The Mabinogion Vol. 1 by Sir Owen Morgan Edwards and Lady Charlotte Schreiber (best big ereader txt) 📗

fellows of Rhuvawn Pebyr the son of Prince Deorthach.  And these men are honourably served with mead and bragget, and are freely beloved by the daughters of the kings of the Island of Britain.  And this they merit, for they were ever in the front and the rear in every peril.”  And he saw but one hue upon the men and the horses of this troop, for they were all as red as blood.  And when one of the knights rode forth from the troop, he looked like a pillar of fire glancing athwart the sky.  And this troop encamped above the ford.

Then they beheld another troop coming towards the ford, and these from their horses’ chests upwards were whiter than the lily, and below blacker than jet.  And they saw one of these knights go before the rest, and spur his horse into the ford in such a manner that the water dashed over Arthur and the Bishop, and those holding counsel with them, so that they were as wet as if they had been drenched in the river.  And as he turned the head of his horse, the youth who stood before Arthur struck the horse over the nostrils with his sheathed sword, so that had it been p. 114with the bare blade it would have been a marvel if the bone had not been wounded as well as the flesh.  And the knight drew his sword half out of the scabbard, and asked of him, “Wherefore didst thou strike my horse?  Whether was it in insult or in counsel unto me?”  “Thou dost indeed lack counsel.  What madness caused thee to ride so furiously as to dash the water of the ford over Arthur, and the consecrated Bishop, and their counsellors, so that they were as wet as if they had been dragged out of the river?”  “As counsel then will I take it.”  So he turned his horse’s head round towards his army.

“Iddawc,” said Rhonabwy, “who was yonder knight?”  “The most eloquent and the wisest youth that is in this Island; Adaon the son of Taliesin.”  “Who was the man that struck his horse?”  “A youth of froward nature; Elphin the son of Gwyddno.”

Then spake a tall and stately man, of noble and flowing speech, saying that it was a marvel that so vast a host should be assembled in so narrow a space, and that it was a still greater marvel that those should be there at that time who had promised to be by mid-day in the battle of Badon, fighting with Osla Gyllellvawr.  “Whether thou mayest choose to proceed or not, I will proceed.”  “Thou sayest well,” said Arthur, “and we will go all together.”  “Iddawc,” said Rhonabwy, “who was the man who spoke so marvellously unto Arthur erewhile?”  “A man who may speak as boldly as he listeth, Caradawc Vreichvras, the son of Llyr Marini, his chief counsellor and his cousin.”

Then Iddawc took Rhonabwy behind him on his horse, and that mighty host moved forward, each troop in its order, towards Cevndigoll.  And when p. 115they came to the middle of the ford of the Severn, Iddawc turned his horse’s head, and Rhonabwy looked along the valley of the Severn.  And he beheld two fair troops coming towards the ford.  One troop there came of brilliant white, whereof every one of the men had a scarf of white satin with jet black borders.  And the knees and the tops of the shoulders of their horses were jet black, though they were of a pure white in every other part.  And their banners were pure white, with black points to them all.

“Iddawc,” said Rhonabwy, “who are yonder pure white troop?”  “They are the men of Norway, and March the son of Meirchion is their prince.  And he is cousin unto Arthur.”  And further on he saw a troop, whereof each man wore garments of jet black, with borders of pure white to every scarf; and the tops of the shoulders and the knees of their horses were pure white.  And their banners were jet black with pure white at the point of each.

“Iddawc,” said Rhonabwy, “who are the jet black troop yonder?”  “They are the men of Denmark, and Edeyrn the son of Nudd is their prince.”

And when they had overtaken the host, Arthur and his army of mighty ones dismounted below Caer Badon, and he perceived that he and Iddawc journeyed the same road as Arthur.  And after they had dismounted he heard a great tumult and confusion amongst the host, and such as were then at the flanks, turned to the centre, and such as had been in the centre moved to the flanks.  And then, behold, he saw a knight coming, clad, both he and his horse, in mail, of which the rings were whiter than the whitest lily, and the rivets redder than the ruddies blood.  And he rode amongst the host.

p. 116“Iddawc,” said Rhonabwy, “will yonder host flee?”  “King Arthur never fled, and if this discourse of thine were heard, thou wert a lost man.  But as to the knight whom thou seest yonder, it is Kai.  The fairest horseman is Kai in all Arthur’s Court; and the men who are at the front of the army hasten to the rear to see Kai ride, and the men who are in the centre, flee to the side from the shock of his horse. [116a]  And this is the cause of the confusion of the host.”

Thereupon they heard a call made for Kadwr, Earl of Cornwall, and behold he arose with the sword of Arthur in his hand.  And the similitude of two serpents was upon the sword in gold.  And when the sword was drawn from its scabbard, it seemed as if two flames of fire burst forth from the jaws of the serpents, and then, so wonderful was the sword, that it was hard for any one to look upon it.  And the host became still, and the tumult ceased, and the Earl returned to the tent.

