Book: The Mabinogion Vol. 3 (of 3)

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



THE MABINOGION


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

{The finding of Taliesin: p0.jpg}




INTRODUCTION.


{Picture: p11.jpg}

This third volume completes the series of Mabinogion and tales translated
by Lady Charlotte Guest.

As in the two preceding volumes, I have compared Lady Guest's transcript
with the original text in the Red Book of Hergest, and with Dr Gwenogvryn
Evans' scrupulously accurate diplomatic edition. I have, as before,
revised the translation as carefully as I could. I have not altered Lady
Guest's version in the slightest degree; but I have again put in the form
of foot-notes what seems to me to be a better or a more literal
translation. The mistranslations are fairly few in number; but some of
them are quite important, such as the references to pagan baptism or to
the Irish Channel. At the end of my revision I may say that I have been
struck by the comparative accuracy of the transcript of the Red Book
which Lady Guest used, and by the accurate thoroughness with which she
translated every one of the tales.

This volume contains the oldest of the Mabinogion--the four branches of
the Mabinogion proper--and the kindred tale of Lludd and Llevelys. In
all these we are in a perfectly pagan atmosphere, neither the
introduction of Christianity nor the growth of chivalry having affected
them to any extent.

The Story of Taliesin is the only one in the series that is not found in
the Red Book of Hergest. It is taken from very much later manuscripts,
and its Welsh is much more modern. Its subject, however, is akin to that
of the Mabinogion proper; if, indeed, the contest between Elphin and the
bards is an echo of the contest between decaying Paganism and growing
Christianity.

OWEN EDWARDS.

LLANUWCHLLYN,
13_th_ _September_ 1902.




PWYLL PRINCE OF DYVED.


Pwyll, prince of Dyved, was lord of the seven Cantrevs of Dyved; and once
upon a time he was at Narberth his chief palace, and he was minded to go
and hunt, and the part of his dominions in which it pleased him to hunt
was Glyn Cuch. So he set forth from Narberth that night, and went as far
as Llwyn Diarwyd. {11a} And that night he tarried there, and early {11b}
on the morrow he rose and came to Glyn Cuch; when he let loose the dogs
in the wood, and sounded the horn, and began the chace. And as he
followed the dogs, he lost his companions; and whilst he listened to the
hounds, he heard the cry of other hounds, a cry different from his own,
and coming in the opposite direction.

And he beheld a glade in the wood forming a level plain, and as his dogs
came to the edge of the glade, he saw a stag before the other dogs. And
lo, as it reached the middle of the glade, the dogs that followed the
stag overtook it, and brought it down. Then looked he at the colour of
the dogs, staying not to look at the stag, and of all the hounds that he
had seen in the world, he had never seen any that were like unto those.
For their hair was of a brilliant shining white, and their ears were red;
and as the whiteness of their bodies shone, so did the redness of their
ears glisten. And he came towards the dogs, and drove away those that
had brought down the stag, and set his own dogs upon it.

