen, and lest the +country should be destroyed. And this peace was made, and the house was +built both vast and strong. But the Irish planned a crafty device, and +the craft was that they should put brackets on each side of the hundred +pillars that were in the house, and should place a leathern bag on each +bracket, and an armed man in every one of them. Then Evnissyen came in +before the host of the Island of the Mighty, and scanned the house with +fierce and savage looks, and descried the leathern bags which were around +the pillars. "What is in this bag?" asked he of one of the Irish. "Meal, +good soul," said he. And Evnissyen felt about it until he came to the +man's head, and he squeezed the head until he felt his fingers meet +together in the brain through the bone. And he left that one and put his +hand upon another, and asked what was therein? "Meal," said the +Irishman. So he did the like unto every one of them, until he had not +left alive of all the two hundred men save one only; and when he came to +him, he asked what was there? "Meal, good soul," said the Irishman. And +he felt about until he felt the head, and he squeezed that head as he had +done the others. And albeit he found that the head of this one was +armed, he left him not until he had killed him. And then he sang an +Englyn,-- + + "There is in this bag a different sort of meal, + The ready combatant, when the assault is made + By his fellow warriors, prepared for battle." + +Thereupon came the hosts unto the house. The men of the Island of +Ireland entered the house on the one side, and the men of the Island of +the Mighty on the other. And as soon as they had sat down, there was +concord between them; and the sovereignty was conferred upon the boy. +When the peace was concluded, Bendigeid Vran called the boy unto him, and +from Bendigeid Vran the boy went unto Manawyddan, and he was beloved by +all that beheld him. And from Manawyddan the boy was called by Nissyen +the son of Eurosswydd, and the boy went unto him lovingly. "Wherefore," +said Evnissyen, "comes not my nephew the son of my sister unto me? Though +he were not king of Ireland, yet willingly would I fondle the boy." +"Cheerfully let him go to thee," said Bendigeid Vran, and the boy went +unto him cheerfully. "By my confession to Heaven," said Evnissyen in his +heart, "unthought of by the household is the slaughter that I will this +instant commit." + +Then he arose and took up the boy by the feet, and before any one in the +house could seize hold of him, he thrust the boy headlong into the +blazing fire. And when Branwen saw her son burning in the fire, she +strove to leap into the fire also, from the place where she sat between +her two brothers. But Bendigeid Vran grasped her with one hand, and his +shield with the other. Then they all hurried about the house, and never +was there made so great a tumult by any host in one house as was made by +them, as each man armed himself. Then said Morddwydtyllyon, "The gad- +flies of Morddwydtyllyon's Cow!" And while they all sought their arms, +Bendigeid Vran supported Branwen between his shield and his shoulder. + +Then the Irish kindled a fire under the cauldron of renovation, and they +cast the dead bodies into the cauldron until it was full, and the next +day they came forth fighting men as good as before, except that they were +not able to speak. Then when Evnissyen saw the dead bodies of the men of +the Island of the Mighty nowhere resuscitated, he said in his heart, +"Alas! woe is me, that I should have been the cause of bringing the men +of the Island of the Mighty into so great a strait. Evil betide me if I +find not a deliverance therefrom." And he cast himself among the dead +bodies of the Irish, and two unshod Irishmen came to him, and, taking him +to be one of the Irish, flung him into the cauldron. And he stretched +himself out in the cauldron, so that he rent the cauldron into four +pieces, and burst his own heart also. + +In consequence of that, the men of the Island of the Mighty obtained such +success as they had; but they were not victorious, for only seven men of +them all escaped, and Bendigeid Vran himself was wounded in the foot with +a poisoned dart. Now the seven men that escaped were Pryderi, +Manawyddan, Gluneu {56a} Eil Taran, Taliesin, Ynawc, Grudyen {56b} the +son of Muryel, and Heilyn the son of Gwynn Hen. + +And Bendigeid Vran commanded them that they should cut off his head. "And +take you my head," said he, "and bear it even unto the White Mount, in +London, and bury it there, with the face towards France. And a long time +will you be upon the road. In Harlech you will be feasting seven years, +the birds of Rhiannon singing unto you the while. And all that time the +head will be to you as pleasant company as it ever was when on my body. +And at Gwales in Penvro you will be fourscore years, and you may remain +there, and the head with you uncorrupted, until you open the door that +looks towards Aber Henvelen, and towards Cornwall. And after you have +opened that door, there you may no longer tarry, set forth then to London +to bury the head and go straight forward." + +So they cut off his head, and these seven went forward therewith. And +Branwen was the eighth with them, and they came to land at Aber Alaw, in +Talebolyon, and they sat down to rest. And Branwen looked towards +Ireland and towards the Island of the Mighty, to see if she could descry +them. "Alas," said she, "woe is me that I was ever born; two Islands +have been destroyed because of me!" Then she uttered a loud groan and +there broke her heart. And they made her a four-sided grave and buried +her upon the banks of the Alaw. + +Then the seven men journeyed forward towards Harlech, bearing the head +with them; and as they went behold there met them a multitude of men and +of women. "Have you any tidings?" asked Manawyddan. "We have none," +said they, "save that Caswallawn, the son of Beli, has conquered the +Island of the Mighty, and is crowned King in London." "What has become," +said they, "of Caradawc the son of Bran, and the seven men who were left +with him in this Island?" "Caswallawn came upon them, and slew six of +the men, and Caradawc's heart broke for grief thereof; for he could see +the sword that slew the men, but knew not who it was that wielded it. +Caswallawn had flung upon him the Veil of Illusion, so that no one could +see him slay the men, but the sword only could they see. And it liked +him not to slay Caradawc, because he was his nephew the son of his +cousin. And now he was the third whose heart had broke through grief. +Pendaran Dyved, who had remained as a young page with these men, escaped +into the wood," said they. + +Then they went on to Harlech, and there stopped to rest, and they +provided meat and liquor, and sat down to eat and to drink. And there +came three birds, and began singing unto them a certain song, and all the +songs they had ever heard were unpleasant compared thereto; and the birds +seemed to them to be at a great distance from them over the sea, yet they +appeared as distinct as if they were close by; and at this repast they +continued seven years. + +And at the close of the seventh year, they went forth to Gwales in +Penvro. And there they found a fair and regal spot overlooking the +ocean; and a spacious hall was therein. And they went into the hall, and +two of its doors were open, but the third door was closed, that which +looked towards Cornwall. "See, yonder," said Manawyddan, "is the door +that we may not open." And that night they regaled themselves and were +joyful. And of all they had seen of food laid before them, and of all +they had heard of, they remembered nothing; neither of that, nor of any +sorrow whatsoever. And there they remained fourscore years, unconscious +of having ever spent a time more joyous and mirthful. And they were not +more weary than when first they came, neither did they, any of them, know +the time they had been there. And it was not more irksome to them having +the head with them, than if Bendigeid Vran had been with them himself. +And because of these fourscore years, it was called the entertaining of +the noble head. The entertaining of Branwen and Matholwch was in the +time that they went to Ireland. + +One day said Heilyn the son of Gwynn, "Evil betide me, if I do not open +the door to know if that is true which is said concerning it." So he +opened the door and looked towards Cornwall and Aber Henvelen. And when +they had looked, they were as conscious of all the evils they had ever +sustained, and of all the friends and companions they had lost, and of +all the misery that had befallen them, as if all had happened in that +very spot; {59a} and especially of the fate of their lord. And because +of their perturbation they could not rest, {59b} but journeyed forth with +the head towards London. And they buried the head in the White Mount, +and when it was buried, this was the third goodly concealment; and it was +the third ill-fated disclosure when it was disinterred, inasmuch as no +invasion from across the sea came to this Island, while the head was in +that concealment. + +And thus is the story related of those who journeyed over from Ireland. + +In Ireland none were left alive, except five pregnant women in a cave in +the Irish wilderness; and to these five women in the same night were born +five sons, whom they nursed until they became grown up youths. And they +thought about wives, and they at the same time desired to possess them, +and each took a wife of the mothers of their companions, and they +governed the country and peopled it. + +And these five divided it amongst them, and because of this partition are +the five divisions of Ireland still so termed. And they examined the +land where the battles had taken place, and they found gold and silver +until they became wealthy. + +And thus ends this portion of the Mabinogi, concerning the blow given to +Branwen, which was the third unhappy blow of this Island; and concerning +the entertainment of Bran, when the hosts of sevenscore countries and ten +went over to Ireland, to revenge the blow given to Branwen; and +concerning the seven years' banquet in Harlech, and the singing of the +birds of Rhiannon, and the sojourning of the head for the space of +fourscore years. + +{Picture: p60.jpg} + + + + +MANAWYDDAN THE SON OF LLYR. + + +{Picture: p61.jpg} + +When the seven men of whom we spoke above, had buried the head of +Bendigeid Vran, in the White Mount in London, with its face towards +France, Manawyddan gazed upon the town of London, and upon his +companions, and heaved a great sigh, and much grief and heaviness came +upon him. "Alas, Almighty Heaven, woe is me," he exclaimed, "there is +none save myself without a resting place this night." "Lord," said +Pryderi, "be not so sorrowful. Thy cousin is king of the Island of the +Mighty, and though he should do thee wrong, thou hast never been a +claimant of land or possessions. Thou art the third disinherited {62a} +prince." "Yea," answered he, "but although this man is my cousin, it +grieveth me to see any one in the place of my brother Bendigeid Vran, +neither can I be happy in the same dwelling with him." "Wilt thou follow +the counsel of another?" {62b} said Pryderi. "I stand in need of +counsel," he answered, "and what may that counsel be?" "Seven Cantrevs +remain unto me," said Pryderi, "wherein Rhiannon my mother dwells, I will +bestow her upon thee and the seven Cantrevs with her, and though thou +hadst no possessions but those Cantrevs only, thou couldst not have seven +Cantrevs fairer than they. Kicva, the daughter of Gwynn Gloyw, is my +wife, and since the inheritance of the Cantrevs belongs to me, do thou +and Rhiannon enjoy them, and if thou ever desire any possessions thou +wilt take these." "I do not, chieftain," said he; "Heaven reward thee +for thy friendship." "I would show thee the best friendship in the world +if thou wouldst let me." "I will, my friend," said he, "and Heaven +reward thee. I will go with thee to seek Rhiannon and to look at thy +possessions." "Thou wilt do well," he answered. "And I believe that +thou didst never hear a lady discourse better than she, and when she was +in her prime none was ever fairer. Even now her aspect is not uncomely." +{62c} They set forth, and, however long the journey, they came at length +to Dyved, and a feast was prepared for them against their coming to +Narberth, which Rhiannon and Kicva had provided. Then began Manawyddan +and Rhiannon to sit and to talk together, and from their discourse his +mind and his thoughts became warmed towards her, and he thought in his +heart he had never beheld any lady more fulfilled of grace and beauty +than she. "Pryderi," said he, "I will that it be as thou didst say." +"What saying was that?" asked Rhiannon. "Lady," said Pryderi, "I did +offer thee as a wife to Manawyddan the son of Llyr." "By that will I +gladly abide," said Rhiannon. "Right glad am I also," said Manawyddan, +"May Heaven reward him who hath shewn unto me friendship so perfect as +this." + +And before the feast was over she became his bride. Said Pwyll, "Tarry +ye here the rest of the feast, and I will go into England to tender my +homage unto Caswallawn the son of Beli." "Lord," said Rhiannon, +"Caswallawn is in Kent, thou mayest therefore tarry at the feast, and +wait until he shall be nearer." "We will wait," he answered. So they +finished the feast. And they began to make the circuit of Dyved and to +hunt, and to take their pleasure. And as they went through the country, +they had never seen lands more pleasant to live in, nor better hunting +grounds, nor greater plenty of honey and fish. And such was the +friendship between those four, that they would not be parted from each +other by night nor by day. + +And in the midst of all this he went to Caswallawn at Oxford, and +tendered his homage; and honourable was his reception there, and highly +was he praised for offering his homage. + +And after his return, Pryderi and Manawyddan feasted and took their ease +and pleasure. And they began a feast at Narberth, for it was the chief +palace; and there originated all honour. And when they had ended the +first meal that night, while those who served them eat, they arose and +went forth, and proceeded all four to the Gorsedd of Narberth, and their +retinue with them. And as they sat thus, behold a peal of thunder, and +with the violence of the thunderstorm, lo there came a fall of mist, so +thick that not one of them could see the other. And after the mist it +became light all around. And when they looked towards the place where +they were wont to see cattle, and herds, and dwellings, they saw nothing +now, neither house, nor beast, nor smoke, nor fire, nor man, nor +dwelling; but the houses of the court empty, and desert, and uninhabited, +without either man, or beast within them. And truly all their companions +were lost to them, without their knowing aught of what had befallen them, +save those four only. + +"In the name of Heaven," cried Manawyddan, "where are they of the court, +and all my host beside these? Let us go and see." So they came into the +hall, and there was no man; and they went on to the castle, and to the +sleeping-place, and they saw none; and in the mead-cellar and in the +kitchen there was nought but desolation. So they four feasted, and +hunted, and took their pleasure. Then they began to go through the land +and all the possessions that they had, and they visited the houses and +dwellings, and found nothing but wild beasts. And when they had consumed +their feast and all their provisions, they fed upon the prey they killed +in hunting, {65} and the honey of the wild swarms. And thus they passed +the first year pleasantly, and the second; but at the last they began to +be weary. + +"Verily," said Manawyddan, "we must not bide thus. Let us go into +England, and seek some craft whereby we may gain our support." So they +went into England, and came as far as Hereford. And they betook +themselves to making saddles. And Manawyddan began to make housings, and +he gilded and coloured them with blue enamel, in the manner that he had +seen it done by Llasar Llaesgywydd. And he made the blue enamel as it +was made by the other man. And therefore is it still called Calch +Lassar, [blue enamel,] because Llassar Llaesgywydd had