“Iddawc,” said Rhonabwy, “who is the man who bore the sword of Arthur?”  “Kadwr, the Earl of Cornwall, whose duty is to arm the King on the days of battle and warfare.”

And they heard a call made for Eirynwych Amheibyn, Arthur’s servant, a red, rough, ill-favoured man, having red whiskers [116b] with bristly hairs.  And behold he came upon a tall red horse, with the mane parted on each side, and he brought with him a large and beautiful sumpter pack.  And the huge red youth dismounted before Arthur, and he drew a golden chair out of the pack, and a carpet of diapered satin.  And he spread the carpet before Arthur, and there was an apple of ruddy gold at each corner thereof, p. 117and he placed the chair upon the carpet.  And so large was the chair that three armed warriors might have sat therein.  Gwenn was the name of the carpet, and it was one of its properties, that whoever was upon it no one could see him, and he could see every one.  And it would retain no colour but its own.

And Arthur sat within the carpet, and Owain the son of Urien was standing before him.  “Owain,” said Arthur, “wilt thou play chess?”  “I will, Lord,” said Owain.  And the red youth brought the chess for Arthur and Owain; golden pieces and a board of silver.  And they began to play.

And while they were thus, and when they were best amused with their game, behold they saw a white tent with a red canopy, and the figure of a jet black p. 118serpent on the top of the tent, and red glaring venomous eyes in the head of the serpent, and a red flaming tongue.  And there came a young page with yellow curling hair, and blue eyes, and a newly springing beard, wearing a coat and a surcoat of yellow satin, and hose of thin greenish yellow cloth upon his feet, and over his hose shoes of parti-coloured leather, fastened at the insteps with golden clasps.  And he bore a heavy three-edged sword with a golden hilt, in a scabbard of black leather tipped with fine gold.  And he came to the place where the Emperor and Owain were playing at chess.

And the youth saluted Owain.  And Owain marvelled that the youth should salute him and should not have saluted the Emperor Arthur.  And Arthur knew what was in Owain’s thought.  And he said to Owain, “Marvel not that the youth salutes thee now, for he saluted me erewhile; and it is unto thee that his errand is.”  Then said the youth unto Owain, “Lord, is it with thy leave that the young pages and attendants of the Emperor harass and torment and worry the Ravens?  And if it be not with thy leave, cause the Emperor to forbid them.”  “Lord,” said Owain, “thou hearest what the youth says; if it seem good to thee, forbid them from my Ravens.”  “Play thy game,” said he.  Then the youth returned to the tent.

That game did they finish, and another they began, and when they were in the midst of the game, behold, a ruddy young man with auburn curling hair, and large eyes, well grown, and having his beard new shorn, came forth from a bright yellow tent, upon the summit of which was the figure of a bright red lion.  And he was clad in a coat of yellow satin, falling as low as the small of his leg, and embroidered with threads of red p. 119silk.  And on his feet were hose of fine white buckram, and buskins of black leather were over his hose, whereon were golden clasps.  And in his hand a huge, heavy, three-edged sword, with a scabbard of red-deer hide, tipped with gold.  And he came to the place where Arthur and Owain were playing at chess.  And he saluted him.  And Owain was troubled at his salutation, but Arthur minded it no more than before.  And the youth said unto Owain, “Is it not against thy will that the attendants of the Emperor harass thy Ravens, killing some and worrying others?  If against thy will it be, beseech him to forbid them.”  “Lord,” said Owain, “forbid thy men if it seem good to thee.”  “Play thy game,” said the Emperor.  And the youth returned to the tent.

And that game was ended, and another begun.  And as they were beginning the first move of the game, they beheld at a small distance from them a tent speckled yellow, the largest ever seen, and the figure of an eagle of gold upon it, and a precious stone on the eagle’s head.  And coming out of the tent, they saw a youth with thick yellow hair upon his head, fair and comely, and a scarf of blue satin upon him, and a brooch of gold in the scarf upon his right shoulder as large as a warrior’s middle finger.  And upon his feet were hose of fine Totness, and shoes of parti-coloured leather, clasped with gold, and the youth was of noble bearing, fair of face, with ruddy cheeks and large hawk’s eyes.  In the hand of the youth was a mighty lance, speckled yellow, with a newly sharpened head; and upon the lance a banner displayed.

Fiercely angry, and with rapid pace, came the youth to the place where Arthur was playing at chess with Owain.  And they perceived that he was wroth.  p. 120And thereupon he saluted Owain, and told him that his Ravens had been killed, the chief part of them, and that such of them as were not slain were so wounded and bruised that not one of them could raise its wings a single fathom above the earth.  “Lord,” said Owain, “forbid thy men.”  “Play,” said he “if it please thee.”  Then said Owain to the youth, “Go back, and wherever thou