thou dost not eat? If thou hesitatest about going to the games, thou
shalt not go, and no other of thy rank shall ever go, either."
"Heaven reward thee!" said Geraint. "But I wish nothing better than to
go to the games, and to be shown the way thither."
"If that is what thou dost prefer, thou shalt obtain it willingly."
"I do prefer it, indeed," said he. Then they ate, and they were amply
served, and they had a variety of gifts, and abundance of liquor. And
when they had finished eating they arose. And Geraint called for his
horse and his armor, and he accoutred both himself and his horse. And
all the hosts went forth until they came to the side of the hedge; and
the hedge was so lofty, that it reached as high as they could see in
the air; and upon every stake in the hedge, except two, there was the
head of a man, and the number of stakes throughout the hedge was very
great.
Then said the Little King, "May no one go in with the chieftain?"
"No one may," said Earl Owain.
"Which way can I enter?" inquired Geraint.
"I know not," said Owain. "But enter by the way that thou wilt, and
that seemeth easiest to thee."
Then fearlessly and unhesitatingly Geraint dashed forward into the
mist. And on leaving the mist he came to a large orchard; and in the
orchard he saw an open space, wherein was a tent of red satin. And
the door of the tent was open, and an apple-tree stood in front of
the door of the tent; and on a branch of the apple-tree hung a huge
hunting-horn. Then he dismounted, and went into the tent; and there
was no one in the tent save one maiden sitting in a golden chair, and
another chair was opposite to her, empty. And Geraint went to the empty
chair, and sat down therein.
"Ah, chieftain!" said the maiden, "I would not counsel thee to sit in
that chair."
"Wherefore?" said Geraint.
"The man to whom that chair belongs has never suffered another to sit
in it."
"I care not," said Geraint, "though it displease him that I sit in
the chair." And thereupon they heard a mighty tumult around the tent.
And Geraint looked to see what was the cause of the tumult. And he
beheld without a knight mounted upon a war-horse, proudly snorting,
high-mettled, and large of bone; and a robe of honor in two parts was
upon him and upon his horse, and beneath it was plenty of armor.
"Tell me, chieftain," said he to Geraint, "who it was that bade thee
sit there."
"Myself," answered he.
"It was wrong of thee to do me this shame and disgrace. Arise, and do
me satisfaction for thine insolence."
Then Geraint arose; and they encountered immediately; and they broke a
set of lances, and a second set, and a third; and they gave each other
fierce and frequent strokes. And at last Geraint became enraged; and
he urged on his horse, and rushed upon him, and gave him a thrust on
the centre of his shield, so that it was split, and so that the head of
his lance went through his armor, and his girths were broken, and he
himself was borne headlong to the ground, the length of Geraint's lance
and arm, over his horse's crupper. "Oh, my lord!" said he, "thy mercy,
and thou shalt have what thou wilt."
"I only desire," said Geraint, "that this game shall no longer exist
here, nor the hedge of mist, nor magic, nor enchantment."
"Thou shalt have this gladly, lord," he replied.
"Cause, then, the mist to disappear from this place," said Geraint.
"Sound yonder horn," said he, "and when thou soundest it, the mist will
vanish; but it will not go hence unless the horn be blown by the knight
by whom I am vanquished."
And sad and sorrowful was Enid where she remained, through anxiety
concerning Geraint. Then Geraint went and sounded the horn. And at
the first blast he gave, the mist vanished. And all the hosts came
together, and they all became reconciled to each other. And the earl
invited Geraint and the Little King to stay with him that night. And
the next morning they separated. And Geraint went towards his own
dominions; and thenceforth he reigned prosperously, and his warlike
fame and splendor lasted with renown and honor both to him and to Enid
from that time forth.
THE DREAM OF MAXEN WLEDIG.
Maxen Wledig was emperor[20] of Rome; and he was a comelier man, and a
better and a wiser, than any emperor that had been before him. And one
day he held a council of kings; and he said to his friends, "I desire
to go to-morrow to hunt." And the next day in the morning he set forth
with his retinue, and came to the valley of the river that flowed
towards Rome. And he hunted through the valley until mid-day. And with
him also were two and thirty crowned kings, that were his vassals.
Not for the delight of hunting went the emperor with them, but to put
himself on equal terms with those kings.
