Book: The Mabinogion Vol. 1 (of 3)

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THE MABINOGION


TRANSLATED FROM THE RED BOOK OF HERGEST BY LADY CHARLOTTE GUEST
VOL. I. LONDON
T. FISHER UNWIN
11 PATERNOSTER
BUILDINGS. MXCII




INTRODUCTION.


More than half a century ago Lady Charlotte Guest gave _The Mabinogion_
to English readers in the form which, probably, will ever most delight
them. Her transcript of the Red Book of Hergest was not perfect, she
found the meaning of many a Welsh phrase obscure, but her rendering is
generally very accurate; and the Celtic tales retain in their new dress
much of the charm, which so often evades the translator, of a perfect
style formed by generations of narrating.

The Red Book of Hergest, from which _The Mabinogion_ are taken, is a
collection of tales and poems written during the fourteenth century. Some
of the Mabinogion in it have been reconstructed in Norman and Crusading
times, but they contain reminiscences of a more distant period, often but
half understood by the later story-teller. Among these are "The Dream of
Rhonabwy," "The Lady of the Fountain," and "Peredur the son of
Evrawc"--the three which happen to come first in the Red Book. These are
Christian, but with distant glimpses of Celtic heathenism. The
adventures are all grouped around Arthur and his knights; and a kind of
connection is given to the three tales by the presence of Owen and his
mysterious ravens.

Others, especially the four Mabinogion properly so called and the Tale of
Lludd and Llevelys, are far older; they are older than Christianity, and
older than Arthur.

In this new edition of Lady Guest's translation I have put, in the form
of footnotes, what appears to me to be a more correct or a more literal
rendering of some of the passages of the Welsh. This course makes it
unnecessary to tamper with the charming translation that has become a
classic of the English language.

I am very grateful to the Principal and Fellows of Jesus College for
access to the Red Book, to Dr J. Gwenogvryn Evans for permission to use
his edition and to Lord Wimborne (the Ivor of Lady Guest's dedication)
for information kindly given.

OWEN EDWARDS.

LINCOLN COLLEGE,
OXFORD, 1_st_ _March_ 1902.




TO IVOR AND MERTHYR


MY DEAR CHILDREN,

Infants as you yet are, I feel that I cannot dedicate more fitly than to
you these venerable relics of ancient lore, and I do so in the hope of
inciting you to cultivate the Literature of "Gwyllt Walia," in whose
beautiful language you are being initiated, and amongst whose free
mountains you were born.

May you become early imbued with the chivalric and exalted sense of
honour, and the fervent patriotism for which its sons have ever been
celebrated.

May you learn to emulate the noble qualities of Ivor Hael, and the firm
attachment to your Native Country, which distinguished that Ivor Bach,
after whom the elder of you was named.

I am,
Your affectionate Mother,
C. E. GUEST.

DOWLAIS, 29_th_ _August_ 1838.




THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAIN.


King Arthur {15} was at Caerlleon upon Usk; and one day he sat in his
chamber; and with him were Owain the son of Urien, and Kynon the son of
Clydno, and Kai the son of Kyner; and Gwenhwyvar and her hand-maidens at
needlework by the window. And if it should be said that there was a
porter at Arthur's palace, there was none. Glewlwyd Gavaelvawr was
there, acting as porter, to welcome guests and strangers, and to receive
them with honour, and to inform them of the manners and customs of the
Court; and to direct those who came to the Hall or to the presence
chamber, and those who came to take up their lodging. {16}

In the centre of the chamber king Arthur sat, upon a seat of green
rushes, over which was spread a covering of flame-coloured satin; and a
cushion of red satin was under his elbow.

Then Arthur spoke, "If I thought you would not disparage me," said he, "I
would sleep while I wait for my repast; and you can entertain one another
with relating tales, and can obtain a flagon of mead and some meat from
Kai." And the King went to sleep. And Kynon the son of Clydno asked Kai
for that which Arthur had promised them. "I too will have the good tale
which he promised to me," said Kai. "Nay," answered Kynon, "fairer will
it be for thee to fulfil Arthur's behest in the first place, and then we
will tell thee the best tale that we know." So Kai went to the kitchen
and to the mead-cellar, and returned, bearing a flagon of mead, and a
golden goblet, and a handful of skewers upon which were broiled collops
of meat. Then they ate the collops and began to drink the mead. "Now"
said Kai, "it is time for you to give me my story." "Kynon," said Owain,
"do thou pay to Kai the tale that is his due." "Truly," said Kynon,
"thou art older, and are a better teller of tales, and hast seen more
marvellous things than I; do thou therefore pay Kai his tale." "Begin
thyself," quoth Owain, "with the best that thou knowest." "I will do
so," answered Kynon.

