in."
"Didst thou inquire of them if they possessed any art?"
"I did inquire," said he; "and one told me that he was well skilled in
the burnishing of swords."
"We have need of him, then. For some time have I sought for some one to
polish my sword, and could find no one. Let this man enter, since he
brings with him his craft."
The porter thereupon returned, and opened the gate. And Kai went in by
himself, and he saluted Gwrnach the Giant. And a chair was placed for
him opposite to Gwrnach. And Gwrnach said to him, "O man! is it true
that is reported of thee,--that thou knowest how to burnish swords?"
"I know full well how to do so," answered Kai.
Then was the sword of Gwrnach brought to him. And Kai took a blue
whetstone from under his arm, and asked him whether he would have it
burnished white or blue.
"Do with it as it seems good to thee, and as thou would'st if it were
thine own."
Then Kai polished one-half of the blade, and put it in his hand. "Will
this please thee?" asked he.
"I would rather than all that is in my dominions that the whole of
it were like unto this. It is a marvel to me that such a man as thou
should be without a companion."
"O noble sir! I have a companion, albeit he is not skilled in this art."
"Who may he be?"
"Let the porter go forth, and I will tell him whereby he may know him.
The head of his lance will leave its shaft, and draw blood from the
wind, and will descend upon its shaft again."
Then the gate was opened, and Bedwyr entered. And Kai said, "Bedwyr is
very skilful, although he knows not this art."
And there was much discourse among those who were without, because that
Kai and Bedwyr had gone in. And a young man who was with them, the
only son of Custennin the herdsman, got in also. And he caused all his
companions to keep close to him as he passed the three wards, and until
he came into the midst of the castle. And his companions said unto the
son of Custennin, "Thou hast done this: thou art the best of all men."
And thenceforth he was called Goreu, the son of Custennin. Then they
dispersed to their lodgings, that they might slay those who lodged
therein, unknown to the Giant.
The sword was now polished, and Kai gave it unto the hand of Gwrnach
the Giant, to see if he were pleased with his work. And the Giant said,
"The work is good: I am content therewith."
Said Kai, "It is thy scabbard that hath rusted thy sword. Give it to
me, that I may take out the wooden sides of it, and put in new ones."
And he took the scabbard from him, and the sword in the other hand.
And he came and stood over against the Giant, as if he would have put
the sword into the scabbard; and with it he struck at the head of
the Giant, and cut off his head at one blow. Then they despoiled the
castle, and took from it what goods and jewels they would. And again
on the same day, at the beginning of the year, they came to Arthur's
court, bearing with them the sword of Gwrnach the Giant.
Now, when they told Arthur how they had sped, Arthur said, "Which of
these marvels will it be best for us to seek first?"
"It will be best," said they, "to seek Mabon, the son of Modron; and
he will not be found, unless we first find Eidoel, the son of Aer, his
kinsman."
Then Arthur rose up, and the warriors of the islands of Britain with
him, to seek for Eidoel; and they proceeded until they came before the
Castle of Glivi, where Eidoel was imprisoned. Glivi stood on the summit
of his castle, and he said, "Arthur, what requirest thou of me, since
nothing remains to me in this fortress, and I have neither joy nor
pleasure in it, neither wheat nor oats? Seek not therefore to do me
harm."
Said Arthur, "Not to injure thee came I hither, but to seek for the
prisoner that is with thee."
"I will give thee my prisoner, though I had not thought to give him up
to any one, and therewith shalt thou have my support and my aid."
His followers said unto Arthur, "Lord, go thou home: thou canst not
proceed with thy host in quest of such small adventures as these."
Then said Arthur, "It were well for thee, Gwrhyr Gwalstawd Ieithoedd,
to go upon this quest; for thou knowest all languages, and art familiar
with those of the birds and the beasts. Thou, Eidoel, oughtest likewise
to go with my men in search of thy cousin. And as for you, Kai and
Bedwyr, I have hope of whatever adventure ye are in quest of, that ye
will achieve it. Achieve ye this adventure for me."
