The Story of King Arthur and Other Celtic Heroes

by Padraic Colum

  And after the dragons had been closed in that secure place, King Lud caused a great banquet to be prepared in his palace. And when the banquet was ready, he had a vessel of ice-cold water placed by his side, and he himself, with his arms beside him, watched over the banquet that was spread out in the hall.

  About the third watch of the night he began to hear songs that were enchantments. They lulled him, and he became drowsy, and drowsiness urged him to sleep. But then he went into the vessel of ice-cold water, and he became wakeful again. And many times during that night did his drowsiness urge him to sleep, but each time he went within the ice-cold water and became wakeful again.

  And at last, behold! a man of vast size, clad in strong, heavy armour, came into the hall. He carried with him a basket of an enormous size, and he set the basket down in the middle of the hall, and he began to put into it all the meat, and bread, and drink that were upon the great tables. And as King Lud watched it seemed wonderful to him that any basket on the earth could hold so much.

  The Giant had lifted up the basket to take it out of the hall when King Lud went to him. “Stop,” said the King. “You have done many insults to me before this, and you have taken much that was mine away from me, but you will not take away what you have gathered, unless your skill in arms and your valour be more than mine.”

  Then the Giant laid the great basket down on the floor, and he prepared for battle with King Lud. The encounter was fierce between them, and glittering fire flew out from their arms. But when it was near daylight the Giant weakened; he fell across the great basket and King Lud grappled with him. And then, this third plague that had afflicted him and his people, King Lud threw down on the earth. The Giant besought his mercy. “How can I grant thee mercy,” said the King, “after the many injuries thou hast done to me and to my people?” “All the losses I ever caused thee,” said the Giant, “I will make atonement for.” And after that he brought back to the King basket after basket of provisions, until he had brought back as much as he had taken away. And the provisions that the Giant brought back were spread out in King Lud’s banqueting hall, and the people of the country came, and they all feasted well.

  And thus King Lud freed the Island of Britain from the three plagues that afflicted it. From thenceforth until the end of his life, in prosperity and peace did Lud, the son of Beli, rule the Island of the Mighty. And thus the story ends.

  By this time the sword was burnished; Kai gave it unto the hand of Gurnach the Giant, to see if he were pleased with it. And seeing the burnished blade, the Giant said to himself: “The work is done, and now I will slay the workman.” To Kai he said: “I am content therewith.” Said Kai: “It is thy scabbard that hath rusted thy sword; give it to me that I may take out the wooden sides of it and put in new ones.” He took the scabbard from him with one hand, and he took the sword with the other. Then he came and stood over against the Giant, as if he would have put the sword into the scabbard. But with it he struck at the head of the Giant, and he cut off his head at one blow. Then Kai and Bedour released the captives that the Giant held in his vast castle. Also they took away the great store of goods and jewels that the castle held. Then they went back to Arthur’s palace with the famous sword of Gurnach that Kilhuch had need of for his hunting of the boar Truith.

  V

  HOW THE GREAT SALMON TOOK THEM TO MABON

  Now after they had put into his hands the sword of Gurnach the Giant, Arthur said to them: “Which of the marvels will it be best for us to seek now?” “It will be best,” said they, “to seek for Mabon, the son of Modron. But, Lord, stay thou here, thou canst not proceed with thy host in quest of such small adventures as these.” The King said: “Kai and Bedour, I have hope of whatever adventure ye are in quest of, that ye will achieve it. Achieve ye this adventure for me.”

  So they went on until they came to where the Blackbird of Kilgurry nested. Then Arthur’s messenger who went with them and who knew all the languages, even the language of birds and beasts and fishes, said to the Blackbird: “Tell me if thou knowest aught of Mabon, the son of Modron, who was taken when three nights old from between his mother and the wall.” And the Blackbird answered: “When I first came here, there was a smith’s anvil in this place, and I was then a young bird; and from that time no work has been done upon it, save the pecking of my beak every evening, and now there is not so much as the size of a nut remaining thereof; yet the vengeance of Heaven be upon me, if during all that time I have heard of the man for whom you inquire. Nevertheless, I will do that which is right, and that which is fitting that I should do for an embassy from King Arthur. There is a race of animals who were formed before me, and I will be your guide to them.”