"I was the only son of my mother and father; and I was exceedingly
aspiring, and my daring was very great. I thought there was no
enterprise in the world too mighty for me, and after I had achieved all
the adventures that were in my own country, {17a} I equipped myself, and
set forth to journey through deserts, and distant regions. And at length
it chanced that I came to the fairest valley in the world, wherein were
trees of equal growth; and a river ran through the valley, and a path was
by the side of the river. And I followed the path until mid-day, and
continued my journey along the remainder of the valley until the evening;
and at the extremity of a plain I came to a large and lustrous Castle, at
the foot of which was a torrent. And I approached the Castle, and there
I beheld two youths, with yellow curling hair, each with a frontlet of
gold upon his head, and clad in a garment of yellow satin; and they had
gold clasps upon their insteps. In the hand of each of them was an ivory
bow, strung with the sinews of the stag; and their arrows had their
shafts of the bone of the whale, and were winged with peacock's feathers.
The shafts also had golden heads. And they had daggers with blades of
gold, and with hilts of the bone of the whale. And they were shooting
their daggers.

"And a little way from them, I saw a man {17b} in the prime of life, with
his beard newly shorn, clad in a robe and a mantle of yellow satin; and
round the top of his mantle was a band of gold lace. On his feet were
shoes of variegated leather, fastened by two bosses of gold. When I saw
him, I went towards him and saluted him; and such was his courtesy, that
he no sooner received my greeting than he returned it. {18a} And he went
with me towards the Castle. Now there were no dwellers in the Castle,
except those who were in one hall. And there I saw four and twenty
damsels, embroidering satin, at a window. And this I tell thee, Kai,
that {18b} the least fair of them was fairer than the fairest maid thou
didst ever behold, in the Island of Britain; and the least lovely of them
was more lovely than Gwenhwyvar, the wife of Arthur, when she appeared
loveliest at the Offering, on the day of the Nativity, or at the feast of
Easter. {18c} They rose up at my coming, and six of them took my horse,
and divested me of my armour; and six others took my arms, and washed
them in a vessel, until they were perfectly bright. And the third six
spread cloths upon the tables, and prepared meat. And the fourth six
took off my soiled garments, and placed others upon me; namely, an under
vest and a doublet of fine linen, and a robe, and a surcoat, and a mantle
of yellow satin, and a broad gold band upon the mantle. And they placed
cushions both beneath and around me, with coverings of red linen. And I
sat down. Now the six maidens who had taken my horse, unharnessed him,
as well as if they had been the best Squires in the Island of Britain.
Then, behold, they brought bowls of silver wherein was water to wash; and
towels of linen, some green and some white; and I washed. And in a
little while the man sat down to the table. {19a} And I sat next to him,
and below me sat all the maidens, except those who waited on us. And the
table was of silver; and the cloths upon the table were of linen. And no
vessel was served upon the table that was not either of gold, or of
silver, or of buffalo horn. And our meat was brought to us. And verily,
Kai, I saw there every sort of meat, and every sort of liquor, that I
ever saw elsewhere; but the meat and the liquors were better served
there, than I ever saw them in any other place.

"Until the repast was half over, neither the man nor any one of the
damsels spoke a single word to me; but when the man perceived that it
would be more agreeable to me to converse than to eat any more, he began
to enquire of me who I was. I said I was glad to find that there was
some one who would discourse with me, and that it was not considered so
great a crime at that Court, for people to hold converse together.
'Chieftain,' said the man, 'we would have talked to thee sooner, but we
feared to disturb thee during thy repast. Now, however, we will
discourse.' Then I told the man who I was, and what was the cause of my
journey. And said that I was seeking whether any one was superior to me,
or whether I could gain the mastery over all. The man looked upon me,
and he smiled, and said, 'If I did not fear to distress thee too much,
{19b} I would shew thee that which thou seekest.' Upon this I became
anxious and sorrowful; and when the man perceived it, he said, 'If thou
wouldst rather that I should shew thee thy disadvantage, than thine
advantage, I will do so. Sleep here to-night, and in the morning, arise
early, and take the road upwards through the valley, until thou reachest
the wood, through which thou camest hither. A little way within the
wood, thou wilt meet with a road, branching off to the right; by which
thou must proceed, until thou comest to a large sheltered glade, with a
mound in the centre. And thou wilt see a black man of great stature, on
the top of the mound; he is not smaller in size than two of the men of
this world. He has but one foot, and one eye, in the middle of his
forehead. And he has a club of iron, and it is certain that there are no
two men in the world, who would not find their burden in that club. And
he is not a comely man, but on the contrary he is exceedingly ill
favoured; and he is the woodward of that wood. And thou wilt see a
thousand wild animals, grazing around him. Enquire of him the way out of
the glade, and he will reply to thee briefly, {20} and will point out the
road, by which thou shalt find that which thou art in quest of.'

