a wicked woman, and so she began to plot with Gronw Pebyr how they
might slay the valiant Llew Llaw Gyffes, and enjoy his possessions.
Then Gronw said to her,] "Converse with him fully, and find out by what
means he may come to his death."
That night Llew Llaw Gyffes returned to his home. And the day they
spent in discourse and minstrelsy and feasting. And at night they went
to rest, and he spoke to Blodeuwedd once, and he spoke to her a second
time. But for all this he could not get from her one word. "What
aileth thee?" said he. "Art thou well?"
"I was thinking," said she, "of that which thou didst never think of
concerning me; for I was sorrowful as to thy death, lest thou shouldst
go sooner than I."
"Heaven reward thy care for me," said he. "But until Heaven take me I
shall not easily be slain."
"For the sake of heaven, and for mine, show me how thou mightest be
slain. My memory in guarding is better than thine."
"I will tell thee gladly," said he. "Not easily can I be slain, except
by a wound. And the spear wherewith I am struck must be a year in
the forming. And nothing must be done towards it, except during the
sacrifice on Sundays."
"Is this certain?" asked she.
"It is in truth," he answered. "And I cannot be slain within a house
nor without. I cannot be slain on horseback nor on foot."
"Verily," said she, "in what manner, then, canst thou be slain?"
"I will tell thee," said he. "By making a bath for me by the side of a
river, and by putting a roof over the caldron, and thatching it well
and tightly, and bringing a buck, and putting it beside the caldron.
Then if I place one foot on the buck's back, and the other on the edge
of the caldron, whosoever strikes me thus will cause my death."
"Well," said she, "I thank Heaven that it will be easy to avoid this."
No sooner had she held this discourse than she sent to Gronw Pebyr.
Gronw toiled at making the spear, and that day twelvemonth it was
ready. And that very day he caused her to be informed thereof.
"Lord," said Blodeuwedd unto Llew, "I have been thinking how it is
possible that what thou didst tell me formerly can be true. Wilt thou
show me in what manner thou couldst stand at once upon the edge of a
caldron and upon a buck, if I prepare the bath for thee?"
"I will show thee," said he.
Then she sent unto Gronw, and bade him be in ambush on the hill which
is now called Bryn Kyvergyr, on the bank of the River Cynvael. She
caused also to be collected all the goats that were in the Cantrev, and
had them brought to the other side of the river, opposite Bryn Kyvergyr.
And the next day she spoke thus: "Lord," said she, "I have caused the
roof and the bath to be prepared, and lo! they are ready."
"Well," said Llew, "we will go gladly to look at them."
The day after they came and looked at the bath. "Wilt thou go into the
bath, lord?" said she.
"Willingly will I go in," he answered. So into the bath he went, and he
anointed himself.
"Lord," said she, "behold the animals which thou didst speak of as
being called bucks."
"Well," said he, "cause one of them to be caught and brought here." And
the buck was brought. Then Llew rose out of the bath, and put on his
trowsers, and he placed one foot on the edge of the bath, and the other
on the buck's back.
Thereupon Gronw rose up from the hill which is called Bryn Cyvergyr,
and he rested on one knee, and flung the poisoned dart, and struck
him on the side, so that the shaft started out, but the head of the
dart remained in. Then he flew up in the form of an eagle, and gave a
fearful scream. And thenceforth was he no more seen.
And the next day Gronw arose, and took possession of Ardudwy. And after
he had overcome the land, he ruled over it, so that Ardudwy and Penllyn
were both under his sway.
Then these tidings reached Math the son of Mathonwy. And heaviness and
grief came upon Math, and much more upon Gwydion than upon him. "Lord,"
said Gwydion, "I shall never rest until I have tidings of my nephew."
"Verily," said Math, "may Heaven be thy strength."
Then Gwydion set forth, and began to go forward. And he went through
Gwynedd and Powys to the confines. And when he had done so, he went
into Arvon, and came to the house of a vassal in Maenawr Penardd.
And he alighted at the house, and staid there that night. The man of
the house and his household came in, and last of all came there the
swineherd. Said the man of the house to the swineherd, "Well, youth,
hath thy sow come in to-night?"
"She hath," said he, "and is this instant returned to the pigs."
"Where doth this sow go to?" said Gwydion.
"Every day, when the sty is opened, she goeth forth, and none can catch
sight of her, neither is it known whither she goeth more than if she
sank into the earth."