wrought it. + +{Picture: p65.jpg} + +And as long as that workmanship could be had of Manawyddan, neither +saddle nor housing was bought of a saddler throughout all Hereford; till +at length every one of the saddlers perceived that they were losing much +of their gain, and that no man bought of them, but he who could not get +what he sought from Manawyddan. Then they assembled together, and agreed +to slay him and his companions. + +Now they received warning of this, and took counsel whether they should +leave the city. "By Heaven," said Pryderi, "it is not my counsel that we +should quit the town, but that we should slay these boors." "Not so," +said Manawyddan, "for if we fight with them, we shall have evil fame, and +shall be put in prison. It were better for us to go to another town to +maintain ourselves." So they four went to another city. + +"What craft shall we take?" said Pryderi. "We will make shields," said +Manawyddan. "Do we know anything about that craft?" said Pryderi. "We +will try," answered he. There they began to make shields, and fashioned +them after the shape of the good shields they had seen; and they +enamelled them, as they had done the saddles. And they prospered in that +place, so that not a shield was asked for in the whole town, but such as +was had of them. Rapid therefore was their work, and numberless were the +shields they made. But at last they were marked by the craftsmen, who +came together in haste, and their fellow-townsmen with them, and agreed +that they should seek to slay them. But they received warning, and heard +how the men had resolved on their destruction. "Pryderi," said +Manawyddan, "these men desire to slay us." "Let us not endure this from +these boors, but let us rather fall upon them and slay them." "Not so," +he answered, "Caswallawn and his men will hear of it, and we shall be +undone. Let us go to another town." So to another town they went. + +"What craft shall we take?" said Manawyddan. "Whatsoever thou wilt that +we know," said Pryderi. "Not so," he replied, "but let us take to making +shoes, for there is not courage among cordwainers either to fight with us +or to molest us." "I know nothing thereof," said Pryderi. "But I know," +answered Manawyddan; "and I will teach thee to stitch. We will not +attempt to dress the leather, but we will buy it ready dressed and will +make the shoes from it." + +So he began by buying the best cordwal that could be had in the town, and +none other would he buy except the leather for the soles; and he +associated himself with the best goldsmith in the town, and caused him to +make clasps for the shoes, and to gild the clasps, and he marked how it +was done until he learned the method. And therefore was he called one of +the three makers of Gold Shoes; and, when they could be had from him, not +a shoe nor hose was bought of any of the cordwainers in the town. But +when the cordwainers perceived that their gains were failing, (for as +Manawyddan shaped the work, so Pryderi stitched it,) they came together +and took counsel, and agreed that they would slay them. + +"Pryderi," said Manawyddan, "these men are minded to slay us." "Wherefore +should we bear this from the boorish thieves?" said Pryderi. "Rather let +us slay them all." "Not so," said Manawyddan, "we will not slay them, +neither will we remain in England any longer. Let us set forth to Dyved +and go to see it." + +So they journeyed along until they came to Dyved, and they went forward +to Narberth. And there they kindled a fire and supported themselves by +hunting. And thus they spent a month. And they gathered their dogs +around them, and tarried there one year. + +{Picture: p68.jpg} + +And one morning Pryderi and Manawyddan rose up to hunt, and they ranged +their dogs and went forth from the palace. And some of the dogs ran +before them and came to a small bush which was near at hand; but as soon +as they were come to the bush, they hastily drew back and returned to the +men, their hair bristling up greatly. "Let us go near to the bush," said +Pryderi, "and see what is in it." And as they came near, behold, a wild +boar of a pure white colour rose up from the bush. Then the dogs being +set on by the men, rushed towards him, but he left the bush and fell back +a little way from the men, and made a stand against the dogs without +retreating from them, until the men had come near. And when the men came +up, he fell back a second time, and betook him to flight. Then they +pursued the boar until they beheld a vast and lofty castle, all newly +built, in a place where they had never before seen either stone or +building. And the boar ran swiftly into the castle and the dogs after +him. Now when the boar and the dogs had gone into the castle, they began +to wonder at finding a castle in a place where they had never before then +seen any building whatsoever. And from the top of the Gorsedd they +looked and listened for the dogs. But so long as they were there they +heard not one of the dogs nor aught concerning them. + +"Lord," said Pryderi, "I will go into the castle to get tidings of the +dogs." "Truly," he replied, "thou wouldst be unwise to go into this +castle, which thou hast never seen till now. If thou wouldst follow my +counsel, thou wouldst not enter therein. Whosoever has cast a spell over +this land, has caused this castle to be here." "Of a truth," answered +Pryderi, "I cannot thus give up my dogs." And for all the counsel that +Manawyddan gave him, yet to the castle he went. + +When he came within the castle, neither man nor beast, nor boar nor dogs, +nor house nor dwelling saw he within it. But in the centre of the castle +floor he beheld a fountain with marble work around it, and on the margin +of the fountain a golden bowl upon a marble slab, and chains hanging from +the air, to which he saw no end. + +And he was greatly pleased with the beauty of the gold, and with the rich +workmanship of the bowl, and he went up to the bowl and laid hold of it. +And when he had taken hold of it his hands stuck to the bowl, and his +feet to the slab on which the bowl was placed, and all his joyousness +forsook him, so that he could not utter a word. And thus he stood. + +And Manawyddan waited for him till near the close of the day. And late +in the evening, being certain that he should have no tidings of Pryderi +or of the dogs, he went back to the palace. And as he entered, Rhiannon +looked at him, "Where," said she, "are thy companion and thy dogs?" +"Behold," he answered, "the adventure that has befallen me." And he +related it all unto her. "An evil companion hast thou been," said +Rhiannon, "and a good companion hast thou lost." And with that word she +went out, and proceeded towards the castle according to the direction +which he gave her. The gate of the castle she found open. She was +nothing daunted, and she went in. And as she went in, she perceived +Pryderi laying hold of the bowl, and she went towards him. "Oh my lord," +said she, "what dost thou here?" And she took hold of the bowl with him; +and as she did so, her hands also became fast to the bowl, and her feet +to the slab, and she was not able to utter a word. And with that, as it +became night, lo there came thunder upon them, and a fall of mist, and +thereupon the castle vanished, and they with it. + +When Kicva the daughter of Gwynn Gloew saw that there was no one in the +palace but herself and Manawyddan, she sorrowed so that she cared not +whether she lived or died. And Manawyddan saw this. "Thou art in the +wrong," said he, "if through fear of me thou grievest thus. I call +Heaven to witness that thou hast never seen friendship more pure than +that which I will bear thee, as long as Heaven will that thou shouldst be +thus. I declare to thee that were I in the dawn of youth I would keep my +faith unto Pryderi, and unto thee also will I keep it. Be there no fear +upon thee, therefore," said he, "for Heaven is my witness that thou shall +meet with all the friendship thou canst wish, and that it is in my power +to show thee, as long as it shall please Heaven to continue us in this +grief and woe." "Heaven reward thee," she said, "and that is what I +deemed of thee." And the damsel thereupon took courage and was glad. + +"Truly, lady," said Manawyddan, "it is not fitting for us to stay here, +we have lost our dogs, and we cannot get food. Let us go into England; +it is easiest for us to find support there." "Gladly, lord," said she, +"we will do so." And they set forth together to England. + +"Lord," said she, "What craft wilt thou follow? Take up one that is +seemly." "None other will I take," answered he, "save that of making +shoes, as I did formerly." "Lord," said she, "such a craft becomes not a +man so nobly born as thou." "By that however will I abide," said he. + +So he began his craft, and he made all his work of the finest leather he +could get in the town, and, as he had done at the other place, he caused +gilded clasps to be made for the shoes. {71} And except himself all the +cordwainers in the town were idle, and without work. For as long as they +could be had from him, neither shoes nor hose were bought elsewhere. And +thus they tarried there a year, until the cordwainers became envious, and +took counsel concerning him. And he had warning thereof, and it was told +him how the cordwainers had agreed together to slay him. + +"Lord," said Kicva, "Wherefore should this be borne from these boors?" +"Nay," said he, "we will go back unto Dyved." So towards Dyved they set +forth. + +Now Manawyddan, when he set out to return to Dyved, took with him a +burden of wheat. And he proceeded towards Narberth, and there he dwelt. +And never was he better pleased than when he saw Narberth again, and the +lands where he had been wont to hunt with Pryderi and with Rhiannon. And +he accustomed himself to fish, and to hunt the deer in their covert. And +then he began to prepare some ground and he sowed a croft, and a second, +and a third. And no wheat in the world ever sprung up better. And the +three crofts prospered with perfect growth, and no man ever saw fairer +wheat than it. + +And thus passed the seasons of the year until the harvest came. And he +went to look at one of his crofts, and behold it was ripe. "I will reap +this to-morrow," said he. And that night he went back to Narberth, and +on the morrow in the grey dawn he went to reap the croft, and when he +came there he found nothing but the bare straw. Every one of the ears of +the wheat was cut from off the stalk, and all the ears carried entirely +away, and nothing but the straw left. And at this he marvelled greatly. + +Then he went to look at another croft, and behold that also was ripe. +"Verily," said he, "this will I reap to-morrow." And on the morrow he +came with the intent to reap it, and when he came there he found nothing +but the bare straw. "Oh gracious Heaven," he exclaimed, "I know that +whosoever has begun my ruin is completing it, and has also destroyed the +country with me." + +Then he went to look at the third croft, and when he came there, finer +wheat had there never been seen, and this also was ripe. "Evil betide +me," said he, "if I watch not here to-night. Whoever carried off the +other corn will come in like manner to take this. And I will know who it +is." So he took his arms, and began to watch the croft. And he told +Kicva all that had befallen. "Verily," said she, "what thinkest thou to +do?" "I will watch the croft to-night," said he. + +And he went to watch the croft. And at midnight, lo! there arose the +loudest tumult in the world. And he looked, and behold the mightiest +host of mice in the world, which could neither be numbered nor measured. +And he knew not what it was until the mice had made their way into the +croft, and each of them climbing up the straw and bending it down with +its weight, and had cut off one of the ears of wheat, and had carried it +away, leaving there the stalk, and he saw not a single straw there that +had not a mouse to it. And they all took their way, carrying the ears +with them. + +In wrath and anger did he rush upon the mice, but he could no more come +up with them than if they had been gnats, or birds in the air, except one +only, which though it was but sluggish, went so fast that a man on foot +could scarce overtake it. {73} And after this one he went, and he caught +it and put it in his glove, and tied up the opening of the glove with a +string, and kept it with him, and returned to the palace. Then he came +to the hall where Kicva was, and he lighted a fire, and hung the glove by +the string upon a peg. "What hast thou there, lord?" said Kicva. "A +thief," said he, "that I found robbing me." "What kind of thief may it +be, lord, that thou couldst put into thy glove?" said she. "Behold I +will tell thee," he answered. Then he showed her how his fields had been +wasted and destroyed, and how the mice came to the last of the fields in +his sight. "And one of them was less nimble than the rest, and is now in +my glove; to-morrow I will hang it, and before Heaven, if I had them, I +would hang them all." "My lord," said she, "this is marvellous; but yet +it would be unseemly for a man of dignity like thee to be hanging such a +reptile as this. And if thou doest right, thou wilt not meddle with the +creature, but wilt let it go." "Woe betide me," said he, "if I would not +hang them all could I catch them, and such as I have I will hang." +"Verily, lord," said she, "there is no reason that I should succour this +reptile, except to prevent discredit unto thee. Do therefore, lord, as +thou wilt." "If I knew of any cause in the world wherefore thou shouldst +succour it, I would take thy counsel concerning it," said Manawyddan, +"but as I know of none, lady, I am minded to destroy it." "Do so +willingly then," said she. + +And then he went to the Gorsedd of Narberth, taking the mouse with him. +And he set up two forks on the highest part of the Gorsedd. And while he +was doing this, behold he saw a scholar coming towards him, in old and +poor and tattered garments. And it was now seven years since he had seen +in that place either man or beast, except those four persons who had +remained together until two of them were lost. + +"My lord," said the scholar, "good day to thee." "Heaven prosper thee, +and my greeting be unto thee. And whence dost thou come, scholar?" asked +he. "I come, lord, from singing in England; and wherefore dost thou +enquire?" "Because for the last seven years," answered he, "I have seen +no man here save four secluded persons, and thyself this moment." "Truly, +lord," said he, "I go through this land unto mine own. And what work art +thou upon, lord?" "I am hanging a thief that I caught robbing me," said +he. "What manner of thief is that?" asked the scholar. "I see a +creature in thy hand like unto a mouse, and ill does it become a man of +rank equal to thine, to touch a reptile such as this. Let it go forth +free." "I will not let it go free, by Heaven," said he; "I caught it +robbing me, and the doom of a thief will I inflict upon it and I will +hang it." "Lord," said he, "rather than see a man of rank equal to thine +at such a work as this, I would give thee a pound which I have received +as alms, to let the reptile go forth free." "I will not let it go free," +said he, "by Heaven, neither will I sell it." "As thou wilt, lord," he +answered, "except that I would not see a man of rank equal to thine +touching such a reptile, I care nought." And the scholar went his way. + +And as he was placing the cross-beam upon the two forks, behold a priest +came towards him upon a horse covered with trappings. "Good day to thee, +lord," said he. "Heaven prosper thee," said Manawyddan; "thy blessing." +"The blessing of Heaven be upon thee. And what, lord, art thou doing?" +"I am hanging a thief that I caught robbing me," said he. "What manner +of thief, lord?" asked he. "A creature," he answered, "in form of a +mouse. It has been robbing me, and I am inflicting upon it the doom of a +thief." "Lord," said he, "rather than see thee touch this reptile, I +would purchase its freedom." "By my confession to Heaven, neither will I +sell it nor set it free." "It is true, lord, that it is worth nothing to +buy; but rather than see thee defile thyself by touching such a reptile +as this, I will give thee three pounds to let it