The Mabinogion (Oxford World's Classics)

by Sioned Davies

  He saw a maiden sitting before him, in a chair of red gold. Because of her beauty it was no easier to gaze upon her than it would be upon the sun when it is at its brightest and most beautiful. The maiden wore shifts of white silk with clasps of red gold at her breast, and a surcoat of gold brocaded silk with a mantle to match, and a brooch of red gold holding the mantle about her; and a frontlet of red gold on her head, with rubies and white gems in the frontlet, and pearls alternating with imperial stones; and a girdle of red gold about her; and she was the most beautiful sight to behold. The maiden got up to meet him from the golden chair, and he embraced her, and they sat down together in the golden chair. And the chair was no narrower for them both than for the maiden alone. And as he had his arms around the maiden, and his cheek against her cheek, what with the dogs straining at their leashes, and the corners of the shields touching one another, and the spear-shafts striking together, and the stamping of the horses, the emperor woke up. And when he awoke he could no longer live or breathe or exist because of the maiden he had seen in his sleep. Not a bone-joint of his, not the root of a fingernail, let alone anything larger, was not full of love for the maiden.

  Then his retinue said to him, ‘Lord,’ they said, ‘it is gone time for you to eat.’

  Then the emperor mounted his palfrey, the saddest man that anyone had ever seen, and he made his way to Rome. Whatever messages he was given, no answer was received because of his sadness and moroseness. And then he arrived in the city of Rome, and he was thus the whole week long. Whenever his retinue went to drink from golden vessels and to take their pleasure, he would not accompany any one of them. Whenever they went to listen to songs and entertainment, he would not accompany them. He did nothing but sleep, for as often as he slept, he would see in his sleep the woman he loved best; when he was not sleeping, because of her he cared for nothing, for he did not know where in the world she was.

  One day a chamberlain said to him (and although he was a chamberlain of his, he was also a king in Romani),* ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘all your men are criticizing you.’

  ‘Why are they criticizing me?’ said the emperor.

  The servant replied, ‘Because neither your men nor anyone else has received from you either a message or an answer such as men expect to get from their lord. And that is why you are being criticized.’

  ‘Lad,’ said the emperor, ‘bring the wise men of Rome to me, and I will tell them why I am sad.’

  Then the wise men of Rome were brought around the emperor. He said, ‘You see, men,’ he said, ‘I had a dream. And in the dream I saw a maiden. I can no longer live or breathe or exist because of her.’

  ‘Lord,’ they replied, ‘because you have asked us for advice, we will advise you. And this is our advice to you. Send messengers for three years to the three regions of the world* to look for your dream. And since you do not know what day or night good news will reach you, your hope will sustain you.’

  Then the messengers travelled until the end of the year, wandering the world and seeking news of the emperor’s dream. When they returned at the end of the year, they had no more news than on the day they set out. Then the emperor was saddened to think that he would never get news of the lady he loved best. Then other messengers set off anew to search the second region of the world. When they returned at the end of the year, they had no more news about the dream than on the first day. Then the emperor was saddened to think that he would never in his life have the good fortune to find the woman he loved best. Then the king of the Romani said to the emperor, ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘begin hunting in the forest in the direction you saw yourself go, either towards the east or towards the west.’

  Then the emperor began to hunt, and he came to the bank of the river he had seen in his dream and said, ‘This is where I was when I had the dream,’ he said. ‘And I was walking westwards, towards the source of the river.’

  Then thirteen men set off as the emperor’s messengers. In front of them they saw a huge mountain which seemed to touch the sky. This is how the messengers appeared as they travelled—each one had a sleeve of his cape to the front that showed he was a messenger, so that in whatever warring country they might travel, no harm would be done to them.* As they crossed over that mountain they saw great, level plains and great, wide rivers flowing through them. Then they said, ‘This’, they said, ‘is the land that our lord saw.’

  They travelled towards the sea-fords along the rivers until they came to the mouth of a river which they saw flowing into the sea, and a great city at the mouth of the river, and a great castle in the city with great towers of different colours. They saw the largest fleet in the world at the mouth of the river, and a ship that was larger than any of the others. And then they said, ‘This again’, they said, ‘is our lord’s dream.’

  And in that large ship they steered over the sea and came to land in the Island of Britain. And they crossed the Island until they saw Eryri, and then they said, ‘This’, they said, ‘is the rugged terrain that our lord saw.’