[Footnote 20: "Maxen Wledig" is the Emperor Maximus, A.D. 383, who
was in Britain with his army when he obtained the throne. Many Welsh
stories are told about him.]
And the sun was high in the sky over their heads, and the heat was
great. And sleep came upon Maxen Wledig. And his attendants stood and
set up their shields around him upon the shafts of their spears to
protect him from the sun, and they placed a gold enamelled shield under
his head; and so Maxen slept.
And he saw a dream. And this is the dream that he saw. He was
journeying along the valley of the river towards its source; and he
came to the highest mountain in the world. And he thought that the
mountain was as high as the sky. And when he came over the mountain, it
seemed to him that he went through the fairest and most level regions
that man ever yet beheld, on the other side of the mountain. And he saw
large and mighty rivers descending from the mountain to the sea, and
towards the mouths of the rivers he proceeded. And as he journeyed thus
he came to the mouth of the largest river ever seen. And he beheld a
great city at the entrance of the river, and a vast castle in the city,
and he saw many high towers of various colors in the castle. And he saw
a fleet at the mouth of the river, the largest ever seen. And he saw
one ship among the fleet: larger was it by far, and fairer, than all
the others. Of such part of the ship as he could see above the water,
one plank was gilded and the other silvered over. He saw a bridge of
the bone of the whale from the ship to the land, and he thought that he
went along the bridge, and came into the ship. And a sail was hoisted
on the ship, and along the sea and the ocean was it borne. Then it
seemed that he came to the fairest island in the whole world, and he
traversed the island from sea to sea, even to the farthest shore of the
island. Valleys he saw, and steeps, and rocks of wondrous height, and
rugged precipices. Never yet saw he the like. And thence he beheld an
island in the sea, facing this rugged land. And between him and this
island was a country of which the plain was as large as the sea, the
mountain as vast as the wood. And from the mountain he saw a river
that flowed through the land, and fell into the sea. And at the mouth
of the river he beheld a castle, the fairest that man ever saw; and the
gate of the castle was open, and he went into the castle. And in the
castle he saw a fair hall, of which the roof seemed to be all gold;
the walls of the hall seemed to be entirely of glittering precious
gems, the doors all seemed to be of gold. Golden seats he saw in the
hall, and silver tables. And on a seat opposite to him he beheld two
auburn-haired youths playing at chess. He saw a silver board for the
chess, and golden pieces thereon. The garments of the youths were of
jet-black satin; and chaplets of ruddy gold bound their hair, whereon
were sparkling jewels of great price, rubies, and gems alternately
with imperial stones; buskins of new Cordovan leather on their feet,
fastened by slides of red gold.
And beside a pillar in the hall he saw a hoary-headed man in a chair of
ivory, with the figures of two eagles of ruddy gold thereon. Bracelets
of gold were upon his arms, and many rings were on his hands, and a
golden torque about his neck; and his hair was bound with a golden
diadem. He was of powerful aspect. A chessboard of gold was before him,
and a rod of gold, and a steel file in his hand. And he was carving out
chessmen.
And he saw a maiden sitting before him in a chair of ruddy gold. Not
more easy than to gaze upon the sun when brightest was it to look upon
her by reason of her beauty. A vest of white silk was upon the maiden,
with clasps of red gold at the breast; and a surcoat of gold tissue
upon her, and a frontlet of red gold upon her head, and rubies and gems
were in the frontlet, alternating with pearls and imperial stones. And
a girdle of ruddy gold was around her. She was the fairest sight that
man ever beheld.
The maiden arose from her chair before him, and they two sat down
together in the chair of gold; and the chair was not less roomy for
them both than for the maiden alone. And behold, through the chafing
of the dogs at their leashing, and the clashing of the shields as they
struck against each other, and the beating together of the shafts of
the spears, and the neighing of the horses and their prancing, the
emperor awoke.
And when he awoke, nor spirit nor existence was left him, because of
the maiden whom he had seen in his sleep; for the love of the maiden
pervaded his whole frame. Then his household spake unto him. "Lord,"
said they, "is it not past the time for thee to take thy food?"
Thereupon the emperor mounted his palfrey, the saddest man that mortal
ever saw, and went forth towards Rome.
