Beli the Great, the son of Manogan, had three sons, Lludd, and
Caswallawn, and Nynyaw; and according to the story he had a fourth son
called Llevelys. And after the death of Beli, the kingdom of the Island
of Britain fell into the hands of Lludd his eldest son; and Lludd ruled
prosperously, and rebuilt the walls of London, and encompassed it about
with numberless towers. And after that he bade the citizens build houses
therein, such as no houses in the kingdoms could equal. And moreover he
was a mighty warrior, and generous and liberal in giving meat and drink
to all that sought them. And though he had many castles and cities this
one loved he more than any. And he dwelt therein most part of the year,
and therefore was it called Caer Lludd, and at last Caer London. And
after the stranger-race came there, it was called London, or Lwndrys.
Lludd loved Llevelys best of all his brothers, because he was a wise and
discreet man. Having heard that the king of France had died, leaving no
heir except a daughter, and that he had left all his possessions in her
hands, he came to Lludd his brother, to beseech his counsel and aid. And
that not so much for his own welfare, as to seek to add to the glory and
honour and dignity of his kindred, if he might go to France to woo the
maiden for his wife. And forthwith his brother conferred with him, and
this counsel was pleasing unto him.
So he prepared ships and filled them with armed knights, and set forth
towards France. And as soon as they had landed, they sent messengers to
show the nobles of France the cause of the embassy. And by the joint
counsel of the nobles of France and of the princes, the maiden was given
to Llevelys, and the crown of the kingdom with her. And thenceforth he
ruled the land discreetly, and wisely, and happily, as long as his life
lasted.
After a space of time had passed, three plagues fell on the Island of
Britain, such as none in the islands had ever seen the like of. The
first was a certain race that came, and was called the Coranians; and so
great was their knowledge, that there was no discourse upon the face of
the Island, however low it might be spoken, but what, if the wind met it,
it was known to them. And through this they could not be injured. {4}
The second plague was a shriek which came on every May-eve, over every
hearth in the Island of Britain. And this went through people’s hearts,
and so scared them, that the men lost their hue and their strength, and
the women their children, and the young men and the maidens lost their
senses, and all the animals and trees and the earth and the waters, were
left barren.
The third plague was, that however much of provisions and food might be
prepared in the king’s courts, were there even so much as a year’s
provision of meat and drink, none of it could ever be found, except what
was consumed in the first night. And two of these plagues, no one ever
knew their cause, therefore was there better hope of being freed from the
first than from the second and third.
And thereupon King Lludd felt great sorrow and care, because that he knew
not how he might be freed from these plagues. And he called to him all
the nobles of his kingdom, and asked counsel of them what they should do
against these afflictions. And by the common counsel of the nobles,
Lludd the son of Beli went to Llevelys his brother, king of France, for
he was a man great of counsel and wisdom, to seek his advice.
And they made ready a fleet, and that in secret and in silence, lest that
race should know the cause of their errand, or any besides the king and
his counsellors. And when they were made ready, they went into their
ships, Lludd and those whom he chose with him. And they began to cleave
the seas towards France.
And when these tidings came to Llevelys, seeing that he knew not the
cause of his brother’s ships, he came on the other side to meet him, and
with him was a fleet vast of size. And when Lludd saw this, he left all
the ships out upon the sea except one only; and in that one he came to
meet his brother, and he likewise with a single ship came to meet him.
And when they were come together, each put his arms about the other’s
neck, and they welcomed each other with brotherly love.
After that Lludd had shown his brother the cause of his errand, Llevelys
said that he himself knew the cause of the coming to those lands. And
they took counsel together to discourse on the matter otherwise than
thus, in order that the wind might not catch their words, nor the
Coranians know what they might say. Then Llevelys caused a long horn to
be made of brass, and through this horn they discoursed. But whatsoever
words they spoke through this horn, one to the other, neither of them
could hear any other but harsh and hostile words. And when Llevelys saw
this, and that there was a demon thwarting them and disturbing through
this horn, he caused wine to be put therein to wash it. And through the
virtue of the wine the demon was driven out of the horn. And when their
discourse was unobstructed, Llevelys told his brother that he would give
him some insects whereof he should keep some to breed, lest by chance the
like affliction might come a second time. And other of these insects he
should take and bruise in water. And he assured him that it would have
power to destroy the race of the Coranians. That is to say, that when he
came home to his kingdom he should call together all the people both of
his own race and of the race of the Coranians for a conference, as though
with the intent of making peace between them; and that when they were all
together, he should take this charmed water, and cast it over all alike.