  They carried on until they saw the Island of Môn facing them, and until they saw Arfon, too. Then they said, ‘This’, they said, ‘is the land our lord saw in his sleep.’

  And they saw Aber Saint,* and the castle at the mouth of the river. They saw the castle gate was open, and they came into the castle. They saw a hall in the castle. ‘This’, they said, ‘is the hall our lord saw in his sleep.’

  They came into the hall. They saw the two lads playing gwyddbwyll on the golden couch, and the grey-haired man at the foot of the pillar in the chair of elephant ivory carving the pieces for the gwyddbwyll. And they saw the maiden sitting in a chair of red gold. The messengers went down on their knees and spoke to her like this, ‘Empress of Rome,’ they said, ‘greetings! We are messengers to you from the emperor of Rome.’

  ‘Noblemen,’ said the maiden, ‘I see you bear the mark of wellborn men and the badge of messengers. Why are you mocking me?’

  ‘Lady,’ they said, ‘we are not mocking you at all. But the emperor of Rome saw you in his sleep. He can neither live nor breathe nor exist because of you. Lady, we will give you a choice—either come with us to be crowned empress of Rome, or the emperor will come here to take you as his wife.’

  ‘Noblemen,’ said the maiden, ‘I do not doubt what you say, neither do I believe it too much either. But if it is I whom the emperor loves, let him come here to fetch me.’

  By day and by night the messengers travelled back. As their horses failed, they left them behind and bought new ones. And so they reached Rome, and greeted the emperor, and asked for their reward; and they received it even as they named it. And they spoke to him like this, ‘Lord,’ they said, ‘we will be your guides over land and sea to where that lady is whom you love best. And we know her name, and her family and her lineage.’

  Immediately the emperor set off with his army, and those men as their guides. He came to the Island of Britain with his fleet, over sea and ocean. And he took the Island by force from Beli son of Manogan* and his sons, and drove them into the sea, and he made his way to Arfon. The emperor recognized the land the moment he saw it. And when he saw the castle at Aber Saint he said, ‘My men,’ he said, ‘over there is the castle in which I saw the lady I love best.’

  He came into the castle and into the hall, and there he saw Cynan son of Eudaf and Gadeon son of Eudaf playing gwyddbwyll, and Eudaf son of Caradog sitting in a chair of ivory, carving pieces for the gwyddbwyll. The maiden he had seen in his sleep, he could see sitting in a chair of red gold.

  ‘Empress of Rome,’ he said, ‘greetings!’ And the emperor threw his arms around her, and that night he slept with her.

  Early the next day the maiden claimed her maiden fee,* since he had found her to be a virgin. He asked her to name her maiden fee. She listed thus: the Island of Britain for her father, from the North Sea to the Irish Sea, and the Three Adjacent Islands* to be held under the empress of Rome; and three major forts to be built for her in three locations
of her choice in the Island of Britain. Then she asked that the prime fort be built for her in Arfon.* And soil from Rome was brought there, so that it would be healthier for the emperor to sleep and sit and walk around. After that the other two forts were built for her, namely Caerllion* and Caerfyrddin.

  One day the emperor went to hunt from Caerfyrddin to the top of Y Freni Fawr,* and there he pitched his tent; and that camp has been called Cadair Faxen* ever since. Because the stronghold, on the other hand, was built by a host of men, it is called Caerfyrddin.* After that Elen decided to build great roads from one fort to the other across the Island of Britain. Because of that they are called Ffyrdd Elen Luyddog,* since she came from the Island of Britain, and the men of the Island of Britain would never have assembled those large armies for anyone but her.

  For seven years* the emperor stayed in this Island. It was a custom of the Romans at that time that whenever an emperor stayed in other countries conquering for seven years, he should stay in the conquered territory and not be allowed to return to Rome. So they declared a new emperor. And he sent a threatening letter to Maxen. However, it was not so much a letter as ‘If you come and if you ever come to Rome!’ That letter and the news came to Maxen in Caerllion. And from there he sent a letter to the man who claimed to be emperor of Rome. There was in that letter, too, nothing but ‘If I go to Rome, and if I go!’