go." "I will not, by +Heaven," said he, "take any price for it. As it ought, so shall it be +hanged." "Willingly, lord, do thy good pleasure." And the priest went +his way. + +Then he noosed the string around the mouse's neck, and as he was about to +draw it up, behold, he saw a bishop's retinue, with his sumpter-horses, +and his attendants. And the bishop himself came towards him. And he +stayed his work. "Lord bishop," said he, "thy blessing." "Heaven's +blessing be unto thee," said he, "What work art thou upon?" "Hanging a +thief that I caught robbing me," said he. "Is not that a mouse that I +see in thy hand?" "Yes," answered he. "And she has robbed me." "Aye," +said he, "since I have come at the doom of this reptile I will ransom it +of thee. I will give thee seven pounds for it, and that rather than see +a man of rank equal to thine destroying so vile a reptile as this. Let +it loose and thou shall have the money." "I declare to Heaven that I +will not set it loose." "If thou wilt not loose it for this, I will give +thee four and twenty pounds of ready money to set it free." "I will not +set it free, by Heaven, for as much again," said he. "If thou wilt not +set it free for this, I will give thee all the horses that thou seest in +this plain, and the seven loads of baggage, and the seven horses that +they are upon." "By Heaven, I will not," he replied. "Since for this +thou wilt not, do so at what price soever thou wilt." "I will do so," +said he. "I will that Rhiannon and Pryderi be free," said he. "That +thou shall have," he answered. "Not yet will I loose the mouse, by +Heaven." "What then wouldst thou?" "That the charm and the illusion be +removed from the seven Cantrevs of Dyved." "This shall thou have also, +set therefore the mouse free." "I will not set it free, by Heaven," said +he. "I will know who the mouse may be." "She is my wife." "Even though +she be, I will not set her free. Wherefore came she to me?" "To despoil +thee," he answered. "I am Llwyd the son of Kilcoed, and I cast the charm +over the seven Cantrevs of Dyved. And it was to avenge Gwawl the son of +Clud, from the friendship I had towards him, that I cast the charm. And +upon Pryderi did I revenge Gwawl the son of Clud, for the game of Badger +in the Bag, that Pwyll Pen Annwn played upon him, which he did +unadvisedly in the court of Heveydd Hen. And when it was known that thou +wast come to dwell in the land, my household came and besought me to +transform them into mice, that they might destroy thy corn. And it was +my own household that went the first night. And the second night also +they went, and they destroyed thy two crofts. And the third night came +unto me my wife and the ladies of the court, and besought me to transform +them. And I transformed them. Now she is pregnant. And had she not +been pregnant thou wouldst not have been able to overtake her, but since +this has taken place and she has been caught, I will restore thee Pryderi +and Rhiannon; and I will take the charm and illusion from off Dyved. I +have now told thee who she is. Set her therefore free." "I will not set +her free, by Heaven," said he. "What wilt thou more?" he asked. "I will +that there be no more charm upon the seven Cantrevs of Dyved, and that +none shall be put upon it henceforth." "This thou shalt have," said he. +"Now set her free." "I will not by my faith," he answered. "What wilt +thou furthermore," asked he. "Behold," said he, "this will I have; that +vengeance be never taken for this, either upon Pryderi or Rhiannon, or +upon me." "All this shalt thou have. And truly thou hast done wisely in +asking this. Upon thy head would have lit all this trouble." "Yea," +said he, "for fear thereof was it, that I required this." "Set now my +wife at liberty." "I will not, by Heaven," said he, "until I see Pryderi +and Rhiannon with me free." "Behold, here they come," he answered. + +And thereupon behold Pryderi and Rhiannon. And he rose up to meet them, +and greeted them, and sat down beside them. "Ah chieftain, set now my +wife at liberty," said the bishop. "Hast thou not received all thou +didst ask?" "I will release her gladly," said he. And thereupon he set +her free. + +Then he struck her with a magic wand, and she was changed back into a +young woman, the fairest ever seen. + +"Look around upon thy land," said he, "and then thou wilt see it all +tilled and peopled, as it was in its best state." And he rose up and +looked forth. And when he looked he saw all the lands tilled, and full +of herds and dwellings. "What bondage," he enquired, "has there been +upon Pryderi and Rhiannon?" "Pryderi has had the knockers of the gate of +my palace about his neck, and Rhiannon has had the collars of the asses, +after they have been carrying hay, about her neck." + +And such had been their bondage. + +And by reason of this bondage is this story called the Mabinogi of +Mynnweir and Mynord. {79} + +And thus ends this portion of the Mabinogi. + +{Picture: p79.jpg} + + + + +MATH THE SON OF MATHONWY. + + +{Picture: p80.jpg} + +Math the son of Mathonwy was lord over Gwynedd, and Pryderi the son of +Pwyll was lord over the one and twenty Cantrevs of the South; and these +were the seven Cantrevs of Dyved, and the seven Cantrevs of Morganwc, the +four Cantrevs of Ceredigiawn, and the three of Ystrad Tywi. + +At that time, Math the son of Mathonwy could not exist unless his feet +were in the lap of a maiden, except only when he was prevented by the +tumult of war. Now the maiden who was with him was Goewin, the daughter +of Pebin of Dol Pebin, in Arvon, and she was the fairest maiden of her +time who was known there. + +And Math dwelt always at Caer Dathyl, in Arvon, and was not able to go +the circuit of the land, but Gilvaethwy the son of Don, and Eneyd {81} +the son of Don, his nephews, the sons of his sister, with his household, +went the circuit of the land in his stead. + +Now the maiden was with Math continually, and Gilvaethwy the son of Don +set his affections upon her, and loved her so that he knew not what he +should do because of her, and therefrom behold his hue, and his aspect, +and his spirits changed for love of her, so that it was not easy to know +him. + +One day his brother Gwydion gazed steadfastly upon him. "Youth," said +he, "what aileth thee?" "Why," replied he, "what seest thou in me?" "I +see," said he, "that thou hast lost thy aspect and thy hue; what, +therefore, aileth thee?" "My lord, brother," he answered, "that which +aileth me, it will not profit me that I should own to any." "What may it +be, my soul?" said he. "Thou knowest," he said, "that Math the son of +Mathonwy has this property, that if men whisper together, in a tone how +low soever, if the wind meet it, it becomes known unto him." "Yes," said +Gwydyon, "hold now thy peace, I know thy intent, thou lovest Goewin." + +When he found that his brother knew his intent, he gave the heaviest sigh +in the world. "Be silent, my soul, and sigh not," he said. "It is not +thereby that thou wilt succeed. I will cause," said he, "if it cannot be +otherwise, the rising of Gwynedd, and Powys, and Deheubarth, to seek the +maiden. Be thou of glad cheer therefore, and I will compass it." + +So they went unto Math the son of Mathonwy. "Lord," said Gwydion, "I +have heard that there have come to the South some beasts, such as were +never known in this island before." "What are they called?" he asked. +"Pigs, lord." "And what kind of animals are they?" "They are small +animals, and their flesh is better than the flesh of oxen." "They are +small then?" "And they change their names. Swine are they now called." +"Who owneth them?" "Pryderi the son of Pwyll; they were sent him from +Annwn, by Arawn the king of Annwn, and still they keep that name, half +hog, half pig." "Verily," asked he, "and by what means may they be +obtained from him?" "I will go, lord, as one of twelve in the guise of +bards, to seek the swine." "But it may be that he will refuse you," said +he. "My journey will not be evil, lord," said he, "I will not come back +without the swine." "Gladly," said he, "go thou forward." + +So he and Gilvaethwy went, and ten other men with them. And they came +into Ceredigiawn, to the place that is now called Rhuddlan Teivi, where +the palace of Pryderi was. In the guise of bards they came in, and they +were received joyfully, and Gwydion was placed beside Pryderi that night. + +"Of a truth," said Pryderi, "gladly would I have a tale from some of your +men yonder." "Lord," said Gwydion, "we have a custom that the first +night that we come to the court of a great man, the chief of song +recites. Gladly will I relate a tale." Now Gwydion was the best teller +of tales in the world, and he diverted all the court that night with +pleasant discourse and with tales, so that he charmed every one in the +court, and it pleased Pryderi to talk with him. + +And after this, "Lord," said he unto Pryderi, "were it more pleasing to +thee, that another should discharge my errand unto thee, than that I +should tell thee myself what it is?" "No," he answered, "ample speech +hast thou." "Behold, then, lord," said he, "my errand. It is to crave +from thee the animals that were sent thee from Annwn." "Verily," he +replied, "that were the easiest thing in the world to grant, were there +not a covenant between me and my land concerning them. And the covenant +is that they shall not go from me, until they have produced double their +number in the land." "Lord," said he, "I can set thee free from these +words, and this is the way I can do so; give me not the swine to-night, +neither refuse them unto me, and to-morrow I will show thee an exchange +for them." + +And that night he and his fellows went unto their lodging, and they took +counsel. "Ah, my men," said he, "we shall not have the swine for the +asking." "Well," said they, "how may they be obtained?" "I will cause +them to be obtained," said Gwydion. + +Then he betook himself to his arts, and began to work a charm. And he +caused twelve chargers to appear, and twelve black greyhounds, each of +them white breasted, and having upon them twelve collars and twelve +leashes, such as no one that saw them could know to be other than gold. +And upon the horses twelve saddles, and every part which should have been +of iron was entirely of gold, and the bridles were of the same +workmanship. And with the horses and the dogs he came to Pryderi. + +{Picture: p84.jpg} + +"Good day unto thee, lord," said he. "Heaven prosper thee," said the +other, "and greetings be unto thee." "Lord," said he, "behold here is a +release for thee from the word which thou spakest last evening concerning +the swine; that thou wouldest neither give nor sell them. Thou mayest +exchange them for that which is better. And I will give these twelve +horses, all caparisoned as they are, with their saddles and their +bridles, and these twelve greyhounds, with their collars and their +leashes as thou seest, and the twelve gilded shields that thou beholdest +yonder." Now these he had formed of fungus. "Well," said he, "we will +take counsel." And they consulted together, and determined to give the +swine to Gwydion, and to take his horses and his dogs and his shields. + +Then Gwydion and his men took their leave, and began to journey forth +with the pigs. "Ah, my comrades," said Gwydion, "it is needful that we +journey with speed. The illusion will not last but from the one hour to +the same to-morrow." + +And that night they journeyed as far as the upper part of Ceredigiawn, to +the place which, from that cause, is called Mochdrev still. And the next +day they took their course through Melenydd, and came that night to the +town which is likewise for that reason called Mochdrev, between Keri and +Arwystli. And thence they journeyed forward; and that night they came as +far as that Commot in Powys, which also upon account thereof is called +Mochnant, and there tarried they that night. And they journeyed thence +to the Cantrev of Rhos, and the place where they were that night is still +called Mochdrev. + +"My men," said Gwydion, "we must push forward to the fastnesses of +Gwynedd with these animals, for there is a gathering of hosts in pursuit +of us." So they journeyed on to the highest town of Arllechwedd, and +there they made a sty for the swine, and therefore was the name of +Creuwyryon given to that town. And after they had made the sty for the +swine, they proceeded to Math the son of Mathonwy, at Caerdathyl. And +when they came there, the country was rising. "What news is there here?" +asked Gwydion. "Pryderi is assembling one and twenty Cantrevs to pursue +after you," answered they. "It is marvellous that you should have +journeyed so slowly." "Where are the animals whereof you went in quest?" +said Math. "They have had a sty made for them in the other Cantrev +below," said Gwydion. + +Thereupon, lo! they heard the trumpets and the host in the land, and they +arrayed themselves and set forward and came to Penardd in Arvon. + +And at night Gwydion the son of Don, and Gilvaethwy his brother, returned +to Caerdathyl; and Gilvaethwy took Math the son of Mathonwy's couch. And +while he turned out the other damsels from the room discourteously, he +made Goewin unwillingly remain. + +And when they saw the day on the morrow, they went back unto the place +where Math the son of Mathonwy was with his host; and when they came +there, the warriors were taking counsel in what district they should +await the coming of Pryderi, and the men of the South. So they went in +to the council. And it was resolved to wait in the strongholds of +Gwynedd, in Arvon. So within the two Maenors they took their stand, +Maenor Penardd and Maenor Coed Alun. And there Pryderi attacked them, +and there the combat took place. And great was the slaughter on both +sides; but the men of the South were forced to flee. And they fled unto +the place which is still called Nantcall. And thither did they follow +them, and they made a vast slaughter of them there, so that they fled +again as far as the place called Dol Pen Maen, and there they halted and +sought to make peace. + +And that he might have peace, Pryderi gave hostages, Gwrgi Gwastra gave +he and three and twenty others, sons of nobles. And after this they +journeyed in peace even unto Traeth Mawr; but as they went on together +towards Melenryd, the men on foot could not be restrained from shooting. +Pryderi despatched unto Math an embassy to pray him to forbid his people, +and to leave it between him and Gwydion the son of Don, for that he had +caused all this. And the messengers came to Math. "Of a truth," said +Math, "I call Heaven to witness, if it be pleasing unto Gwydion the son +of Don, I will so leave it gladly. Never will I compel any to go to +fight, but that we ourselves should do our utmost." + +"Verily," said the messengers, "Pryderi saith that it were more fair that +the man who did him this wrong should oppose his own body to his, and let +his people remain unscathed." "I declare to Heaven, I will not ask the +men of Gwynedd to fight because of me. If I am allowed to fight Pryderi +myself, gladly will I oppose my body to his." And this answer they took +back to Pryderi. "Truly," said Pryderi, "I shall require no one to +demand my rights but myself." + +Then these two came forth and armed themselves, and they fought. And by +force of strength, and fierceness, and by the magic and charms of +Gwydion, Pryderi was slain. And at Maen Tyriawc, {87} above Melenryd, +was he buried, and there is his grave. + +And the men of the South set forth in sorrow towards their own land; nor +is it a marvel that they should grieve, seeing that they had lost their +lord, and many of their best warriors, and for the most part, their +horses and their arms. + +The men of Gwynedd went back joyful and in triumph. "Lord," said Gwydion +unto Math, "would it not be right for us to release the hostages of the +men of the South, which they pledged unto us for peace? for we ought not +to put them in prison." "Let them then be set free," said Math. So that +youth, and the other hostages that were with him, were set free to follow +the men of the South. + +Math himself went forward to Caerdathyl. Gilvaethwy the son of Don, and +they of the household that were with him went to make the circuit of +Gwynedd as they were wont, without coming to the court. Math went