Book: The Mabinogion Vol. 2 (of 3)

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THE MABINOGION


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

{The salmon of Llyn Llyw. "And they heard a great wailing and lamenting
from the dungeon.": p0.jpg}




INTRODUCTION.


In this second volume, as in the first, I have given Lady Charlotte
Guest's translation exactly as she wrote it. It would have been easy to
make it a more faithful reproduction of the Welsh by occasionally
changing a word, or by making a phrase more simple in diction. But the
reader would not have forgiven me for placing before him a translation
that was not Lady Charlotte Guest's. I have again ventured, however,
after a careful comparison of the translation with the original, to put
in the form of footnotes a more accurate or more literal rendering of
passages which Lady Charlotte Guest did not read aright, passages which
she has omitted, and passages the real meaning of which she seems to me
to have failed to grasp.

The first two tales in this volume make up, with "The Dream of Rhonabwy,"
the second volume of the original edition. "The Dream of Rhonabwy" was
placed in my first volume, with "The Lady of the Fountain" and
"Peredur"--the two tales that form the first volume of the original
edition. The oldest of the tales--the Mabinogion proper--will all be
included in the third volume.

OWEN EDWARDS.

LLANUWCHLLYN,
_June_ 1902.




GERAINT THE SON OF ERBIN.


{Picture: p7.jpg}

Arthur was accustomed to hold his Court at Caerlleon upon Usk. And there
he held it seven Easters, {7a} and five Christmases. And once upon a
time he held his Court there at Whitsuntide. For Caerlleon was the place
most easy of access in his dominions, both by sea and by land. And there
were assembled {7b} nine crowned kings, who were his tributaries, and
likewise earls and barons. For they were his invited guests at all the
high festivals, unless they were prevented by any great hindrance. And
when he was at Caerlleon, holding his Court, thirteen churches were set
apart for mass. And thus were they appointed: one church for Arthur, and
his kings, and his guests; and the second for Gwenhwyvar and her ladies;
and the third for the Steward of the Household and the Suitors; and the
fourth for the Franks, and the other officers; and the other nine
churches were for the nine Masters of the Household, and chiefly for
Gwalchmai; for he, from the eminence of his warlike fame, and from the
nobleness of his birth, was the most exalted of the nine. And there was
no other arrangement respecting the churches than that which we have
mentioned above.

Glewlwyd Gavaelvawr was the chief porter; but he did not himself perform
the office, except at one of the three high festivals, for he had seven
men to serve him; and they divided the year amongst them. They were
Grynn, and Pen Pighon, and Llaes Cymyn, and Gogyfwlch, and Gwrdnei with
Cat's eyes, who could see as well by night as by day, and Drem the son of
Dremhitid, and Clust the son of Clustveinyd; and these were Arthur's
guards. And on Whit Tuesday, as the King sat at the banquet, lo! there
entered a tall, fair-headed youth, clad in a coat and a surcoat of
diapred satin, and a golden-hilted sword about his neck, and low shoes of
leather upon his feet. And he came, and stood before Arthur. "Hail to
thee, Lord!" said he. "Heaven prosper thee," he answered, "and be thou
welcome. Dost thou bring any new tidings?" "I do, Lord," he said. "I
know thee not," said Arthur. "It is a marvel to me that thou dost not
know me. I am one of thy foresters, Lord, in the Forest of Dean, and my
name is Madawc, the son of Twrgadarn." "Tell me thine errand," said
Arthur. "I will do so, Lord," said he. "In the Forest I saw a stag, the
like of which beheld I never yet." "What is there about him," asked
Arthur, "that thou never yet didst see his like?" "He is of pure white,
Lord, and he does not herd with any other animal through stateliness and
pride, so royal is his bearing. And I come to seek thy counsel, Lord,
and to know thy will concerning him." "It seems best to me," said
Arthur, "to go and hunt him to-morrow at break of day; and to cause
general notice thereof to be given to-night in all quarters of the
Court." And Arryfuerys was Arthur's chief huntsman, and Arelivri was his
chief page. And all received notice; and thus it was arranged. And they
sent the youth before them. Then Gwenhwyvar said to Arthur, "Wilt thou
permit me, Lord," said she, "to go to-morrow to see and hear the hunt of
the stag of which the young man spoke?" "I will, gladly," said Arthur.
"Then will I go," said she. And Gwalchmai said to Arthur, "Lord, if it
seem well to thee, permit that into whose hunt soever the stag shall
come, that one, be he a knight or one on foot, may cut off his head, and
give it to whom he pleases, whether to his own ladylove, or to the lady
of his friend." "I grant it gladly," said Arthur, "and let the Steward
of the Household be chastised if all are not ready to-morrow for the
chase."

