BRANWEN THE DAUGHTER OF LLYR.
THE
SECOND BRANCH OF THE MABINOGI.
(Translation
by Lady Charlotte Guest)
BENDIGEID FRAN, 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 wilI 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 Fran 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 Fran. 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 the 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 Fran 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 lddic 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 dishonour
is greater unto Bendigeid Fran 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 Fran 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 there unto.
"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 Fran began to discourse; and
behold it seemed to Bendigeid Fran, 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 Fran, "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 Fran, "for I will give unto thee
a cauldron, 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 cauldron 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 Cauldron. And I beheld a huge
yellow-haired man coming from the lake with a cauldron 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. 'Verily,' asked I, 'wherefore
are you journeying?' 'Behold, this,' said he to me, 'is the
cause that we journey. At the end of a month and a
fortnight this woman will have a son; and the child that
will be born at the end of the month and the fortnight will
be a warrior fully armed.' 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 began 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 Fran, "that he came over unto
thee." "Doubtless he came here," said he, "and gave unto me
the cauldron." "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 honourable to be seen departing with.
And in these things she spent that year in much renown, and
she passed her time pleasantly, enjoying honour and
friendship. And in the meanwhile it chanced that she became
pregnant, and in due time a son was born unto her, and the
name that they gave him was Gwern the son of Matholwch and,
they put the boy out to be foster-nursed, in a place where
were the best men of Ireland.
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 it 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 Fran 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.
Then Bendigeid Fran took the letter and looked upon it. And
when he had read the letter he grieved exceedingly at the
tidings of Branwen's woes. And immediately he began sending
messengers to summon the island together. And he caused
sevenscore and four countries to come unto him, and he
complained to them himself of the grief that his sister
endured. So they took counsel. And in the council they
resolved to go to Ireland, and to leave seven men as
princes here, and Caradawc the son of Bran, as the chief of
them, and their seven knights. In Edeyrnion were these men
left. And for this reason were the seven knights placed in
the town. Now the names of these seven were, Caradawc the
son of Bran, and Hefeydd Hir, and Unic Glew Ysgwyd, and
Iddic the son of Anarawc Gwalltgrwn, and Fodor the son of
Ervyll, and Gwlch Minascwrn, and Llassar the son of Llaesar
Llaesgygwyd, and Pendaran Dyved as a young page with them.
And these abode as seven ministers to take charge of this
island; and Caradawc the son of Bran was the chief amongst
them.
Bendigeid Fran, with the host of which we spoke, sailed
towards Ireland, and it was not far across the sea, and he
came to shoal water. It was but by two rivers; the Lli and
the Archan were they called; and the nations covered the
sea. Then he proceeded with what provisions he had on his
own back, and approached the shore of Ireland.
Now the swineherds of Matholwch were upon the sea-shore,
and they came to Matholwch. "Lord," said they, "greeting be
unto thee." "Heaven protect you," said he, "have you any
news?" "Lord," said they, "we have marvellous news, a wood
have we seen upon the sea, in a place where we never yet
saw a single tree." "This is indeed a marvel," said he;
"saw you aught else? "We saw, lord," said they, "a vast
mountain beside the wood, which moved, and there was a
lofty ridge on the top of the mountain, and a lake on each
side of the ridge. And the wood, and the mountain, and all
these things moved." "Verily," said he, "there is none who
can know aught concerning this, unless it be Branwen."
Messengers then went unto Branwen. "Lady," said they, what
thinkest thou that this is?" "The men of the Island of the
Mighty, who have come hither on hearing of my ill treatment
and my woes." "What is the forest that is seen upon the
sea?" asked they. "The yards and the masts of ships," she
answered. "Alas," said they, "what is the mountain that is
seen by the side of the ships?" "Bendigeid Fran, my
brother," she replied, "coming to shoal water; there is no
ship that can contain him in it." "What is the lofty ridge
with the lake on each side thereof?" "On looking towards
this island he is wroth, and his two eyes, one on each side
of his nose, are the two lakes beside the ridge."
The warriors and the chief men of Ireland were brought
together in haste, and they took counsel. "Lord," said the
nobles unto Matholwch, "there is no other counsel than to
retreat over the Linon (a river which is in Ireland), and
to keep the river between thee and him, and to break down
the bridge that is across the river, for there is a
loadstone at the bottom of the river that neither ship nor
vessel can pass over. So they retreated across the river,
and broke down the bridge.
Bendigeid Fran came to land, and the fleet with him by the
bank of the river. "Lord," said his chieftains, "knowest
thou the nature of this river, that nothing can go across
it, and there is no bridge over it?" "What," said they, "is
thy counsel concerning a bridge?" "There is none," said he,
"except that he who will be chief, let him be a bridge. I
will be so," said he. And then was that saying first
uttered, and it is still used as a proverb. And when he had
lain down across the river, hurdles were placed upon him,
and the host passed over thereby.