"Wilt thou grant unto me," said Gwydion, "not to open the sty until I
am beside the sty with thee?"
"This will I do right gladly," he answered.
That night they went to rest. And as soon as the swineherd saw the
light of day, he awoke Gwydion. And Gwydion arose and dressed himself,
and went with the swineherd, and stood beside the sty. Then the
swineherd opened the sty. And as soon as he opened it, behold she
leaped forth, and set off with great speed. And Gwydion followed her.
And she went against the course of a river, and made for a brook, which
is now called Nant y Llew. And there she halted, and began feeding
under a tree. And Gwydion came under the tree, and looked, and as he
looked he beheld on the top of the tree an eagle. And it seemed to him
that the eagle was Llew. And he sang an Englyn:--
"Oak that grows between the two banks;
Darkened is the sky and hill!
Shall I not tell him by his wounds,
That this is Llew?"
Upon this the eagle came down until he reached the centre of the tree.
And Gwydion sang another Englyn:--
"Oak that grows in upland ground,
Is it not wetted by the rain? Has it not been drenched
By ninescore tempests?
It bears in its branches Llew Llaw Gyffes!"
Then the eagle came down until he was on the lowest branch of the tree,
and thereupon this Englyn did Gwydion sing:--
"Oak that grows beneath the steep;
Stately and majestic is its aspect!
Shall I not speak it?
That Llaw will come to my lap?"
And the eagle came down upon Gwydion's knee. And Gwydion struck him
with his magic wand, so that he returned to his own form. No one ever
saw a more piteous sight, for he was nothing but skin and bone.
Then he went unto Caer Dathyl, and there were brought unto him good
physicians that were in Gwynedd, and before the end of the year he was
quite healed.
"Lord," said he unto Math the son of Mathonwy, "it is full time now
that I have retribution of him by whom I have suffered all this woe."
"Truly," said Math, "he will never be able to maintain himself in the
possession of that which is thy right."
"Well," said Llew, "the sooner I have my right, the better shall I be
pleased."
Then they called together the whole of Gwynedd, and set forth to
Ardudwy. And Gwydion went on before, and proceeded to Mur y Castell.
And when Blodeuwedd heard that he was coming, she took her maidens
with her, and fled to the mountain. And they passed through the River
Cynvael, and went towards a court that there was upon the mountain; and
through fear they could not proceed except with their faces looking
backwards, so that unawares they fell into the lake. And they were all
drowned except Blodeuwedd herself; and her Gwydion overtook. And he
said unto her, "I will not slay thee; but I will do unto thee worse
than that. For I will turn thee into a bird. And because of the shame
thou hast done unto Llew Llaw Gyffes, thou shalt never show thy face
in the light of day henceforth; and that through fear of all the other
birds. For it shall be their nature to attack thee, and to chase thee
from wheresoever they may find thee. And thou shalt not lose thy name,
but shalt be always called Blodeuwedd."
[Illustration: The Flight of Blodeuwedd and her Maidens.]
Now Blodeuwedd is an owl in the language of this present time; and for
this reason is the owl hateful unto all birds. And even now the owl is
called Blodeuwedd.
Then Gronw Pebyr withdrew unto Penllyn, and he despatched thence an
embassy. And the messengers he sent asked Llew Llaw Gyffes if he
would take land, or domain, or gold, or silver, for the injury he had
received.
"I will not, by my confession to Heaven," said he. "Behold this is the
least that I will accept from him: that he come to the spot where I
was when he wounded me with the dart, and that I stand where he did,
and that with a dart I take my aim at him. And this is the very least
that I will accept."
And this was told unto Gronw Pebyr. "Verily," said he, "is it needful
for me to do thus? My faithful warriors, and my household, and my
foster-brothers, is there not one among you who will stand the blow in
my stead?"
"There is not verily," answered they. And because of their refusal to
suffer one stroke for their lord, they are called the third disloyal
tribe even unto this day.
"Well," said he, "I will meet it."
Then they two went forth to the banks of the River Cynvael; and Gronw
stood in the place where Llew Llaw Gyffes was when he struck him, and
Llew in the place where Gronw was. Then said Gronw Pebyr unto Llew,
"Since it was through the wiles of a woman that I did unto thee as I
have done, I adjure thee by Heaven to let me place between me and the
blow the slab thou seest yonder on the river's bank."