They went forward until they came to the Ousel of Cilgwri. And Gwrhyr
adjured her for the sake of Heaven, saying, "Tell me if thou knowest
aught of Mabon, the son of Modron, who was taken, when three nights
old, from between his mother and the wall."
And the Ousel answered, "When I first came here, there was a smith's
anvil in this place, and I was then a young bird. And from that time no
work has been done upon it, save the pecking of my beak every evening;
and now there is not so much as the size of a nut remaining thereof;
yet the vengeance of Heaven be upon me, if, during all that time, I
have ever heard of the man for whom you inquire. Nevertheless I will
do that which is right, and that which it is fitting that I should do
for an embassy from Arthur. There is a race of animals who were formed
before me, and I will be your guide to them."
So they proceeded to the place where was the Stag of Redynvre. "Stag of
Redynvre, behold, we are come to thee, an embassy from Arthur; for we
have not heard of any animal older than thou. Say, knowest thou aught
of Mabon, the son of Modron, who was taken from his mother when three
nights old?"
The Stag said, "When first I came hither, there was a plain all around
me, without any trees save one oak sapling, which grew up to be an oak
with an hundred branches. And that oak has since perished; so that now
nothing remains of it but the withered stump. And from that day to
this I have been here; yet have I never heard of the man for whom you
inquire. Nevertheless, being an embassy from Arthur, I will be your
guide to the place where there is an animal which was formed before I
was."
So they proceeded to the place where was the Owl of Cwm Cawlwyd. "Owl
of Cwm Cawlwyd, here is an embassy from Arthur. Knowest thou aught of
Mabon, the son of Modron, who was taken, after three nights, from his
mother?"
"If I knew, I would tell you. When first I came hither, the wide
valley you see was a wooded glen. And a race of men came and rooted
it up. And there grew there a second wood; and this wood is the third.
My wings, are they not withered stumps? Yet all this time, even
until to-day, I have never heard of the man for whom you inquire.
Nevertheless, I will be the guide of Arthur's embassy until you come to
the place where is the oldest animal in this world, and the one that
has travelled most,--the Eagle of Gwern Abwy."
Gwrhyr said, "Eagle of Gwern Abwy, we have come to thee, an embassy
from Arthur, to ask thee if thou knowest aught of Mabon, the son of
Modron, who was taken from his mother when he was three nights old."
The Eagle said, "I have been here for a great space of time, and when I
first came hither there was a rock here, from the top of which I pecked
at the stars every evening; and now it is not so much as a span high.
From that day to this I have been here, and I have never heard of the
man for whom you inquire, except once, when I went in search of food
as far as Llyn Llyw. And when I came there, I struck my talons into a
salmon, thinking he would serve me as food for a long time. But he drew
me into the deep, and I was scarcely able to escape from him. After
that, I went with my whole kindred to attack him, and to try to destroy
him; but he sent messengers, and made peace with me, and came and
besought me to take fifty fish spears out of his back. Unless he know
something of him whom you seek, I cannot tell who may. However, I will
guide you to the place where he is."
So they went thither; and the Eagle said, "Salmon of Llyn Llyw, I have
come to thee with an embassy from Arthur, to ask thee if thou knowest
aught concerning Mabon, the son of Modron, who was taken away at three
nights old from his mother."
"As much as I know I will tell thee. With every tide I go along the
river upwards until I come near to the walls of Gloucester, and there
have I found such wrong as I never found elsewhere. And to the end that
ye may give credence thereto let one of you go thither upon each of my
two shoulders."
So Kai and Gwrhyr Gwalstawd Ieithoedd went upon the two shoulders of
the salmon, and they proceeded until they came unto the wall of the
prison, and they heard a great wailing and lamenting from the dungeon.
Said Gwrhyr, "Who is it that laments in this house of stone?"
