Book: The Mabinogion Vol. 1 (of 3)

O >> Owen M. Edwards >> The Mabinogion Vol. 1 (of 3)




Then lo! they heard a mighty sound which was much louder than that which
they had heard before, and when they looked round towards the sound;
behold a ruddy youth, without beard or whiskers, {111} noble of mien, and
mounted on a stately courser. And from the shoulders and the front of
the knees downwards the horse was bay. And upon the man was a dress of
red satin wrought with yellow silk, and yellow were the borders of his
scarf. And such parts of his apparel and of the trappings of his horse
as were yellow, as yellow were they as the blossom of the broom, and such
as were red, were as ruddy as the ruddiest blood in the world.

Then behold the horseman overtook them, and he asked of Iddawc a share of
the little men that were with him. "That which is fitting for me to
grant I will grant, and thou shalt be a companion to them as I have
been." And the horseman went away. "Iddawc," enquired Rhonabwy, "who
was that horseman?" "Rhuvawn Pebyr, the son of Prince Deorthach."

And they journeyed over the plain of Argyngroeg as far as the ford of
Rhyd y Groes on the Severn. And for a mile around the ford on both sides
of the road, they saw tents and encampments, and there was the clamour of
a mighty host. And they came to the edge of the ford, and there they
beheld Arthur sitting on a flat island below the ford, having Bedwini
{112} the Bishop on one side of him, and Gwarthegyd the son of Kaw on the
other. And a tall auburn-haired youth stood before him, with his
sheathed sword in his hand, and clad in a coat and a cap of jet black
satin. And his face was white as ivory, and his eyebrows black as jet,
and such part of his wrist as could be seen between his glove and his
sleeve was whiter than the lily, and thicker than a warrior's ankle.

Then came Iddawc and they that were with him, and stood before Arthur,
and saluted him. "Heaven grant thee good," said Arthur. "And where,
Iddawc, didst thou find these little men?" "I found them, lord, up
yonder on the road." Then the Emperor smiled. "Lord," said Iddawc,
"wherefore dost thou laugh?" "Iddawc," replied Arthur, "I laugh nor; but
it pitieth me that men of such stature as these should have this Island
in their keeping, after the men that guarded it of yore." Then said
Iddawc, "Rhonabwy, dost thou see the ring with a stone set in it, that is
upon the Emperor's hand?" "I see it," he answered. "It is one of the
properties of that stone, to enable thee to remember that thou seest here
to-night, and hadst thou not seen the stone, thou wouldest never have
been able to remember aught thereof."

After this they saw a troop coming towards the ford. "Iddawc," enquired
Rhonabwy, "to whom does yonder troop belong?" "They are the fellows of
Rhuvawn Pebyr the son of Prince Deorthach. And these men are honourably
served with mead and bragget, and are freely beloved by the daughters of
the kings of the Island of Britain. And this they merit, for they were
ever in the front and the rear in every peril." And he saw but one hue
upon the men and the horses of this troop, for they were all as red as
blood. And when one of the knights rode forth from the troop, he looked
like a pillar of fire glancing athwart the sky. And this troop encamped
above the ford.

Then they beheld another troop coming towards the ford, and these from
their horses' chests upwards were whiter than the lily, and below blacker
than jet. And they saw one of these knights go before the rest, and spur
his horse into the ford in such a manner that the water dashed over
Arthur and the Bishop, and those holding counsel with them, so that they
were as wet as if they had been drenched in the river. And as he turned
the head of his horse, the youth who stood before Arthur struck the horse
over the nostrils with his sheathed sword, so that had it been with the
bare blade it would have been a marvel if the bone had not been wounded
as well as the flesh. And the knight drew his sword half out of the
scabbard, and asked of him, "Wherefore didst thou strike my horse?
Whether was it in insult or in counsel unto me?" "Thou dost indeed lack
counsel. What madness caused thee to ride so furiously as to dash the
water of the ford over Arthur, and the consecrated Bishop, and their
counsellors, so that they were as wet as if they had been dragged out of
the river?" "As counsel then will I take it." So he turned his horse's
head round towards his army.

"Iddawc," said Rhonabwy, "who was yonder knight?" "The most eloquent and
the wisest youth that is in this Island; Adaon the son of Taliesin." "Who
was the man that struck his horse?" "A youth of froward nature; Elphin
the son of Gwyddno."