"Verily," said Llew, "I will not refuse thee this."
"Ah," said he, "may Heaven reward thee."
So Gronw took the slab, and placed it between him and the blow.
Then Llew flung the dart at him, and it pierced the slab, and went
threw Gronw likewise, so that it pierced through his back. And thus
was Gronw Pebyr slain. And there is still the slab on the bank of the
River Cynvael in Ardudwy, having the hole through it. And therefore is
it even now called Llech Gronw.
A second time did Llew Llaw Gyffes take possession of the land, and
prosperously did he govern it. And, as the story relates, he was lord
after this over Gwynedd.
BRANWEN THE DAUGHTER OF LLYR.
Bendigeid Vran, the son of Llyr, was the crowned king of this island,
and he was exalted from the crown of London. And one afternoon he
was at Harlech in Ardudwy, at his court, and he sat upon the rock
of Harlech, looking over the sea. And with him were his brother
Manawyddan the son of Llyr, and his brothers by the mother's side,
Nissyen and Evnissyen, and many nobles likewise, as was fitting to
see around a king. His two brothers by the mother's side were the
sons of Eurosswydd, by his mother, Penardun, the daughter of Beli son
of Manogan. And one of these youths was a good youth, and of gentle
nature, and would make peace between his kindred, and cause his family
to be friends when their wrath was at the highest; and this one was
Nissyen: but the other would cause strife between his two brothers
when they were most at peace. And as they sat thus, they beheld
thirteen ships coming from the south of Ireland, and making towards
them; and they came with a swift motion, the wind being behind them,
and they neared them rapidly. "I see ships afar," said the king,
"coming swiftly towards the land. Command the men of the court that
they equip themselves, and go and learn their intent." So the men
equipped themselves, and went down towards them. And when they saw the
ships near, certain were they that they had never seen ships better
furnished. Beautiful flags of satin were upon them. And behold one of
the ships outstripped the others. And they saw a shield lifted up above
the side of the ship, and the point of the shield was upwards, in token
of peace. And the men drew near, that they might hold converse. Then
they put out boats, and came towards the land. And they saluted the
king. Now the king could hear them from the place where he was, upon
the rock above their heads. "Heaven prosper you," said he, "and be ye
welcome. To whom do these ships belong? and who is the chief amongst
you?"
"Lord," said they, "Matholwch, King of Ireland, is here, and these
ships belong to him."
"Wherefore comes he?" asked the king. "And will he come to the land?"
"He is a suitor unto thee, lord," said they. "And he will not land,
unless he have his boon."
"And what may that be?" inquired the king.
"He desires to ally himself with thee, lord," said they. "And he comes
to ask Branwen the daughter of Llyr, that, if it seem well to thee, the
Island of the Mighty may be leagued with Ireland, and both become more
powerful."
"Verily," said he, "let him come to land, and we will take counsel
thereupon."
And this answer was brought to Matholwch. "I will go willingly," said
he. So he landed, and they received him joyfully. And great was the
throng in the palace that night, between his hosts and those of the
court; and next day they took counsel, and they resolved to bestow
Branwen upon Matholwch. Now she was one of the three chief ladies of
this island, and she was the fairest damsel in the world.
And they fixed upon Aberffraw as the place where she should become
his bride. And they went thence, and towards Aberffraw the hosts
proceeded,--Matholwch and his host in their ships; Bendigeid Vran and
his host by land, until they came to Aberffraw. And at Aberffraw they
began the feast, and sat down. And thus sat they: the King of the
Island of the Mighty and Manawyddan the son of Llyr on one side, and
Matholwch on the other side, and Branwen the daughter of Llyr beside
him. And they were not within a house, but under tents. No house could
ever contain Bendigeid Vran. And they began the banquet, and caroused
and discoursed. And when it was more pleasing to them to sleep than to
carouse, they went to rest; and that night Branwen became Matholwch's
bride.
And next day they arose, and all they of the court, and the officers
began to equip and to range the horses and the attendants; and they
ranged them in order as far as the sea.
And behold one day, Evnissyen, the quarrelsome man of whom it is
spoken above, came by chance into the place where the horses of
Matholwch were, and asked whose horses they might be.
"They are the horses of Matholwch, King of Ireland, who is married to
Branwen thy sister: his horses are they."