"Alas! there is reason enough for whoever is here to lament. It is
Mabon, the son of Modron, who is here imprisoned; and no imprisonment
was ever so grievous as mine,--neither that of Lludd Llaw Ereint, nor
that of Greid, the son of Eri."
"Hast thou hope of being released for gold, or for silver, or for any
gifts of wealth, or through battle and fighting?"
"By fighting will whatever I may gain be obtained."
Then they went thence, and returned to Arthur, and they told him where
Mabon, the son of Modron, was imprisoned. And Arthur summoned the
warriors of the island, and they journeyed as far as Gloucester, to
the place where Mabon was in prison. Kai and Bedwyr went upon the
shoulders of the fish, whilst the warriors of Arthur attacked the
castle. And Kai broke through the wall into the dungeon, and brought
away the prisoner upon his back whilst the fight was going on between
the warriors. And Arthur returned home, and Mabon with him at liberty.
* * * * *
Said Arthur, "Which of the marvels will it be best for us now to seek
first?"
"It will be best to seek for the two cubs of Gast Rhymhi."
"Is it known," asked Arthur, "where she is?"
"She is in Aber Deu Cleddyf," said one.
Then Arthur went to the house of Tringad in Aber Cleddyf, and he
inquired of him whether he had heard of her there.
"In what form may she be?"
"She is in the form of a she-wolf," said he; "and with her there are
two cubs."
"She has often slain my herds, and she is there below in a cave in Aber
Cleddyf."
So Arthur went in his ship Prydwen, by sea, and the others went by
land, to hunt her. And they surrounded her and her two cubs, and God
did change them again for Arthur into their own form. And the host of
Arthur dispersed themselves into parties of one and two.
On a certain day, as Gwythyr, the son of Greidawl, was walking over a
mountain, he heard a wailing and a grievous cry. And when he heard it
he sprang forward, and went towards it. And when he came there he drew
his sword, and smote off an ant-hill close to the earth, whereby it
escaped being burned in the fire. And the ants said to him, "Receive
from us the blessing of Heaven, and that which no man can give we will
give thee."
Then they fetched the nine bushels of flaxseed which Yspaddaden Penkawr
had required of Kilhwch, and they brought the full measure without
lacking any, except one flaxseed, and that the lame pismire brought in
before night.
* * * * *
As Kai and Bedwyr sat on a beacon cairn on the summit of Plinlimmon, in
the highest wind that ever was in the world, they looked around them,
and saw a great smoke towards the south afar off which did not bend
with the wind. Then said Kai, "By the hand of my friend, behold, yonder
is the fire of a robber!"
Then they hastened towards the smoke, and they came so near to it that
they could see Dillus Varvawc scorching a wild boar.
"Behold, yonder is the greatest robber that ever fled from Arthur,"
said Bedwyr unto Kai. "Dost thou know him?"
"I do know him," answered Kai. "He is Dillus Varvawc; and no leash in
the world will be able to hold Drudwyn, the cub of Greid, the son
of Eri, save a leash made from the beard of him thou seest yonder.
And even that will be useless, unless his beard be plucked alive with
wooden tweezers; for if dead it will be brittle."
"What thinkest thou that we should do concerning this?" said Bedwyr.
"Let us suffer him," said Kai, "to eat as much as he will of the meat,
and after that he will fall asleep."
And during that time they employed themselves in making the wooden
tweezers. And when Kai knew certainly that he was asleep he made a pit
under his feet, the largest in the world, and he struck him a violent
blow, and squeezed him into the pit. And there they twitched out his
beard completely with the wooden tweezers; and after that they slew him
altogether.
And from thence they both went to Gelli Wic in Cornwall, and took the
leash made of Dillus Varvawc's beard with them, and they gave it into
Arthur's hand. Then Arthur composed this Englyn:--
Kai made a leash
Of Dillus son of Eurei's beard.
Were he alive, thy death he'd be.