{Picture: p13.jpg}

And as he was setting on his dogs, he saw a horseman coming towards him
upon a large light grey steed, with a hunting horn about his neck, and
clad in garments of grey woollen in the fashion of a hunting garb. And
the horseman drew near and spoke unto him thus. "Chieftain," said he, "I
know who thou art, and I greet thee not." "Peradventure," said Pwyll,
"thou art of such dignity that thou shouldest not do so." "Verily,"
answered he, "it is not my dignity that prevents me." "What is it then,
O chieftain?" asked he. "By Heaven, it is by reason of thine own
ignorance and want of courtesy." "What discourtesy, Chieftain, hast thou
seen in me?" "Greater discourtesy saw I never in man," said he, "than to
drive away the dogs that were killing the stag, and to set upon it thine
own. This was discourteous, and though I may not be revenged upon thee,
yet I declare to Heaven that I will do thee more dishonour than the value
of an hundred stags." "O chieftain," he replied, "if I have done ill I
will redeem thy friendship." "How wilt thou redeem it?" "According as
thy dignity may be, but I know not who thou art?" "A crowned King am I
in the land whence I come." "Lord," said he, "may the day prosper with
thee, and from what land comest thou?" "From Annwvyn," answered he;
"Arawn, a King of Annwvyn, {13} am I." "Lord," said he, "how may I gain
thy friendship?" "After this manner mayest thou," he said. "There is a
man whose dominions are opposite to mine, who is ever warring against me,
and he is Havgan, a King of Annwvyn, and by ridding me of this oppression
which thou canst easily do shalt thou gain my friendship." "Gladly will
I do this," said he, "show me how I may." "I will show thee. Behold
thus it is thou mayest. I will make firm friendship with thee; and this
will I do, I will send thee to Annwvyn in my stead, and I will give thee
the fairest lady thou didst ever behold, to be thy companion, and I will
put my form and semblance upon thee, so that not a page of the chamber,
nor an officer, nor any other man that has always followed me shall know
that it is not I. And this shall be for the space of a year from
to-morrow, and then will we meet in this place." "Yes," said he; "but
when I shall have been there for the space of a year, by what means shall
I discover him of whom thou speakest?" "One year from this night," he
answered, "is the time fixed between him and me, that we should meet at
the Ford; be thou there in my likeness, and with one stroke that thou
givest him, he shall no longer live. And if he ask thee to give him
another, give it not, how much soever he may entreat thee, for when I did
so, he fought with me next day as well as ever before." "Verily," said
Pwyll, "what shall I do concerning my kingdom?" Said Arawn, "I will
cause that no one in all thy dominions, neither man, nor woman, shall
know that I am not thou, and I will go there in thy stead." "Gladly
then," said Pwyll, "will I set forward." "Clear shall be thy path and
nothing shall detain thee, until thou come into my dominions, and I
myself will be thy guide!"

So he conducted him until he came in sight of the palace and its
dwellings. "Behold," said he, "the Court and the kingdom in thy power.
Enter the Court, there is no one there who will know thee, and when thou
seest {15} what service is done there, thou wilt know the customs of the
Court."

So he went forward to the Court, and when he came there, he beheld
sleeping rooms, and halls, and chambers, and the most beautiful buildings
ever seen. And he went into the hall to disarray, and there came youths
and pages and disarrayed him, and all as they entered saluted him. And
two knights came and drew his hunting dress from about him, and clothed
him in a vesture of silk and gold. And the hall was prepared, and behold
he saw the household and the host enter in, and the host was the most
comely and the best equipped that he had ever seen. And with them came
in likewise the Queen, who was the fairest woman that he ever yet beheld.
And she had on a yellow robe of shining satin; and they washed and went
to the table, and they sat, the Queen upon one side of him, and one who
seemed to be an Earl on the other side.

And he began to speak with the Queen, and he thought from her speech,
that she was the seemliest, and most noble lady of converse and of cheer
that ever was. And they partook of meat, and drink, with songs, and with
feasting; and of all the Courts upon the earth, behold this was the best
supplied with food and drink, and vessels of gold and royal jewels.

* * * * *

And the year he spent in hunting, and minstrelsy, and feasting, and
diversions, and discourse with his companions, until the night that was
fixed for the conflict. And when that night came, it was remembered even
by those who lived in the farthest part of his dominions, and he went to
the meeting, and the nobles of the kingdom with him. And when he came to
the Ford, a knight arose and spake thus, "Lords," said he, "listen well.
It is between two Kings that this meeting is, and between them only. Each
claimeth of the other his land and territory, and do all of you stand
aside and leave the fight to be between them."