"And is it thus they have done with a maiden such as she, and moreover
my sister, bestowing her without my consent? They could have offered no
greater insult to me than this," said he. And thereupon he rushed under
the horses, and cut off their lips at the teeth, and their ears close
to their heads, and their tails close to their backs, and wherever
he could clutch their eyelids, he cut them to the very bone, and he
disfigured the horses, and rendered them useless.
And they came with these tidings unto Matholwch, saying that the horses
were disfigured and injured, so that not one of them could ever be of
any use again. "Verily, lord," said one, "it was an insult unto thee,
and as such was it meant."
"Of a truth, it is a marvel to me, that, if they desire to insult me,
they should have given me a maiden of such high rank, and so much
beloved of her kindred, as they have done."
"Lord," said another, "thou seest that thus it is, and there is nothing
for thee to do but to go to thy ships." And thereupon towards his ships
he set out.
And tidings came to Bendigeid Vran that Matholwch was quitting the
court without asking leave; and messengers were sent to inquire of him
wherefore he did so. And the messengers that went were Iddic the son
of Anarawd, and Heveydd Hir. And these overtook him, and asked of him
what he designed to do, and wherefore he went forth. "Of a truth," said
he, "if I had known, I had not come hither. I have been altogether
insulted: no one had ever worse treatment than I have had here. But one
thing surprises me above all."
"What is that?" asked they.
"That Branwen the daughter of Llyr, one of the three chief ladies of
this island, and the daughter of the King of the Island of the Mighty,
should have been given me as my bride, and that after that I should
have been insulted; and I marvel that the insult was not done me before
they had bestowed upon me a maiden so exalted as she."
"Truly, lord, it was not the will of any that are of the court," said
they, "nor of any that are of the council, that thou shouldest have
received this insult; and as thou hast been insulted, the dishonor is
greater unto Bendigeid Vran than unto thee."
"Verily," said he, "I think so. Nevertheless he cannot recall the
insult."
These men returned with that answer to the place where Bendigeid Vran
was, and they told him what reply Matholwch had given them. "Truly,"
said he, "there are no means by which we may prevent his going away at
enmity with us, that we will not take."
"Well, lord," said they, "send after him another embassy."
"I will do so," said he. "Arise, Manawyddan son of Llyr, and Heveydd
Hir, and Unic Glew Ysgwyd, and go after him, and tell him that he shall
have a sound horse for every one that has been injured. And beside
that, as an atonement for the insult, he shall have a staff of silver
as large and as tall as himself, and a plate of gold of the breadth
of his face. And show unto him who it was that did this, and that it
was done against my will; but that he who did it is my brother by the
mother's side, and therefore it would be hard for me to put him to
death. And let him come and meet me," said he, "and we will make peace
in any way he may desire."
The embassy went after Matholwch, and told him all these sayings in a
friendly manner, and he listened thereunto. "Men," said he, "I will
take counsel." So to the council he went. And in the council they
considered that if they should refuse this, they were likely to have
more shame rather than to obtain so great an atonement. They resolved
therefore to accept it, and they returned to the court in peace.
Then the pavilions and the tents were set in order after the fashion of
a hall; and they went to meat. And as they had sat at the beginning of
the feast, so sat they there. And Matholwch and Bendigeid Vran began to
discourse; and behold it seemed to Bendigeid Vran, while they talked,
that Matholwch was not so cheerful as he had been before. And he
thought that the chieftain might be sad because of the smallness of the
atonement which he had for the wrong that had been done him. "Oh, man,"
said Bendigeid Vran, "thou dost not discourse to-night so cheerfully as
thou wast wont. And if it be because of the smallness of the atonement,
thou shalt add thereunto whatsoever thou mayest choose, and to-morrow I
will pay thee the horses."
"Lord," said he, "Heaven reward thee."
"And I will enhance the atonement," said Bendigeid Vran; "for I will
give unto thee a caldron, the property of which is, that if one of thy
men be slain to-day, and be cast therein, to-morrow he will be as well
as ever he was at the best, except that he will not regain his speech."
And thereupon he gave him great thanks, and very joyful was he for that
cause.
And the next morning they paid Matholwch the horses as long as the
trained horses lasted. And then they journeyed into another commot,
where they paid him with colts until the whole had been paid; and from
thenceforth that commot was called Talebolion.
And a second night sat they together. "My lord," said Matholwch,
"whence hadst thou the caldron which thou hast given me?"
