Books: The Mabinogion
U >>
Unknown >> The Mabinogion
Pages:
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 | 12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22
"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get.
The Twrch Trwyth can never be hunted without the son of Alun Dyved;
he is well skilled in letting loose the dogs."
"It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think
that it will not be easy."
"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get.
The Twrch Trwyth cannot be hunted unless thou get Aned and Aethlem.
They are as swift as the gale of wind, and they were never let loose
upon a beast that they did not kill him."
"It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think
that it will not be easy."
"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get;
Arthur and his companions to hunt the Twrch Trwyth. He is a mighty
man, and he will not come for thee, neither wilt thou be able to
compel him."
"It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think
that it will not be easy."
"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get.
The Twrch Trwyth cannot be hunted unless thou get Bwlch, and Kyfwlch
[and Sefwlch], the grandsons of Cleddyf Difwlch. Their three shields
are three gleaming glitterers. Their three spears are three pointed
piercers. Their three swords are three griding gashers, Glas,
Glessic, and Clersag. Their three dogs, Call, Cuall, and Cavall.
Their three horses, Hwyrdydwg, and Drwgdydwg, and Llwyrdydwg. Their
three wives, Och, and Garam, and Diaspad. Their three grandchildren,
Lluched, and Vyned, and Eissiwed. Their three daughters, Drwg, and
Gwaeth, and Gwaethav Oll. Their three hand-maids [Eheubryd, the
daughter of Kyfwlch; Gorasgwrn, the daughter of Nerth; and Gwaedan,
the daughter of Kynvelyn]. These three men shall sound the horn, and
all the others shall shout, so that all will think that the sky is
falling to the earth."
"It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think
that it will not be easy."
"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get.
The sword of Gwrnach the Giant; he will never be slain except
therewith. Of his own free will he will not give it, either for a
price or as a gift, and thou wilt never be able to compel him."
"It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think
that it will not be easy."
"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get.
Difficulties shalt thou meet with, and nights without sleep, in
seeking this, and if thou obtain it not, neither shalt thou obtain my
daughter."
"Horses shall I have, and chivalry; and my lord and kinsman Arthur
will obtain for me all these things. And I shall gain thy daughter,
and thou shalt lose thy life."
"Go forward. And thou shalt not be chargeable for food or raiment
for my daughter while thou art seeking these things; and when thou
hast compassed all these marvels, thou shalt have my daughter for thy
wife."
All that day they journeyed until the evening, and then they beheld a
vast castle, which was the largest in the world. And lo, a black
man, huger than three of the men of this world, came out from the
castle. And they spoke unto him, "Whence comest thou, O man?" "From
the castle which you see yonder." "Whose castle is that?" asked
they. "Stupid are ye truly, O men. There is no one in the world
that does not know to whom this castle belongs. It is the castle of
Gwrnach the Giant." "What treatment is there for guests and
strangers that alight in that castle?" "Oh! Chieftain, Heaven
protect thee. No guest ever returned thence alive, and no one may
enter therein unless he brings with him his craft."
Then they proceeded towards the gate. Said Gwrhyr Gwalstawt
Ieithoedd, "Is there a porter?" "There is. And thou, if thy tongue
be not mute in thy head, wherefore dost thou call?" "Open the gate."
"I will not open it." "Wherefore wilt thou not?" "The knife is in
the meat, and the drink is in the horn, and there is revelry in the
hall of Gwrnach the Giant, and except for a craftsman who brings his
craft, the gate will not be opened to-night." "Verily, porter," then
said Kai, "my craft bring I with me." "What is thy craft?" "The
best burnisher of swords am I in the world." "I will go and tell
this unto Gwrnach the Giant, and I will bring thee an answer."
So the porter went in, and Gwrnach said to him, "Hast thou any news
from the gate?" "I have. There is a party at the door of the gate
who desire to come in." "Didst thou inquire of them if they
possessed any art?" "I did inquire," said he, "and one told me that
he was well skilled in the burnishing of swords." "We have need of
him then. For some time have I sought for some one to polish my
sword, and could find no one. Let this man enter, since he brings
with him his craft." The porter thereupon returned and opened the
gate. And Kai went in by himself, and he saluted Gwrnach the Giant.
And a chair was placed for him opposite to Gwrnach. And Gwrnach said
to him, "Oh man! is it true that is reported of thee, that thou
knowest how to burnish swords?" "I know full well how to do so,"
answered Kai. Then was the sword of Gwrnach brought to him. And Kai
took a blue whetstone from under his arm, and asked him whether he
would have it burnished white or blue. "Do with it as it seems good
to thee, and as thou wouldest if it were thine own." Then Kai
polished one half of the blade and put it in his hand. "Will this
please thee?" asked he. "I would rather than all that is in my
dominions that the whole of it were like unto this. It is a marvel
to me that such a man as thou should be without a companion." "Oh!
noble sir, I have a companion, albeit he is not skilled in this art."