into +his chamber, and caused a place to be prepared for him whereon to +recline, so that he might put his feet in the maiden's lap. "Lord," said +Goewin, "seek now another {88} to hold thy feet, for I am now a wife." +"What meaneth this?" said he. "An attack, lord, was made unawares upon +me; but I held not my peace, and there was no one in the court who knew +not of it. Now the attack was made by thy nephews, lord, the sons of thy +sister, Gwydion the son of Don, and Gilvaethwy the son of Don; unto me +they did wrong, and unto thee dishonour." "Verily," he exclaimed, "I +will do to the utmost of my power concerning this matter. But first I +will cause thee to have compensation, and then will I have amends made +unto myself. As for thee, I will take thee to be my wife, and the +possession of my dominions will I give unto thy hands." + +And Gwydion and Gilvaethwy came not near the court, but stayed in the +confines of the land until it was forbidden to give them meat and drink. +At first they came not near unto Math, but at last they came. "Lord," +said they, "Good day to thee." "Well," said he, "is it to make me +compensation that ye are come?" "Lord," they said, "we are at thy will." +"By my will I would not have lost my warriors, and so many arms as I have +done. You cannot compensate me my shame, setting aside the death of +Pryderi. But since ye come hither to be at my will, I shall begin your +punishment forthwith." + +Then he took his magic wand, and struck Gilvaethwy, so that he became a +deer, and he seized upon the other hastily lest he should escape from +him. And he struck him with the same magic wand, and he became a deer +also. "Since now ye are in bonds, I will that ye go forth together and +be companions, and possess the nature of the animals whose form ye bear. +And this day twelvemonth come hither unto me." + +At the end of a year from that day, lo there was a loud noise under the +chamber wall, and the barking of the dogs of the palace together with the +noise. "Look," said he, "what is without." "Lord," said one, "I have +looked; there are there two deer, and a fawn with them." Then he arose +and went out. And when he came he beheld the three animals. And he +lifted up his wand. "As ye were deer last year, be ye wild hogs each and +either of you, for the year that is to come." And thereupon he struck +them with the magic wand. "The young one will I take and cause to be +baptized." Now the name that he gave him was Hydwn. "Go ye and be wild +swine, each and either of you, and be ye of the nature of wild swine. And +this day twelvemonth be ye here under the wall." + +At the end of the year the barking of dogs was heard under the wall of +the chamber. And the court assembled, and thereupon he arose and went +forth, and when he came forth he beheld three beasts. Now these were the +beasts that he saw; two wild hogs of the woods, and a well-grown young +one with them. And he was very large for his age. "Truly," said Math, +"this one will I take and cause to be baptized." And he struck him with +his magic wand, and he became a fine fair auburn haired youth, and the +name that he gave him was Hychdwn. "Now as for you, as ye were wild hogs +last year, be ye wolves each and either of you for the year that is to +come." Thereupon he struck them with his magic wand, and they became +wolves. "And be ye of like nature with the animals whose semblance ye +bear, and return here this day twelvemonth beneath this wall." + +And the same day at the end of the year, he heard a clamour and a barking +of dogs under the wall of the chamber. And he rose and went forth. And +when he came, behold he saw two wolves, and a strong cub with them. "This +one will I take," said Math, "and I will cause him to be baptized; there +is a name prepared for him, and that is Bleiddwn. Now these three, such +are they; + + "The three sons of Gilvaethwy the false, + The three faithful combatants, + Bleiddwn, Hydwn, and Hychdwn the Tall." + +Then he struck the two with his magic wand, and they resumed their own +nature. "Oh men," said he, "for the wrong that ye did unto me, +sufficient has been your punishment and your dishonour. Prepare now +precious ointment for these men, and wash their heads, and equip them." +And this was done. + +And after they were equipped, they came unto him. "Oh men," said he, +"you have obtained peace, and you shall likewise have friendship. Give +your counsel unto me, what maiden I shall seek." "Lord," said Gwydion +the son of Don, "it is easy to give thee counsel; seek Arianrod, {91a} +the daughter of Don, thy niece, thy sister's daughter." + +And they brought her unto him, and the maiden came in. "Ha damsel," said +he, "art thou the maiden?" "I know not, Lord, other than that I am." +Then he took up his magic wand, and bent it. "Step over this," said he, +"and I shall know if thou art the maiden." Then stepped she over the +magic wand, and there appeared forthwith a fine chubby yellow haired boy. +And at the crying out of the boy, she went towards the door. And +thereupon some small form was seen; but before any one could get a second +glimpse of it, Gwydion had taken it, and had flung a scarf of velvet +around it and hidden it. Now the place where he hid it was the bottom of +a chest at the foot of his bed. + +"Verily," said Math the son of Mathonwy, concerning the fine yellow +haired boy, "I will cause this one to be baptized, and Dylan is the name +I will give him." + +So they had the boy baptized, and as they baptized him he plunged into +the sea. And immediately when he was in the sea, he took its nature, and +swam as well as the best fish that was therein. And for that reason was +he called Dylan, the son of the Wave. Beneath him no wave ever broke. +And the blow whereby he came to his death, was struck by his uncle +Govannion. The third fatal {91b} blow was it called. + +As Gwydion lay one morning on his bed awake, he heard a cry in the chest +at his feet; and though it was not loud, it was such that he could hear +it. Then he arose in haste, and opened the chest; and when he opened it, +he beheld an infant boy stretching out his arms from the folds of the +scarf, and casting it aside. And he took up the boy in his arms, and +carried him to a place where he knew there was a woman that could nurse +him. And he agreed with the woman that she should take charge of the +boy. And that year he was nursed. + +And at the end of the year, he seemed by his size as though he were two +years old. And the second year he was a big child, and able to go to the +court by himself. And when he came to the court, Gwydion noticed him, +and the boy became familiar with him, and loved him better than any one +else. Then was the boy reared at the court until he was four years old, +when he was as big as though he had been eight. + +And one day Gwydion walked forth, and the boy followed him, and he went +to the Castle of Arianrod, having the boy with him; and when he came into +the court, Arianrod arose to meet him, and greeted him and bade him +welcome. "Heaven prosper thee," said he. "Who is the boy that followeth +thee?" she asked. "This youth, he is thy son," he answered. "Alas," +said she, "what has come unto thee that thou shouldest shame me thus, +wherefore dost thou seek my dishonour, and retain it so long as this?" +"Unless thou suffer dishonour greater than that of my bringing up such a +boy as this, small will be thy disgrace." "What is the name of the boy?" +said she. "Verily," he replied, "he has not yet a name." "Well," she +said, "I lay this destiny upon him, that he shall never have a name until +he receives one from me." "Heaven bears me witness," answered he, "that +thou art a wicked woman. But the boy shall have a name how displeasing +soever it may be unto thee. As for thee, that which afflicts thee is +that thou art no longer called a damsel." And thereupon he went forth in +wrath, and returned to Caer Dathyl, and there he tarried that night. + +And the next day he arose and took the boy with him, and went to walk on +the sea shore between that place and Aber Menei. And there he saw some +sedges and sea weed, and he turned them into a boat. And out of dry +sticks {93} and sedges he made some Cordovan leather, and a great deal +thereof, and he coloured it in such a manner that no one ever saw leather +more beautiful than it. Then he made a sail to the boat, and he and the +boy went in it to the Port of the Castle of Arianrod. And he began +forming shoes and stitching them, until he was observed from the castle. +And when he knew that they of the castle were observing him, he disguised +his aspect, and put another semblance upon himself, and upon the boy, so +that they might not be known. "What men are those in yonder boat?" said +Arianrod. "They are cordwainers," answered they. "Go and see what kind +of leather they have, and what kind of work they can do." + +So they came unto them. And when they came he was colouring some +Cordovan leather, and gilding it. And the messengers came and told her +this. "Well," said she, "take the measure of my foot, and desire the +cordwainer to make shoes for me." So he made the shoes for her, yet not +according to the measure, but larger. The shoes then were brought unto +her, and behold they were too large. "These are too large," said she, +"but he shall receive their value. Let him also make some that are +smaller than they." Then he made her others that were much smaller than +her foot, and sent them unto her. "Tell him that these will not go on my +feet," said she. And they told him this. "Verily," said he, "I will not +make her any shoes, unless I see her foot." And this was told unto her. +"Truly," she answered, "I will go unto him." + +So she went down to the boat, and when she came there, he was shaping +shoes and the boy stitching them. "Ah, lady," said he, "good day to +thee." "Heaven prosper thee," said she. "I marvel that thou canst not +manage to make shoes according to a measure." "I could not," he replied, +"but now I shall be able." + +Thereupon behold a wren stood upon the deck of the boat, and the boy shot +at it, and hit it in the leg between the sinew and the bone. Then she +smiled. "Verily," said she, "with a steady hand did the lion aim at it." +"Heaven reward thee not, but now has he got a name. And a good enough +name it is. Llew Llaw Gyffes be he called henceforth." + +Then the work disappeared in sea weed and sedges, and he went on with it +no further. And for that reason was he called the third Gold-shoemaker. +"Of a truth," said she, "thou wilt not thrive the better for doing evil +unto me." "I have done thee no evil yet," said he. Then he restored the +boy to his own form. "Well," said she, "I will lay a destiny upon this +boy, that he shall never have arms and armour until I invest him with +them." "By Heaven," said he, "let thy malice be what it may, he shall +have arms." + +Then they went towards Dinas Dinllev, and there he brought up Llew Llaw +Gyffes, until he could manage any horse, and he was perfect in features, +and strength, and stature. And then Gwydion saw that he languished +through the want of horses, and arms. And he called him unto him. "Ah, +youth," said he, "we will go to-morrow on an errand together. Be +therefore more cheerful than thou art." "That I will," said the youth. + +Next morning, at the dawn of day, they arose. And they took their way +along the sea coast, up towards Bryn Aryen. And at the top of Cevn +Clydno they equipped themselves with horses, and went towards the Castle +of Arianrod. And they changed their form, and pricked towards the gate +in the semblance of two youths, but the aspect of Gwydion was more staid +than that of the other. "Porter," said he, "go thou in and say that +there are here bards from Glamorgan." And the porter went in. "The +welcome of Heaven be unto them, let them in," said Arianrod. + +With great joy were they greeted. And the hall was arranged, and they +went to meat. When meat was ended, Arianrod discoursed with Gwydion of +tales and stories. Now Gwydion was an excellent teller of tales. And +when it was time to leave off feasting, a chamber was prepared for them, +and they went to rest. + +In the early twilight Gwydion arose, and he called unto him his magic and +his power. And by the time that the day dawned, there resounded through +the land uproar, and trumpets, and shouts. When it was now day, they +heard a knocking at the door of the chamber, and therewith Arianrod +asking that it might be opened. Up rose the youth and opened unto her, +and she entered and a maiden with her. "Ah, good men," she said, "in +evil plight are we." "Yes truly," said Gwydion, "we have heard trumpets, +and shouts; what thinkest thou that they may mean?" "Verily," said she, +"we cannot see the colour of the ocean by reason of all the ships, side +by side. And they are making for the land with all the speed they can. +And what can we do?" said she. "Lady," said Gwydion, "there is none +other counsel than to close the castle upon us, and to defend it as best +we may." "Truly," said she, "may Heaven reward you. And do you defend +it. And here you may have plenty of arms." + +And thereupon went she forth for the arms, and behold she returned, and +two maidens, and suits of armour for two men, with her. "Lady," said he, +"do thou accoutre this stripling, and I will arm myself with the help of +thy maidens. Lo, I hear the tumult of the men approaching." "I will do +so, gladly." So she armed him fully, and that right cheerfully. "Hast +thou finished arming the youth," said he. "I have finished," she +answered. "I likewise have finished," said Gwydion. "Let us now take +off our arms, we have no need of them." "Wherefore?" said she. "Here is +the army around the house." "Oh, lady, there is here no army." "Oh," +cried she, "Whence then was this tumult?" "The tumult was but to break +thy prophecy {96} and to obtain arms for thy son. And now has he got +arms without any thanks unto thee." "By Heaven," said Arianrod, "thou +art a wicked man. Many a youth might have lost his life, through the +uproar thou hast caused in this Cantrev to-day. Now will I lay a destiny +upon this youth," she said, "that he shall never have a wife of the race +that now inhabits this earth." "Verily," said he, "thou wast ever a +malicious woman, and no one ought to support thee. A wife shall he have +notwithstanding." + +{Picture: p97.jpg} + +They went thereupon unto Math the son of Mathonwy, and complained unto +him most bitterly of Arianrod. Gwydion showed him also how he had +procured arms for the youth. "Well," said Math, "we will seek, I and +thou, by charms and illusion, to form a wife for him out of flowers. He +has now come to man's stature, and he is the comeliest youth that was +ever beheld." So they took the blossoms of the oak, and the blossoms of +the broom, and the blossoms of the meadow-sweet, and produced from them a +maiden, the fairest and most graceful that man ever saw. And they +baptized her, {98a} and gave her the name of Blodeuwedd. + +After she had become his bride, and they had feasted, said Gwydion, "It +is not easy for a man to maintain himself without possessions." "Of a +truth," said Math, "I will give the young man the best Cantrev to hold." +{98b} "Lord," said he, "what Cantrev is that?" "The Cantrev of +Dinodig," he answered. Now it is called at this day Eivionydd and +Ardudwy. And the place in the Cantrev where he dwelt, was a palace of +his in a spot called Mur y Castell, on the confines of Ardudwy. There +dwelt he and reigned, and both he and his sway were beloved by all. + +One day he went forth to Caer Dathyl, to visit Math the son of Mathonwy. +And on the day that he set out for Caer Dathyl, Blodeuwedd walked in the +court. And she heard the sound of a horn. And after the sound of the +horn, behold, a tired stag went by, with dogs and huntsmen following it. +And after the dogs and the huntsmen there came a crowd of men on foot. +"Send a youth," said she, "to ask who yonder host may be." So a youth +went, and enquired who they were. "Gronw Pebyr is this, the lord of +Penllynn," said they. And thus the youth told her. + +Gronw Pebyr pursued the stag, and by the river Cynvael he overtook the +stag and killed it. And what, with flaying the stag and baiting his +dogs, he was there until the night began to close in upon him. And as +the day departed