{Picture: p16.jpg}

Thereupon the two Kings approached each other in the middle of the Ford,
and encountered, and at the first thrust, the man who was in the stead of
Arawn struck Havgan on the centre of the boss of his shield, so that it
was cloven in twain, and his armour was broken, and Havgan himself was
borne to the ground an arm's and a spear's length over the crupper of his
horse, and he received a deadly blow. "O Chieftain," said Havgan, "what
right hast thou to cause my death? I was not injuring thee in any thing,
and I know not wherefore thou wouldest slay me. But for the love of
Heaven, since thou hast begun to slay me, complete thy work." "Ah,
Chieftain," he replied, "I may yet repent doing that unto thee. Slay
thee who may, I will not do so." {17} "My trusty Lords," said Havgan,
"bear me hence. My death has come. I shall be no more able to uphold
you." "My Nobles," also said he who was in the semblance of Arawn, "take
counsel and know who ought to be my subjects." "Lord," said the Nobles,
"all should be, for there is no King over the whole of Annwvyn but thee."
"Yes," he replied, "it is right that he who comes humbly should be
received graciously, but he that doth not come with obedience, shall be
compelled by the force of swords." And thereupon he received the homage
of the men, and he began to conquer the country; and the next day by noon
the two kingdoms were in his power. And thereupon he went to keep his
tryst, and came to Glyn Cuch.

And when he came there, the king of Annwvyn was there to meet him, and
each of them was rejoiced to see the other. "Verily," said Arawn, "may
Heaven reward thee for thy friendship towards me, I have heard of it.
When thou comest thyself to thy dominions," said he, "thou wilt see that
which I have done for thee." "Whatever thou hast done for me, may Heaven
repay it thee."

Then Arawn gave to Pwyll Prince of Dyved his proper form and semblance,
and he himself took his own; and Arawn set forth towards the Court of
Annwvyn; and he was rejoiced when he beheld his hosts, and his household,
whom he had not seen so long; but they had not known of his absence, and
wondered no more at his coming than usual. And that day was spent in joy
and merriment; and he sat and conversed with his wife and his nobles. And
when it was time for them rather to sleep than to carouse, they went to
rest.

* * * * *

Pwyll, Prince of Dyved, came likewise to his country and dominions, and
began to enquire of the nobles of the land, how his rule had been during
the past year, compared with what it had been before. "Lord," said they,
"thy wisdom was never so great, and thou wert never so kind nor so free
in bestowing thy gifts, and thy justice was never more worthily seen than
in this year." "By Heaven," said he, "for all the good you have enjoyed,
you should thank him who hath been with you; for behold, thus hath this
matter been." And thereupon Pwyll related the whole unto them. "Verily,
Lord," said they, "render thanks unto Heaven that thou hast such a
fellowship, and withhold not from us the rule which we have enjoyed for
this year past." "I take Heaven to witness that I will not withhold it,"
answered Pwyll.

And thenceforth they made strong the friendship that was between them,
and each sent unto the other horses, and greyhounds, and hawks, and all
such jewels as they thought would be pleasing to each other. And by
reason of his having dwelt that year in Annwvyn, and having ruled there
so prosperously, and united the two kingdoms in one day by his valour and
prowess, he lost the name of Pwyll Prince of Dyved, and was called Pwyll
Chief of Annwvyn from that time forward.

* * * * *

Once upon a time, Pwyll was at Narberth his chief palace, where a feast
had been prepared for him, and with him was a great host of men. And
after the first meal, Pwyll arose to walk, and he went to the top of a
mound that was above the palace, and was called Gorsedd Arberth. "Lord,"
said one of the Court, "it is peculiar to the mound that whosoever sits
upon it cannot go thence, without either receiving wounds or blows, or
else seeing a wonder." "I fear not to receive wounds and blows in the
midst of such a host as this, but as to the wonder, gladly would I see
it. I will go therefore and sit upon the mound."