"And long seemed the night to me. And the next morning I arose, and
equipped myself, and mounted my horse, and proceeded straight through the
valley, to the wood, and I followed the crossroad which the man had
pointed out to me, till at length I arrived at the glade. And there was
I three times more astonished at the number of wild animals that I
beheld, than the man had said I should be. And the black man was there,
sitting upon the top of the mound. Huge of stature as the man had told
me that he was, I found him to exceed by far the description he had given
me of him. As for the iron club, which the man had told me was a burden
for two men, I am certain, Kai, that it would be a heavy weight for four
warriors to lift. And this was in the black man's hand. And he only
spoke to me in answer to my questions. {21a} Then I asked him what power
he held over those animals. 'I will shew thee, little man,' said he. And
he took his club in his hand, and with it he struck a stag a great blow,
so that he brayed vehemently, and at his braying, the animals came
together, as numerous as the stars in the sky, so that it was difficult
for me to find room in the glade, to stand among them. There were
serpents, and dragons, and divers sorts of animals. And he looked at
them, and bade them go and feed. And they bowed their heads, and did him
homage, as vassals to their lord.

"Then the black man said to me, 'Seest thou now, little man, what power I
hold over these animals?' Then I enquired of him the way; and he became
very rough in his manner to me; however he asked me whither I would go.
And when I had told him who I was, and what I sought, he directed me.
'Take,' said he, 'that path that leads towards the head of the glade, and
ascend the wooded steep, until thou comest to its summit; and there thou
wilt find an open space, like to a large valley, and in the midst of it a
tall tree, whose branches are greener than the greenest pine trees. Under
this tree is a fountain, and by the side of the fountain, a marble slab,
and on the marble slab a silver bowl, attached by a chain of silver, so
that it may not be carried away. {21b} Take the bowl, and throw a
bowlful of water upon the slab, and thou wilt hear a mighty peal of
thunder; so that thou wilt think that heaven and earth are trembling with
its fury. With the thunder there will come a shower so severe, that it
will be scarcely possible for thee to endure it and live. And the shower
will be of hailstones. And after the shower, the weather will become
fair; but every leaf that was upon the tree will have been carried away
by the shower. Then a flight of birds will come and alight upon the
tree; and in thine own country thou didst never hear a strain so sweet,
as that which they will sing. And at the moment thou art most delighted
with the song of the birds, thou wilt hear a murmuring and complaining
coming towards thee along the valley. And thou wilt see a knight upon a
coal black horse, clothed in black velvet, and with a pennon of black
linen upon his lance, and he will ride unto thee to encounter thee, with
the utmost speed. If thou fleest from him he will overtake thee, and if
thou abidest there, as sure as thou art a mounted knight, he will leave
thee on foot. And if thou dost not find trouble in that adventure, thou
needst not seek it during the rest of thy life.'