Then spake a tall and stately man, of noble and flowing speech, saying
that it was a marvel that so vast a host should be assembled in so narrow
a space, and that it was a still greater marvel that those should be
there at that time who had promised to be by mid-day in the battle of
Badon, fighting with Osla Gyllellvawr. "Whether thou mayest choose to
proceed or not, I will proceed." "Thou sayest well," said Arthur, "and
we will go all together." "Iddawc," said Rhonabwy, "who was the man who
spoke so marvellously unto Arthur erewhile?" "A man who may speak as
boldly as he listeth, Caradawc Vreichvras, the son of Llyr Marini, his
chief counsellor and his cousin."

Then Iddawc took Rhonabwy behind him on his horse, and that mighty host
moved forward, each troop in its order, towards Cevndigoll. And when
they came to the middle of the ford of the Severn, Iddawc turned his
horse's head, and Rhonabwy looked along the valley of the Severn. And he
beheld two fair troops coming towards the ford. One troop there came of
brilliant white, whereof every one of the men had a scarf of white satin
with jet black borders. And the knees and the tops of the shoulders of
their horses were jet black, though they were of a pure white in every
other part. And their banners were pure white, with black points to them
all.

"Iddawc," said Rhonabwy, "who are yonder pure white troop?" "They are
the men of Norway, and March the son of Meirchion is their prince. And
he is cousin unto Arthur." And further on he saw a troop, whereof each
man wore garments of jet black, with borders of pure white to every
scarf; and the tops of the shoulders and the knees of their horses were
pure white. And their banners were jet black with pure white at the
point of each.

"Iddawc," said Rhonabwy, "who are the jet black troop yonder?" "They are
the men of Denmark, and Edeyrn the son of Nudd is their prince."

And when they had overtaken the host, Arthur and his army of mighty ones
dismounted below Caer Badon, and he perceived that he and Iddawc
journeyed the same road as Arthur. And after they had dismounted he
heard a great tumult and confusion amongst the host, and such as were
then at the flanks, turned to the centre, and such as had been in the
centre moved to the flanks. And then, behold, he saw a knight coming,
clad, both he and his horse, in mail, of which the rings were whiter than
the whitest lily, and the rivets redder than the ruddies blood. And he
rode amongst the host.

"Iddawc," said Rhonabwy, "will yonder host flee?" "King Arthur never
fled, and if this discourse of thine were heard, thou wert a lost man.
But as to the knight whom thou seest yonder, it is Kai. The fairest
horseman is Kai in all Arthur's Court; and the men who are at the front
of the army hasten to the rear to see Kai ride, and the men who are in
the centre, flee to the side from the shock of his horse. {116a} And
this is the cause of the confusion of the host."

Thereupon they heard a call made for Kadwr, Earl of Cornwall, and behold
he arose with the sword of Arthur in his hand. And the similitude of two
serpents was upon the sword in gold. And when the sword was drawn from
its scabbard, it seemed as if two flames of fire burst forth from the
jaws of the serpents, and then, so wonderful was the sword, that it was
hard for any one to look upon it. And the host became still, and the
tumult ceased, and the Earl returned to the tent.

"Iddawc," said Rhonabwy, "who is the man who bore the sword of Arthur?"
"Kadwr, the Earl of Cornwall, whose duty is to arm the King on the days
of battle and warfare."

And they heard a call made for Eirynwych Amheibyn, Arthur's servant, a
red, rough, ill-favoured man, having red whiskers {116b} with bristly
hairs. And behold he came upon a tall red horse, with the mane parted on
each side, and he brought with him a large and beautiful sumpter pack.
And the huge red youth dismounted before Arthur, and he drew a golden
chair out of the pack, and a carpet of diapered satin. And he spread the
carpet before Arthur, and there was an apple of ruddy gold at each corner
thereof, and he placed the chair upon the carpet. And so large was the
chair that three armed warriors might have sat therein. Gwenn was the
name of the carpet, and it was one of its properties, that whoever was
upon it no one could see him, and he could see every one. And it would
retain no colour but its own.

And Arthur sat within the carpet, and Owain the son of Urien was standing
before him. "Owain," said Arthur, "wilt thou play chess?" "I will,
Lord," said Owain. And the red youth brought the chess for Arthur and
Owain; golden pieces and a board of silver. And they began to play.

And while they were thus, and when they were best amused with their game,
behold they saw a white tent with a red canopy, and the figure of a jet
black serpent on the top of the tent, and red glaring venomous eyes in
the head of the serpent, and a red flaming tongue. And there came a
young page with yellow curling hair, and blue eyes, and a newly springing
beard, wearing a coat and a surcoat of yellow satin, and hose of thin
greenish yellow cloth upon his feet, and over his hose shoes of parti-
coloured leather, fastened at the insteps with golden clasps. And he
bore a heavy three-edged sword with a golden hilt, in a scabbard of black
leather tipped with fine gold. And he came to the place where the
Emperor and Owain were playing at chess.