And upon the mound he sat. And while he sat there, they saw a lady, on a
pure white horse of large size, with a garment of shining gold around
her, coming along the high way that led from the mound; and the horse
seemed to move at a slow and even pace, and to be coming up towards the
mound. "My men," said Pwyll, "is there any among you who knows yonder
lady?" "There is not, Lord," said they. "Go one of you and meet her,
that we may know who she is." And one of them arose, and as he came upon
the road to meet her, she passed by, and he followed as fast as he could,
being on foot; and the greater was his speed, the further was she from
him. And when he saw that it profited him nothing to follow her, he
returned to Pwyll, and said unto him, "Lord, it is idle for any one in
the world to follow her on foot." "Verily," said Pwyll, "go unto the
palace, and take the fleetest horse that thou seest, and go after her."

And he took a horse and went forward. And he came to an open level
plain, and put spurs to his horse; and the more he urged his horse, the
further was she from him. Yet she held the same pace as at first. And
his horse began to fail; and when his horse's feet failed him, he
returned to the place where Pwyll was. "Lord," said he, "it will avail
nothing for any one to follow yonder lady. I know of no horse in these
realms swifter than this, and it availed me not to pursue her." "Of a
truth," said Pwyll, "there must be some illusion here. Let us go towards
the palace." So to the palace they went, and they spent that day. And
the next day they arose, and that also they spent until it was time to go
to meat. And after the first meal, "Verily," said Pwyll, "we will go the
same party as yesterday to the top of the mound. And do thou," said he
to one of his young men, "take the swiftest horse that thou knowest in
the field." And thus did the young man. And they went towards the
mound, taking the horse with them. And as they were sitting down they
beheld the lady on the same horse, and in the same apparel, coming along
the same road. "Behold," said Pwyll, "here is the lady of yesterday.
Make ready, youth, to learn who she is." "My Lord," said he, "that will
I gladly do." And thereupon the lady came opposite to them. So the
youth mounted his horse; and before he had settled himself in his saddle,
she passed by, and there was a clear space between them. But her speed
was no greater than it had been the day before. Then he put his horse
into an amble, and thought that notwithstanding the gentle pace at which
his horse went, he should soon overtake her. But this availed him not;
so he gave his horse the reins. And still he came no nearer to her than
when he went at a foot's pace. And the more he urged his horse, the
further was she from him. Yet she rode not faster than before. When he
saw that it availed not to follow her, he returned to the place where
Pwyll was. "Lord," said he, "the horse can no more than thou hast seen."
"I see indeed that it avails not that any one should follow her. And by
Heaven," said he, "she must needs have an errand to some one in this
plain, if her haste would allow her to declare it. Let us go back to the
palace." And to the palace they went, and they spent that night in songs
and feasting, as it pleased them.