"Who may he be?" "Let the porter go forth, and I will tell him
whereby he may know him. The head of his lance will leave its shaft,
and draw blood from the wind, and will descend upon its shaft again."
Then the gate was opened, and Bedwyr entered. And Kai said, "Bedwyr
is very skilful, although he knows not this art."
And there was much discourse among those who were without, because
that Kai and Bedwyr had gone in. And a young man who was with them,
the only son of Custennin the herdsman, got in also. And he caused
all his companions to keep close to him as he passed the three wards,
and until he came into the midst of the castle. And his companions
said unto the son of Custennin, "Thou hast done this! Thou art the
best of all men." And thenceforth he was called Goreu, the son of
Custennin. Then they dispersed to their lodgings, that they might
slay those who lodged therein, unknown to the Giant.
The sword was now polished, and Kai gave it unto the hand of Gwrnach
the Giant, to see if he were pleased with his work. And the Giant
said, "The work is good, I am content therewith." Said Kai, "It is
thy scabbard that hath rusted thy sword, give it to me that I may
take out the wooden sides of it and put in new ones." And he took
the scabbard from him, and the sword in the other hand. And he came
and stood over against the Giant, as if he would have put the sword
into the scabbard; and with it he struck at the head of the Giant,
and cut off his head at one blow. Then they despoiled the castle,
and took from it what goods and jewels they would. And again on the
same day, at the beginning of the year, they came to Arthur's Court,
bearing with them the sword of Gwrnach the Giant.
Now, when they told Arthur how they had sped, Arthur said, "Which of
these marvels will it be best for us to seek first?" "It will be
best," said they, "to seek Mabon the son of Modron; and he will not
be found unless we first find Eidoel the son of Aer, his kinsman."
Then Arthur rose up, and the warriors of the Islands of Britain with
him, to seek for Eidoel; and they proceeded until they came before
the Castle of Glivi, where Eidoel was imprisoned. Glivi stood on the
summit of his castle, and he said, "Arthur, what requirest thou of
me, since nothing remains to me in this fortress, and I have neither
joy nor pleasure in it; neither wheat nor oats? Seek not therefore
to do me harm." Said Arthur, "Not to injure thee came I hither, but
to seek for the prisoner that is with thee." "I will give thee my
prisoner, though I had not thought to give him up to any one; and
therewith shalt thou have my support and my aid."
His followers said unto Arthur, "Lord, go thou home, thou canst not
proceed with thy host in quest of such small adventures as these."
Then said Arthur, "It were well for thee, Gwrhyr Gwalstawt Ieithoedd,
to go upon this quest, for thou knowest all languages, and art
familiar with those of the birds and the beasts. Thou, Eidoel,
oughtest likewise to go with my men in search of thy cousin. And as
for you, Kai and Bedwyr, I have hope of whatever adventure ye are in
quest of, that ye will achieve it. Achieve ye this adventure for
me."
They went forward until they came to the Ousel of Cilgwri. And
Gwrhyr adjured her for the sake of Heaven, saying, "Tell me if thou
knowest aught of Mabon the son of Modron, who was taken when three
nights old from between his mother and the wall." And the Ousel
answered, "When I first came here, there was a smith's anvil in this
place, and I was then a young bird; and from that time no work has
been done upon it, save the pecking of my beak every evening, and now
there is not so much as the size of a nut remaining thereof; yet the
vengeance of Heaven be upon me, if during all that time I have ever
heard of the man for whom you inquire. Nevertheless I will do that
which is right, and that which it is fitting that I should do for an
embassy from Arthur. There is a race of animals who were formed
before me, and I will be your guide to them."
So they proceeded to the place where was the Stag of Redynvre. "Stag
of Redynvre, behold we are come to thee, an embassy from Arthur, for
we have not heard of any animal older than thou. Say, knowest thou
aught of Mabon the son of Modron, who was taken from his mother when
three nights old?" The Stag said, "When first I came hither, there
was a plain all around me, without any trees save one oak sapling,
which grew up to be an oak with an hundred branches. And that oak
has since perished, so that now nothing remains of it but the
withered stump; and from that day to this I have been here, yet have
I never heard of the man for whom you inquire. Nevertheless, being
an embassy from Arthur, I will be your guide to the place where there
is an animal which was formed before I was."