And they passed the night with songs, and diversions, and discourse, and
ample entertainment. And when it was time for them all to go to sleep,
they went. And when the next day came, they arose; and Arthur called the
attendants, who guarded his couch. And these were four pages, whose
names were Cadyrnerth the son of Porthawr Gandwy, and Ambreu the son of
Bedwor, and Amhar, the son of Arthur, and Goreu the son of Custennin. And
these men came to Arthur, and saluted him, and arrayed him in his
garments. And Arthur wondered that Gwenhwyvar did not awake, and did not
move in her bed: and the attendants wished to awaken her. "Disturb her
not," said Arthur, "for she had rather sleep than go to see the hunting."

Then Arthur went forth, and he heard two horns sounding, one from near
the lodging of the chief huntsman, and the other from near that of the
chief page. And the whole assembly of the multitudes came to Arthur, and
they took the road to the Forest.

And after Arthur had gone forth from the palace, Gwenhwyvar awoke, and
called to her maidens, and apparelled herself. "Maidens," said she, "I
had leave last night to go and see the hunt. Go one of you to the
stable, and order hither a horse such as a woman may ride." And one of
them went, and she found but two horses in the stable, and Gwenhwyvar and
one of her maidens mounted them, and went through the Usk, and followed
the track of the men and the horses. And as they rode thus, they heard a
loud and rushing sound; and they looked behind them, and beheld a knight
upon a {10} hunter foal of mighty size; and the rider was a fair haired
youth, bare-legged, and of princely mien, and a golden-hilted sword was
at his side, and a robe and a surcoat of satin were upon him, and two low
shoes of leather upon his feet; and around him was a scarf of blue
purple, at each corner of which was a golden apple. And his horse
stepped stately, and swift, and proud; and he overtook Gwenhwyvar, and
saluted her. "Heaven prosper thee, Geraint," said she, "I knew thee when
first I saw thee just now. And the welcome of heaven be unto thee. And
why didst thou not go with thy Lord to hunt?" "Because I knew not when
he went," said he. "I marvel too," said she, "how he could go unknown to
me." "Indeed, lady," said he. "I was fast asleep, and knew not when he
went; but thou, O young man, art the most agreeable companion I could
have in the whole kingdom; and it may be that I shall be more amused with
the hunting than they; {11} for we shall hear the horns when they sound,
and we shall hear the dogs when they are let loose, and begin to cry." So
they went to the edge of the Forest, and there they stood. "From this
place," said she, "we shall hear when the dogs are let loose." And
thereupon they heard a loud noise, and they looked towards the spot
whence it came, and they beheld a dwarf riding upon a horse, stately, and
foaming, and prancing, and strong, and spirited. And in the hand of the
dwarf was a whip. And near the dwarf they saw a lady upon a beautiful
white horse, of steady and stately pace; and she was clothed in a garment
of gold brocade. And near her was a knight upon a war-horse of large
size, with heavy and bright armour both upon himself and upon his horse.
And truly they never before saw a knight, or a horse, or armour, of such
remarkable size. And they were all near to each other.

"Geraint," said Gwenhwyvar, "knowest thou the name of that tall knight
yonder?" "I know him not," said he, "and the strange armour that he
wears prevents my either seeing his face or his features." "Go, maiden,"
said Gwenhwyvar, "and ask the dwarf who that knight is." Then the maiden
went up to the dwarf; and the dwarf waited for the maiden, when he saw
her coming towards him. And the maiden enquired of the dwarf who the
knight was. "I will not tell thee," he answered. "Since thou art so
churlish as not to tell me," said she, "I will ask him himself." "Thou
shall not ask him, by my faith," said he. "Wherefore?" said she.
"Because thou art not of honour sufficient to befit thee to speak to my
Lord." Then the maiden turned her horse's head towards the knight, upon
which the dwarf struck her with the whip that was in his hand across the
face and the eyes, until the blood flowed forth. And the maiden, through
the hurt she received from the blow, returned to Gwenhwyvar, complaining
of the pain. "Very rudely has the dwarf treated thee," said Geraint. "I
will go myself to know who the knight is." "Go," said Gwenhwyvar. And
Geraint went up to the dwarf. "Who is yonder knight?" said Geraint. "I
will not tell thee," said the dwarf. "Then will I ask him himself," said
he. "That wilt thou not, by my faith," said the dwarf; "thou art not
honourable enough to speak with my Lord." Said Geraint, "I have spoken
with men of equal rank with him." And he turned his horse's head towards
the knight, but the dwarf overtook him and struck him as he had done the
maiden, so that the blood coloured the scarf that Geraint wore. Then
Geraint put his hand upon the hilt of his sword, but he took counsel with
himself, and considered that it would be no vengeance for him to slay the
dwarf, and to be attacked unarmed by the armed knight, so he returned to
where Gwenhwyvar was.