And as he rose up, behold the messengers of Matholwch came
to him, and saluted him, and gave him greeting in the name
of Matholwch, his kinsman, and showed how that of his
goodwill he had merited of him nothing but good. "For
Matholwch has given the kingdom of Ireland to Gwern the son
of Matholwch, thy nephew and thy sister's son. And this he
places before thee, as a compensation for the wrong and
despite that has been done unto Branwen. And Matholwch
shall be maintained wheresoever thou wilt, either here or
in the Island of the Mighty." Said Bendigeid Fran, "Shall
not I myself have the kingdom? Then peradventure I may take
counsel concerning your message. From this time until then
no other answer will you get from me." "Verily," said they,
"the best message that we receive for thee, we will convey
it unto thee, and do thou await our message unto him." "I
will wait," answered he, " and do you return quickly."
The messengers set forth and came to Matholweh. "Lord,"
said they, "prepare a better message for Bendigeid Fran. He
would not listen at all to the message that we bore him."
"My friends," said Matholwch, "what may be your counsel?"
"Lord," said they, "there is no other counsel than this
alone. He was never known to be within a house, make
therefore a house that will contain him and the men of the
Island of the Mighty on the one side, and thyself and thy
host on the other; and give over thy kingdom to his will,
and do him homage. So by reason of the honour thou doest
him in making him a house, whereas he never before had a
house to contain him, he will make peace with thee." So the
messengers went back to Bendigeid Fran, bearing him this
message.
And he took counsel, and in the council it was resolved
that he should accept this, and this was all done by the
advice of Branwen, and lest the country should be
destroyed. And this peace was made, and the house was built
both vast and strong. But the Irish planned a crafty
device, and the craft was that they should put brackets on
each side of the hundred pillars that were in the house,
and should place a leathern bag on each bracket, and an
armed man in every one of them. Then Evnissyen came in
before the host of the Island of the Mighty, and scanned
the house with fierce and savage looks, and descried the
leathern bags which were around the pillars. "What is in
this bag?" asked he of one of the Irish. "Meal, good soul,"
said he. And Evnissyen felt about it until he came to the
man's head, and he squeezed the head until he felt his
fingers meet together in the brain through the bone. And he
left that one and put his hand upon another, and asked what
was therein. "Meal," said the Irishman. So he did the like
unto every one of them, until he had not left alive, of all
the two hundred men, save one only; and when he came to
him, he asked what was there. "Meal, good soul," said the
Irishman. And he felt about until he felt the head, and he
squeezed that head as he had done the others. And, albeit
he found that the head of this one was armed, he left him
not until he had killed him. And then he sang an Englyn:-
"There is in this bag a different sort of meal,
The ready combatant, when the assault is made
By his fellow-warriors, prepared for battle."
Thereupon came the hosts unto the house. The men of the
Island of Ireland entered the house on the one side, and
the men of the Island of the Mighty on the other. And as
soon as they had sat down there was concord between them;
and the sovereignty was conferred upon the boy. When the
peace was concluded, Bendigeid Fran called the boy unto
him, and from Bendigeid Fran the boy went unto Manawyddan,
and he was beloved by all that beheld him. And from
Manawyddan the boy was called by Nissyen the son of
Eurosswydd, and the boy went unto him lovingly.
"Wherefore," said Evnissyen "comes not my nephew the son of
my sister unto me? Though he were not king of Ireland, yet
willingly would I fondle the boy." " Cheerfully let him go
to thee," said Bendigeid Fran, and the boy went unto him
cheerfully. "By my confession to Heaven," said Evnissyen in
his heart, "unthought of by the household is the slaughter
that I will this instant commit."
Then he arose and took up the boy by the feet, and before
any one in the house could seize hold of him, he thrust the
boy headlong into the blazing fire. And when Branwen saw
her son burning in the fire, she strove to leap into the
fire also, from the place where she sat between her two
brothers. But Bendigeid Fran grasped her with one hand, and
his shield with the other. Then they all hurried about the
house, and never was there made so great a tumult by any
host in one house as was made by them, as each man armed
himself. Then said Morddwydtyllyon, "The gadflies of
Morddwydtyllyon's Cow!" And while they all sought their
arms, Bendigeid Fran supported Branwen between his shield
and his shoulder.
Then the Irish kindled a fire under the cauldron of
renovation, and they cast the dead bodies into the cauldron
until it was full, and the next day they came forth
fighting-men as good as before, except that they were not
able to speak. Then when Evnissyen saw the dead bodies of
the men of the Island of the Mighty nowhere resuscitated,
he said in his heart, "Alas! woe is me, that I should have
been the cause of bringing the men of the Island of the
Mighty into so great a strait. Evil betide me if I find not
a deliverance there-from." And he cast himself among the
dead bodies of the Irish, and two unshod Irishmen came to
him, and, taking him to be one of the Irish, flung him into
the cauldron. And he stretched himself out in the cauldron,
so that he rent the cauldron into four pieces, and burst
his own heart also.
In consequence of that the men of the Island of the Mighty
obtained such success as they had; but they were not
victorious, for only seven men of them all escaped, and
Bendigeid Fran himself was wounded in the foot with a
poisoned dart.
