MANAWYDDAN THE SON OF LLYR.
THE
THIRD BRANCH OF THE MABINOGI
(Translation
by Lady Charlotte Guest)
WHEN the seven men of whom we spoke above had buried the
head of Bendigeid Vran, in the White Mount in London, with
its face towards France; Manawyddan gazed upon the town of
London, and upon his companions, and heaved a great sigh;
and much grief and heaviness came upon him. "Alas, Almighty
Heaven, woe is me," he exclaimed, "there is none save
myself without a resting-place this night." "Lord," said
Pryderi, "be not so sorrowful. Thy cousin is king of the
Island of the Mighty, and though he should do thee wrong,
thou hast never been a claimant of land or possessions.
Thou art the third disinherited prince." "Yea," answered
he, "but although this man is my cousin, it grieveth me to
see any one in the place of my brother Bendigeid Vran,
neither can I be happy in the same dwelling with him."
"Wilt thou follow the counsel of another?" said Pryderi. "I
stand in need of counsel," he answered, "and what way that
counsel be?" "Seven Cantrevs remain unto me," said Pryderi,
"wherein Rhiannon my mother dwells. I will bestow her upon
thee and the seven Cantrevs with her, and though thou hadst
no possessions but those Cantrevs only thou couldst not
have seven Cantrevs fairer than they. Kicva, the daughter
of Gwynn Gloyw, is my wife, and since the inheritance of
the Cantrevs belongs to me, do thou and Rhiannon enjoy
them, and if thou ever desire any possessions thou wilt
take these." "I do not, Chieftain," said he; "Heaven reward
thee for thy friendship." "I would show thee the best
friendship in the world if thou wouldst let me." "I will,
my friend," said he, " and Heaven reward thee. I will go
with thee to seek Rhiannon and to look at thy possessions."
"Thou wilt do well," he answered. "And I believe that thou
didst never hear a lady discourse better than she, and when
she was in her prime none was ever fairer. Even now her
aspect is not uncomely."
They set forth, and, however long the journey, they came at
length to Dyved, and a feast was prepared for them against
their coming to Narberth, which Rhiannon and Kicva had
provided. Then began Manawyddan and Rhiannon to sit and to
talk together, and from their discourse his mind and his
thoughts became warmed towards her, and he thought in his
heart he had never beheld any lady more fulfilled of grace
and beauty than she. "Pryderi," said he, "I will that it be
as thou didst say." "What saving was that?" asked Rhiannon.
"Lady," said Pryderi, "I did offer thee as a wife to
Manawyddan the son of Llyr." "By that will I gladly abide,"
said Rhiannon. "Right glad am I also," said Manawyddan;
"may Heaven reward him who hath shown unto me friendship so
perfect as this."
And before the feast was over she became his bride. Said
Pryderi, "Tarry ye here the rest of the feast, and I will
go into Lloegyr to tender my homage unto Caswallawn the son
of Beli." "Lord," said Rhiannon, "Caswallawn is in Kent,
thou mayest therefore tarry at the feast, and wait until he
shall be nearer." "We will wait," he answered. So they
finished the feast. And they began to make the circuit of
Dyved, and to hunt, and to take their pleasure. And as they
went through the country, they had never seen lands more
pleasant to live in, nor better hunting grounds, nor
greater plenty of honey and fish. And such was the
friendship between those four, that they would not be
parted from each other by night nor by day.
And in the midst of all this he went to Caswallawn at
Oxford, and tendered his homage; and honourable was his
reception there, and highly was he praised for offering his
homage.
And after his return, Pryderi and Manawyddan feasted and
took their ease and pleasure. And they began a feast at
Narberth, for it was the chief palace; and there originated
all honour. And when they had ended the first meal that
night, while those who served them ate, they arose and went
forth, and proceeded all four to the Gorsedd of Narberth,
and their retinue with them. And as they sat thus, behold,
a peal of thunder, and with the violence of the
thunderstorm, lo there came a fall of mist, so thick that
not one of them could see the other. And after the mist it
became light all around. And when they looked towards the
place where they were wont to see cattle, and herds, and
dwellings, they saw nothing now, neither house, nor beast,
nor smoke, nor fire, nor man, nor dwelling; but the houses
of the Court empty, and desert, and uninhabited, without
either man, or beast within them. And truly all their
companions were lost to them, without their knowing aught
of what had befallen them, save those four only.