And thus he was during the space of a week. When they of the household
went to drink wine and mead out of golden vessels, he went not with any
of them. When they went to listen to songs and tales, he went not with
them there; neither could he be persuaded to do any thing but sleep.
And as often as he slept, he beheld in his dreams the maiden he loved
best: but except when he slept he saw nothing of her; for he knew not
where in the world she was.
One day the page of the chamber spake unto him: now, although he was
page of the chamber, he was king of the Romans. "Lord," said he, "all
the people revile thee."
"Wherefore do they revile me?" asked the emperor.
"Because they can get neither message nor answer from thee, as men
should have from their lord. This is the cause why thou art spoken evil
of."
"Youth," said the emperor, "do thou bring unto me the wise men of Rome,
and I will tell them wherefore I am sorrowful."
Then the wise men of Rome were brought to the emperor, and he spake to
them. "Sages of Rome," said he, "I have seen a dream. And in the dream
I beheld a maiden, and because of the maiden is there neither life, nor
spirit, nor existence within me."
"Lord," they answered, "since thou judgest us worthy to counsel thee,
we will give thee counsel. And this is our counsel: that thou send
messengers for three years to the three parts of the world to seek for
thy dream. And as thou knowest not what day or what night good news may
come to thee, the hope thereof will support thee."
So the messengers journeyed for the space of a year, wandering about
the world, and seeking tidings concerning his dream. But when they came
back at the end of the year, they knew not one word more than they did
the day they set forth. And then was the emperor exceeding sorrowful;
for he thought that he should never have tidings of her whom best he
loved.
Then spoke the King of the Romans unto the emperor. "Lord," said he,
"go forth to hunt by the way thou didst seem to go, whether it were to
the east or to the west."
So the emperor went forth to the hunt, and he came to the bank of the
river. "Behold," said he, "this is where I was when I saw the dream,
and I went towards the source of the river westward."
And thereupon thirteen messengers of the emperor's set forth; and
before them they saw a high mountain, which seemed to them to touch
the sky. Now this was the guise in which the messengers journeyed: one
sleeve was on the cap of each of them in front, as a sign that they
were messengers, in order that through what hostile land soever they
might pass no harm might be done them. And when they were come over
this mountain, they beheld vast plains, and large rivers flowing there
through. "Behold," said they, "the land which our master saw."
And they went along the mouths of the rivers, until they came to the
mighty river which they saw flowing to the sea, and the vast city, and
the many-colored high towers in the castle. They saw the largest fleet
in the world in the harbor of the river, and one ship that was larger
than any of the others. "Behold again," said they, "the dream that our
master saw." And in the great ship they crossed the sea, and came to
the Island of Britain. And they traversed the island until they came to
Snowdon. "Behold," said they, "the rugged land that our master saw."
And they went forward until they saw Anglesey before them, and until
they saw Arvon likewise. "Behold," said they, "the land our master saw
in his sleep." And they saw Aber Sain, and a castle at the mouth of
the river. The portal of the castle saw they open, and into the castle
they went, and they saw a hall in the castle. Then said they, "Behold
the hall which he saw in his sleep." They went into the hall, and they
beheld two youths playing at chess on the golden bench. And they beheld
the hoary-headed man beside the pillar, in the ivory chair, carving
chessmen. And they beheld the maiden sitting on a chair of ruddy gold.
The messengers bent down upon their knees. "Empress of Rome, all hail!"
"Ha, gentles," said the maiden, "ye bear the seeming of honorable men,
and the badge of envoys: what mockery is this ye do to me?"
"We mock thee not, lady; but the Emperor of Rome hath seen thee in his
sleep, and he has neither life nor spirit left because of thee. Thou
shalt have of us therefore the choice, lady,--whether thou wilt go with
us and be made Empress of Rome, or that the emperor come hither and
take thee for his wife?"
"Ha, lords," said the maiden, "I will not deny what ye say, neither
will I believe it too well. If the emperor love me, let him come here
to seek me."
And by day and night the messengers hied them back. And when their
horses failed, they bought other fresh ones. And when they came to
Rome, they saluted the emperor, and asked their boon, which was given
to them according as they named it. "We will be thy guides, lord," said
they, "over sea and over land, to the place where is the woman whom
best thou lovest; for we know her name, and her kindred, and her race."