And thereupon Kai was wroth, so that the warriors of the island could
scarcely make peace between Kai and Arthur. And thenceforth, neither
in Arthur's troubles, nor for the slaying of his men, would Kai come
forward to his aid forever after.
Said Arthur, "Which of the marvels is it best for us now to seek?"
"It is best for us to seek Drudwyn, the cub of Greid, the son of Eri."
A little while before this, Creiddylad, the daughter of Lludd Llaw
Ereint, and Gwythyr, the son of Greidawl, were betrothed. And, before
she had become his bride, Gwyn ap Nudd came and carried her away by
force; and Gwythyr, the son of Greidawl, gathered his host together,
and went to fight with Gwyn ap Nudd. But Gwyn overcame him, and
captured Greid, the son of Eri, and Glinneu, the son of Taran, and
Gwrgwst Ledlwm, and Dynvarth, his son. And he captured Penn, the son of
Nethawg, and Nwython, and Kyledyr Wyllt, his son.
When Arthur heard of this, he went to the North, and summoned Gwyn ap
Nudd before him, and set free the nobles whom he had put in prison,
and made peace between Gwyn ap Nudd, and Gwythyr, the son of Greidawl.
And this was the peace that was made: that the maiden should remain
in her father's house, without advantage to either of them; and that
Gwyn ap Nudd, and Gwythyr, the son of Griedawl, should fight for her
every first of May, from thenceforth until the day of doom; and that
whichever of them should then be conqueror should have the maiden.
And, when Arthur had thus reconciled these chieftains, he obtained
Mygdwn, Gweddw's horse, and the leash of Cwrs Cant Ewin.
And after that Arthur went into Armorica, and with him Mabon, the son
of Mellt, and Gware Gwallt Euryn, to seek the two dogs of Glythmyr
Ledewic. And when he had got them, he went to the west of Ireland in
search of Gwrgi Severi; and Odgar, the son of Aedd, King of Ireland,
went with him. And thence went Arthur into the North, and captured
Kyledyr Wyllt; and he went after Yskithyrwyn Benbaedd. And Mabon, the
son of Mellt, came with the two dogs of Glythmyr Ledewic in his hand,
and Drudwyn, the cub of Greid, the son of Eri. And Arthur went himself
to the chase, leading his own dog, Cavall. And Kaw of North Britain
mounted Arthur's mare, Llamrei, and was first in the attack. Then Kaw
of North Britain wielded a mighty axe, and absolutely daring he came
valiantly up to the boar, and clave his head in twain. And Kaw took
away the tusk. Now the boar was not slain by the dogs that Yspaddaden
had mentioned, but by Cavall, Arthur's own dog.
And after Yskithyrwyn Benbaedd was killed, Arthur and his host
departed to Gelli Wic in Cornwall. And thence he sent Menw, the son of
Teirgwaedd, to see if the precious things were between the two ears of
Twrch Trwyth, since it were useless to encounter him if they were not
there. Albeit it was certain where he was, for he had laid waste the
third part of Ireland. And Menw went to seek for him, and he met with
him in Ireland, in Esgeir Oervel. And Menw took the form of a bird; and
he descended upon the top of his lair, and strove to snatch away one of
the precious things from him; but he carried away nothing but one of
his bristles. And the boar rose up angrily, and shook himself so that
some of his venom fell upon Menw, and he was never well from that day
forward.
After this, Arthur sent an embassy to Odgar, the son of Aedd, King
of Ireland, to ask for the caldron of Diwrnach Wyddel, his purveyor.
And Odgar commanded him to give it. But Diwrnach said, "Heaven is my
witness, if it would avail him any thing even to look at it, he should
not do so."
And the embassy of Arthur returned from Ireland with this denial. And
Arthur set forward with a small retinue, and entered into Prydwen, his
ship, and went over to Ireland. And they proceeded into the house of
Diwrnach Wyddel. And the hosts of Odgar saw their strength. When they
had eaten and drunk as much as they desired, Arthur demanded to have
the caldron. And he answered, "If I would have given it to any one, I
would have given it at the word of Odgar, King of Ireland."
