red, rough, ill-favored man, having red whiskers 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 sumter 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 color 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 party-colored 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
thy 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-colored 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."
"Pray," 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-colored 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 armor. 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-colored 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.
[Illustration: The Army of Ravens.]
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
forbidden any more than before.
And when they had played a while, 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-gray 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 armor. And a robe
of honor 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 seahorse, 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-colored 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 forever?"
"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 clamor of
armed men, and a croaking of ravens, and a flapping of wings in the
air, as they flung down the armor 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 honor
upon him and upon his horse, divided in two parts, white and black; and
the borders of the robe of honor 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 seahorse, 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, colored
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 inquired 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, 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, the Bishop, and Gwarthegyd the son of Kaw,
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 many more
beside].
"Iddawc," said Rhonabwy, "who was the auburn-haired man to whom they
came just now?"
"Rhun the son of Maelgwn Gwynedd, a man whose prerogative it is that he
may join in counsel with all."
"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 calf-skin, 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 colors that were upon the horses, and
the many wondrous colors of the arms and of the panoply, and of the
precious scarfs, and of the virtue-bearing stones.
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. And that night he tarried
there, and early 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
chase. 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 color 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 these. 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.
And as he was setting on his dogs he saw a horseman coming towards him
upon a large light-gray steed, with a hunting-horn round his neck, and
clad in garments of gray woollen, in the fashion of a hunting-garb. And
the horseman drew near, and spake 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 dishonor 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, 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 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 we will 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 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 had ever yet beheld. And she had on a yellow robe of
shining satin; and they washed and went to the table, and 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 furthest 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."
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 armor 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."
"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 inquire 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 wast never
so kind or 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 valor
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."