and the night drew near, he came to the gate of the +court. "Verily," said Blodeuwedd, "the chieftain will speak ill of us, +if we let him at this hour depart to another land without inviting him +in." "Yes, truly, lady," said they, "it will be most fitting to invite +him." + +Then went messengers to meet him and bid him in. And he accepted her +bidding gladly, and came to the court, and Blodeuwedd went to meet him +and greeted him, and bade him welcome. "Lady," said he, "Heaven repay +thee thy kindness." + +When they had disaccoutred themselves, they went to sit down. And +Blodeuwedd looked upon him, and from the moment that she looked on him +she became filled with his love. And he gazed on her, and the same +thought came unto him as unto her, so that he could not conceal from her +that he loved her, but he declared unto her that he did so. Thereupon +she was very joyful. And all their discourse that night was concerning +the affection and love which they felt one for the other, and which in no +longer space than one evening had arisen. And that evening passed they +in each other's company. + +The next day he sought to depart. But she said, "I pray thee go not from +me to-day." And that night he tarried also. And that night they +consulted by what means they might always be together. "There is none +other counsel," said he, "but that thou strive to learn from Llew Llaw +Gyffes in what manner he will meet his death. And this must thou do +under the semblance of solicitude concerning him." + +The next day Gronw sought to depart. "Verily," said she, "I would +counsel thee not to go from me to-day." "At thy instance, will I not +go," said he, "albeit, I must say, there is danger, that the chief who +owns the palace may return home." "To-morrow," answered she, "will I +indeed permit thee to go forth." + +The next day he sought to go, and she hindered him not. "Be mindful," +said Gronw, "of what I have said unto thee, and converse with him fully, +and that under the guise of the dalliance of love, and find out by what +means he may come to his death." + +That night Llew Llaw Gyffes returned to his home. And the day they spent +in discourse, and minstrelsy, and feasting. And at night they went to +rest, and he spoke to Blodeuwedd once, and he spoke to her a second time. +But, for all this, he could not get from her one word. "What aileth +thee," said he, "art thou well?" "I was thinking," said she, "of that +which thou didst never think of concerning me; for I was sorrowful as to +thy death, lest thou shouldest go sooner than I." "Heaven reward thy +care for me," said he, "but until Heaven take me I shall not easily be +slain." "For the sake of Heaven, and for mine, show me how thou mightest +be slain. My memory in guarding is better than thine." "I will tell +thee gladly," said he. "Not easily can I be slain, except by a wound. +{100} And the spear wherewith I am struck must be a year in the forming. +And nothing must be done towards it except during the sacrifice on +Sundays." "Is this certain?" asked she. "It is in truth," he answered. +"And I cannot be slain within a house, nor without. I cannot be slain on +horseback nor on foot." "Verily," said she, "in what manner then canst +thou be slain?" "I will tell thee," said he. "By making a bath for me +by the side of a river, and by putting a roof over the cauldron, and +thatching it well and tightly, and bringing a buck, and putting it beside +the cauldron. Then if I place one foot on the buck's back, and the other +on the edge of the cauldron, whosoever strikes me thus will cause my +death." "Well," said she, "I thank Heaven that it will be easy to avoid +this." + +No sooner had she held this discourse than she sent to Gronw Pebyr. Gronw +toiled at making the spear, and that day twelvemonth it was ready. And +that very day he caused her to be informed thereof. + +"Lord," said Blodeuwedd unto Llew, "I have been thinking how it is +possible that what thou didst tell me formerly can be true; wilt thou +show me in what manner thou couldst stand at once upon the edge of a +cauldron and upon a buck, if I prepare the bath for thee?" "I will show +thee," said he. + +Then she sent unto Gronw, and bade him be in ambush on the hill which is +now called Bryn Kyvergyr, on the bank of the river Cynvael. She caused +also to be collected all the goats that were in the Cantrev, and had them +brought to the other side of the river, opposite Bryn Kyvergyr. + +And the next day she spoke thus. "Lord," said she, "I have caused the +roof and the bath to be prepared, and lo! they are ready." "Well," said +Llew, "we will go gladly to look at them." + +The day after they came and looked at the bath. "Wilt thou go into the +bath, lord?" said she. "Willingly will I go in," he answered. So into +the bath he went, and he anointed himself. "Lord," said she, "behold the +animals which thou didst speak of as being called bucks." "Well," said +he, "cause one of them to be caught and brought here." And the buck was +brought. Then Llew rose out of the bath, and put on his trowsers, and he +placed one foot on the edge of the bath and the other on the buck's back. + +Thereupon Gronw rose up from the hill which is called Bryn Cyvergyr, and +he rested on one knee, and flung the poisoned dart and struck him on the +side, so that the shaft started out, but the head of the dart remained +in. Then he flew up in the form of an eagle, and gave a fearful scream. +And thenceforth was he no more seen. + +As soon as he departed Gronw and Blodeuwedd went together unto the palace +that night. And the next day Gronw arose and took possession of Ardudwy. +And after he had overcome the land, he ruled over it, so that Ardudwy and +Penllyn were both under his sway. + +Then these tidings reached Math the son of Mathonwy. And heaviness and +grief came upon Math, and much more upon Gwydion than upon him. "Lord," +said Gwydion, "I shall never rest until I have tidings of my nephew." +"Verily," said Math, "may Heaven be thy strength." Then Gwydion set +forth and began to go forward. And he went through Gwynedd and Powys to +the confines. And when he had done so, he went into Arvon, and came to +the house of a vassal, in Maenawr Penardd. And he alighted at the house, +and stayed there that night. The man of the house and his household came +in, and last of all came there the swineherd. Said the man of the house +to the swineherd, "Well, youth, hath thy sow come in to-night?" "She +hath," said he, "and is this instant returned to the pigs." "Where doth +this sow go to?" said Gwydion. "Every day, when the sty is opened, she +goeth forth and none can catch sight of her, neither is it known whither +she goeth more than if she sank into the earth." "Wilt thou grant unto +me," said Gwydion, "not to open the sty until I am beside the sty with +thee." "This will I do, right gladly," he answered. + +That night they went to rest; and as soon as the swineherd saw the light +of day, he awoke Gwydion. And Gwydion arose and dressed himself, and +went with the swineherd, and stood beside the sty. Then the swineherd +opened the sty. And as soon as he opened it, behold, she leaped forth, +and set off with great speed. And Gwydion followed her, and she went +against the course of a river, and made for a brook, which is now called +Nant y Llew. And there she halted and began feeding. And Gwydion came +under the tree, and looked what it might be that the sow was feeding on. +And he saw that she was eating putrid flesh and vermin. Then looked he +up to the top of the tree, and as he looked he beheld on the top of the +tree an eagle, and when the eagle shook itself, there fell vermin and +putrid flesh from off it, and these the sow devoured. And it seemed to +him that the eagle was Llew. And he sang an Englyn. + + "Oak that grows between the two banks; + Darkened is the sky and hill! + Shall I not tell him by his wounds, + That this is Llew?" + +Upon this the eagle came down until he reached the centre of the tree. +And Gwydion sang another Englyn. + + "Oak that grows in upland ground, + Is it not wetted by the rain? Has it not been drenched + By nine score tempests? + It bears in its branches Llew Llaw Gyffes!" + +Then the eagle came down until he was on the lowest branch of the tree, +and thereupon this Englyn did Gwydion sing. + + "Oak that grows beneath the steep; + Stately and majestic is its aspect! + Shall I not speak it? + That Llew will come to my lap?" + +And the eagle came down upon Gwydion's knee. And Gwydion struck him with +his magic wand, so that he returned to his own form. No one ever saw a +more piteous sight, for he was nothing but skin and bone. + +Then he went unto Caer Dathyl, and there were brought unto him good +physicians that were in Gwynedd, and before the end of the year he was +quite healed. + +"Lord," said he unto Math the son of Mathonwy, "it is full time now that +I have retribution of him by whom I have suffered all this woe." "Truly," +said Math, "he will never be able to maintain himself in the possession +of that which is thy right." "Well," said Llew, "the sooner I have my +right, the better shall I be pleased." + +Then they called together the whole of Gwynedd, and set forth to Ardudwy. +And Gwydion went on before and proceeded to Mur y Castell. And when +Blodeuwedd heard that he was coming, she took her maidens with her, and +fled to the mountain. And they passed through the river Cynvael, and +went towards a court that there was upon the mountain, and through fear +they could not proceed except with their faces looking backwards, so that +unawares they fell into the lake. And they were all drowned except +Blodeuwedd herself, and her Gwydion overtook. And he said unto her, "I +will not slay thee, but I will do unto thee worse than that. For I will +turn thee into a bird; and because of the shame thou hast done unto Llew +Llaw Gyffes, thou shall never show thy face in the light of day +henceforth; and that through fear of all the other birds. For it shall +be their nature to attack thee, and to chase thee from wheresoever they +may find thee. And thou shalt not lose thy name, but shalt be always +called Blodeuwedd." Now Blodeuwedd is an owl in the language of this +present time, and for this reason is the owl hateful unto all birds. And +even now the owl is called Blodeuwedd. + +Then Gronw Pebyr withdrew unto Penllyn, and he despatched thence an +embassy. And the messengers he sent, asked Llew Llaw Gyffes, if he would +take land, or domain, or gold, or silver, for the injury he had received. +"I will not, by my confession to Heaven," said he. "Behold this is the +least that I will accept from him; that he come to the spot where I was +when he wounded me with the dart, and that I stand where he did, and that +with a dart I take my aim at him. And this is the very least that I will +accept." + +And this was told unto Gronw Pebyr. "Verily," said he, "is it needful +for me to do thus? My faithful warriors, and my household, and my foster- +brothers, is there not one among you who will stand the blow in my +stead?" "There is not, verily," answered they. And because of their +refusal to suffer one stroke for their lord, they are called the third +disloyal tribe even unto this day. "Well," said he, "I will meet it." + +{Picture: p106.jpg} + +Then they two went forth to the banks of the river Cynvael, and Gronw +stood in the place where Llew Llaw Gyffes was when he struck him, and +Llew in the place where Gronw was. Then said Gronw Pebyr unto Llew, +"Since it was through the wiles of a woman that I did unto thee as I have +done, I adjure thee by Heaven to let me place between me and the blow, +the slab thou seest yonder on the river's bank." "Verily," said Llew, "I +will not refuse thee this." "Ah," said he, "may Heaven reward thee." So +Gronw took the slab and placed it between him and the blow. + +Then Llew flung the dart at him, and it pierced the slab and went through +Gronw likewise, so that it pierced through his back. And thus was Gronw +Pebyr slain. And there is still the slab on the bank of the river +Cynvael, in Ardudwy, having the hole through it. And therefore it is +even now called Llech Gronw. + +A second time did Llew Llaw Gyffes take possession of the land, and +prosperously did he govern it. And as the story relates, he was lord +after this over Gwynedd. And thus ends this portion of the Mabinogi. + + + + +HERE IS THE STORY OF LLUDD AND LLEVELYS. + + +{Picture: p108.jpg} + +Beli the Great, son of Manogan, had three sons, Lludd, and Caswallawn, +and Nynyaw; and according to the story he had a fourth son called +Llevelys. And after the death of Beli, the kingdom of the Island of +Britain fell into the hands of Lludd his eldest son; and Lludd ruled +prosperously, and rebuilt the walls of London, and encompassed it about +with numberless towers. And after that he bade the citizens build houses +therein, such as no houses in the kingdom could equal. And moreover he +was a mighty warrior, and generous and liberal in giving meat and drink +to all that sought them. And though he had many castles and cities, this +one loved he more than any. And he dwelt therein most part of the year, +and therefore was it called Caer Ludd, and at last Caer London. And +after the stranger-race came there, it was called London, or Lwndrys. + +Lludd loved Llevelys best of all his brothers, because he was a wise and +a discreet man. Having heard that the king of France had died, leaving +no heir, except a daughter, and that he had left all his possessions in +her hands, he came to Lludd his brother, to beseech his counsel and aid. +And that not so much for his own welfare, as to seek to add to the glory +and honour and dignity of his kindred, if he might go to France to woo +the maiden for his wife. And forthwith his brother conferred with him, +and this counsel was pleasing unto him. + +So he prepared ships and filled them with armed knights, and set forth +towards France. And as soon as they had landed, they sent messengers to +show the nobles of France the cause of the embassy. And by the joint +counsel of the nobles of France and of the princes, the maiden was given +to Llevelys, and the crown of the kingdom with her. And thenceforth he +ruled the land discreetly, and wisely, and happily, as long as his life +lasted. + +After a space of time had passed, three plagues fell on the Island of +Britain, such as none in the Islands had ever seen the like. The first +was a certain race that came, and was called the Coranians; and so great +was their knowledge, that there was no discourse upon the face of the +Island, however low it might be spoken, but what, if the wind met it, it +was known to them. And through this they could not be injured. + +The second plague was a shriek which came on every May eve, over every +hearth in the Island of Britain. And this went through people's hearts, +and so scared them, that the men lost their hue and their strength, and +the women their children, and the young men, and the maidens lost their +senses, and all the animals and trees and the earth and the waters, were +left barren. + +The third plague was, that however much of provisions and food might be +prepared in the king's courts, were there even so much as a year's +provision of meat and drink, none of it could ever be found, except what +was consumed in the first night. And two of these plagues, no one ever +knew their cause, therefore was there better hope of being freed from the +first than from the second and third. + +And thereupon King Lludd felt great sorrow and care, because that he knew +not how he might be freed from these plagues. And he called to him all +the nobles of his kingdom, and asked counsel of them what they should do +against these afflictions. And by the common counsel of the nobles, +Lludd the son of Beli, went to Llevelys his brother, king of France, for +he was a man great of counsel and wisdom, to seek his advice. + +And they made ready a fleet, and that in secret and in silence, lest that +race should know the cause of their errand, or any besides the king and +his counsellors. And when they were made ready, they went into their +ships, Lludd and those whom he chose with him. And they began to cleave +the seas towards France. + +And when these tidings came to Llevelys, seeing that he knew not the +cause of his brother's ships, he came on the other side to