LLUDD AND LLEFELYS.
(Translation
by Lady Charlotte Guest)
BELI the Great, the son of Manogan, had three sons, LIudd,
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.*
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 seared 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 braise 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 dragons
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 takes 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 kistraen. 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.
*
- The
version in the Greal adds, "And their coin was fairy
money;" literally, dwarf's money: that is, money which,
when received, appeared to be good coin, but which, if
kept, turned into pieces of fungus, etc.