"In the name of Heaven," cried Manawyddan, "where are they
of the Court, and all my host beside these? Let us go, and
see." So they came into the hall, and there was no man; and
they went on to the castle, and to the sleeping-place, and
they saw none; and in the mead-cellar and in the kitchen
there was nought but desolation. So they four feasted, and
hunted, and took their pleasure. Then they began to go
through the land and all the possessions that they had, and
they visited the houses and dwellings, and found nothing
but wild beasts. And when they had consumed their feast and
all their provisions, they fed upon the prey they killed in
hunting, and the honey of the wild swarms. And thus they
passed the first year pleasantly, and the second; but at
the last they began to be weary.
"Verily," said Manawyddan, "we must not bide thus. Let us
go into Lloegyr, and seek some craft whereby we may gain
our support." So they went into Lloegyr, and came as far as
Hereford. And they betook themselves to making saddles. And
Manawyddan began to make housings, and he gilded and
coloured them with blue enamel, in the manner that he had
seen it done by Llasar Llaesgywydd. And he made the blue
enamel as it was made by the other man. And therefore is it
still called Calch Lasar [blue enamel], because Llasar
Llaesgywydd had wrought it.
And as long as that workmanship could be had of Manawyddan,
neither saddle nor housing was bought of a saddler
throughout all Hereford; till at length every one of the
saddlers perceived that they were losing much of their
gain, and that no man bought of them, but him who could not
get what he sought from Manawyddan. Then they assembled
together, and agreed to slay him and his companions.
Now they received warning of this, and took counsel whether
they should leave the city. "By Heaven," said Pryderi, "it
is not my counsel that we should quit the town, but that we
should slay these boors." "Not so," said Manawyddan, "for
if we fight with them, we shall have evil fame, and shall
be put in prison. It were better for us to go to another
town to maintain ourselves." So they four went to another
city.
"What craft shall we take?" said Pryderi. "We will make
shields," said Manawyddan. "Do we know anything about that
craft?" said Pryderi. "We will try," answered he. There
they began to make shields, and fashioned them after the
shape of the good shields they had seen; and they enamelled
them, as they had done the saddles. And they prospered in
that place, so that not a shield was asked for in the whole
town, but such as was had of them. Rapid therefore was
their work, and numberless were the shields they made. But
at last they were marked by the craftsmen, who came
together in haste, and their fellow-townsmen with them, and
agreed that they should seek to slay them. But they
received warning, and heard how the men had resolved on
their destruction. "Pryderi," said Manawyddan, "these men
desire to slay us." "Let us not endure this from these
boors, but let us rather fall upon them and slay them."
"Not so," he answered; "Caswallawn and his men will hear of
it, and we shall be undone. Let us go to another town." So
to another town they went.
"What craft shall we take?" said Manawyddan. "Whatsoever
thou wilt that we know," said Pryderi. "Not so," he
replied, "but let us take to making shoes, for there is not
courage enough among cordwainers either to fight with us or
to molest us." "I know nothing thereof," said Pryderi.
"But I know," answered Manawyddan; "and I will teach thee
to stitch. We will not attempt to dress the leather, but we
will buy it ready dressed and will make the shoes from it."
So he began by buying the best cordwal that could be had in
the town, and none other would he buy except the leather
for the soles; and he associated himself with the best
goldsmith in the town, and caused him to make clasps for
the shoes, and to gild the clasps, and he marked how it was
done until he learnt the method. And therefore was he
called one of the three makers of Gold Shoes; and, when
they could be had from him, not a shoe nor hose was bought
of any of the cordwainers in the town. But when the
cordwainers perceived that their gains were failing (for as
Manawyddan shaped the work, so Pryderi stitched it), they
came together and took counsel, and agreed that they would
slay them.