  The Blackbird flew before them, and he brought them to a place where there was a great stag standing. “Stag of Redinvre,” said they, “behold we are come to thee, an embassy from Arthur, for we have not heard of any animal older than thou. Say, knowest thou aught of Mabon, the son of Modron, who was taken from his mother when three nights old?” The Stag said: “When first I came hither, there was a plain all around me, without any trees save one oak sapling, which grew up to be an oak with a hundred branches. And that oak has since perished, so that now nothing remains of it but the withered stump; but from that day to this I have been here, yet have I never heard of the man for whom you inquire. Nevertheless, being an embassy from King Arthur, I will be your guide to the place where there is an animal which was formed before I was.”

  The Stag went before them and led them to the place where was the Owl of Coom Cawlud. “Owl of Coom Cawlud, here is an embassy from King Arthur; knowest thou aught of Mabon, the son of Modron, who was taken after three nights from his mother?” “If I knew I would tell you,” the Owl answered. “When first I came hither, the wide valley you see was a wooded glen. And a race of men came and rooted it up. And there grew there a second wood; and this wood is the third. My wings, are they not withered stumps? Yet all this time, even until to-day, I have never heard of the man for whom you inquire. Nevertheless, I will be the guide of Arthur’s embassy until you come to the place where is the oldest animal in this world, and the one that has travelled most, the Eagle of Gwern Aby.”

  So to the Eagle of Gwern Aby the Owl led them. Then Arthur’s messenger said: “Eagle of Gwern Aby, we have come to thee on an embassy from Arthur, to ask thee if thou knowest aught of Mabon, the son of Modron, who was taken from his mother when he was three nights old.” The Eagle said: “I have been here for a great space of time, and when I first came hither there was a rock here, from the top of which I pecked at the stars every evening; and now it is not so much as a span high. From that day to this I have been here, and I have never heard of the man for whom you inquire, except once when I went in search of food as far as Lyn Liu. And when I came there, I struck my talons into a salmon, thinking he would serve me as food for a long time. But he drew me into the deep, and I was scarcely able to escape from him. After that I went with my whole kindred to attack him, and to destroy him, but he sent messengers, and made peace with me; and came and besought me to take fifty fish spears out of his back. Unless he know something of him whom you seek, I cannot tell who may. However, I will guide you to the place where he is.”

  So the Eagle guided them to the river where the Salmon was. And the Eagle said: “Salmon of Lyn Liu, I have come to thee with an embassy from Arthur, to ask thee if thou knowest aught concerning Mabon, the son of Modron, who was taken away at three nights old from his mother.” “As much as I know I will tell thee,” said the Salmon. “With every tide I go along the river upwards, until I come near to the walls of Gloucester, and there have I found such wrong as I never found elsewhere; and to the end that ye may give credence thereto, let one of you go thither upon each of my two shoulders.” So Kai and Bedour went upon the two shoulders of the Salmon, and they proceeded until they came unto the wall of the prison, and they heard a great wailing and lamenting from the dungeon. Said Arthur’s messenger: “Who is it that
laments in this house of stone?” “Alas, there is reason enough for whoever is here to lament. It is Mabon, the son of Modron, who is here imprisoned; and no imprisonment was ever so grievous as mine.” “Hast thou hopes of being released for gold or silver, or for any gifts of wealth, or through battle and fighting?” “By fighting will whatever I may gain be obtained.”

  Then Kai and Bedour went thence, and returned to Arthur, and told him where Mabon, the son of Modron, was imprisoned. And Arthur summoned the warriors of the Island of the Mighty, and they journeyed as far as Gloucester, to the place where Mabon was in prison. Kai and Bedour went upon the shoulders of the fish, whilst the warriors of Arthur attacked the castle. And Kai broke through the wall into the dungeon, and brought away the prisoner upon his back, whilst the fight was going on between the warriors. Then Arthur brought Mabon, the son of Modron, to his castle.