So they proceeded to the place where was the Owl of Cwm Cawlwyd.
"Owl of Cwm Cawlwyd, here is an embassy from Arthur; knowest thou
aught of Mabon the son of Modron, who was taken after three nights
from his mother?" "If I knew I would tell you. When first I came
hither, the wide valley you see was a wooded glen. And a race of men
came and rooted it up. And there grew there a second wood; and this
wood is the third. My wings, are they not withered stumps? Yet all
this time, even until to-day, I have never heard of the man for whom
you inquire. Nevertheless, I will be the guide of Arthur's embassy
until you come to the place where is the oldest animal in this world,
and the one that has travelled most, the Eagle of Gwern Abwy."
Gwrhyr said, "Eagle of Gwern Abwy, we have come to thee an embassy
from Arthur, to ask thee if thou knowest aught of Mabon the son of
Modron, who was taken from his mother when he was three nights old."
The Eagle said, "I have been here for a great space of time, and when
I first came hither there was a rock here, from the top of which I
pecked at the stars every evening; and now it is not so much as a
span high. From that day to this I have been here, and I have never
heard of the man for whom you inquire, except once when I went in
search of food as far as Llyn Llyw. And when I came there, I struck
my talons into a salmon, thinking he would serve me as food for a
long time. But he drew me into the deep, and I was scarcely able to
escape from him. After that I went with my whole kindred to attack
him, and to try to destroy him, but he sent messengers, and made
peace with me; and came and besought me to take fifty fish spears out
of his back. Unless he know something of him whom you seek, I cannot
tell who may. However, I will guide you to the place where he is."
So they went thither; and the Eagle said, "Salmon of Llyn Llyw, I
have come to thee with an embassy from Arthur, to ask thee if thou
knowest aught concerning Mabon the son of Modron, who was taken away
at three nights old from his mother." "As much as I know I will tell
thee. With every tide I go along the river upwards, until I come
near to the walls of Gloucester, and there have I found such wrong as
I never found elsewhere; and to the end that ye may give credence
thereto, let one of you go thither upon each of my two shoulders."
So Kai and Gwrhyr Gwalstawt Ieithoedd went upon the two shoulders of
the salmon, and they proceeded until they came unto the wall of the
prison, and they heard a great wailing and lamenting from the
dungeon. Said Gwrhyr, "Who is it that laments in this house of
stone?" "Alas, there is reason enough for whoever is here to lament.
It is Mabon the son of Modron who is here imprisoned; and no
imprisonment was ever so grievous as mine, neither that of Llud Llaw
Ereint, nor that of Greid the son of Eri." "Hast thou hope of being
released for gold or for silver, or for any gifts of wealth, or
through battle and fighting?" "By fighting will whatever I may gain
be obtained."
Then they went thence, and returned to Arthur, and they told him
where Mabon the son of Modron was imprisoned. And Arthur summoned
the warriors of the Island, and they journeyed as far as Gloucester,
to the place where Mabon was in prison. Kai and Bedwyr went upon the
shoulders of the fish, whilst the warriors of Arthur attacked the
castle. And Kai broke through the wall into the dungeon, and brought
away the prisoner upon his back, whilst the fight was going on
between the warriors. And Arthur returned home, and Mabon with him
at liberty.
Said Arthur, "Which of the marvels will it be best for us now to seek
first?" "It will be best to seek for the two cubs of Gast Rhymhi."
"Is it known," asked Arthur, "where she is?" "She is in Aber Deu
Cleddyf," said one. Then Arthur went to the house of Tringad, in
Aber Cleddyf, and he inquired of him whether he had heard of her
there. "In what form may she be?" "She is in the form of a she-
wolf," said he; "and with her there are two cubs." "She has often
slain my herds, and she is there below in a cave in Aber Cleddyf."
So Arthur went in his ship Prydwen by sea, and the others went by
land, to hunt her. And they surrounded her and her two cubs, and God
did change them again for Arthur into their own form. And the host
of Arthur dispersed themselves into parties of one and two.
On a certain day, as Gwythyr the son of Greidawl was walking over a
mountain, he heard a wailing and a grievous cry. And when he heard
it, he sprang forward, and went towards it. And when he came there,
he drew his sword, and smote off an ant-hill close to the earth,
whereby it escaped being burned in the fire. And the ants said to
him, "Receive from us the blessing of Heaven, and that which no man
can give we will give thee." Then they fetched the nine bushels of
flax-seed which Yspaddaden Penkawr had required of Kilhwch, and they
brought the full measure without lacking any, except one flax-seed,
and that the lame pismire brought in before night.