And immediately the emperor set forth with his army. And these men were
his guides. Towards the Island of Britain they went over the sea and
the deep. And he conquered the island from Beli the son of Manogan,
and his sons, and drove them to the sea, and went forward even unto
Arvon. And the emperor knew the land when he saw it. And when he beheld
the castle of Aber Sain, "Look yonder," said he, "there is the castle
wherein I saw the damsel whom I best love." And he went forward into
the castle and into the hall, and there he saw Kynan the son of Eudav,
and Adeon the son of Eudav, playing at chess. And he saw Eudav the son
of Caradawc sitting on a chair of ivory, carving chessmen. And the
maiden whom he had beheld in his sleep he saw sitting on a chair of
gold. "Empress of Rome," said he, "all hail!" And the emperor threw his
arms about her neck; and she became his bride.
And the next day in the morning, the damsel asked her maiden portion.
And he told her to name what she would. And she asked to have the
Island of Britain for her father, from the Channel to the Irish Sea,
together with the three adjacent islands, to hold under the Empress of
Rome, and to have three chief castles made for her in whatever places
she might choose in the Island of Britain. And she chose to have the
highest castle made at Arvon. And they brought thither earth from Rome,
that it might be more healthful for the emperor to sleep and sit and
walk upon. After that, the two other castles were made for her, which
were Caerlleon and Caermarthen.
And one day the emperor went to hunt at Caermarthen, and he came so
far as the top of Brevi Vawr, and there the emperor pitched his tent.
And that encamping place is called Cadeir Maxen, even to this day.
And because that he built the castle with a myriad of men, he called
it Caervyrddin. Then Helen bethought her to make high roads from one
castle to another throughout the Island of Britain. And the roads were
made. And for this cause are they called the Roads of Helen Luyddawc,
that she was sprung from a native of this island; and the men of the
Island of Britain would not have made these great roads for any save
for her.
Seven years did the emperor tarry in this island. Now, at that time,
the men of Rome had a custom, that whatsoever emperor should remain in
other lands more than seven years should remain to his own overthrow,
and should never return to Rome again.
So they made a new emperor. And this one wrote a letter of threat to
Maxen. There was nought in the letter but only this: "If thou comest,
and if thou ever comest to Rome." And even unto Caerlleon came this
letter to Maxen, and these tidings. Then sent he a letter to the man
who styled himself emperor in Rome. There was nought in that letter
also but only this: "If I come to Rome, and if I come."
And thereupon Maxen set forth towards Rome with his army, and
vanquished France and Burgundy, and every land on the way, and sat down
before the city of Rome.
A year was the emperor before the city, and he was no nearer taking
it than the first day. And after him there came the brothers of Helen
Luyddawc from the Island of Britain, and a small host with them; and
better warriors were in that small host than twice as many Romans. And
the emperor was told that a host was seen halting close to his army,
and encamping, and no man ever saw a fairer or better appointed host
for its size, nor more handsome standards.
And Helen went to see the hosts, and she knew the standards of her
brothers. Then came Kynan the son of Eudav, and Adeon the son of Eudav,
to meet the emperor. And the emperor was glad because of them, and
embraced them.
Then they looked at the Romans as they attacked the city. Said Kynan to
his brother, "We will try to attack the city more expertly than this."
So they measured by night the height of the wall, and they sent their
carpenters to the wood, and a ladder was made for every four men of
their number. Now, when these were ready, every day at mid-day the
emperors went to meat, and they ceased to fight on both sides till all
had finished eating. And in the morning the men of Britain took their
food, and they drank until they were invigorated. And while the two
emperors were at meat, the Britons came to the city, and placed their
ladders against it, and forthwith they came in through the city.
The new emperor had no time to arm himself when they fell upon him,
and slew him, and many others with him. And three nights and three
days were they subduing the men that were in the city, and taking the
castle. And others of them kept the city, lest any of the host of Maxen
should come therein, until they had subjected all to their will.
Then spake Maxen to Helen Luyddawc. "I marvel, lady," said he, "that
thy brothers have not conquered this city for me."