"Thou hast acted wisely and discreetly," said she. "Lady," said he, "I
will follow him yet, with thy permission; and at last he will come to
some inhabited place, where I may have arms either as a loan or for a
pledge, so that I may encounter the knight." "Go," said she, "and do not
attack him until thou hast good arms, and I shall be very anxious
concerning thee, until I hear tidings of thee." "If I am alive," said
he, "thou shall hear tidings of me by to-morrow afternoon;" and with that
he departed.

And the road they took was below the palace of Caerlleon, and across the
ford of the Usk; and they went along a fair, and even, and lofty ridge of
ground, until they came to a town, and at the extremity of the town they
saw a Fortress and a Castle. And they came to the extremity of the town.
And as the knight passed through it, all the people arose, and saluted
him, and bade him welcome. And when Geraint came into the town, he
looked at every house, to see if he knew any of those whom he saw. But
he knew none, and none knew him to do him the kindness to let him have
arms either as a loan or for a pledge. And every house he saw was full
of men, and arms, and horses. And they were polishing shields, and
burnishing swords, and washing armour, and shoeing horses. And the
knight, and the lady, and the dwarf, rode up to the Castle that was in
the town, and every one was glad in the Castle. And from the battlements
and the gates they risked their necks, through their eagerness to greet
them, and to show their joy.

Geraint stood there to see whether the knight would remain in the Castle;
and when he was certain that he would do so, he looked around him; and at
a little distance from the town he saw an old palace in ruins, wherein
was a hall that was falling to decay. And as he knew not any one in the
town, he went towards the old palace; and when he came near to the
palace, he saw but one chamber, and a bridge of marble-stone leading to
it. And upon the bridge he saw sitting a hoary-headed man, upon whom
were tattered garments. And Geraint gazed steadfastly upon him for a
long time. Then the hoary-headed man spoke to him. "Young man," he
said, "wherefore art thou thoughtful?" "I am thoughtful," said he,
"because I know not where to go to-night." "Wilt thou come forward this
way, chieftain?" said he, "and thou shalt have of the best that can be
procured for thee." So Geraint went forward. And the hoary-headed man
preceded him into the hall. And in the hall he dismounted, and he left
there his horse. Then he went on to the upper chamber with the hoary-
headed man. And in the chamber he beheld an old decrepit woman, sitting
on a cushion, with old tattered garments of satin upon her; and it seemed
to him that he had never seen a woman fairer than she must have been when
in the fulness of youth. And beside her was a maiden, upon whom were a
vest and a veil, that were old, and beginning to be worn out. And truly
he never saw a maiden more full of comeliness, and grace, and beauty,
than she. And the hoary-headed man said to the maiden, "There is no
attendant for the horse of this youth but thyself." "I will render the
best service I am able," said she, "both to him and to his horse." And
the maiden disarrayed the youth, and then she furnished his horse with
straw and with corn. And she went to the hall as before, and then she
returned to the chamber. And the hoary-headed man said to the maiden,
"Go to the town," said he, "and bring hither the best that thou canst
find both of food and of liquor." "I will, gladly, Lord," said she. And
to the town went the maiden. And they conversed together, while the
maiden was at the town. And, behold! the maiden came back, and a youth
with her, bearing on his back a costrel full of good purchased mead and a
quarter of a young bullock. And in the hands of the maiden was a
quantity of white bread, and she had some manchet bread in her veil, and
she came into the chamber. "I could not obtain better than this," said
she, "nor with better should I have been trusted." "It is good enough,"
said Geraint. And they caused the meat to be boiled; and when their food
was ready, they sat down. And it was in this wise; Geraint sat between
the hoary-headed man and his wife, and the maiden served them. And they
ate and drank.