  Then at the feast that was given in his honor Mabon told unto Arthur and his court this story of the ancient times in Britain.

  Kai brought away the prisoner upon his back.

  THE DREAM OF MAXEN THE EMPEROR

  Maxen was Emperor of Rome, and he was a comelier man, and a better and wiser man, than any Emperor who had been before him. One day he went hunting with his retinue, and he came to a valley, and to where there was a river that flowed towards Rome. He hunted through that valley until mid-day. Then sleep came upon Maxen the Emperor. His attendants set up their shields around him upon the shafts of their spears to protect him from the sun, and they placed a gold enamelled shield under his head. And so Maxen the Emperor slept.

  He dreamt, and in his dream he thought he was journeying along the valley of a river towards its source. Then he thought that he came to a mountain that was the highest in the world, a mountain that was as high as the sky. He crossed over the mountain, as high as it was, and he went through the fairest and most level regions that man ever yet beheld. Then he saw mighty rivers descending from the mountain to the sea, and towards the mouths of these rivers he proceeded. He came to the mouth of the largest river ever seen. He saw a fleet at the mouth of the river, and amongst the fleet he saw a ship that was larger and fairer than all the others. He saw a bridge of the bone of a whale from the ship to the land, and in his dream he went along the bridge, and came into the ship.

  Then a sail was hoisted, and the ship was borne along the sea and into the far ocean. Then it seemed to him that he came to the fairest island in the whole world, and he traversed the island from sea to sea, even to its furthest shore.

  Then he saw a mountain, and a river that flowed from it and fell into the sea. At the mouth of the river he beheld a castle, the fairest that man ever saw, and he went into the castle. And in it he saw a hall, the roof of which seemed to be all of gold, and the walls of which seemed to be entirely of glittering precious gems, and the doors of which seemed to be all of gold. Golden seats were in that hall, and silver tables.

  And beside a pillar in the hall he saw a hoary-headed man, in a chair of ivory, with figures of two eagles of ruddy gold thereon. Bracelets of gold were upon the man’s arms, a golden torque was about his neck, and his hair was bound with a golden diadem. Before him was a chests-board of gold, and he was carving out chess-men.

  In his dream the Emperor saw another who was there. This was a maiden who was seated in a chair of ruddy gold. A vest of white silk was upon her, with clasps of red gold at the breast; a surcoat of gold tissue was upon her, and on her head there was a frontlet of red gold, and rubies and gems were in that frontlet, alternating with pearls and imperial stones. She was the fairest sight that man ever beheld.

  The maiden rose from her chair, and, in his dream, the Emperor put his arms around her. Then they two sat down together in the chair of gold. And it seemed to Maxen that he had his arms about the maiden’s neck, and his cheek by her cheek, when, lo! through the sounds in the camp around, through the chafing of the dogs at their leashing, and the clashing of the shields as they struck against one another, and the beating together of the shafts of the spears, and the neighing of the horses and their prancing, the Emperor awoke.

  And when he awoke it seemed to him that the world was all empty, and that there was nothing in the world for him since he could look no more on the maiden he had seen in his sleep. Then his household spoke unto him, and said: “Lord, is it not past the time for thee to take thy food?” Thereupon the Emperor mounted his horse, the saddest man that mortal ever saw, and went forth towards Rome.

  And still it seemed to Maxen that the world was empty for him. When his household went to drink wine and mead out of golden vessels, he went not with any of them. When they went to listen to songs and tales, he went not with them there; he slept, and as often as he slept he beheld in his dream the maiden he loved best. Except when he slept he saw nothing of her, for he knew not where in the world she was.

  One day the page of his chamber spoke to him, and said: “Lord, all the people blame thee.” “Wherefore do they blame me?” asked the Emperor. “Because they can get neither message nor answer from thee as men should have from their Lord. And because of this they blame thee and speak evil of thee.” “Youth,” said the Emperor, “do thou bring unto me the wise men of Rome, and I will tell them wherefore I am sorrowful.”