"Pryderi," said Manawyddan, "these men are minded to slay
us." "Wherefore should we bear this from the boorish
thieves?" said Pryderi. "Rather let us slay them all." "Not
so," said Manawyddan, "we will not slay them., neither will
we remain in Lloegyr any longer. Let us set forth to Dyved
and go to see it."
So they journeyed along until they came to Dyved, and they
went forward to Narberth. And there they kindled fire and
supported themselves by hunting. And thus they spent a
month. And they gathered their dogs around them, and
tarried there one year.
And one morning Pryderi and Manawyddan rose up to hunt, and
they ranged their dogs and went forth from the palace. And
some of the dogs ran before them and came to a small bush
which was near at hand; but as soon as they were come to
the bush, they hastily drew back and returned to the men,
their hair bristling up greatly. "Let us go near to the
bush," said Pryderi, "and see what is in it." And as they
came near, behold, a wild boar of a pure white colour rose
up from the bush. Then the dogs being set on by the men,
rushed towards him; but he left the bush and fell back a
little way from the men, and made a stand against the dogs
without retreating from them, until the men had come near.
And when the men came up, he fell back a second time, and
betook him to flight. Then they pursued the boar until they
beheld a vast and lofty castle, all newly built, in a place
where they had never before seen either stone or building.
And the boar ran swiftly into the castle and the dogs after
him. Now when the boar and the dogs had gone into the
castle, they began to wonder at finding a castle in a place
where they had never before then seen any building
whatsoever. , And from the top of the Gorsedd they looked
and listened for the dogs. But so long as they were there
they heard not one of the dogs nor aught concerning them.
"Lord," said Pryderi, "I will go into the castle to get
tidings of the dogs." "Truly," he replied, "thou wouldst be
unwise to go into this castle, which thou hast never seen
till now. If thou wouldst follow my counsel, thou wouldst
not enter therein. Whosoever has cast a spell over this
land has caused this castle to be here. "Of a truth,"
answered Pryderi, "I cannot thus give up my dogs." And for
all the counsel that Manawyddan gave him, yet to the castle
he went.
When he came within the castle, neither man nor beast, nor
boar nor dogs, nor house nor dwelling saw he within it. But
in the centre of the castle floor he beheld a fountain with
marble work around it, and on the margin of the fountain a
golden bowl upon a marble slab, and chains hanging from the
air, to which he saw no end.
And he was greatly pleased with the beauty of the gold, and
with the rich workmanship of the bowl, and he went up to
the bowl and laid hold of it. And when he had taken hold of
it his hands stuck to the bowl, and his feet to the slab on
which the bowl was placed, and all his joyousness forsook
him, so that he could not utter a word. And thus he stood.
And Manawyddan waited for him till near the close of the
day. And late in the evening, being certain that he should
have no tidings of Pryderi or of the dogs, he went back to
the palace. And as he entered, Rhiannon looked at him.
"'Where," said she, "are thy companion and thy dogs?"
"Behold," he answered, "the adventure that has befallen
me." And he related it all unto her. "An evil companion
hast thou been," said Rhiannon, "and a good companion hast
thou lost." And with that word she went out, and proceeded
towards the castle according to the direction which he gave
her. The gate of the castle she found open. She was nothing
daunted, and she went in. And as she went in, she perceived
Pryderi laying hold of the bowl, and she went towards him.
"Oh, my lord," said she, "what dost thou do here?" And she
took hold of the bowl with him; and as she did so her hands
became fast to the bowl, and her feet to the slab, and she
was not able to utter a word. And with that, as it became
night, lo, there came thunder upon them, and a fall of
mist, and thereupon the castle vanished, and they with it.
When Kicva the daughter of Gwynn Gloew saw that there was
no one in the palace but herself and Manawyddan, she
sorrowed so that she cared not whether she lived or died.
And Manawyddan saw this. "Thou art in the wrong," said he,
"if through fear of me thou grievest thus. I call Heaven to
witness that thou hast never seen friendship more pure than
that which I will bear thee, as long as Heaven will that
thou shouldst be thus. I declare to thee that were I in the
dawn of youth I would keep my faith unto Pryderi, and unto
thee also will I keep it. Be there no fear upon thee,
therefore," said he, "for Heaven is my witness that thou
shalt meet with all the friendship thou canst wish, and
that it is in my power to show thee, as long as it shall
please Heaven to continue us in this grief and woe."