meet him, and +with him was a fleet vast of size. And when Lludd saw this, he left all +the ships out upon the sea except one only; and in that one he came to +meet his brother, and he likewise with a single ship came to meet him. +And when they were come together, each put his arms about the other's +neck, and they welcomed each other with brotherly love. + +After that Lludd had shewn his brother the cause of his errand, Llevelys +said that he himself knew the cause of the coming to those lands. And +they took counsel together to discourse {111} on the matter otherwise +than thus, in order that the wind might not catch their words, nor the +Coranians know what they might say. Then Llevelys caused a long horn to +be made of brass, and through this horn they discoursed. But whatsoever +words they spoke through this horn, one to the other, neither of them +could hear any other but harsh and hostile words. And when Llevelys saw +this, and that there was a demon thwarting them and disturbing through +this horn, he caused wine to be put therein to wash it. And through the +virtue of the wine the demon was driven out of the horn. And when their +discourse was unobstructed, Llevelys told his brother that he would give +him some insects, whereof he should keep some to breed, lest by chance +the like affliction might come a second time. And other of these insects +he should take and bruise in water. And he assured him that it would +have power to destroy the race of the Coranians. That is to say, that +when he came home to his kingdom he should call together all the people +both of his own race and of the race of the Coranians for a conference, +as though with the intent of making peace between them; and that when +they were all together, he should take this charmed water, and cast it +over all alike. And he assured him that the water would poison the race +of the Coranians, but that it would not slay or harm those of his own +race. + +{Picture: p112.jpg} + +"And the second plague," said he, "that is in thy dominion, behold it is +a dragon. And another dragon of a foreign race is fighting with it, and +striving to overcome it. And therefore does your dragon make a fearful +outcry. And on this wise mayest thou come to know this. After thou hast +returned home, cause the Island to be measured in its length and breadth, +and in the place where thou dost find the exact central point, there +cause a pit to be dug, and cause a cauldron, full of the best mead that +can be made, to be put in the pit, with a covering of satin over the face +of the cauldron. And then, in thine own person do thou remain there +watching, and thou wilt see the dragons fighting in the form of terrific +animals. And at length they will take the form of dragons in the air. +And last of all, after wearying themselves with fierce and furious +fighting, they will fall in the form of two pigs upon the covering, and +they will sink in, and the covering with them, and they will draw it down +to the very bottom of the cauldron. And they will drink up the whole of +the mead; and after that they will sleep. Thereupon do thou immediately +fold the covering around them, and bury them in a kistvaen, in the +strongest place thou hast in thy dominions, and hide them in the earth. +And as long as they shall bide in that strong place, no plague shall come +to the Island of Britain from elsewhere. + +"The cause of the third plague," said he, "is a mighty man of magic, who +takes thy meat and thy drink and thy store. And he through illusions and +charms causes every one to sleep. Therefore it is needful for thee in +thy own person to watch thy food and thy provisions. And lest he should +overcome thee with sleep, be there a cauldron of cold water by thy side, +and when thou art oppressed with sleep, plunge into the cauldron." + +Then Lludd returned back unto his land. And immediately he summoned to +him the whole of his own race and of the Coranians. And as Llevelys had +taught him, he bruised the insects in water, the which he cast over them +all together, and forthwith it destroyed the whole tribe of the +Coranians, without hurt to any of the Britons. + +And some time after this Lludd caused the Island to be measured in its +length and in its breadth. And in Oxford he found the central point, and +in that place he caused the earth to be dug, and in that pit a cauldron +to be set, full of the best mead that could be made, and a covering of +satin over the face of it. And he himself watched that night. And while +he was there, he beheld the dragons fighting. And when they were weary +they fell, and came down upon the top of the satin, and drew it with them +to the bottom of the cauldron. And when they had drunk the mead they +slept. And in their sleep, Lludd folded the covering around them, and in +the securest place he had in Snowdon, he hid them in a kistvaen. Now +after that this spot was called Dinas Emreis, but before that, Dinas +Ffaraon. And thus the fierce outcry ceased in his dominions. + +And when this was ended, King Lludd caused an exceeding great banquet to +be prepared. And when it was ready, he placed a vessel of cold water by +his side, and he in his own proper person watched it. And as he abode +thus clad with arms, about the third watch of the night, lo! he heard +many surpassing fascinations and various songs. And drowsiness urged him +to sleep. Upon this, lest he should be hindered from his purpose and be +overcome by sleep, he went often into the water. And at last, behold, a +man of vast size, clad in strong, heavy armour, came in, bearing a +hamper. And, as he was wont, he put all the food and provisions of meat +and drink into the hamper, and proceeded to go with it forth. And +nothing was ever more wonderful to Lludd, than that the hamper should +hold so much. + +And thereupon King Lludd went after him and spoke unto him thus. "Stop, +stop," said he, "though thou hast done many insults and much spoil +erewhile, thou shalt not do so any more, unless thy skill in arms and thy +prowess be greater than mine." + +{Picture: p115.jpg} + +Then he instantly put down the hamper on the floor, and awaited him. And +a fierce encounter was between them, so that the glittering fire flew out +from their arms. And at the last Lludd grappled with him, and fate +bestowed the victory on Lludd. And he threw the plague to the earth. And +after he had overcome him by strength and might, he besought his mercy. +"How can I grant thee mercy," said the king, "after all the many injuries +and wrongs that thou hast done me?" "All the losses that ever I have +caused thee," said he, "I will make thee atonement for, equal to what I +have taken. And I will never do the like from this time forth. But thy +faithful vassal will I be." And the king accepted this from him. + +And thus Lludd freed the Island of Britain from the three plagues. And +from thenceforth until the end of his life, in prosperous peace did Lludd +the son of Beli rule the Island of Britain. And this Tale is called the +Story of Lludd and Llevelys. And thus it ends. + +{Picture: p116.jpg} + + + + +TALIESIN. + + +{Picture: p117.jpg} + +In times past there lived in Penllyn a man of gentle lineage, named Tegid +Voel, and his dwelling was in the midst of the Lake Tegid, and his wife +was called Caridwen. And there was born to him of his wife a son named +Morvran ab Tegid, and also a daughter named Creirwy, the fairest maiden +in the world was she; and they had a brother the most ill-favoured man in +the world, Avagddu. Now Caridwen his mother thought that he was not +likely to be admitted among men of noble birth, by reason of his +ugliness, unless he had some exalted merits or knowledge. For it was in +the beginning of Arthur's time and of the Round Table. + +So she resolved, according to the arts of the books of the Fferyllt, +{118a} to boil a cauldron of Inspiration and Science for her son, that +his reception might be honourable because of his knowledge of the +mysteries of the future state of the world. + +Then she began to boil the cauldron, which from the beginning of its +boiling might not cease to boil for a year and a day, until three blessed +drops were obtained of the grace of inspiration. + +And she put Gwion Bach the son of Gwreang of Llanfair in Caereinion, in +Powys, to stir the cauldron, and a blind man named Morda to kindle the +fire beneath it, and she charged them that they should not suffer it to +cease boiling for the space of a year and a day. And she herself, +according to the books of the astronomers, and in planetary hours, +gathered every day of all charm-bearing herbs. And one day, towards the +end of the year, as Caridwen was culling plants and making incantations, +it chanced that three drops of the charmed liquor flew out of the +cauldron and fell upon the finger of Gwion Bach. And by reason of their +great heat he put his finger to his mouth, {118b} and the instant he put +those marvel-working drops into his mouth, he foresaw everything that was +to come, and perceived that his chief care must be to guard against the +wiles of Caridwen, for vast was her skill. And in very great fear he +fled towards his own land. And the cauldron burst in two, because all +the liquor within it except the three charm-bearing drops was poisonous, +so that the horses of Gwyddno Garanhir were poisoned by the water of the +stream into which the liquor of the cauldron ran, and the confluence of +that stream was called the Poison of the Horses of Gwyddno from that time +forth. + +{Picture: p119.jpg} + +Thereupon came in Caridwen and saw all the toil of the whole year lost. +And she seized a billet of wood and struck the blind Morda on the head +until one of his eyes fell out upon his cheek. And he said, "Wrongfully +hast thou disfigured me, for I am innocent. Thy loss was not because of +me." "Thou speakest truth," said Caridwen, "it was Gwion Bach who robbed +me." + +And she went forth after him, running. And he saw her, and changed +himself into a hare and fled. But she changed herself into a greyhound +and turned him. And he ran towards a river, and became a fish. And she +in the form of an otter-bitch chased him under the water, until he was +fain to turn himself into a bird of the air. Then she, as a hawk, +followed him and gave him no rest in the sky. And just as she was about +to stoop upon him, and he was in fear of death, he espied a heap of +winnowed wheat on the floor of a barn, and he dropped amongst the wheat, +and turned himself into one of the grains. Then she transformed herself +into a high-crested black hen, and went to the wheat and scratched it +with her feet, and found him out and swallowed him. And, as the story +says, she bore him nine months, and when she was delivered of him, she +could not find it in her heart to kill him, by reason of his beauty. So +she wrapped him in a leathern bag, and cast him into the sea to the mercy +of God, on the twenty-ninth day of April. + +And at that time the weir of Gwyddno was on the strand between Dyvi and +Aberystwyth, near to his own castle, and the value of an hundred pounds +was taken in that weir every May eve. And in those days Gwyddno had an +only son named Elphin, the most hapless of youths, and the most needy. +And it grieved his father sore, for he thought that he was born in an +evil hour. And by the advice of his council, his father had granted him +the drawing of the weir that year, to see if good luck would ever befall +him, and to give him something wherewith to begin the world. + +{Picture: p121.jpg} + +And the next day, when Elphin went to look, there was nothing in the +weir. But as he turned back he perceived the leathern bag upon a pole of +the weir. Then said one of the weir-ward unto Elphin, "Thou wast never +unlucky until to-night, and now thou hast destroyed the virtues of the +weir, which always yielded the value of an hundred pounds every May eve, +and to-night there is nothing but this leathern skin within it." "How +now," said Elphin, "there may be therein the value of an hundred pounds." +Well! they took up the leathern bag, and he who opened it saw the +forehead of the boy, and said to Elphin, "Behold a radiant brow!" {121} +"Taliesin be he called," said Elphin. And he lifted the boy in his arms, +and lamenting his mischance, he placed him sorrowfully behind him. And +he made his horse amble gently, that before had been trotting, and he +carried him as softly as if he had been sitting in the easiest chair in +the world. And presently the boy made a Consolation and praise to +Elphin, and foretold honour to Elphin; and the Consolation was as you may +see, + + "Fair Elphin cease to lament! + Let no one be dissatisfied with his own, + To despair will bring no advantage. + No man sees what supports him; + The prayer of Cynllo will not be in vain; + God will not violate his promise. + Never in Gwyddno's weir + Was there such good luck as this night. + Fair Elphin, dry thy cheeks! + Being too sad will not avail, + Although thou thinkest thou hast no gain, + Too much grief will bring thee no good; + Nor doubt the miracles of the Almighty: + Although I am but little, I am highly gifted. + From seas, and from mountains, + And from the depths of rivers, + God brings wealth to the fortunate man. + Elphin of lively qualities, + Thy resolution is unmanly; + Thou must not be over sorrowful: + Better to trust in God than to forbode ill. + Weak and small as I am, + On the foaming beach of the ocean, + In the day of trouble, I shall be + Of more service to thee than 300 salmon. + Elphin of notable qualities, + Be not displeased at thy misfortune; + Although reclined thus weak in my bag, + There lies a virtue in my tongue. + While I continue thy protector + Thou hast not much to fear; + Remembering the names of the Trinity, + None shall be able to harm thee." + +And this was the first poem that Taliesin ever sang, being to console +Elphin in his grief for that the produce of the weir was lost, and, what +was worse, that all the world would consider that it was through his +fault and ill-luck. And then Gwyddno Garanhir {123} asked him what he +was, whether man or spirit. Whereupon he sang this tale, and said, + + "First, I have been formed a comely person, + In the court of Ceridwen I have done penance; + Though little I was seen, placidly received, + I was great on the floor of the place to where I was led; + I have been a prized defence, the sweet muse the cause, + And by law without speech I have been liberated + By a smiling black old hag, when irritated + Dreadful her claim when pursued: + I have fled with vigour, I have fled as a frog, + I have fled in the semblance of a crow, scarcely finding rest; + I have fled vehemently, I have fled as a chain, + I have fled as a roe into an entangled thicket; + I have fled as a wolf cub, I have fled as a wolf in a wilderness, + I have fled as a thrush of portending language; + I have fled as a fox, used to concurrent bounds of quirks; + I have fled as a martin, which did not avail: + I have fled as a squirrel, that vainly hides, + I have fled as a stag's antler, of ruddy course, + I have fled as iron in a glowing fire, + I have fled as a spear-head, of woe to such as has a wish for it; + I have fled as a fierce bull bitterly fighting, + I have fled as a bristly boar seen in a ravine, + I have fled as a white grain of pure wheat, + On the skirt of a hempen sheet entangled, + That seemed of the size of a mare's foal, + That is filling like a ship on the waters; + Into a dark leathern bag I was thrown, + And on a boundless sea I was sent adrift; + Which was to me an omen of being tenderly nursed, + And the Lord God then set me at liberty." + +Then came Elphin to the house or court of Gwyddno his father, and +Taliesin with him. And Gwyddno asked him if he had had a good haul at +the weir, and he told him that he had got that which was better than +fish. "What was that?" said Gwyddno. "A Bard," answered Elphin. Then +said Gwyddno, "Alas, what will he profit thee?" And Taliesin himself +replied and said, "He will profit him more than the weir ever profited +thee." Asked Gwyddno, "Art thou able to speak, and thou so little?" And +Taliesin answered him, "I am better able to speak than thou to question +me." "Let me hear what thou canst say," quoth Gwyddno. Then Taliesin +sang,-- + + "In water there is a quality endowed with a blessing; + On God it is