And the next day they amused themselves until it was time to go to meat.
And when meat was ended, Pwyll said, "Where are the hosts that went
yesterday and the day before to the top of the mound?" "Behold, Lord, we
are here," said they. "Let us go," said he, "to the mound, to sit there.
And do thou," said he to the page who tended his horse, "saddle my horse
well, and hasten with him to the road, and bring also my spurs with
thee." And the youth did thus. And they went and sat upon the mound;
and ere they had been there but a short time, they beheld the lady coming
by the same road, and in the same manner, and at the same pace. "Young
man," said Pwyll, "I see the lady coming; give me my horse." And no
sooner had he mounted his horse than she passed him. And he turned after
her and followed her. And he let his horse go bounding playfully, and
thought that at the second step or the third he should come up with her.
But he came no nearer to her than at first. Then he urged his horse to
his utmost speed, yet he found that it availed nothing to follow her.
Then said Pwyll, "O maiden, for the sake of him whom thou best lovest,
stay for me." "I will stay gladly," said she, "and it were better for
thy horse hadst thou asked it long since." So the maiden stopped, and
she threw back that part of her head dress which covered her face. And
she fixed her eyes upon him, and began to talk with him. "Lady," asked
he, "whence comest thou, and whereunto dost thou journey?" "I journey on
mine own errand," said she, "and right glad am I to see thee." "My
greeting be unto thee," said he. Then he thought that the beauty of all
the maidens, and all the ladies that he had ever seen, was as nothing
compared to her beauty. "Lady," he said, "wilt thou tell me aught
concerning thy purpose?" "I will tell thee," said she. "My chief quest
was to seek thee." "Behold," said Pwyll, "this is to me the most
pleasing quest on which thou couldst have come; and wilt thou tell me who
thou art?" "I will tell thee, Lord," said she, "I am Rhiannon, the
daughter of Heveydd Hen, and they sought to give me to a husband against
my will. But no husband would I have, and that because of my love for
thee, neither will I yet have one unless thou reject me. And hither have
I come to hear thy answer." "By Heaven," said Pwyll, "behold this is my
answer. If I might choose among all the ladies and damsels in the world,
thee would I choose." "Verily," said she, "If thou art thus minded, make
a pledge to meet me ere I am given to another." "The sooner I may do so,
the more pleasing will it be unto me," said Pwyll, "and wheresoever thou
wilt, there will I meet with thee." "I will that thou meet me this day
twelvemonth at the palace of Heveydd. And I will cause a feast to be
prepared, so that it be ready against thou come." "Gladly," said he,
"will I keep this tryst." "Lord," said she, "remain in health, and be
mindful that thou keep thy promise; and now will I go hence." So they
parted, and he went back to his hosts and to them of his household. And
whatsoever questions they asked him respecting the damsel, he always
turned the discourse upon other matters. And when a year from that time
was gone, he caused a hundred knights to equip themselves and to go with
him to the palace of Heveydd Hen. And he came to the palace, and there
was great joy concerning him, with much concourse of people and great
rejoicing, and vast preparations for his coming. And the whole court was
placed under his orders.

And the hall was garnished and they went to meat, and thus did they sit;
Heveydd Hen was on one side of Pwyll, and Rhiannon on the other. And all
the rest according to their rank. And they eat and feasted and talked
one with another, and at the beginning of the carousal after the meat,
there entered a tall auburn-haired youth, of royal bearing, clothed in a
garment of satin. And when he came into the hall, he saluted Pwyll and
his companions. "The greeting of Heaven be unto thee, my soul," said
Pwyll, "come thou and sit down." "Nay," said he, "a suitor am I, and I
will do mine errand." "Do so willingly," said Pwyll. "Lord," said he,
"my errand is unto thee, and it is to crave a boon of thee that I come."
"What boon soever thou mayest ask of me, as far as I am able, thou shall
have." "Ah," said Rhiannon, "Wherefore didst thou give that answer?"
"Has he not given it before the presence of these nobles?" asked the
youth. "My soul," said Pwyll, "what is the boon thou askest?" "The lady
whom best I love is to be thy bride this night; I come to ask her of
thee, with the feast and the banquet that are in this place." And Pwyll
was silent because of the answer which he had given. "Be silent as long
as thou wilt," said Rhiannon. "Never did man make worse use of his wits
than thou hast done." "Lady," said he, "I knew not who he was." "Behold,
this is the man to whom they would have given me against my will," said
she. "And he is Gwawl the son of Clud, a man of great power and wealth,
and because of the word thou hast spoken, bestow me upon him lest shame
befall thee." "Lady," said he, "I understand not thine answer. Never
can I do as thou sayest." "Bestow me upon him," said she, "and I will
cause that I shall never be his." "By what means will that be?" asked
Pwyll. "In thy hand will I give thee a small bag," said she. "See that
thou keep it well, and he will ask of thee the banquet, and the feast,
and the preparations which are not in thy power. Unto the hosts and the
household will I give the feast. And such will be thy answer respecting
this. And as concerns myself, I will engage to become his bride this
night twelvemonth. And at the end of the year be thou here," said she,
"and bring this bag with thee, and let thy hundred knights be in the
orchard up yonder. And when he is in the midst of joy and feasting, come
thou in by thyself, clad in ragged garments, and holding thy bag in thy
hand, and ask nothing but a bagfull of food, and I will cause that if all
the meat and liquor that are in these seven Cantrevs were put into it, it
would be no fuller than before. And after a great deal has been put
therein, he will ask thee, whether thy bag will ever be full. Say thou
then that it never will, until a man of noble birth and of great wealth
arise and press the food in the bag, with both his feet saying, 'Enough
has been put therein;' and I will cause him to go and tread down the food
in the bag, and when he does so, turn thou the bag, so that he shall be
up over his head in it, and then slip a knot upon the thongs of the bag.
Let there be also a good bugle horn about thy neck, and as soon as thou
hast bound him in the bag, wind thy horn, and let it be a signal between
thee and thy knights. And when they hear the sound of the horn, let them
come down upon the palace." "Lord," said Gwawl, "it is meet that I have
an answer to my request." "As much of that thou hast asked as it is in
my power to give, thou shalt have," replied Pwyll. "My soul," said
Rhiannon unto him, "as for the feast and the banquet that are here, I
have bestowed them upon the men of Dyved, and the household, and the
warriors that are with us. These can I not suffer to be given to any. In
a year from to-night a banquet shall be prepared for thee in this palace,
that I may become thy bride."