"Heaven reward thee," she said, " and that is what I deemed
of thee." And the damsel thereupon took courage and was
glad.
"Truly, lady," said Manawyddan, "it is not fitting for us
to stay here, we have lost our dogs, and we cannot get
food. Let us go into Lloegyr; it is easiest for us to find
support there." "Gladly, lord," said she, "we will do so."
And they set forth together to Lloegyr.
"Lord," said she, "what craft wilt thou follow? Take up one
that is seemly." "None other will I take," answered he,
"save that of making shoes, as I did formerly." "Lord,"
said she, "such a craft becomes not a man so nobly born as
thou." "By that however will I abide," said he.
So he began his craft, and he made all his work of the
finest leather he could get in the town, and, as he had
done at the other place, he caused gilded clasps to be made
for the shoes. And except himself all the cordwainers in
the town were idle, and without work. For as long as they
could be had from him, neither shoes nor hose were bought
elsewhere. And thus they tarried there a year, until the
cordwainers became envious, and took counsel concerning
him. And he had warning thereof, and it was told him how
the cordwainers had agreed together to slay him.
"Lord," said Kicva, "wherefore should this be borne from
these boors?" "Nay," said he, "we will go back unto Dyved."
So towards Dyved they set forth.
Now Manawyddan, when he set out to return to Dyved,, took
with him a burden of wheat. And he proceeded towards
Narberth, and there he dwelt. And never was he better
pleased than when he saw Narberth again, and the lands
where he had been wont to hunt with Pryderi and with
Rhiannon. And he accustomed himself to fish, and to hunt
the deer in their covert. And then he began to prepare some
ground and he sowed a croft, and a second, and a third. And
no wheat in the world ever sprung up better. And the three
crofts prospered with perfect growth, and no man ever saw
fairer wheat than it.
And thus passed the seasons of the year until the harvest
came. And he went to look at one of his crofts, and behold
it was ripe. "I will reap this to-morrow," said he. And
that night he went back to Narberth, and on the morrow in
the grey dawn he went to reap the croft, and when he came
there he found nothing but the bare straw. Every one of the
ears of the wheat was cut from off the stalk, and all the
ears carried entirely away, and nothing but the straw left.
And at this he marvelled greatly.
Then he went to look at another croft, and behold that also
was ripe. "Verily," said he, "this will I reap to-morrow."
And on the morrow he came with the intent to reap it, and
when he came there he found nothing- but the bare straw.
"Oh, gracious Heaven," he exclaimed, " I know that
whosoever has begun my ruin is completing it, and has also
destroyed the country with me."
Then he went to look at the third croft, and when he came
there, finer wheat had there never been seen, and this also
was ripe. "Evil betide me," said he, "if I watch not here
to-night. Whoever carried off the other corn will come in
like manner to take this. And I will know who it is." So he
took his arms, and began to watch the croft. And he told
Kicva all that had befallen. "Verily," said she, "what
thinkest thou to do?" "I will watch the croft to-night,"
said he.
And he went to watch the croft. And at midnight, lo, there
arose the loudest tumult in the world. And he looked, and
behold the mightiest host of mice in the world, which could
neither be numbered nor measured. And he knew not what it
was until the mice had made their way into the croft, and
each of them climbing up the straw and bending it down with
its weight, had cut off one of the ears of wheat and had
carried it away leaving there the stalk, and he saw not a
single straw there that had not a mouse to it. And they all
took their way, carrying the ears with them.