"So I journeyed on, until I reached the summit of the steep. And there I
found every thing, as the black man had described it to me. And I went
up to the tree, and beneath it I saw the fountain, and by its side the
marble slab; and the silver bowl, fastened by the chain. Then I took the
bowl, and cast a bowlful of water upon the slab; and thereupon behold the
thunder came, much more violent than the black man had led me to expect;
and after the thunder came the shower; and of a truth I tell thee, Kai,
that there is neither man nor beast that could endure that shower and
live. For not one of those hailstones would be stopped either by the
flesh, or by the skin, until it had reached the bone. I turned my
horse's flanks towards the shower, and placed the beak of my shield over
his head and neck, while I held the upper part of it over my own head.
And thus I withstood the shower. When I looked on the tree, there was
not a single leaf upon it, and then the sky became clear; and with that,
behold the birds lighted upon the tree, and sang. And truly, Kai, I
never heard any melody equal to that, either before or since. And when I
was most charmed with listening to the birds, lo, a murmuring voice was
heard through the valley, approaching me, and saying, 'Oh, Knight, what
has brought thee hither? What evil have I done to thee, that thou
shouldest act towards me and my possessions, as thou hast this day? Dost
thou not know that the shower to-day has left in my dominions neither man
nor beast alive, that was exposed to it?' And thereupon, behold a Knight
on a black horse appeared, clothed in jet black velvet, and with a tabard
of black linen about him. And we charged each other; and as the onset
was furious, it was not long before I was overthrown. Then the Knight
passed the shaft of his lance through the bridle rein of my horse, and
rode off with the two horses; leaving me where I was. And he did not
even bestow so much notice upon me, as to imprison me, nor did he despoil
me of my arms. So I returned along the road by which I had come. And
when I reached the glade where the black man was, I confess to thee, Kai,
it is a marvel that I did not melt down into a liquid pool, through the
shame that I felt at the black man's derision. And that night I came to
the same Castle, where I had spent the night preceding. And I was more
agreeably entertained that night, than I had been the night before; and I
was better feasted, and I conversed freely with the inmates of the
Castle; and none of them alluded to my expedition to the fountain,
neither did I mention it to any. And I remained there that night. When
I arose on the morrow, I found ready saddled a dark-bay palfrey, with
nostrils as red as scarlet. And after putting on my armour, and leaving
there my blessing, I returned to my own Court. And that horse I still
possess, and he is in the stable yonder. And I declare that I would not
part with him for the best palfrey in the Island of Britain.

"Now of a truth, Kai, no man ever before confessed to an adventure so
much to his own discredit; and verily it seems strange to me, that
neither before nor since have I heard of any person, besides myself, who
knew of this adventure, and that the subject of it should exist within
King Arthur's dominions, without any other person lighting upon it."

"Now," quoth Owain, "would it not be well to go and endeavour to discover
that place?"

"By the hand of my friend," said Kai, "often dost thou utter that with
thy tongue, which thou wouldest not make good with thy deeds."

"In very truth," said Gwenhwyvar, "it were better thou wert hanged, Kai,
than to use such uncourteous speech towards a man like Owain."

"By the hand of my friend, good Lady," said Kai, "thy praise of Owain is
not greater than mine."

With that Arthur awoke, and asked if he had not been sleeping a little.

"Yes, Lord," answered Owain, "thou hast slept awhile."

"Is it time for us to go to meat?"

"It is, Lord," said Owain.

Then the horn for washing was sounded, and the King and all his household
sat down to eat. And when the meal was ended, Owain withdrew to his
lodging, and made ready his horse and his arms.

On the morrow, with the dawn of day, he put on his armour, and mounted
his charger, and travelled through distant lands, and over desert
mountains. And at length he arrived at the valley which Kynon had
described to him; and he was certain that it was the same that he sought.
And journeying along the valley, by the side of the river, he followed
its course till he came to the plain, and within sight of the Castle.
When he approached the Castle, he saw the youths shooting their daggers,
in the place where Kynon had seen them; and the yellow man, to whom the
Castle belonged, standing hard by. And no sooner had Owain saluted the
yellow man, than he was saluted by him in return.

And he went forward towards the Castle, and there he saw the chamber; and
when he had entered the chamber, he beheld the maidens working at satin
embroidery, in chairs of gold. And their beauty, and their comeliness
seemed to Owain far greater than Kynon had represented to him. And they
arose to wait upon Owain, as they had done to Kynon. And the meal which
they set before him, gave more satisfaction to Owain than it had done to
Kynon.

About the middle of the repast the yellow man asked Owain the object of
his journey. And Owain made it known to him, and said, "I am in quest of
the Knight who guards the fountain." Upon this, the yellow man smiled,
and said that he was as loth to point out that adventure to Owain as he
had been to Kynon. However he described the whole to Owain, and they
retired to rest.