So Gwawl went forth to his possessions, and Pwyll went also back to
Dyved. And they both spent that year until it was the time for the feast
at the palace of Heveydd Hen. Then Gwawl the son of Clud set out to the
feast that was prepared for him, and he came to the palace, and was
received there with rejoicing. Pwyll, also, the chief of Annwn came to
the orchard with his hundred knights, as Rhiannon had commanded him,
having the bag with him. And Pwyll was clad in coarse and ragged
garments, and wore large clumsy old shoes upon his feet. And when he
knew that the carousal after the meat had begun, he went towards the
hall, and when he came into the hall, he saluted Gwawl the son of Clud,
and his company, both men and women. "Heaven prosper thee," said Gwawl,
"and the greeting of Heaven be unto thee." "Lord," said he, "May Heaven
reward thee, I have an errand unto thee." "Welcome be thine errand, and
if thou ask of me that which is just, thou shalt have it gladly." "It is
fitting," answered he. {26} "I crave but from want, and the boon that I
ask is to have this small bag that thou seest filled with meat." "A
request within reason is this," said he, "and gladly shalt thou have it.
Bring him food." A great number of attendants arose and begun to fill
the bag, but for all that they put into it, it was no fuller than at
first. "My soul," said Gwawl, "will thy bag be ever full?" "It will
not, I declare to Heaven," said he, "for all that may be put into it,
unless one possessed of lands, and domains, and treasure, shall arise and
tread down with both his feet the food that is within the bag, and shall
say, 'Enough has been put herein.'" Then said Rhiannon unto Gwawl the
son of Clud, "Rise up quickly." "I will willingly arise," said he. So
he rose up, and put his two feet into the bag. And Pwyll turned up the
sides of the bag, so that Gwawl was over his head in it. And he shut it
up quickly and slipped a knot upon the thongs, and blew his horn. And
thereupon behold his household came down upon the palace. And they
seized all the host that had come with Gwawl, and cast them into his own
prison. And Pwyll threw off his rags, and his old shoes, and his
tattered array; and as they came in, every one of Pwyll's knights struck
a blow upon the bag, and asked, "What is here?" "A Badger," said they.
And in this manner they played, each of them striking the bag, either
with his foot or with a staff. And thus played they with the bag. Every
one as he came in asked, "What game are you playing at thus?" "The game
of Badger in the Bag," said they. And then was the game of Badger in the
Bag first played.

Copyright (c) 2007. knowncrafts.net. All rights reserved.