The Mabinogion Vol. 3 by Sir Owen Morgan Edwards and Lady Charlotte Schreiber (classic fiction TXT) 📕

be that he will refuse you,” said he.  “My journey will not be evil, lord,” said he, “I will not come back without the swine.”  “Gladly,” said he, “go thou forward.”

So he and Gilvaethwy went, and ten other men with them.  And they came into Ceredigiawn, to the place that is now called Rhuddlan Teivi, where the palace of Pryderi was.  In the guise of bards they came in, and they were received joyfully, and Gwydion was placed beside Pryderi that night.

“Of a truth,” said Pryderi, “gladly would I have a tale from some of your men yonder.”  “Lord,” p. 83said Gwydion, “we have a custom that the first night that we come to the court of a great man, the chief of song recites.  Gladly will I relate a tale.”  Now Gwydion was the best teller of tales in the world, and he diverted all the court that night with pleasant discourse and with tales, so that he charmed every one in the court, and it pleased Pryderi to talk with him.

And after this, “Lord,” said he unto Pryderi, “were it more pleasing to thee, that another should discharge my errand unto thee, than that I should tell thee myself what it is?”  “No,” he answered, “ample speech hast thou.”  “Behold, then, lord,” said he, “my errand.  It is to crave from thee the animals that were sent thee from Annwn.”  “Verily,” he replied, “that were the easiest thing in the world to grant, were there not a covenant between me and my land concerning them.  And the covenant is that they shall not go from me, until they have produced double their number in the land.”  “Lord,” said he, “I can set thee free from these words, and this is the way I can do so; give me not the swine to-night, neither refuse them unto me, and to-morrow I will show thee an exchange for them.”

And that night he and his fellows went unto their lodging, and they took counsel.  “Ah, my men,” said he, “we shall not have the swine for the asking.”  “Well,” said they, “how may they be obtained?”  “I will cause them to be obtained,” said Gwydion.

Then he betook himself to his arts, and began to work a charm.  And he caused twelve chargers to appear, and twelve black greyhounds, each of them white breasted, and having upon them twelve collars and twelve leashes, such as no one that saw them could know to be other than gold.  And upon the p. 84horses twelve saddles, and every part which should have been of iron was entirely of gold, and the bridles were of the same workmanship.  And with the horses and the dogs he came to Pryderi.

“Good day unto thee, lord,” said he.  “Heaven prosper thee,” said the other, “and greetings be unto thee.”  “Lord,” said he, “behold here is a release for thee from the word which thou spakest last evening concerning the swine; that thou wouldest neither give nor sell them.  Thou mayest exchange them for that which is better.  And I will give these twelve horses, all caparisoned as they are, with their saddles and their bridles, and these twelve greyhounds, with their collars and their leashes as thou seest, and the p. 85twelve gilded shields that thou beholdest yonder.”  Now these he had formed of fungus.  “Well,” said he, “we will take counsel.”  And they consulted together, and determined to give the swine to Gwydion, and to take his horses and his dogs and his shields.

Then Gwydion and his men took their leave, and began to journey forth with the pigs.  “Ah, my comrades,” said Gwydion, “it is needful that we journey with speed.  The illusion will not last but from the one hour to the same to-morrow.”

And that night they journeyed as far as the upper part of Ceredigiawn, to the place which, from that cause, is called Mochdrev still.  And the next day they took their course through Melenydd, and came that night to the town which is likewise for that reason called Mochdrev, between Keri and Arwystli.  And thence they journeyed forward; and that night they came as far as that Commot in Powys, which also upon account thereof is called Mochnant, and there tarried they that night.  And they journeyed thence to the Cantrev of Rhos, and the place where they were that night is still called Mochdrev.

“My men,” said Gwydion, “we must push forward to the fastnesses of Gwynedd with these animals, for there is a gathering of hosts in pursuit of us.”  So they journeyed on to the highest town of Arllechwedd, and there they made a sty for the swine, and therefore was the name of Creuwyryon given to that town.  And after they had made the sty for the swine, they proceeded to Math the son of Mathonwy, at Caerdathyl.  And when they came there, the country was rising.  “What news is there here?” asked Gwydion.  “Pryderi is assembling one and p. 86twenty Cantrevs to pursue after you,” answered they.  “It is marvellous that you should have journeyed so slowly.”  “Where are the animals whereof you went in quest?” said Math.  “They have had a sty made for them in the other Cantrev below,” said Gwydion.

Thereupon, lo! they heard the trumpets and the host in the land, and they arrayed themselves and set forward and came to Penardd in Arvon.

And at night Gwydion the son of Don, and Gilvaethwy his brother, returned to Caerdathyl; and Gilvaethwy took Math the son of Mathonwy’s couch.  And while he turned out the other damsels from the room discourteously, he made Goewin unwillingly remain.