"Lord, emperor," she answered, "the wisest youths in the world are my
brothers. Go thou thither, and ask the city of them, and if it be in
their possession thou shalt have it gladly." So the emperor and Helen
went and demanded the city. And they told the emperor that none had
taken the city, and that none could give it him, but the men of the
Island of Britain. Then the gates of the city of Rome were opened,
and the emperor sat on the throne, and all the men of Rome submitted
themselves unto him.
The emperor then said unto Kynan and Adeon, "Lords," said he, "I have
now had possession of the whole of my empire. This host give I unto you
to vanquish whatever region ye may desire in the world."
So they set forth and conquered lands and castles and cities. And
they slew all the men; but the women they kept alive. And thus they
continued until the young men that had come with them were grown
gray-headed, from the length of time they were upon this conquest.
Then spoke Kynan unto Adeon his brother, "Whether wilt thou rather,"
said he, "tarry in this land, or go back into the land whence thou
didst come forth?" Now he chose to go back to his own land, and many
with him. But Kynan tarried there with the other part, and dwelt there.
And this dream is called the Dream of Maxen Wledig, Emperor of Rome.
And here it ends.
TALIESIN.[21]
[Footnote 21: Taliesin is the greatest of Welsh poets, and is called
by his countrymen "the Prince of Song." He became bard at the court of
King Arthur, and was one of the brightest in that glorious assemblage.
The actual man Taliesin appears to have lived in the sixth century,
and poems remain which are believed to be his genuine works. A
curious story of his life appears among the publications of the Welsh
Manuscript Society, which I give here as quoted by Lady Guest:--
"Taliesin, Chief of the Bards, the son of Saint Henwg of
Caerlleon-upon-Usk, was invited to the court of Urien Rheged, at
Aberllychwr. He, with Elffin the son of Urien, being once fishing
at sea in a skin coracle, an Irish pirate-ship seized him and his
coracle, and bore him away towards Ireland; but while the pirates were
at the height of their drunken mirth, Taliesin pushed his coracle to
the sea, and got into it himself, with a shield in his hand which he
found in the ship, and with which he rowed the coracle until it verged
the land; but, the waves breaking then in wild foam, he lost his hold
on the shield, so that he had no alternative but to be driven at the
mercy of the sea, in which state he continued for a short time, when
the coracle stuck to the point of a pole in the weir of Gwyddno, Lord
of Ceredigion, in Aberdyvi; and in that position he was found, at the
ebb, by Gwyddno's fishermen, by whom he was interrogated. And when
it was ascertained that he was a bard, and the tutor of Elffin the
son of Urien Rheged, the son of Cynvarch, 'I, too, have a son named
Elffin,' said Gwyddno, 'be thou a bard and teacher to him also, and
I will give thee lands in free tenure.' The terms were accepted, and
for several successive years he spent his time between the courts of
Urien Rheged and Gwyddno, called Gwyddno Garanhir, Lord of the Lowland
Cantred. But after the territory of Gwyddno had become overwhelmed
by the sea, Taliesin was invited by the Emperor Arthur to his court
at Caerlleon-upon-Usk, where he became highly celebrated for poetic
genius, and useful, meritorious sciences. After Arthur's death he
retired to the estate given to him by Gwyddno, taking Elffin, the son
of that prince, under his protection. It was from this account that
Thomas the son of Einion Offeiriad, descended from Gruffydd Gwyr,
formed his romance of Taliesin the son of Cariadwen, Elffin the son of
Goddnou, Rhun the son of Maelgwn Gwynedd, and the operations of the
Caldron of Ceridwen."
I think it interesting to add in this connection that the old Welsh
bard was not a mere versifier, but was a true, wise man, and knew all
human learning. Hereby hangs a little Welsh story, which has always
seemed to me of great significance. A certain Einigan Gawr saw three
rays of light, on which were inscribed all knowledge and science. And
he took three rods of mountain-ash, and inscribed all the sciences upon
them, as it should seem in imitation of the three rays of light. And
those who saw them deified the rods, which so grieved Einigan, that he
broke the rods, and died.
It may seem, by the way, absurd to speak of inscribing sciences upon
rods of ash, until one knows that the Bardic alphabet, which I believe
is now generally regarded genuine, would seem to have originated in the
three rays of light seen by Einigan Gawr,--as /|\ for example; being
formed entirely of such lines, which, as easily seen, are easily cut on
wood, since they involve no curves, and are capable of being made with
a single stroke of the knife.]