most just to meditate aright; + To God it is proper to supplicate with seriousness, + Since no obstacle can there be to obtain a reward from him. + Three times have I been born, I know by meditation; + It were miserable for a person not to come and obtain + All the sciences of the world, collected together in my breast, + For I know what has been, what in future will occur. + I will supplicate my Lord that I get refuge in him, + A regard I may obtain in his grace; + The Son of Mary is my trust, great in Him is my delight, + For in Him is the world continually upholden. + God has been to instruct me and to raise my expectation, + The true Creator of heaven, who affords me protection; + It is rightly intended that the saints should daily pray, + For God, the renovator, will bring them to him. + +* * * * * + +And forthwith Elphin gave his haul to his wife, and she nursed him +tenderly and lovingly. Thenceforward Elphin increased in riches more and +more day after day, and in love and favour with the king, and there abode +Taliesin until he was thirteen years old, when Elphin son of Gwyddno went +by a Christmas invitation to his uncle, Maelgwn Gwynedd, who sometime +after this held open court at Christmas-tide in the castle of Dyganwy, +for all the number of his lords of both degrees, both spiritual and +temporal, with a vast and thronged host of knights and squires. And +amongst them there arose a discourse and discussion. And thus was it +said. + +"Is there in the whole world a king so great as Maelgwn, or one on whom +Heaven has bestowed so many spiritual gifts as upon him? First, form, +and beauty, and meekness, and strength, besides all the powers of the +soul?" And together with these they said that Heaven had given one gift +that exceeded all the others, which was the beauty, and comeliness, and +grace, and wisdom, and modesty of his queen; whose virtues surpassed +those of all the ladies and noble maidens throughout the whole kingdom. +And with this they put questions one to another amongst themselves, Who +had braver men? Who had fairer or swifter horses or greyhounds? Who had +more skilful or wiser bards--than Maelgwn? + +Now at that time the bards were in great favour with the exalted of the +kingdom; and then none performed the office of those who are now called +heralds, unless they were learned men, not only expert in the service of +kings and princes, but studious and well versed in the lineage, and arms, +and exploits of princes and kings, and in discussions concerning foreign +kingdoms, and the ancient things of this kingdom, and chiefly in the +annals of the first nobles; and also were prepared always with their +answers in various languages, Latin, French, Welsh, and English. And +together with this they were great chroniclers, and recorders, and +skilful in framing verses, and ready in making englyns in every one of +these languages. Now of these there were at that feast within the palace +of Maelgwn as many as four and twenty, and chief of them all, was one +named Heinin Vardd. + +When they had all made an end of thus praising the king and his gifts, it +befell that Elphin spoke on this wise. "Of a truth none but a king may +vie with a king; but were he not a king, I would say that my wife was as +virtuous as any lady in the kingdom, and also that I have a bard who is +more skilful than all the king's bards." In a short space some of his +fellows showed the king all the boastings of Elphin; and the king ordered +him to be thrown into a strong prison, until he might know the truth as +to the virtues of his wife, and the wisdom of his bard. + +Now when Elphin had been put in a tower of the castle, with a thick chain +about his feet, (it is said that it was a silver chain, because he was of +royal blood;) the king, as the story relates, sent his son Rhun to +enquire into the demeanour of Elphin's wife. Now Rhun was the most +graceless man in the world, and there was neither wife nor maiden with +whom he had held converse, but was evil spoken of. While Rhun went in +haste towards Elphin's dwelling, being fully minded to bring disgrace +upon his wife, Taliesin told his mistress how that the king had placed +his master in durance in prison, and how that Rhun was coming in haste to +strive to bring disgrace upon her. Wherefore he caused his mistress to +array one of the maids of her kitchen in her apparel; which the noble +lady gladly did; and she loaded her hands with the best rings that she +and her husband possessed. + +In this guise Taliesin caused his mistress to put the maiden to sit at +the board in her room at supper, and he made her to seem as her mistress, +and the mistress to seem as the maid. And when they were in due time +seated at their supper in the manner that has been said, Rhun suddenly +arrived at Elphin's dwelling, and was received with joy, for all the +servants knew him plainly; and they brought him in haste to the room of +their mistress, in the semblance of whom the maid rose up from supper and +welcomed him gladly. And afterwards she sat down to supper again the +second time, and Rhun with her. Then Rhun began jesting with the maid, +who still kept the semblance of her mistress. And verily this story +shows that the maiden became so intoxicated, that she fell asleep; and +the story relates that it was a powder that Rhun put into the drink, that +made her sleep so soundly that she never felt it when he cut from off her +hand her little finger, whereon was the signet ring of Elphin, which he +had sent to his wife as a token, a short time before. And Rhun returned +to the king with the finger and the ring as a proof, to show that he had +cut it from off her hand, without her awaking from her sleep of +intemperance. + +The king rejoiced greatly at these tidings, and he sent for his +councillors, to whom he told the whole story from the beginning. And he +caused Elphin to be brought out of his prison, and he chided him because +of his boast. And he spake unto Elphin on this wise. "Elphin, be it +known to thee beyond a doubt that it is but folly for a man to trust in +the virtues of his wife further than he can see her; and that thou mayest +be certain of thy wife's vileness, behold her finger, with thy signet +ring upon it, which was cut from her hand last night, while she slept the +sleep of intoxication." Then thus spake Elphin. "With thy leave, mighty +king, I cannot deny my ring, for it is known of many; but verily I assert +strongly that the finger around which it is, was never attached to the +hand of my wife, for in truth and certainty there are three notable +things pertaining to it, none of which ever belonged to any of my wife's +fingers. The first of the three is, that it is certain, by your grace's +leave, that wheresoever my wife is at this present hour, whether sitting, +or standing, or lying down, this ring would never remain upon her thumb, +whereas you can plainly see that it was hard to draw it over the joint of +the little finger of the hand whence this was cut; the second thing is, +that my wife has never let pass one Saturday since I have known her +without paring her nails before going to bed, and you can see fully that +the nail of this little finger has not been pared for a month. The third +is, truly, that the hand whence this finger came was kneading rye dough +within three days before the finger was cut therefrom, and I can assure +your goodness that my wife has never kneaded rye dough since my wife she +has been." + +Then the king was mightily wrath with Elphin for so stoutly withstanding +him, respecting the goodness of his wife, wherefore he ordered him to his +prison a second time, saying that he should not be loosed thence until he +had proved the truth of his boast, as well concerning the wisdom of his +bard as the virtues of his wife. + +In the meantime his wife and Taliesin remained joyful at Elphin's +dwelling. And Taliesin shewed his mistress how that Elphin was in prison +because of them, but he bade her be glad for that he would go to +Maelgwn's court to free his master. Then she asked him in what manner he +would set him free. And he answered her,-- + + "A journey will I perform, + And to the gate I will come; + The hall I will enter, + And my song I will sing; + My speech I will pronounce + To silence royal bards. + In presence of their chief, + I will greet to deride, + Upon them I will break + And Elphin I will free. + Should contention arise, + In presence of the prince, + With summons to the bards + For the sweet flowing song, + And wizards' posing lore + And wisdom of Druids. + In the court of the sons of the distributor + Some are who did appear + Intent on wily schemes, + By craft and tricking means, + In pangs of affliction + To wrong the innocent, + Let the fools be silent, + As erst in Badon's fight,-- + With Arthur of liberal ones + The head, with long red blades; + Through feats of testy men, + And a chief with his foes. + Woe be to them, the fools, + When revenge comes on them. + I Taliesin, chief of bards, + With a sapient druid's words, + Will set kind Elphin free + From haughty tyrant's bonds. + To their fell and chilling cry, + By the act of a surprising steed, + From the far distant North, + There soon shall be an end. + Let neither grace nor health + Be to Maelgwn Gwynedd, + For this force and this wrong; + And be extremes of ills + And an avenged end + To Rhun and all his race: + Short be his course of life, + Be all his lands laid waste; + And long exile be assigned + To Maelgwn Gwynedd!" + +After this he took leave of his mistress, and came at last to the court +of Maelgwn, who was going to sit in his hall and dine in his royal state, +as it was the custom in those days for kings and princes to do at every +chief feast. And as soon as Taliesin entered the hall, he placed himself +in a quiet corner, near the place where the bards and the minstrels were +wont to come to in doing their service and duty to the king, as is the +custom at the high festivals when the bounty is proclaimed. And so, when +the bards and the heralds came to cry largess and to proclaim the power +of the king and his strength, at the moment that they passed by the +corner wherein he was crouching, Taliesin pouted out his lips after them, +and played "Blerwm, blerwm," with his finger upon his lips. Neither took +they much notice of him as they went by, but proceeded forward till they +came before the king, unto whom they made their obeisance with their +bodies, as they were wont, without speaking a single word, but pouting +out their lips, and making mouths at the king, playing "Blerwm, blerwm," +upon their lips with their fingers, as they had seen the boy do +elsewhere. This sight caused the king to wonder and to deem within +himself that they were drunk with many liquors. Wherefore he commanded +one of his lords, who served at the board, to go to them and desire them +to collect their wits, and to consider where they stood, and what it was +fitting for them to do. And this lord did so gladly. But they ceased +not from their folly any more than before. Whereupon he sent to them a +second time, and a third, desiring them to go forth from the hall. At +the last the king ordered one of his squires to give a blow to the chief +of them named Heinin Vardd; and the squire took a broom, and struck him +on the head, so that he fell back in his seat. Then he arose and went on +his knees, and besought leave of the king's grace to show that this their +fault was not through want of knowledge, neither through drunkenness, but +by the influence of some spirit that was in the hall. And after this +Heinin spoke on this wise. "Oh honourable king, be it known to your +grace, that not from the strength of drink, or of too much liquor, are we +dumb, without power of speech like drunken men, but through the influence +of a spirit that sits in the corner yonder in the form of a child." +Forthwith the king commanded the squire to fetch him; and he went to the +nook where Taliesin sat, and brought him before the king, who asked him +what he was, and whence he came. And he answered the king in verse. + + "Primary chief bard am I to Elphin, + And my original country is the region of the summer stars; + Idno and Heinin called me Merddin, + At length every king will call me Taliesin. + + I was with my Lord in the highest sphere, + On the fall of Lucifer into the depth of hell: + I have borne a banner before Alexander; + I know the names of the stars from north to south; + I have been on the galaxy at the throne of the Distributor; + I was in Canaan when Absalom was slain; + I conveyed the divine Spirit to the level of the vale of Hebron; + I was in the court of Don before the birth of Gwydion. + I was instructor to Eli and Enoc; + I have been winged by the genius of the splendid crosier; + I have been loquacious prior to being gifted with speech; + I was at the place of the crucifixion of the merciful Son of God; + I have been three periods in the prison of Arianrod; + I have been the chief director of the work of the tower of Nimrod; + I am a wonder whose origin is not known. + + I have been in Asia with Noah in the ark, + I have seen the destruction of Sodom and Gomorra; + I have been in India when Roma was built, + I am now come here to the remnant of Troia. + + I have been with my Lord in the manger of the ass; + I strengthened Moses through the water of Jordan; + I have been in the firmament with Mary Magdalene; + I have obtained the muse from the cauldron of Ceridwen; + I have been bard of the harp to Lleon of Lochlin. + I have been on the White Hill, in the court of Cynvelyn, + For a day and a year in stocks and fetters, + I have suffered hunger for the Son of the Virgin. + I have been fostered in the land of the Deity, + I have been teacher to all intelligences, + I am able to instruct the whole universe. + I shall be until the day of doom on the face of the earth; + And it is not known whether my body is flesh or fish. + + Then I was for nine months + In the womb of the hag Ceridwen; + I was originally little Gwion, + And at length I am Taliesin." + +And when the king and his nobles had heard the song, they wondered much, +for they had never heard the like from a boy so young as he. And when +the king knew that he was the bard of Elphin, he bade Heinin, his first +and wisest bard, to answer Taliesin and to strive with him. But when he +came, he could do no other, but play "blerwm" on his lips; and when he +sent for the others of the four and twenty bards, they all did likewise, +and could do no other. And Maelgwn asked the boy Taliesin what was his +errand, and he answered him in song. + + "Puny bards, I am trying + To secure the prize, if I can; + By a gentle prophetic strain + I am endeavouring to retrieve + The loss I may have suffered; + Complete the attempt, I hope, + Since Elphin endures trouble + In the fortress of Teganwy, + On him may there not be laid + Too many chains and fetters; + The Chair of the fortress of Teganwy + Will I again seek; + Strengthened by my muse I am powerful; + Mighty on my part is what I seek, + For three hundred songs and more + Are combined in the spell I sing. + There ought not to stand where I am + Neither stone, neither ring; + And there ought not to be about me + Any bard who may not know + That Elphin the son of Gwyddno + Is in the land of Artro, + Secured by thirteen locks, + For praising his instructor; + And then I Taliesin, + Chief of the bards of the west, + Shall loosen Elphin + Out of a golden fetter." + + * * * * * + + "If you be primary bards + To the master of sciences, + Declare ye mysteries + That relate to the inhabitants of the world; + There is a noxious creature, + From the rampart of Satanas, + Which has overcome all + Between the deep and the shallow; + Equally wide are his jaws + As the mountains of the Alps; + Him death will not subdue, + Nor hand or blades; + There is the load of nine hundred waggons + In the hair of his two paws; + There is in his head an eye + Green as the limpid sheet of icicle; + Three springs arise + In the nape of his neck; + Sea-roughs thereon + Swim through it; + There was the dissolution of the oxen + Of Deivrdonwy the water-gifted. + The names of the three springs + From the midst of the ocean; + One generated brine + Which is from the Corina, + To replenish the flood + Over seas disappearing; + The second, without injury + It