Now the seven men that escaped were Pryderi, Manawyddan,
Gluneu Eil Taran, Taliesin, Ynawc, Grudyen the son of
Muryel, and Heilyn the son of Gwynn Hen.
And Bendigeid Fran commanded them that they should cut off
his head. "And take you my head," said he, " and bear it
even unto the White Mount, in London, and bury it there,
with the face towards France. And a long time will you be
upon the road. In Harlech you will be feasting seven years,
the birds of Rhiannon singing unto you the while. And all
that time the head will be to you as pleasant company as it
ever was when on my body. And at Gwales in Penvro you will
be fourscore years, and you may remain there, and the head
with you uncorrupted, until you open the door that looks
towards Aber Henvelen, and towards Cornwall. And after you
have opened that door, there you may no longer tarry, set
forth then to London to bury the head, and go straight
forward."
So they cut off his head, and these seven went forward
therewith. And Branwen was the eighth with them, and they
came to land at Aber Alaw, in Talebolyon, and they sat down
to rest. And Branwen looked towards Ireland and towards the
Island of the Mighty, to see if she could descry them.
"Alas," said she, "woe is me that I was ever born; two
islands have been destroyed because of me!" Then she
uttered a loud groan, and there broke her heart. And they
made her a foursided grave, and buried her upon the banks
Of the Alaw.
Then the seven men journeyed forward towards Harlech,
bearing the head with them; and as they went behold there
met them a multitude of men and of women. "Have you any
tidings?" asked Manawyddan. "We have none," said they,
"save that Caswallawn the son of Beli, has conquered the
Island of the Mighty, and is crowned king in London." "What
has become," said they, "of Caradawc the son of Bran, and
the seven men who were left with him in this island?"
"Caswallawn came upon them, and slew six of the men, and
Caradawc's heart broke for grief thereof; for he could see
the sword that slew the men, but knew not who it was that
wielded it. Caswallawn had flung upon him the Veil of
Illusion, so that no one could see him slay the men, but
the sword only could they see. And it liked him not to slay
Caradawc, because he was his nephew, the son of his cousin.
And now he was the third whose heart had broke through
grief. Pendaran Dyved, who had remained as a young page
with these men, escaped into the wood," said they.
Then they went on to Harlech, and there stopped to rest,
and they provided meat and liquor, and sat down to eat and
to drink. And there came three birds, and began singing
unto them a certain song, and all the songs they had ever
heard were unpleasant compared thereto and the birds seemed
to them to be at a great distance from them over the sea,
yet they appeared as distinct as if they were close by, and
at this repast they continued seven years.
And at the close of the seventh year they went forth to
Gwales in Penvro. And there they found a fair and regal
spot overlooking the ocean; and a spacious hall was
therein. And they went into the hall, and two of its doors
were open, but the third door was closed, that which looked
towards Cornwall. "See, yonder," said Manawyddan, "is the
door that we may not open." And that night they regaled
themselves and were joyful. And of all they had seen of
food laid before them, and of all they had heard of, they
remembered nothing; neither of that, nor of any sorrow
whatsoever. And there they remained fourscore years,
unconscious of having ever spent a time more joyous and
mirthful. And they were not more weary than when first they
came, neither did they, any of them, know the time they had
been there. And it was not more irksome to them having the
head with them, than if Bendigeid Fran had been with them
himself. And because of these fourscore years, it was
called the entertaining of the noble head. The entertaining
of Branwen and Matholwch was in the time that they went to
Ireland.
One day said Heilyn the son of Gwynn, "Evil betide me, if I
do not open the door to know if that is true which is said
concerning it." So he opened the door and looked towards
Cornwall and Aber Henvelen. And when they had looked, they
were as conscious of all the evils they had ever sustained,
and of all the friends and companions they had lost, and of
all the misery that had befallen them, as if all had
happened in that very spot; and especially of the fate of
their lord. And because of their perturbation they could
not rest, but journeyed forth with the head towards London.
And they buried the head in the White Mount, and when it
was buried, this was the third goodly concealment; and it
was the third ill-fated disclosure when it was disinterred,
inasmuch as no invasion from across the sea came to this
island while the head was in that concealment.
And thus is the story related of those who journeyed over
from Ireland.
In Ireland none were left alive, except five pregnant women
in a cave in the Irish wilderness; and to these five women
in the same night were born five sons, whom they nursed
until they became grown-up youths. And they thought about
wives, and they at the same time desired to possess them,
and each took a wife of the mothers of their companions,
and they governed the country and peopled it.
And these five divided it amongst them, and because of this
partition are the five divisions of Ireland still so
termed. And they examined the land where the battles had
taken place, and they found gold and silver until they
became wealthy.
And thus ends this portion of the Mabinogi, concerning the
blow given to Branwen, which was the third unhappy blow of
this island; and concerning the entertainment of Bran, when
the hosts of sevenscore countries and ten went over to
Ireland to revenge the blow given to Branwen; and
concerning the seven years' banquet in Harlech, and the
singing of the birds of Rhiannon, and the sojourning of the
head for the space of fourscore years.