And when they had finished eating, Geraint talked with the hoary-headed
man, and he asked him in the first place, to whom belonged the Palace
that he was in. "Truly," said he, "it was I that built it, and to me
also belonged the city and the castle which thou sawest." "Alas!" said
Geraint, "how is it that thou hast lost them now?" "I lost a great
Earldom as well as these," said he, "and this is how I lost them. I had
a nephew, the son of my brother, and I took his possessions to myself;
and when he came to his strength, he demanded of me his property, but I
withheld it from him. So he made war upon me, and wrested from me all
that I possessed." "Good, Sir," {15} said Geraint, "wilt thou tell me
wherefore came the knight, and the lady, and the dwarf, just now into the
town, and what is the preparation which I saw, and the putting of arms in
order." "I will do so," said he. "The preparations are for the game
that is to be held to-morrow by the young Earl, which will be on this
wise. In the midst of a meadow which is here, two forks will be set up,
and upon the two forks a silver rod, and upon the silver rod a Sparrow-
Hawk, and for the Sparrow-Hawk there will be a tournament. And to the
tournament will go all the array thou didst see in the city, of men, and
of horses, and of arms. And with each man will go the lady he loves
best; and no man can joust for the Sparrow-Hawk, except the lady he loves
best be with him. And the knight that thou sawest has gained the Sparrow-
Hawk these two years; and if he gains it the third year, they will, from
that time, send it every year to him, and he himself will come here no
more. And he will be called the knight of the Sparrow-Hawk from that
time forth." "Sir," said Geraint, "what is thy counsel to me concerning
this knight, on account of the insult which I received from the dwarf,
and that which was received by the maiden of Gwenhwyvar, the wife of
Arthur?" And Geraint told the hoary-headed man what the insult was that
he had received. "It is not easy to counsel thee, inasmuch as thou hast
neither dame nor maiden belonging to thee, for whom thou canst joust.
Yet, I have arms here, which thou couldest have; and there is my horse
also, if he seem to thee better than thine own." "Ah! Sir," said he,
"Heaven reward thee. But my own horse, to which I am accustomed,
together with thine arms, will suffice me. And if, when the appointed
time shall come to-morrow, thou wilt permit me, Sir, to challenge for
yonder maiden that is thy daughter, I will engage, if I escape from the
tournament, to love the maiden as long as I live, and if I do not escape,
she will remain unsullied as before." "Gladly will I permit thee," said
the hoary-headed man, "and since thou dost thus resolve, it is necessary
that thy horse and arms should be ready to-morrow at break of day. For
then, the knight of the Sparrow-Hawk will make proclamation, and ask the
lady he loves best to take the Sparrow-Hawk. 'For,' will he say to her,
'thou art the fairest of women, and thou didst possess it last year, and
the year previous; and if any deny it thee to-day, by force will I defend
it for thee.' And therefore," said the hoary-headed man, "it is needful
for thee to be there at daybreak; and we three will be with thee," and
thus was it settled.

And at night, lo! {17} they went to sleep; and before the dawn they
arose, and arrayed themselves; and by the time that it was day, they were
all four in the meadow. And there was the knight of the Sparrow-Hawk
making the proclamation, and asking his ladylove to fetch the Sparrow-
Hawk. "Fetch it not," said Geraint, "for there is here a maiden, who is
fairer, and more noble, and more comely, and who has a better claim to it
than thou." "If thou maintainest the Sparrow-Hawk to be due to her, come
forward, and do battle with me." And Geraint went forward to the top of
the meadow, having upon himself and upon his horse armour which was
heavy, and rusty, and worthless, and of uncouth shape. Then they
encountered each other, and they broke a set of lances, and they broke a
second set, and a third. And thus they did at every onset, and they
broke as many lances as were brought to them. And when the Earl and his
company saw the knight of the Sparrow-Hawk gaining the mastery, there was
shouting, and joy, and mirth amongst them. And the hoary-headed man, and
his wife, and his daughter, were sorrowful. And the hoary-headed man
served Geraint lances as often as he broke them, and the dwarf served the
knight of the Sparrow-Hawk. Then the hoary-headed man came to Geraint.
"Oh! chieftain," said he, "since no other will hold with thee, behold,
here is the lance which was in my hand on the day when I received the
honour of knighthood; and from that time to this I never broke it. And
it has an excellent point." Then Geraint took the lance, thanking the
hoary-headed man. And thereupon the dwarf also brought a lance to his
lord. "Behold here is a lance for thee, not less good than his," said
the dwarf. "And bethink thee, that no knight ever withstood thee before
so long as this one has done." "I declare to Heaven," said Geraint,
"that unless death takes me quickly hence, he shall fare never the better
for thy service." And Geraint pricked his horse towards him from afar,
and warning him, he rushed upon him, and gave him a blow so severe, and
furious, and fierce, upon the face of his shield, that he cleft it in
two, and broke his armour, and burst his girths, so that both he and his
saddle were borne to the ground over the horse's crupper. And Geraint
dismounted quickly. And he was wroth, and he drew his sword, and rushed
fiercely upon him. Then the knight also arose, and drew his sword
against Geraint. And they fought on foot with their swords until their
aims struck sparks of fire like stars from one another; and thus they
continued fighting until the blood and sweat obscured the light from
their eyes. And when Geraint prevailed, the hoary-headed man, and his
wife, and his daughter were glad; and when the knight prevailed, it
rejoiced the Earl and his party. Then the hoary-headed man saw Geraint
receive a severe stroke, and he went up to him quickly, and said to him,
"Oh, chieftain, remember the treatment which thou hadst from the dwarf;
and wilt thou not seek vengeance for the insult to thyself, and for the
insult to Gwenhwyvar the wife of Arthur!" And Geraint was roused by what
he said to him, {19} and he called to him all his strength, and lifted up
his sword, and struck the knight upon the crown of his head, so that he
broke all his head armour, and cut through all the flesh and the skin,
even to the skull, until he wounded the bone.