In wrath and anger did he rush upon the mice, but he could
no more come up with them than if they had been gnats, or
birds in the air, except one only, which though it was but
sluggish, went so fast that a man on foot could scarce
overtake it. And after this one he went, and he caught it
and put it in his glove, and tied up the opening of the
glove with a string, and kept it with him, and returned to
the palace. Then he came to the hall where Kicva was, and
he lighted a fire, and hung the glove by the string upon a
peg. "What hast thou there, lord?" said Kicva. "A thief,"
said he, "that I found robbing me." "What kind of thief may
it be, lord, that thou couldst put into thy glove?" said
she. "Behold I will tell thee," he answered. Then he showed
her how his fields had been wasted and destroyed, and how
the mice came to the last of the fields in his sight. "And
one of them was less nimble than the rest, and is now in my
glove; tomorrow I will hang it, and before Heaven, if I had
them, I would hang them all." "My lord," said she, "this is
marvellous; but yet it would be unseemly for a man of
dignity like thee to be hanging such a reptile as this. And
if thou doest right, thou wilt not meddle with the
creature, but wilt let it go." "Woe betide me," said he,
"if I would not hang them all could I catch them, and such
as I have I will hang." "Verily, lord," said she, "there is
no reason that I should succour this reptile, except to
prevent discredit unto thee. Do therefore, lord, as thou
wilt." "If I knew of any cause in the world wherefore thou
shouldst succour it, I would take thy counsel concerning
it," said Manawyddan, "but as I know of none, lady, I am
minded to destroy it." "Do. so willingly then," said she.
And then he went to the Gorsedd of Narberth, taking the
mouse with him. And he set up two forks on the highest part
of the Gorsedd. And while he was doing this, behold he saw
a scholar coming towards him, in old and poor and tattered
garments. And it was now seven years since he had seen in
that place either man or beast, except those four persons
who had remained together until two of them were lost.
"My lord," said the scholar, "good day to thee." "Heaven
prosper thee, and my greeting be unto thee. And whence dost
thou come, scholar?" asked he. "I come, lord, from singing
in Lloegyr; and wherefore dost thou inquire?" "Because for
the last seven years," answered he, "I have seen no man
here save four secluded persons, and thyself this moment."
"Truly, lord," said he, "I go through this land unto mine
own. And what work art thou upon, lord?" "I am hanging a
thief that I caught robbing me," said he. "What manner of
thief is that?" asked the scholar. "I see a creature in thy
hand like unto a mouse, and ill does it become a man of
rank equal to thine to touch a reptile such as this. Let it
go forth free." "I will not let it go free, by Heaven,"
said he, "I caught it robbing me, and the doom of a thief
will I inflict upon it, and I will hang it." "Lord," said
he, "rather than see a man of rank equal to thine at such
work as this, I would give thee a pound which I have
received as alms, to let the reptile go forth free." "I
will not let it go free," said he, "by Heaven, neither will
I sell it." "As thou wilt, lord," he answered, "except that
I would not see a man of rank equal to thine touching such
a reptile, I care nought." And the scholar went his way.
And as he was placing,the crossbeam upon the two forks,
behold a priest came towards him upon a horse covered with
trappings. "Good day to thee, lord," said he. "Heaven
prosper thee," said Manawyddan; "thy blessing." "The
blessing of Heaven be upon thee. And what, lord, art thou
doing?" "I am hanging a thief that I caught robbing me,"
said he. "What manner of thief, lord?" asked he. "A
creature," he answered, "in form of a mouse. It has been
robbing me, and I am inflicting upon it the doom of a
thief." "Lord," said he, "rather than see thee touch this
reptile, I would purchase its freedom." "By my confession
to Heaven, neither will I sell it nor set it free." "It is
true, lord, that it is worth nothing to buy; but rather
than see thee defile thyself by touching such a reptile as
this, I will give thee three pounds to let it go." "I will
not, by Heaven," said he, "take any price for it. As it
ought, so shall it be hanged." "Willingly, lord, do thy
good pleasure." And the priest went his way.
Then he noosed the string around the mouse's neck, and as
he was about to draw it up, behold, he saw a bishop's
retinue with his sumpter-horses, and his attendants. And
the bishop himself came towards him. And he stayed his
work. "Lord bishop," said he, "thy blessing." "Heaven's
blessing be unto thee," said he, "what work art thou upon?"