As Kai and Bedwyr sat on a beacon carn on the summit of Plinlimmon,
in the highest wind that ever was in the world, they looked around
them, and saw a great smoke towards the south, afar off, which did
not bend with the wind. Then said Kai, "By the hand of my friend,
behold, yonder is the fire of a robber!" Then they hastened towards
the smoke, and they came so near to it, that they could see Dillus
Varvawc scorching a wild boar. "Behold, yonder is the greatest
robber that ever fled from Arthur," said Bedwyr unto Kai. "Dost thou
know him?" "I do know him," answered Kai, "he is Dillus Varvawc, and
no leash in the world will be able to hold Drudwyn, the cub of Greid
the son of Eri, save a leash made from the beard of him thou seest
yonder. And even that will be useless, unless his beard be plucked
alive with wooden tweezers; for if dead, it will be brittle." "What
thinkest thou that we should do concerning this?" said Bedwyr. "Let
us suffer him," said Kai, "to eat as much as he will of the meat, and
after that he will fall asleep." And during that time they employed
themselves in making the wooden tweezers. And when Kai knew
certainly that he was asleep, he made a pit under his feet, the
largest in the world, and he struck him a violent blow, and squeezed
him into the pit. And there they twitched out his beard completely
with the wooden tweezers; and after that they slew him altogether.
And from thence they both went to Gelli Wic, in Cornwall, and took
the leash made of Dillus Varvawc's beard with them, and they gave it
into Arthur's hand. Then Arthur composed this Englyn -
Kai made a leash
Of Dillus son of Eurei's beard.
Were he alive, thy death he'd be.
And thereupon Kai was wroth, so that the warriors of the Island could
scarcely make peace between Kai and Arthur. And thenceforth, neither
in Arthur's troubles, nor for the slaying of his men, would Kai come
forward to his aid for ever after.
Said Arthur, "Which of the marvels is it best for us now to seek?"
"It is best for us to seek Drudwyn, the cub of Greid the son of Eri."
A little while before this, Creiddylad the daughter of Lludd Llaw
Ereint, and Gwythyr the son of Greidawl, were betrothed. And before
she had become his bride, Gwyn ap Nudd came and carried her away by
force; and Gwythyr the son of Greidawl gathered his host together,
and went to fight with Gwyn ap Nudd. But Gwyn overcame him, and
captured Greid the son of Eri, and Glinneu the son of Taran, and
Gwrgwst Ledlwm, and Dynvarth his son. And he captured Penn the son
of Nethawg, and Nwython, and Kyledyr Wyllt his son. And they slew
Nwython, and took out his heart, and constrained Kyledyr to eat the
heart of his father. And therefrom Kyledyr became mad. When Arthur
heard of this, he went to the North, and summoned Gwyn ap Nudd before
him, and set free the nobles whom he had put in prison, and made
peace between Gwyn ap Nudd and Gwythyr the son of Griedawl. And this
was the peace that was made: --that the maiden should remain in her
father's house, without advantage to either of them, and that Gwyn ap
Nudd and Gwythyr the son of Greidawl should fight for her every first
of May, from thenceforth until the day of doom, and that whichever of
them should then be conqueror should have the maiden.
And when Arthur had thus reconciled these chieftains, he obtained
Mygdwn, Gweddw's horse, and the leash of Cwrs Cant Ewin.
And after that Arthur went into Armorica, and with him Mabon the son
of Mellt, and Gware Gwallt Euryn, to seek the two dogs of Glythmyr
Ledewic. And when he had got them, he went to the West of Ireland,
in search of Gwrgi Seven; and Odgar the son of Aedd king of Ireland
went with him. And thence went Arthur into the North, and captured
Kyledyr Wyllt; and he went after Yskithyrwyn Penbaedd. And Mabon the
son of Mellt came with the two dogs of Glythmyr Ledewic in his hand,
and Drudwyn, the cub of Greid the son of Eri. And Arthur went
himself to the chase, leading his own dog Cavall. And Kaw, of North
Britain, mounted Arthur's mare Llamrei, and was first in the attack.
Then Kaw, of North Britain, wielded a mighty axe, and absolutely
daring he came valiantly up to the boar, and clave his head in twain.
And Kaw took away the tusk. Now the boar was not slain by the dogs
that Yspaddaden had mentioned, but by Cavall, Arthur's own dog.