And when they saw the day on the morrow, they went back unto the place where Math the son of Mathonwy was with his host; and when they came there, the warriors were taking counsel in what district they should await the coming of Pryderi, and the men of the South.  So they went in to the council.  And it was resolved to wait in the strongholds of Gwynedd, in Arvon.  So within the two Maenors they took their stand, Maenor Penardd and Maenor Coed Alun.  And there Pryderi attacked them, and there the combat took place.  And great was the slaughter on both sides; but the men of the South were forced to flee.  And they fled unto the place which is still called Nantcall.  And thither did they follow them, and they made a vast slaughter of them there, so that they fled again as far as the place called Dol Pen Maen, and there they halted and sought to make peace.

And that he might have peace, Pryderi gave hostages, Gwrgi Gwastra gave he and three and p. 87twenty others, sons of nobles.  And after this they journeyed in peace even unto Traeth Mawr; but as they went on together towards Melenryd, the men on foot could not be restrained from shooting.  Pryderi despatched unto Math an embassy to pray him to forbid his people, and to leave it between him and Gwydion the son of Don, for that he had caused all this.  And the messengers came to Math.  “Of a truth,” said Math, “I call Heaven to witness, if it be pleasing unto Gwydion the son of Don, I will so leave it gladly.  Never will I compel any to go to fight, but that we ourselves should do our utmost.”

“Verily,” said the messengers, “Pryderi saith that it were more fair that the man who did him this wrong should oppose his own body to his, and let his people remain unscathed.”  “I declare to Heaven, I will not ask the men of Gwynedd to fight because of me.  If I am allowed to fight Pryderi myself, gladly will I oppose my body to his.”  And this answer they took back to Pryderi.  “Truly,” said Pryderi, “I shall require no one to demand my rights but myself.”

Then these two came forth and armed themselves, and they fought.  And by force of strength, and fierceness, and by the magic and charms of Gwydion, Pryderi was slain.  And at Maen Tyriawc, [87] above Melenryd, was he buried, and there is his grave.

And the men of the South set forth in sorrow towards their own land; nor is it a marvel that they should grieve, seeing that they had lost their lord, and many of their best warriors, and for the most part, their horses and their arms.

The men of Gwynedd went back joyful and in p. 88triumph.  “Lord,” said Gwydion unto Math, “would it not be right for us to release the hostages of the men of the South, which they pledged unto us for peace? for we ought not to put them in prison.”  “Let them then be set free,” said Math.  So that youth, and the other hostages that were with him, were set free to follow the men of the South.

Math himself went forward to Caerdathyl.  Gilvaethwy the son of Don, and they of the household that were with him went to make the circuit of Gwynedd as they were wont, without coming to the court.  Math went into his chamber, and caused a place to be prepared for him whereon to recline, so that he might put his feet in the maiden’s lap.  “Lord,” said Goewin, “seek now another [88] to hold thy feet, for I am now a wife.”  “What meaneth this?” said he.  “An attack, lord, was made unawares upon me; but I held not my peace, and there was no one in the court who knew not of it.  Now the attack was made by thy nephews, lord, the sons of thy sister, Gwydion the son of Don, and Gilvaethwy the son of Don; unto me they did wrong, and unto thee dishonour.”  “Verily,” he exclaimed, “I will do to the utmost of my power concerning this matter.  But first I will cause thee to have compensation, and then will I have amends made unto myself.  As for thee, I will take thee to be my wife, and the possession of my dominions will I give unto thy hands.”

And Gwydion and Gilvaethwy came not near the court, but stayed in the confines of the land until it was forbidden to give them meat and drink.  At first they came not near unto Math, but at last they came.  “Lord,” said they, “Good day to thee.”  “Well,” p. 89said he, “is it to make me compensation that ye are come?”  “Lord,” they said, “we are at thy will.”  “By my will I would not have lost my warriors, and so many arms as I have done.  You cannot compensate me my shame, setting aside the death of Pryderi.  But since ye come hither to be at my will, I shall begin your punishment forthwith.”

Then he took his magic wand, and struck Gilvaethwy, so that he became a deer, and he seized upon the other hastily lest he should escape from him.  And he struck him with the same magic wand, and he became a deer also.  “Since now ye are in bonds, I will that ye go forth together and be companions, and possess the nature of the animals whose form ye bear.  And this day twelvemonth come hither unto me.”

At the end of a year from that day, lo there was a loud noise under the chamber wall, and the barking of the dogs of the palace together with the noise.  “Look,” said he, “what is without.”  “Lord,” said one, “I have looked; there are there two deer, and a fawn with them.”  Then he arose and went out.  And when he came he beheld the three animals.  And he lifted up his wand.  “As ye were deer last year, be ye wild hogs each and either of you, for the year that is to come.”  And thereupon he struck them with the magic wand.  “The young one will I take and cause to be