"Hanging a thief that I caught robbing me," said he. "Is
not that a mouse that I see in thy hand?" "Yes," answered
he. "And she has robbed me." "Aye," said he, "since I have
come at the doom of this reptile, I will ransom it of thee.
I will give thee seven pounds for it, and that rather than
see a man of rank equal to thine destroying so vile a
reptile as this. Let it loose and thou shalt have the
money." "I declare to Heaven that I will not set it loose."
"If thou wilt not loose it for this, I will give thee
four-and-twenty pounds of ready money to set it free." "I
will not set it free, by Heaven, for as much again," said
he. "If thou wilt not set it free for this, I will give
thee all the horses that thou seest in this plain, and the
seven loads of baggage, and the seven horses that they are
upon." "By Heaven, I will not," he replied. "Since for this
thou wilt not, do so at what price soever thou wilt." "I
will do so," said he. "I will that Rhiannon and Pryderi be
free," said he. "That thou shalt have," he answered. "Not
yet will I loose the mouse, by Heaven." "What then wouldst
thou?" "That the charm and the illusion be removed from the
seven Cantrevs of Dyved." "This shalt thou have also, set
therefore the mouse free."
"I will not set it free, by Heaven," said he. "I will know
who the mouse may be." "She is my wife." "Even though she
be, I will not set her free. Wherefore came she to me?" "To
despoil thee," he answered. "I am Llwyd the son of Kilcoed,
and I cast the charm over the seven Cantrevs of Dyved. And
it was to avenge Gwawl the son of Clud, from the friendship
I had towards him, that I cast the charm. And upon Pryderi
did I revenge Gwawl the son of Clud, for the game of Badger
in the Bag, that Pwyll Pen Annwn played upon him, which he
did unadvisedly in the Court of Heveydd Hen. And when it
was known that thou wast come to dwell in the land, my
household came and besought me to transform them into mice,
that they might destroy thy corn. And it was my own
household that went the first night. And the second night
also they went, and they destroyed thy two crofts. And the
third night came unto me my wife and the ladies of the
Court, and besought me to transform them. And I transformed
them. Now she is pregnant. And had she not been pregnant
thou wouldst not have been. able to overtake her; but since
this has taken place, and she has been caught, I will
restore thee Pryderi and Rhiannon; and I will take the
charm and illusion from off Dyved. I have now told thee who
she is. Set her therefore free." "I will not set her free,
by Heaven," said he. "What wilt thou more?" he asked. "I
will that there be no more charm upon the seven Cantrevs of
Dyved, and that none shall be put upon it henceforth."
"This thou shalt have," said he. "Now set her free." "I
will not, by my faith," he answered. "What wilt thou
furthermore?" asked he. "Behold," said he, "this will I
have; that vengeance be never taken for this, either upon
Pryderi or Rhiannon, or upon me." "All this shalt thou
have. And truly thou hast done wisely in asking this. Upon
thy head would have lighted all this trouble." "Yea," said
he, " for fear thereof was it, that I required this." "
\Set now my wife at liberty." "I will not, by Heaven," said
he, "Behold, until I see Pryderi and Rhiannon with me
free." "Behold, here they come," he answered.
And thereupon behold Pryderi and Rhiannon. And he rose up
to meet them, and greeted them, and sat down beside them.
"Ah, Chieftain, set now my wife at liberty," said the
bishop. "Hast thou not received all thou didst ask?" "I
will release her gladly," said he. And thereupon he set her
free.
Then Llwyd struck her with a magic wand, and she was
changed back into a young woman, the fairest ever seen.
"Look around upon thy land," said he, "and then thou wilt
see it all tilled and peopled, as it was in its best
state." And he rose up and looked forth. And when he looked
he saw all the lands tilled, and full of herds and
dwellings.
"What bondage," he inquired, "has there been upon Pryderi
and Rhiannon?" "Pryderi has had the knockers of the gate of
my palace about his neck, and Rhiannon has had the collars
of the asses, after they have been carrying hay about her
neck. And such had been their bondage.
And by reason of this bondage is this story called the
Mabinogi of Mynnweir and Mynord.
And thus ends this portion of the Mabinogi.