  So the wise men of Rome were brought before the Emperor, and he spake to them, telling them of the dream he was wont to have, and of the maiden whom he saw in his dream. Then the sages of Rome counselled him, telling him that he should send messengers for one year to the three parts of the world, to seek for the place that he saw in his dream and the maiden whom he saw in his dream.

  Then messengers set out from Rome. They journeyed for the space of a year, wandering about the world, and seeking tidings concerning the place that the Emperor had seen in his dream. They came back at the end of a year, and they knew no more of the place that the Emperor had seen in his dream than they did the day they set forth. Then was Maxen even more sorrowful, for now he thought that he should never have tidings of her whom he loved best in the world.

  Then the page of the chamber spoke to him, and said: “Lord, go forth to hunt by the way thou didst seem to go in thy dream, whether it were to the east, or to the west.” So the Emperor went forth to hunt, and he came to the bank of the river. “Behold,” said he, “this is where I was when I had the dream, and I went towards the source of the river westward.”

  Then, from that place the Emperor sent forth thirteen messengers, and they journeyed on until there came before them a high mountain, which seemed to them to touch the sky. And when they were over the mountain, they beheld vast plains, and large rivers flowing through. “Behold,” said they, “the land which our master saw.”

  They went along the mouths of the rivers, until they came to the mighty river which they saw flowing to the sea. They saw the largest fleet in the world, in the harbour of the river, and one ship that was larger than any of the others. “Behold again,” said they, “the fleet that our master saw.” They went aboard the great ship, and they crossed the sea, and they came to the Island of Britain, the Island of the Mighty. They crossed the Island from sea to sea, and they saw the castle at the mouth of the river. The portal of the castle was open, and into the castle they went, and they looked on the hall in the castle. Then said they: “Behold, the hall which he saw in his sleep.” They went into the hall, and they beheld the hoary-headed man beside the pillar, in the ivory chair, carving chess-men. And they beheld the maiden sitting on a chair of ruddy gold.

  The thirteen messengers bent down upon their knees. “Empress of Rome, all hail,” they said. The maiden said: “What mockery is this ye do to me?” “We mock thee not, Lady; but the Emperor of Rome hath seen thee in his sleep, and he has neither life nor spirit left because of thee. Thou shalt have of us therefore the choice, Lady, whether thou wilt go with us and be made Empress of Rome, or that Maxen the Emperor come hither and take thee for his wife?” The maiden said: “I will not deny what ye say, neither will I believe it t
oo well. If the Emperor love me, let him come here to seek me.”

  By day and night the messengers hied them back to Rome. And when they came to Rome and into the palace, they saluted the Emperor, and they said unto him: “We will be thy guides, Lord, over sea and over land, to the place where is the woman whom thou best lovest, for we know her name, and her kindred, and her race.”

  And immediately the Emperor set forth with soldiers and with the thirteen messengers for his guides. Towards the Island of Britain they went, over the sea and the ocean. The Emperor knew the land when he saw it. And when he beheld the castle he said: “Look yonder, there is the castle wherein I saw the maiden whom I best love.” And he went forward into the castle, and there he saw Eudav, the son of Caradog, sitting on a chair of ivory carving chess-men. And the maiden whom he beheld in his sleep, he saw sitting on a chair of gold. “Empress of Rome,” said he, “all hail!” And the Emperor threw his arms around her neck. Then Helen, the daughter of Eudav, became the bride of Maxen, the Emperor of Rome.

  He stayed at Eudav’s castle, and he conquered the Island from Beli, the son of Manogan, and his sons, and drove them to the sea. And he gave the Island of Britain to Helen for her father, from the Channel to the Irish Sea. And he had three castles made for her in the places that she herself chose. And she chose to have the highest castle made at Arvon. After that two other castles were made for her, one the castle of Caerleon, and the other the castle of Caermarthen.

  Seven years did Maxen the Emperor tarry in the Island of the Mighty. Now, at that time the men of Rome had a custom, that whatsoever Emperor should remain in other lands more than seven years should remain to his own overthrow, and should never be permitted to return to Rome again.