When he had given them this denial, Bedwyr arose, and seized hold of
the caldron, and placed it upon the back of Hygwyd, Arthur's servant,
who was brother, by the mother's side, to Arthur's servant, Cachamwri.
His office was always to carry Arthur's caldron, and to place fire
under it. And Llenlleawg Wyddel seized Caledvwlch, and brandished it.
And they slew Diwrnach Wyddel and his company. Then came the Irish, and
fought with them. And when he had put them to flight Arthur with his
men went forward to the ship, carrying away the caldron full of Irish
money. And he disembarked at the house of Llwydden, the son of Kelcoed,
at Porth Kerddin in Dyved. And there is the measure of the caldron.
Then Arthur summoned unto him all the warriors that were in the three
islands of Britain and in the three islands adjacent, and all that were
in France and in Armorica, in Normandy, and in the Summer Country, and
all that were chosen footmen and valiant horsemen. And with all these
he went into Ireland. And in Ireland there was great fear and terror
concerning him. And when Arthur had landed in the country, there came
unto him the saints of Ireland, and besought his protection. And he
granted his protection unto them, and they gave him their blessing.
Then the men of Ireland came unto Arthur, and brought him provisions.
And Arthur went as far as Esgeir Oervel, in Ireland, to the place where
the Boar Trwyth was with his seven young pigs. And the dogs were let
loose upon him from all sides. That day until evening the Irish fought
with him: nevertheless, he laid waste the fifth part of Ireland. And on
the day following, the household of Arthur fought with him, and they
were worsted by him, and got no advantage. And the third day Arthur
himself encountered him, and he fought with him nine nights and nine
days, without so much as killing even one little pig. The warriors
inquired of Arthur what was the origin of that swine; and he told them
that he was once a king, and that God had transformed him into a swine
for his sins.
Then Arthur sent Gwrhyr Gwalstawt Ieithoedd to endeavor to speak with
him. And Gwrhyr assumed the form of a bird, and alighted upon the
top of the lair, where he was with the seven young pigs. And Gwrhyr
Gwalstawt Ieithoedd asked him, "By him who turned you into this form,
if you can speak, let some one of you, I beseech you, come and talk
with Arthur."
Grugyn Gwrych Ereint made answer to him. (Now his bristles were like
silver wire; and whether he went through the wood or through the plain,
he was to be traced by the glittering of his bristles.) And this was
the answer that Grugyn made, "By him who turned us into this form, we
will not do so, and we will not speak with Arthur. That we have been
transformed thus is enough for us to suffer, without your coming here
to fight with us."
"I will tell you. Arthur comes but to fight for the comb, and the
razor, and the scissors, which are between the two ears of Twrch
Trwyth."
Said Grugyn, "Except he first take his life, he will never have those
precious things. And to-morrow morning we will rise up hence, and we
will go into Arthur's country, and there will we do all the mischief
that we can."
So they set forth through the sea towards Wales. And Arthur and his
hosts, and his horses and his dogs, entered Prydwen, that they might
encounter them without delay. Twrch Trwyth landed in Porth Cleis in
Dyved, and Arthur came to Mynyw. The next day it was told to Arthur
that they had gone by, and he overtook them as they were killing the
cattle of Kynnwas Kwrr y Vagyl, having slain all that were at Aber
Cleddyf, of man and beast, before the coming of Arthur.
Now when Arthur approached, Twrch Trwyth went on as far as Preseleu,
and Arthur and his hosts followed him thither, and Arthur sent men to
hunt him,--Eli and Trachmyr leading Drutwyn, the whelp of Greid, the
son of Eri; and Gwarthegyd, the son of Kaw, in another quarter, with
the two dogs of Glythmyr Ledewig; and Bedwyr leading Cavall, Arthur's
own dog. And all the warriors ranged themselves around the Nyver. And
there came there the three sons of Cleddyf Divwlch, men who had gained
much fame at the slaying of Yskithyrwyn Penbaedd; and they went on from
Glyn Nyver, and came to Cwm Kerwyn.