And after Yskithyrwyn Penbaedd was killed, Arthur and his host
departed to Gelli Wic in Cornwall. And thence he sent Menw the son
of Teirgwaedd to see if the precious things were between the two ears
of Twrch Trwyth, since it were useless to encounter him if they were
not there. Albeit it was certain where he was, for he had laid waste
the third part of Ireland. And Menw went to seek for him, and he met
with him in Ireland, in Esgeir Oervel. And Menw took the form of a
bird; and he descended upon the top of his lair, and strove to snatch
away one of the precious things from him, but he carried away nothing
but one of his bristles. And the boar rose up angrily and shook
himself so that some of his venom fell upon Menw, and he was never
well from that day forward.
After this Arthur sent an embassy to Odgar, the son of Aedd king of
Ireland, to ask for the cauldron of Diwrnach Wyddel, his purveyor.
And Odgar commanded him to give it. But Diwrnach said, "Heaven is my
witness, if it would avail him anything even to look at it, he should
not do so." And the embassy of Arthur returned from Ireland with
this denial. And Arthur set forward with a small retinue, and
entered into Prydwen, his ship, and went over to Ireland. And they
proceeded into the house of Diwrnach Wyddel. And the hosts of Odgar
saw their strength. When they had eaten and drunk as much as they
desired, Arthur demanded to have the cauldron. And he answered, "If
I would have given it to any one, I would have given it at the word
of Odgar king of Ireland."
When he had given them this denial, Bedwyr arose and seized hold of
the cauldron, and placed it upon the back of Hygwyd, Arthur's
servant, who was brother, by the mother's side, to Arthur's servant,
Cachamwri. His office was always to carry Arthur's cauldron, and to
place fire under it. And Llenlleawg Wyddel seized Caledvwlch, and
brandished it. And they slew Diwrnach Wyddel and his company. Then
came the Irish and fought with them. And when he had put them to
flight, Arthur with his men went forward to the ship, carrying away
the cauldron full of Irish money. And he disembarked at the house of
Llwydden the son of Kelcoed, at Porth Kerddin in Dyved. And there is
the measure of the cauldron.
Then Arthur summoned unto him all the warriors that were in the three
Islands of Britain, and in the three Islands adjacent, and all that
were in France and in Armorica, in Normandy and in the Summer
Country, and all that were chosen footmen and valiant horsemen. And
with all these he went into Ireland. And in Ireland there was great
fear and terror concerning him. And when Arthur had landed in the
country, there came unto him the saints of Ireland and besought his
protection. And he granted his protection unto them, and they gave
him their blessing. Then the men of Ireland came unto Arthur, and
brought him provisions. And Arthur went as far as Esgeir Oervel in
Ireland, to the place where the Boar Trwyth was with his seven young
pigs. And the dogs were let loose upon him from all sides. That day
until evening the Irish fought with him, nevertheless he laid waste
the fifth part of Ireland. And on the day following the household of
Arthur fought with him, and they were worsted by him, and got no
advantage. And the third day Arthur himself encountered him, and he
fought with him nine nights and nine days without so much as killing
even one little pig. The warriors inquired of Arthur what was the
origin of that swine; and he told them that he was once a king, and
that God had transformed him into a swine for his sins.
Then Arthur sent Gwrhyr Gwalstawt Ieithoedd, to endeavour to speak
with him. And Gwrhyr assumed the form of a bird, and alighted upon
the top of the lair, where he was with the seven young pigs. And
Gwrhyr Gwalstawt Ieithoedd asked him, "By him who turned you into
this form, if you can speak, let some one of you, I beseech you, come
and talk with Arthur." Grugyn Gwrych Ereint made answer to him.
(Now his bristles were like silver wire, and whether he went through
the wood or through the plain, he was to be traced by the glittering
of his bristles.) And this was the answer that Grugyn made: "By him
who turned us into this form, we will not do so, and we will not
speak with Arthur. That we have been transformed thus is enough for
us to suffer, without your coming here to fight with us." "I will
tell you. Arthur comes but to fight for the comb, and the razor, and
the scissors which are between the two ears of Twrch Trwyth." Said
Grugyn, "Except he first take his life, he will never have those
precious things. And to-morrow morning we will rise up hence, and we
will go into Arthur's country, and there will we do all the mischief
that we can."
So they set forth through the sea towards Wales. And Arthur and his
hosts, and his horses and his dogs, entered Prydwen, that they might
encounter them without delay. Twrch Trwyth landed in Porth Cleis in
Dyved, and Arthur came to Mynyw. The next day it was told to Arthur
that they had gone by, and he overtook them as they were killing the
cattle of Kynnwas Kwrr y Vagyl, having slain all that were at Aber
Gleddyf, of man and beast, before the coming of Arthur.
Pages:
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 | 12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22