"I had it of a man who had been in thy land," said he, "and I would not
give it except to one from there."
"Who was it?" asked he.
"Llassar Llaesgyvnewid. He came here from Ireland with Kymideu
Kymeinvoll, his wife, who escaped from the Iron House in Ireland when
it was made red hot around them, and fled hither. And it is a marvel to
me that thou shouldst know nothing concerning the matter."
"Something I do know," said he, "and as much as I know I will tell
thee. One day I was hunting in Ireland, and I came to the mound at
the head of the lake, which is called the Lake of the Caldron. And I
beheld a huge yellow-haired man coming from the lake, with a caldron
upon his back. And he was a man of vast size and of horrid aspect, and
a woman followed after him. And if the man was tall, twice as large as
he was the woman; and they came towards me and greeted me. So I took
them with me, and maintained them. And they were with me for a year.
And that year I had them with me not grudgingly. But thenceforth was
there murmuring because that they were with me. For from the beginning
of the fourth month they had begun to make themselves hated, and to
be disorderly in the land, committing outrages, and molesting and
harassing the nobles and ladies. And thenceforward my people rose up
and besought me to part with them, and they bade me to choose between
them and my dominions. And I applied to the council of my country to
know what should be done concerning them; for of their own free will
they would not go, neither could they be compelled against their will,
through fighting. And [the people of the country] being in this strait,
they caused a chamber to be made all of iron. Now, when the chamber
was ready, there came there every smith that was in Ireland, and every
one who owned tongs and hammer. And they caused coals to be piled up as
high as the top of the chamber. And they had the man, and the woman,
and the children, served with plenty of meat and drink; but when it
was known that they were drunk, they began to put fire to the coals
about the chamber, and they blew it with bellows until the house was
red hot all around them. Then was there a council held in the centre of
the floor of the chamber. And the man tarried until the plates of iron
were all of a white-heat; and then, by reason of the great heat, the
man dashed against the plates with his shoulder and struck them out,
and his wife followed him; but, except him and his wife, none escaped
thence. And then I suppose, lord," said Matholwch, unto Bendigeid Vran,
"that he came over unto thee."
"Doubtless he came here," said he, "and gave unto me the caldron."
"In what manner didst thou receive them?"
"I dispersed them through every part of my dominions, and they have
become numerous, and are prospering everywhere, and they fortify the
places where they are with men and arms of the best that were ever
seen."
That night they continued to discourse as much as they would, and had
minstrelsy and carousing; and when it was more pleasant to them to
sleep than to sit longer, they went to rest. And thus was the banquet
carried on with joyousness; and when it was finished, Matholwch
journeyed towards Ireland, and Branwen with him, and they went from
Aber Menei with thirteen ships, and came to Ireland. And in Ireland was
there great joy because of their coming. And not one great man or noble
lady visited Branwen unto whom she gave not either a clasp, or a ring,
or a royal jewel to keep, such as it was honorable to be seen departing
with. And in these things she spent that year in much renown, and she
passed her time pleasantly, enjoying honor and friendship.
And behold, in the second year a tumult arose in Ireland, on account
of the insult which Matholwch had received in Cambria, and the payment
made him for his horses. And his foster-brothers, and such as were
nearest unto him, blamed him openly for that matter. And he might have
no peace by reason of the tumult until they should revenge upon him
this disgrace. And the vengeance which they took was to drive away
Branwen from the same chamber with him, and to make her cook for the
court. And they caused the butcher, after he had cut up the meat, to
come to her and give her every day a blow on the ear, and such they
made her punishment.
"Verily, lord," said his men to Matholwch, "forbid now the ships and
the ferry-boats and the coracles, that they go not into Cambria; and
such as come over from Cambria hither, imprison them that they go not
back for this thing to be known there." And he did so; and t'was thus
for no less than three years.
And Branwen reared a starling in the cover of the kneading-trough, and
she taught it to speak, and she taught the bird what manner of man her
brother was. And she wrote a letter of her woes, and the despite with
which she was treated; and she bound the letter to the root of the
bird's wing, and sent it towards Britain. And the bird came to this
island; and one day it found Bendigeid Vran at Caer Seiont in Arvon,
conferring there, and it alighted upon his shoulder, and ruffled its
feathers, so that the letter was seen, and they knew that the bird had
been reared in a domestic manner.