And there Twrch Trwyth made a stand, and slew four of Arthur's
champions,--Gwarthegyd the son of Kaw, and Tarawc of Allt Clwydd, and
Rheidwn the son of Eli Atver, and Iscovan Hael. And after he had slain
these men he made a second stand in the same place. And there he slew
Gwydre the son of Arthur, and Garselit Wyddel, and Glew the son of
Ysgawd, and Iscawyn the son of Panon; and there he himself was wounded.
And the next morning, before it was day, some of the men came up with
him. And he slew Huandaw and Gogigwr and Penpingon, three attendants
upon Glewlwyd Gavaelvawr, so that Heaven knows he had not an attendant
remaining, excepting only Llaesgevyn, a man from whom no one ever
derived any good. And together with these he slew many of the men of
that country, and Gwlydyn Saer, Arthur's chief architect.
Then Arthur overtook him at Pelumyawc; and there he slew Madawc the
son of Teithyon, and Gwyn the son of Tringad, the son of Neved, and
Eiryawn Penllorau. Thence he went to Aberteivi, where he made another
stand, and where he slew Kyflas the son of Kynan, and Gwilenhin, King
of France. Then he went as far as Glyn Ystu, and there the men and the
dogs lost him.
Then Arthur summoned unto him Gwyn ab Nudd, and he asked him if he knew
aught of Twrch Trwyth. And he said that he did not.
And all the huntsmen went to hunt the swine as far as Dyffryn Llychwr.
And Grugyn Gwallt Ereint and Llwydawg Govynnyad closed with them, and
killed all the huntsmen; so that there escaped but one man only. And
Arthur and his hosts came to the place where Grugyn and Llwydawg were.
And there he let loose the whole of the dogs upon them; and with the
shout and barking that was set up Twrch Trwyth came to their assistance.
And from the time that they came across the Irish Sea Arthur had
never got sight of him until then. So he set men and dogs upon him,
and thereupon he started off, and went to Mynydd Amanw. And there one
of his young pigs was killed. Then they set upon him life for life,
and Twrch Llawin was slain; and then there was slain another of the
swine, Gwys was his name. After that, he went on to Dyffryn Amanw, and
there Banw and Bennwig were killed. Of all his pigs, there went with
him alive from that place none save Grugyn Gwallt Ereint and Liwvdawg
Govynnyad.
Thence he went on to Llwch Ewin; and Arthur overtook him there, and he
made a stand. And there he slew Echel Forddwytwll, and Garwyli the son
of Gwyddawg Gwyr, and many men and dogs likewise. And thence they went
to Llwch Tawy. Grugyn Gwrych Ereint parted from them there, and went to
Din Tywi. And thence he proceeded to Ceredigiawn, and Eli and Trachmyr
with him, and a multitude likewise. Then he came to Garth Gregyn, and
there Llwydawg Govynnyad fought in the midst of them, and slew Rhudvyw
Rhys and many others with him. Then Llwydawg went thence to Ystrad Yw;
and there the men of Armorica met him, and there he slew Hirpeissawg,
the King of Armorica, and Llygatrudd Emys, and Gwrbothu, Arthur's
uncles, his mother's brothers; and there was he himself slain.
Twrch Trwyth went from there to between Tawy and Euyas. And Arthur
summoned all Cornwall and Devon unto him, to the estuary of the Severn;
and he said to the warriors of this island, "Twrch Trwyth has slain
many of my men, but by the valor of warriors while I live he shall not
go into Cornwall. And I will not follow him any longer, but I will
oppose him life to life. Do ye as ye will."