And he assured him that the water would poison the race of the Coranians,
but that it would not slay or harm those of his own race.
“And the second plague,” said he, “that is in thy dominion, behold it is
a dragon. And another dragon of a foreign race is fighting with it, and
striving to overcome it. And therefore does your dragon make a fearful
outcry. And on this wise mayest thou come to know this. After thou hast
returned home, cause the Island to be measured in its length and breadth,
and in the place where thou dost find the exact central point, there
cause a pit to be dug, and cause a cauldron full of the best mead that
can be made to be put in the pit, with a covering of satin over the face
of the cauldron. And then, in thine own person do thou remain there
watching, and thou wilt see the dragon fighting in the form of terrific
animals. And at length they will take the form of dragons in the air.
And last of all, after wearying themselves with fierce and furious
fighting, they will fall in the form of two pigs upon the covering, and
they will sink in, and the covering with them, and they will draw it down
to the very bottom of the cauldron. And they will drink up the whole of
the mead; and after that they will sleep. Thereupon do thou immediately
fold the covering around them, and bury them in a kistvaen, in the
strongest place thou hast in thy dominions, and hide them in the earth.
And as long as they shall bide in that strong place no plague shall come
to the Island of Britain from elsewhere.
“The cause of the third plague,” said he, “is a mighty man of magic, who
take thy meat and thy drink and thy store. And he through illusions and
charms causes every one to sleep. Therefore it is needful for thee in
thy own person to watch thy food and thy provisions. And lest he should
overcome thee with sleep, be there a cauldron of cold water by thy side,
and when thou art oppressed with sleep, plunge into the cauldron.”
Then Lludd returned back unto his land. And immediately he summoned to
him the whole of his own race and of the Coranians. And as Llevelys had
taught him, he bruised the insects in water, the which he cast over them
all together, and forthwith it destroyed the whole tribe of the
Coranians, without hurt to any of the Britons.
And some time after this, Lludd caused the Island to be measured in its
length and in its breadth. And in Oxford he found the central point, and
in that place he caused the earth to be dug, and in that pit a cauldron
to be set, full of the best mead that could be made, and a covering of
satin over the face of it. And he himself watched that night. And while
he was there, he beheld the dragons fighting. And when they were weary
they fell, and came down upon the top of the satin, and drew it with them
to the bottom of the cauldron. And when they had drunk the mead they
slept. And in their sleep, Lludd folded the covering around them, and in
the securest place he had in Snowdon, he hid them in a kistvaen. Now
after that this spot was called Dinas Emreis, but before that, Dinas
Ffaraon. And thus the fierce outcry ceased in his dominions.
And when this was ended, King Lludd caused an exceeding great banquet to
be prepared. And when it was ready, he placed a vessel of cold water by
his side, and he in his own proper person watched it. And as he abode
thus clad with arms, about the third watch of the night, lo, he heard
many surpassing fascinations and various songs. And drowsiness urged him
to sleep. Upon this, lest he should be hindered from his purpose and be
overcome by sleep, he went often into the water. And at last, behold, a
man of vast size, clad in strong, heavy armour, came in, bearing a
hamper. And, as he was wont, he put all the food and provisions of meat
and drink into the hamper, and proceeded to go with it forth. And
nothing was ever more wonderful to Lludd, than that the hamper should
hold so much.
And thereupon King Lludd went after him and spoke unto him thus. “Stop,
stop,” said he, “though thou hast done many insults and much spoil
erewhile, thou shalt not do so any more, unless thy skill in arms and thy
prowess be greater than mine.”
Then he instantly put down the hamper on the floor, and awaited him. And
a fierce encounter was between them, so that the glittering fire flew out
from their arms. And at the last Lludd grappled with him, and fate
bestowed the victory on Lludd. And he threw the plague to the earth.
And after he had overcome him by strength and might, he besought his
mercy. “How can I grant thee mercy,” said the king, “after all the many
injuries and wrongs that thou hast done me?” “All the losses that ever I
have caused thee,” said he, “I will make thee atonement for, equal to
what I have taken. And I will never do the like from this time forth.
But thy faithful vassal will I be.” And the king accepted this from him.
And thus Lludd freed the Island of Britain from the three plagues. And
from thenceforth until the end of his life, in prosperous peace did Lludd
the son of Beli rule the Island of Britain. And this Tale is called the
Story of Lludd and Llevelys. And thus it ends.