And the youth saluted Owain. And Owain marvelled that the youth should
salute him and should not have saluted the Emperor Arthur. And Arthur
knew what was in Owain's thought. And he said to Owain, "Marvel not that
the youth salutes thee now, for he saluted me erewhile; and it is unto
thee that his errand is." Then said the youth unto Owain, "Lord, is it
with thy leave that the young pages and attendants of the Emperor harass
and torment and worry the Ravens? And if it be not with thy leave, cause
the Emperor to forbid them." "Lord," said Owain, "thou hearest what the
youth says; if it seem good to thee, forbid them from my Ravens." "Play
thy game," said he. Then the youth returned to the tent.

That game did they finish, and another they began, and when they were in
the midst of the game, behold, a ruddy young man with auburn curling
hair, and large eyes, well grown, and having his beard new shorn, came
forth from a bright yellow tent, upon the summit of which was the figure
of a bright red lion. And he was clad in a coat of yellow satin, falling
as low as the small of his leg, and embroidered with threads of red silk.
And on his feet were hose of fine white buckram, and buskins of black
leather were over his hose, whereon were golden clasps. And in his hand
a huge, heavy, three-edged sword, with a scabbard of red-deer hide,
tipped with gold. And he came to the place where Arthur and Owain were
playing at chess. And he saluted him. And Owain was troubled at his
salutation, but Arthur minded it no more than before. And the youth said
unto Owain, "Is it not against thy will that the attendants of the
Emperor harass thy Ravens, killing some and worrying others? If against
thy will it be, beseech him to forbid them." "Lord," said Owain, "forbid
thy men if it seem good to thee." "Play thy game," said the Emperor. And
the youth returned to the tent.

And that game was ended, and another begun. And as they were beginning
the first move of the game, they beheld at a small distance from them a
tent speckled yellow, the largest ever seen, and the figure of an eagle
of gold upon it, and a precious stone on the eagle's head. And coming
out of the tent, they saw a youth with thick yellow hair upon his head,
fair and comely, and a scarf of blue satin upon him, and a brooch of gold
in the scarf upon his right shoulder as large as a warrior's middle
finger. And upon his feet were hose of fine Totness, and shoes of parti-
coloured leather, clasped with gold, and the youth was of noble bearing,
fair of face, with ruddy cheeks and large hawk's eyes. In the hand of
the youth was a mighty lance, speckled yellow, with a newly sharpened
head; and upon the lance a banner displayed.

Fiercely angry, and with rapid pace, came the youth to the place where
Arthur was playing at chess with Owain. And they perceived that he was
wroth. And thereupon he saluted Owain, and told him that his Ravens had
been killed, the chief part of them, and that such of them as were not
slain were so wounded and bruised that not one of them could raise its
wings a single fathom above the earth. "Lord," said Owain, "forbid thy
men." "Play," said he "if it please thee." Then said Owain to the
youth, "Go back, and wherever thou findest the strife at the thickest,
there lift up the banner, and let come what pleases Heaven." So the
youth returned back to the place where the strife bore hardest upon the
Ravens, and he lifted up the banner; and as he did so they all rose up in
the air, wrathful and fierce and high of spirit, clapping their wings in
the wind, and shaking off the weariness that was upon them. And
recovering their energy and courage, furiously and with exultation did
they, with one sweep, descend upon the heads of the men, who had erewhile
caused them anger and pain and damage, and they seized some by the heads
and others by the eyes, and some by the ears, and others by the arms, and
carried them up into the air; and in the air there was a mighty tumult
with the flapping of the wings of the triumphant Ravens, and with their
croaking; and there was another mighty tumult with the groaning of the
men, that were being torn and wounded, and some of whom were slain.

And Arthur and Owain marvelled at the tumult as they played at chess;
and, looking, they perceived a knight upon a dun-coloured horse coming
towards them. And marvellous was the hue of the dun horse. Bright red
was his right shoulder, and from the top of his legs to the centre of his
hoof was bright yellow. Both the knight and his horse were fully
equipped with heavy foreign armour. The clothing of the horse from the
front opening upwards was of bright red sendal, and from thence opening
downwards was of bright yellow sendal. A large gold-hilted one-edged
sword had the youth upon his thigh, in a scabbard of light blue, and
tipped with Spanish laton. The belt of the sword was of dark green
leather with golden slides and a clasp of ivory upon it, and a buckle of
jet black upon the clasp. A helmet of gold was on the head of the
knight, set with precious stones of great virtue, and at the top of the
helmet was the image of a flame-coloured leopard with two ruby-red stones
in its head, so that it was astounding for a warrior, however stout his
heart, to look at the face of the leopard, much more at the face of the
knight. He had in his hand a blue-shafted lance, but from the haft to
the point it was stained crimson-red, with the blood of the Ravens and
their plumage.