{Picture: p18.jpg}

Then the knight fell upon his knees, and cast his sword from his hand,
and besought mercy of Geraint. "Of a truth," said he, "I relinquish my
overdaring and my pride in craving thy mercy; and unless I have time to
commit myself to Heaven for my sins, and to talk with a priest, thy mercy
will avail me little." "I will grant thee grace upon this condition,"
said Geraint, "that thou wilt go to Gwenhwyvar, the wife of Arthur, to do
her satisfaction for the insult which her maiden received from thy dwarf.
As to myself, for the insult which I received from thee and thy dwarf, I
am content with that which I have done unto thee. Dismount not from the
time thou goest hence until thou comest into the presence of Gwenhwyvar,
to make her what atonement shall be adjudged at the Court of Arthur."
"This will I do gladly. And who art thou?" said he. "I am Geraint the
son of Erbin. And declare thou also who thou art." "I am Edeyrn the son
of Nudd." Then he threw himself upon his horse, and went forward to
Arthur's Court, and the lady he loved best went before him and the dwarf,
with much lamentation. And thus far this story up to that time.

* * * * *

Then came the little Earl and his hosts to Geraint, and saluted him, and
bade him to his castle. "I may not go," said Geraint, "but where I was
last night, there will I be to-night also." "Since thou wilt none of my
inviting, thou shall have abundance of all that I can command for thee,
in the place thou wast last night. And I will order ointment for thee,
to recover thee from thy fatigues, and from the weariness that is upon
thee." "Heaven reward thee," said Geraint, "and I will go to my
lodging." And thus went Geraint, and Earl Ynywl, and his wife, and his
daughter. And when they reached the chamber, the household servants and
attendants of the young Earl had arrived at the Court, and they arranged
all the houses, dressing them with straw and with fire; and in a short
time the ointment was ready, and Geraint came there, and they washed his
head. Then came the young Earl, with forty honourable knights from among
his attendants, and those who were bidden to the tournament. And Geraint
came from the anointing. And the Earl asked him to go to the hall to
eat. "Where is the Earl Ynywl," said Geraint, "and his wife, and his
daughter?" "They are in the chamber yonder," said the Earl's
chamberlain, "arraying themselves in garments which the Earl has caused
to be brought for them." "Let not the damsel array herself," said he,
"except in her vest and her veil, until she come to the Court of Arthur,
to be clad by Gwenhwyvar, in such garments as she may choose." So the
maiden did not array herself.

Then they all entered the hall, and they washed, and went, and sat down
to meat. And thus were they seated. On one side of Geraint sat the
young Earl, and Earl Ynywl beyond him; and on the other side of Geraint
was the maiden and her mother. And after these all sat according to
their precedence in honour. And they ate. And they were served
abundantly, and they received a profusion of divers kind of gifts. Then
they conversed together. And the young Earl invited Geraint to visit him
next day. "I will not, by Heaven," said Geraint. "To the Court of
Arthur will I go with this maiden to-morrow. And it is enough for me, as
long as Earl Ynywl is in poverty and trouble; and I go chiefly to seek to
add to his maintenance." "Ah, chieftain," said the young Earl, "it is
not by my fault that Earl Ynywl is without his possessions." "By my
faith," said Geraint, "he shall not remain without them, unless death
quickly takes me hence." "Oh, chieftain," said he, "with regard to the
disagreement between me and Ynywl, I will gladly abide by thy counsel,
and agree to what thou mayest judge right between us." {22} "I but ask
thee," said Geraint, "to restore to him what is his, and what he should
have received from the time he lost his possessions, even until this
day." "That will I do gladly, for thee," answered he. "Then," said
Geraint, "whosoever is here who owes homage to Ynywl, let him come
forward, and perform it on the spot." And all the men did so. And by
that treaty they abided. And his castle, and his town, and all his
possessions, were restored to Ynywl. And he received back all that he
had lost, even to the smallest jewel.

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