The next morning Owain found his horse made ready for him by the damsels,
and he set forward and came to the glade where the black man was. And
the stature of the black man seemed more wonderful to Owain, than it had
done to Kynon, and Owain asked of him his road, and he showed it to him.
And Owain followed the road, as Kynon had done, till he came to the green
tree; and he beheld the fountain, and the slab beside the fountain with
the bowl upon it. And Owain took the bowl, and threw a bowlful of water
upon the slab. And lo, the thunder was heard, and after the thunder came
the shower, much more violent than Kynon had described, and after the
shower, the sky became bright. And when Owain looked at the tree, there
was not one leaf upon it. And immediately the birds came, and settled
upon the tree, and sang. And when their song was most pleasing to Owain,
he beheld a Knight coming towards him through the valley, and he prepared
to receive him; and encountered him violently. Having broken both their
lances, they drew their swords, and fought blade to blade. Then Owain
struck the Knight a blow through his helmet, head piece and visor, and
through the skin, and the flesh, and the bone, until it wounded the very
brain. Then the black Knight felt that he had received a mortal wound,
upon which he turned his horse's head, and fled. And Owain pursued him,
and followed close upon him, although he was not near enough to strike
him with his sword. Thereupon Owain descried a vast and resplendent
Castle. And they came to the Castle gate. And the black Knight was
allowed to enter, and the portcullis was let fall upon Owain; and it
struck his horse behind the saddle, and cut him in two, and carried away
the rowels of the spurs that were upon Owain's heels. And the portcullis
descended to the floor. And the rowels of the spurs and part of the
horse were without, and Owain, with the other part of the horse remained
between the two gates, and the inner gate was closed, so that Owain could
not go thence; and Owain was in a perplexing situation. And while he was
in this state, he could see through an aperture in the gate, a street
facing him, with a row of houses on each side. And he beheld a maiden,
with yellow curling hair, and a frontlet of gold upon her head; and she
was clad in a dress of yellow satin, and on her feet were shoes of
variegated leather. And she approached the gate, and desired that it
should be opened. "Heaven knows, Lady," said Owain, "it is no more
possible for me to open to thee from hence, than it is for thee to set me
free." "Truly," said the damsel, "it is very sad that thou canst not be
released, and every woman ought to succour thee, for I never saw one more
faithful in the service of ladies than thou. As a friend thou art the
most sincere, and as a lover the most devoted. Therefore," quoth she,
"whatever is in my power to do for thy release, I will do it. Take this
ring and put it on thy finger, with the stone inside thy hand; and close
thy hand upon the stone. And as long as thou concealest it, it will
conceal thee. When they have consulted together, they will come forth to
fetch thee, in order to put thee to death; {27} and they will be much
grieved that they cannot find thee. And I will await thee on the
horseblock yonder; and thou wilt be able to see me, though I cannot see
thee; therefore come and place thy hand upon my shoulder, that I may know
that thou art near me. And by the way that I go hence, do thou accompany
me."

Then she went away from Owain, and he did all that the maiden had told
him. And the people of the Castle came to seek Owain, to put him to
death, and when they found nothing but the half of his horse, they were
sorely grieved.

And Owain vanished from among them, and went to the maiden, and placed
his hand upon her shoulder, whereupon she set off, and Owain followed
her, until they came to the door of a large and beautiful chamber, and
the maiden opened it, and they went in, and closed the door. And Owain
looked around the chamber, and behold there was not even a single nail in
it, that was not painted with gorgeous colours; and there was not a
single panel, that had not sundry images {28} in gold portrayed upon it.

The maiden kindled a fire, and took water in a silver bowl, and put a
towel of white linen on her shoulder, and gave Owain water to wash. Then
she placed before him a silver table, inlaid with gold; upon which was a
cloth of yellow linen; and she brought him food. And of a truth, Owain
never saw any kind of meat that was not there in abundance, but it was
better cooked there, than he ever found it in any other place. Nor did
he ever see so excellent a display of meat and drink as there. And there
was not one vessel from which he was served, that was not of gold, or of
silver. And Owain ate and drank, until late in the afternoon, when lo,
they heard a mighty clamour in the Castle; and Owain asked the maiden
what that outcry was. "They are administering extreme unction," said
she, "to the Nobleman who owns the Castle." And Owain went to sleep.

The couch which the maiden had prepared for him was meet for Arthur
himself; it was of scarlet, and fur, and satin, and sendall, and fine
linen. In the middle of the night they heard a woeful outcry. "What
outcry again is this?" said Owain. "The Nobleman who owned the Castle is
now dead," said the maiden. And a little after daybreak, they heard an
exceeding loud clamour and wailing. And Owain asked the maiden what was
the cause of it. "They are bearing to the church, the body of the
Nobleman who owned the Castle."

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