The knight came to the place where Arthur and Owain were seated at chess.
And they perceived that he was harassed and vexed and weary as he came
towards them. And the youth saluted Arthur, and told him, that the
Ravens of Owain were slaying his young men and attendants. And Arthur
looked at Owain and said, "Forbid thy Ravens." "Lord," answered Owain,
"play thy game." And they played. And the knight returned back towards
the strife, and the Ravens were not forbade any more than before.

And when they had played awhile, they heard a mighty tumult, and a
wailing of men, and a croaking of Ravens, as they carried the men in
their strength into the air, and, tearing them betwixt them, let them
fall piecemeal to the earth. And during the tumult they saw a knight
coming towards them on a light grey horse, and the left foreleg of the
horse was jet black to the centre of his hoof. And the knight and the
horse were fully accoutred with huge heavy blue armour. And a robe of
honour of yellow diapered satin was upon the knight, and the borders of
the robe were blue. And the housings of the horse were jet black, with
borders of bright yellow. And on the thigh of the youth was a sword,
long, and three-edged, and heavy. And the scabbard was of red cut
leather, and the belt of new red deerskin, having upon it many golden
slides and a buckle of the bone of the sea horse, the tongue of which was
jet black. A golden helmet was upon the head of the knight, wherein were
set sapphire stones of great virtue. And at the top of the helmet was
the figure of a flame-coloured lion, with a fiery-red tongue, issuing
above a foot from his mouth, and with venomous eyes, crimson-red, in his
head. And the knight came, bearing in his hand a thick ashen lance, the
head whereof, which had been newly steeped in blood, was overlaid with
silver.

And the youth saluted the Emperor: "Lord," said he, "carest thou not for
the slaying of thy pages, and thy young men, and the sons of the nobles
of the Island of Britain, whereby it will be difficult to defend this
Island from henceforward for ever?" "Owain," said Arthur, "forbid thy
Ravens." "Play this game, Lord," said Owain.

So they finished the game, and began another; and as they were finishing
that game, lo, they heard a great tumult and a clamour of armed men, and
a croaking of Ravens, and a flapping of wings in the air, as they flung
down the armour entire to the ground, and the men and the horses
piecemeal. Then they saw coming a knight on a lofty-headed piebald
horse. And the left shoulder of the horse was of bright red, and its
right leg from the chest to the hollow of the hoof was pure white. And
the knight and horse were equipped with arms of speckled yellow,
variegated with Spanish laton. And there was a robe of honour upon him,
and upon his horse, divided in two parts, white and black, and the
borders of the robe of honour were of golden purple. And above the robe
he wore a sword three-edged and bright, with a golden hilt. And the belt
of the sword was of yellow goldwork, having a clasp upon it of the eyelid
of a black sea horse, and a tongue of yellow gold to the clasp. Upon the
head of the knight was a bright helmet of yellow laton, with sparkling
stones of crystal in it, and at the crest of the helmet was the figure of
a griffin, with a stone of many virtues in its head. And he had an ashen
spear in his hand, with a round shaft, coloured with azure blue. And the
head of the spear was newly stained with blood, and was overlaid with
fine silver.

Wrathfully came the knight to the place where Arthur was, and he told him
that the Ravens had slain his household and the sons of the chief men of
this Island, and he besought him to cause Owain to forbid his Ravens. And
Arthur besought Owain to forbid them. Then Arthur took the golden
chessmen that were upon the board, and crushed them until they became as
dust. Then Owain ordered Gwres the son of Rheged to lower his banner. So
it was lowered, and all was peace.

Then Rhonabwy enquired of Iddawc, who were the first three men that came
to Owain, to tell him his Ravens were being slain. Said Iddawc, "They
were men who grieved that Owain should suffer loss, his fellow-chieftains
and companions, Selyv the son of Kynan Garwyn of Powys, and Gwgawn
Gleddyvrudd, and Gwres the son of Rheged, he who bears the banner in the
day of battle and strife." "Who," said Rhonabwy, "were the last three
men who came to Arthur, and told him that the Ravens were slaughtering
his men?" "The best of men," said Iddawc, "and the bravest, and who
would grieve exceedingly that Arthur should have damage in aught;
Blathaon, the son of Mawrheth, {124a} and Rhuvawn Pebyr the son of Prince
Deorthach, and Hyveidd Unllenn."