will fall on us, + When there is rain abroad. + Through the whelming sky; + The third will appear + Through the mountain veins, + Like a flinty banquet. + The work of the King of kings. + You are blundering bards, + In too much solicitude; + You cannot celebrate + The kingdom of the Britons; + And I am Taliesin, + Chief of the bards of the west, + Who will loosen Elphin + Out of the golden fetter." + + * * * * * + + "Be silent, then, ye unlucky rhyming bards, + For you cannot judge between truth and falsehood. + If you be primary bards formed by Heaven, + Tell your king what his fate will be. + It is I who am a diviner and a leading bard, + And know every passage in the country of your king; + I shall liberate Elphin from the belly of the stony tower; + And will tell your king what will befall him. + A most strange creature will come from the sea marsh of Rhianedd + As a punishment of iniquity on Maelgwn Gwynedd; + His hair, his teeth, and his eyes being as gold, + And this will bring destruction upon Maelgwn Gwynedd." + + * * * * * + + "Discover thou what is + The strong creature from before the flood, + Without flesh, without bone, + Without vein, without blood, + Without head, without feet; + It will neither be older nor younger + Than at the beginning; + For fear of a denial, + There are no rude wants + With creatures. + Great God! how the sea whitens + When first it come! + Great are its gusts + When it comes from the south; + Great are its evaporations + When it strikes on coasts. + It is in the field, it is in the wood, + Without hand and without foot, + Without signs of old age, + Though it be co-eval + With the five ages or periods; + And older still, + Though they be numberless years. + It is also so wide + As the surface of the earth; + And it was not born, + Nor was it seen. + It will cause consternation + Wherever God willeth. + On sea, and on land, + It neither sees, nor is seen. + Its course is devious, + And will not come when desired. + On land and on sea, + It is indispensible. + It is without an equal, + It is four-sided; + It is not confined, + It is incomparable; + It comes from four quarters + It will not be advised, + It will not be without advice. + It commences its journey + Above the marble rock. {136} + It is sonorous, it is dumb, + It is mild, + It is strong, it is bold, + When it glances over the land. + It is silent, it is vocal, + It is clamorous, + It is the most noisy + On the face of the earth. + It is good, it is bad, + It is extremely injurious. + It is concealed, + Because sight cannot perceive it. + It is noxious, it is beneficial; + It is yonder, it is here; + It will discompose, + But will not repair the injury; + It will not suffer for its doings, + Seeing it is blameless. + It is wet, it is dry, + It frequently comes, + Proceeding from the heat of the sun, + And the coldness of the moon. + The moon is less beneficial, + Inasmuch as her heat is less. + One Being has prepared it, + Out of all creatures, + By a tremendous blast, + To wreak vengeance + On Maelgwn Gwynedd." + +And while he was thus singing his verse near the door there arose a +mighty storm of wind, so that the king and all his nobles thought that +the castle would fall upon their heads. And the king caused them to +fetch Elphin in haste from his dungeon, and placed him before Taliesin. +And it is said that immediately he sang a verse, so that the chains +opened from about his feet. + + "I adore the Supreme, Lord of all animation,-- + Him that supports the heaven, Ruler of every extreme, + Him that made the water good for all, + Him who has bestowed each gift, and blesses it;-- + May abundance of mead be given Maelgwn of Anglesey, who supplies us, + From his foaming meadhorns, with the choicest pure liquor. + Since bees collect, and do not enjoy, + We have sparkling distilled mead, which is universally praised. + The multitude of creatures which the earth nourishes, + God made for man, with a view to enrich him;-- + Some are violent, some are mute, he enjoys them, + Some are wild, some are tame; the Lord makes them;-- + Part of their produce becomes clothing; + For food and beverage till doom will they continue. + I entreat the Supreme, Sovereign of the region of peace, + To liberate Elphin from banishment, + The man who gave me wine, and ale, and mead, + With large princely steeds, of beautiful appearance; + May he yet give me; and at the end, + May God of His good will grant me, in honour, + A succession of numberless ages, in the retreat of tranquillity.-- + Elphin, knight of mead, late be thy dissolution!" + +And afterwards he sang the ode which is called "The Excellence of the +Bards." + + "What was the first man + Made by the God of heaven; + What the fairest flattering speech + That was prepared by Ieuav; + What meat, what drink, + What roof his shelter; + What the first impression + Of his primary thinking; + What became his clothing; + Who carried on a disguise, + Owing to the wiles of the country, + In the beginning? + Wherefore should a stone be hard; + Why should a thorn be sharp-pointed; + Who is hard like a flint; + Who is salt like brine; + Who sweet like honey; + Who rides on the gale; + + Why ridged should be the nose; + Why should a wheel be round; + Why should the tongue be gifted with speech + Rather than another member? + If thy bards, Heinin, be competent, + Let them reply to me, Taliesin." + +And after that he sang the address which is called "The Reproof of the +Bards." + + "If thou art a bard completely imbued + With genius not to be controlled, + Be thou not untractable + Within the court of thy king; + Until thy rigmarole shall be known, + Be thou silent Heinin + As to the name of thy verse, + And the name of thy vaunting; + And as to the name of thy grandsire + Prior to his being baptized. + And the name of the sphere, + And the name of the element, + And the name of thy language, + And the name of thy region. + Avaunt, ye bards above, + Avaunt, ye bards below! + My beloved is below, + In the fetter of Arianrod. + It is certain you know not + How to understand the song I utter, + Nor clearly how to discriminate + Between the truth and what is false; + Puny bards, crows of the district, + Why do you not take to flight? + A bard that will not silence me, + Silence may he not obtain, + Till he goes to be covered + Under gravel and pebbles; + Such as shall listen to me, + May God listen to him." + +Then sang he the piece called "The Spite of the Bards." + + "Minstrels persevere in their false custom, + Immoral ditties are their delight; + Vain and tasteless praise they recite; + Falsehood at all times do they utter; + The innocent persons they ridicule; + Married women they destroy, + Innocent virgins of Mary they corrupt; + As they pass their lives away in vanity; + Poor innocent persons they ridicule; + At night they get drunk, they sleep the day; + In idleness without work they feed themselves; + The Church they hate, and the tavern they frequent; + With thieves and perjured fellows they associate; + At courts they inquire after feasts; + Every senseless word they bring forward; + Every deadly sin they praise; + Every vile course of life they lead; + Through every village, town, and country they stroll; + Concerning the gripe of death they think not; + Neither lodging nor charity do they give; + Indulging in victuals to excess. + Psalms or prayers they do not use, + Tithes or offerings to God they do not pay, + On holidays or Sundays they do not worship; + Vigils or festivals they do not heed. + The birds do fly, the fish do swim, + The bees collect honey, worms do crawl, + Every thing travails to obtain its food, + Except minstrels and lazy useless thieves. + + I deride neither song nor minstrelsy, + For they are given by God to lighten thought; + But him who abuses them, + For blaspheming Jesus and his service." + +Taliesin having set his master free from prison, and having protected the +innocence of his wife, and silenced the Bards so that not one of them +dared to say a word, now brought Elphin's wife before them, and shewed +that she had not one finger wanting. Right glad was Elphin, right glad +was Taliesin. + +Then he bade Elphin wager the king, that he had a horse both better and +swifter than the king's horses. And this Elphin did, and the day, and +the time, and the place were fixed, and the place was that which at this +day is called Morva Rhiannedd; and thither the king went with all his +people, and four and twenty of the swiftest horses he possessed. And +after a long process the course was marked, and the horses were placed +for running. Then came Taliesin with four and twenty twigs of holly, +which he had burnt black, and he caused the youth who was to ride his +master's horse to place them in his belt, and he gave him orders to let +all the king's horses get before him, and as he should overtake one horse +after the other, to take one of the twigs and strike the horse with it +over the crupper, and then let that twig fall; and after that to take +another twig, and do in like manner to every one of the horses, as he +should overtake them, enjoining the horseman strictly to watch when his +own horse should stumble, and to throw down his cap on the spot. All +these things did the youth fulfil, giving a blow to every one of the +king's horses, and throwing down his cap on the spot where his horse +stumbled. And to this spot Taliesin brought his master after his horse +had won the race. And he caused Elphin to put workmen to dig a hole +there; and when they had dug the ground deep enough, they found a large +cauldron full of gold. And then said Taliesin, "Elphin, behold a payment +and reward unto thee, for having taken me out of the weir, and for having +reared me from that time until now." And on this spot stands a pool of +water, which is to this time called Pwllbair. + +After all this, the king caused Taliesin to be brought before him, and he +asked him to recite concerning the creation of man from the beginning; +and thereupon he made the poem which is now called "One of the Four +Pillars of Song." + + "The Almighty made, + Down the Hebron vale, + With his plastic hands, + Adam's fair form; + + And five hundred years, + Void of any help, + There he remained and lay + Without a soul. + + He again did form, + In calm paradise, + From a left-side rib, + Bliss-throbbing Eve. + + Seven hours they were + The orchard keeping, + Till Satan brought strife, + With wiles from hell. + + Thence were they driven, + Cold and shivering, + To gain their living, + Into this world. + + To bring forth with pain + Their sons and daughters, + To have possession + Of Asia's land. + + Twice five, ten and eight, + She was self-bearing, + The mixed burden + Of man-woman. + + And once, not hidden, + She brought forth Abel, + And Cain the forlorn, + The homicide. + + To him and his mate + Was given a spade, + To break up the soil, + Thus to get bread. + + The wheat pure and white, + Summer tilth to sow, + Every man to feed, + Till great yule feast. + + An angelic hand + From the high Father, + Brought seed for growing + That Eve might sow; + + But she then did hide + Of the gift a tenth, + And all did not sow + Of what was dug. + + Black rye then was found, + And not pure wheat grain, + To show the mischief + Thus of thieving. + + For this thievish act, + It is requisite, + That all men should pay + Tithe unto God. + + Of the ruddy wine, + Planted on sunny days, + And on new moon nights; + And the white wine. + + The wheat rich in grain + And red flowing wine + Christ's pure body make, + Son of Alpha. + + The wafer is flesh, + The wine is spilt blood, + The Trinity's words + Sanctify them. + + The concealed books + From Emmanuel's hand + Were brought by Raphael + As Adam's gift. + + When in his old age, + To his chin immersed + In Jordan's water, + Keeping a fast, + + Moses did obtain, + In Jordan's water, + The aid of the three + Most special rods. + + Solomon did obtain, + In Babel's tower, + All the sciences + In Asia land. + + So did I obtain, + In my bardic books, + All the sciences + Of Europe and Africa. + + Their course, their bearing + Their permitted way, + And their fate I know, + Unto the end. + + Oh! what misery, + Through extreme of woe, + Prophecy will show + On Troia's race! + + A coiling serpent, + Proud and merciless, + On her golden wings, + From Germany. + + She will overrun + England and Scotland, + From Lychlyn sea-shore + To the Severn. + + Then will the Brython + Be as prisoners, + By strangers swayed, + From Saxony. + + Their Lord they will praise, + Their speech they will keep, + Their land they will lose, + Except wild Walia. + + Till some change shall come, + After long penance, + When equally rife + The two crimes come. + + Britons then shall have + Their land and their crown, + And the strangers swarm + Shall disappear. + + All the angel's words, + As to peace and war, + Will be fulfilled + To Britain's race. + +He further told the king various prophecies of things that should be in +the world, in songs, as follows. + +* * * * * + +{Picture: p143.jpg} + + + + +Footnotes: + + +{11a} Diarwya. + +{11b} While the day was still young. + +{13} Arawn, king of Annwvyn. + +{15} And as thou seest. + +{17} "It may be that I shall repent for what I have done unto thee. Seek +whom thou wiliest to slay thee, I shall not slay thee." + +{26} "If thou wilt ask for a reasonable gift, thou shalt have it +gladly." "A reasonable one, lord," answered he. + +{28} Pwyll rose, and caused silence to be proclaimed, to command all +suitors and minstrels to show what they desired, and to tell them that +every one of them would be satisfied according to his wish and desire. + +{29} And they summoned him to them. + +{30} "Wretched women," said Rhiannon, "for the sake of the God who knows +everything, charge me not falsely. The God who knows everything knows +that that is false." + +{31a} Whether she persuaded or pleaded. + +{31b} Unbeseeming. + +{33} According to the kind of baptism that was then made. + +{35} "Oh fair lady," said Teirnon, "it is not very likely to me that any +of these will be carried on thy back." "Let who will do so," said the +son, "I shall not." "Truly, my soul," said Teirnon, "neither shall we +go." + +{36a} The Welsh is _vy'm pryder i_ (= my trouble). + +{36b} If he will be of gentle bearing. + +{37a} And if he is in power, it will be more right for him to maintain +thee than it was even for me. + +{37b} After that. + +{38} Wallt. + +{39a} And splendid wearer of the crown of London. + +{39b} Over-looking the sea. + +{40} Penordim. + +{42} Mane. + +{45} And I am not sure it was not there he got it. + +{48a} Taunted him openly. + +{48b} Bake. + +{50a} On the township. + +{50b} There were but two rivers, Lli and Archan were they called. After +that the ocean separated the kingdoms. + +{52a} Was. + +{52b} "Yes," said Bendigeid Vran, "unless I myself can get the +kingship." + +{56a} Glivieri. + +{56b} Grodyeu. + +{59a} At that very moment. + +{59b} And from that hour they could not rest. + +{62a} Meek. + +{62b} Wilt thou follow another counsel? + +{62c} And even now thou wilt not be disappointed with her appearance. + +{65} Add "and fish." + +{71} He furnished gilded clasps for the shoes. + +{73} And then, half in guile and half in anger, he rushed into the midst +of the mice. But he could no more keep one of them within sight than he +could gnats or birds in the air, except one, which he saw was heavy with +young, and which he thought could not run. + +{79} Knockers and Collars. + +{81} Eveyd. + +{87} Tyviawc. + +{88} A maiden. + +{91a} Aranrod _throughout_. + +{91b} Infamous. + +{93} Sea-weed. + +{96} Destiny. + +{98a} Add "according to the rite of baptism they then performed." + +{98b} "I will give him that one Cantrev that is best for a young man to +have." + +{100} Blow. + +{111} Add "henceforth." + +{118a} Of the books of the magician. [Vergil = Fferyllt = magician or +chemist.] + +{118b} Head. + +{121} Taliesin + +{123} This should be Elphin son of Gwyddno. + +{136} Possibly an allusion to the Cave of AEolus. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MABINOGION VOL. 3 (OF 3)*** + + +******* This file should be named 19976.txt or 19976.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/9/9/7/19976 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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