And with that behold four and twenty knights came from Osla Gyllellvawr,
to crave a truce of Arthur for a fortnight and a month. And Arthur arose
and went to take counsel. And he came to where a tall auburn
curly-headed man was a little way off, and there he assembled his
counsellors. Bedwini, {124b} the Bishop, and Gwarthegyd the son of Kaw,
and March the son of Meirchawn, and Caradawc Vreichvras, and Gwalchmai
the son of Gwyar, and Edeyrn the son of Nudd, and Rhuvawn Pebyr the son
of Prince Deorthach, and Rhiogan the son of the King of Ireland, and
Gwenwynwyn the son of Nav, Howel the son of Emyr Llydaw, Gwilym the son
of Rhwyf Freinc, and Daned the son of Ath, {124c} and Goreu Custennin,
and Mabon the son of Modron, and Peredur Paladyr Hir, and Hyveidd {125a}
Unllenn, and Twrch the son of Perif, and Nerth the son of Kadarn, and
Gobrwy the son of Echel Vorddwyttwll, Gwair the son of Gwestyl, and Gadwy
{125b} the son of Geraint, Trystan {125c} the son of Tallwch, Moryen
Manawc, Granwen the son of Llyr, and Llacheu the son of Arthur, and
Llawvrodedd Varvawc, and Kadwr Earl of Cornwall, Morvran the son of
Tegid, and Rhyawd the son of Morgant, and Dyvyr the son of Alun Dyved,
Gwrhyr Gwalstawd Ieithoedd, Adaon the son of Taliesin, Llary {125d} the
son of Kasnar {125e} Wledig, and Fflewddur Fflam, and Greidawl
Galldovydd, Gilbert the son of Kadgyffro, Menw the son of Teirgwaedd,
Gwrthmwl Wledig, Cawrdav the son of Caradawc Vreichvras, Gildas the son
of Kaw, Kadyriaith the son of Saidi, and many of the men of Norway, and
Denmark, and many of the men of Greece, and a crowd of the men of the
host came to that counsel.

"Iddawc," said Rhonabwy, "who was the auburn haired man to whom they came
just now?" "Rhun the son of Maelgwn Gwynedd, a man of whose prerogative
it is, that he may join in counsel with all." {125f} "And wherefore did
they admit into counsel with men of such dignity as are yonder a
stripling so young as Kadyriaith the son of Saidi?" "Because there is
not throughout Britain a man better skilled in counsel than he."

Thereupon, behold, bards came and recited verses before Arthur, and no
man understood those verses, but Kadyriaith only, save that they were in
Arthur's praise.

And, lo, there came four and twenty asses with their burdens of gold and
of silver, and a tired wayworn man with each of them, bringing tribute to
Arthur from the Islands of Greece. Then Kadyriaith the son of Saidi
besought that a truce might be granted to Osla Gyllellvawr for the space
of a fortnight and a month, and that the asses and the burdens they
carried might be given to the bards, to be to them as the reward for
their stay and that their verse might be recompensed, during the time of
the truce. And thus it was settled.

"Rhonabwy," said Iddawc, "would it not be wrong to forbid a youth who can
give counsel so liberal as this from coming to the councils of his Lord?"

Then Kai arose, and he said, "Whosoever will follow Arthur, let him be
with him to-night in Cornwall, and whosoever will not, let him be opposed
to Arthur even during the truce." And through the greatness of the
tumult that ensued, Rhonabwy awoke. And when he awoke he was upon the
yellow calfskin, having slept three nights and three days.

And this tale is called The Dream of Rhonabwy. And this is the reason
that no one knows the dream without a book, neither bard nor gifted seer;
because of the various colours that were upon the horses, and the many
wondrous colours of the arms and of the panoply, and of the precious
scarfs, and of the virtue-bearing stones.




Footnotes:


{15} "The Emperor Arthur" all through the tale.

{16} To begin to honour them, to inform them of the manners and the
customs of the Court, those he was told were to go to the hall or the
presence chamber, and those he was told were to get lodging.

{17a} And I did not think there was in the world a wrong too mighty for
me to set right. And when I had set right all the wrongs that were in my
own country.

{17b} Add "with fair curly hair."

{18a} And such was his courtesy that he greeted me before I could greet
him.

{18b} Add, "I ween that."

{18c} When she was ever loveliest, at Christmas, or at Easter tide mass.

{19a} And the man I had seen erstwhile sat down to the table.

{19b} Did I not think that too much trouble would befall thee.

{20} With querulous roughness.

{21a} And he would but bandy words with me.

{21b} So that they cannot be separated.

{27} Add "On account of the knight."

{28} An image of a different kind.

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