  Then Maxen travelled with his host to Rome, and conquered France and Burgundy and all the countries as far as Rome. And he laid siege to the city of Rome. For a year the emperor was outside the city; he was no closer to taking it than on the first day. But the brothers of Elen Luyddog from the Island of Britain had followed him, with a small host. And there were better fighting-men in that small host than twice their number of the men of Rome. The emperor was told that the host had been seen dismounting near his own host and pitching its tents. And no one had ever seen a fairer host or one that was better equipped or with finer banners for its size. Elen came to look at the host, and she recognized her brothers’ banners. Then Cynan son of Eudaf and Gadeon son of Eudaf went to see the emperor, and he welcomed them, and embraced them. Then they watched the men of Rome attack the city. And Cynan said to his brother, ‘We shall try and attack the city in a shrewder way than this.’

  Then by night they measured the height of the walls, and they sent their carpenters into the forest, and a ladder was made for every four of their men. When those were ready, every day at noon the two emperors would have their meal, and both sides would stop fighting until everyone had finished eating. But the men of the Island of Britain had their meal in the morning, and drank until they were intoxicated. While the two emperors were eating, the Britons approached the walls and placed their ladders against them, and immediately went in over the walls. The new emperor did not have time to put on his armour before they set upon him and killed him, and many others with him. They spent three nights and three days overthrowing the men who were in the city and overcoming the castle, while another group of them guarded the city in case any of Maxen’s host should enter before they had brought everyone under their control.

  Then Maxen said to Elen Luyddog, ‘I am greatly surprised, lady,’ he said, ‘that it is not for me that your brothers have conquered this city.’

  ‘Lord emperor,’ she replied, ‘my brothers are the wisest young men in the world. Go over there and ask for the city, and if they control it, you shall have it gladly.’

  Then the emperor and Elen went to ask for the city. They told the emperor that conquering the city and giving it to him was a matter to none save the men of the Island of Britain. Then the gates to the city of Rome were opened, and the emperor sat on his throne, and all the Romans paid homage to him. Then the emperor said to Cynan and Gadeon, ‘Noblemen,’ he said, ‘I have gained possession of all my empire. And I will give you this host to conquer whatever part of the world you wish.’

  Then they set off and conquered lands and castles and cities, and they killed all their men, but left the women alive. And so they continued until the young lads who had come with them were greyhaired men, for they had been conquering for such a long time. Then Cynan said to Gadeon his brother, ‘What do you want,’ he said, ‘to stay in this country or to return to your native land?’

  He decided to return to his own country, along with many others. But Cynan and another group stayed on to settle there. And they decided to cut out the tongues of the women, lest their own language be corrupted. Because the women and their language were silenced, while the men spoke on, the Britons were called Llydaw men. And after that there have often come, and still do come to the Island of Britain, people speaking that language.*

  And this tale is called The Dream of Maxen Wledig, emperor of Rome. And here it ends.

  Lludd and Llefelys

  BELI the Great,* son of Manogan, had three sons, Lludd and Caswallon and Nyniaw. And according to the story,* Llefelys was a fourth son. And after Beli died, the kingdom of the Island of Britain fell into the hands of Lludd, his eldest son, and Lludd ruled it successfully. He renewed the walls of London and encircled it with countless towers. And after that he ordered the citizens to build houses within it so that no kingdom would have buildings or houses like them. And what is more, he was a good warrior, and benevolent and bountiful in giving food and drink to all who sought it. And although he had many forts and cities, he loved this one more than any other, and there he lived for the most part of the year. For that reason it was called Caer Ludd, finally Caer Lundain,* and after a foreign people came there it was called Llundain, or Lwndrys.

  Best of all his brothers, Lludd loved Llefelys, for he was a wise and prudent man. When Llefelys heard that the king of France had died without leaving an heir, apart from one daughter, and had left the kingdom in her hands, he came to Lludd his brother to ask him for advice and support, not only for his own benefit, but also in an attempt to increase the honour and dignity and status of his people by going to the kingdom of France to seek that maiden as his wife. His brother agreed with him immediately, and Llefelys was pleased with his advice on the matter. And straightaway they prepared ships and filled them with armed knights, and they set out towards France. As soon as they had landed they sent messengers to announce to the noblemen of France the nature of their request. After the noblemen of France and her princes had conferred, the maiden was given to Llefelys and the crown of the kingdom along with her. And after that he ruled the land wisely and prudently and prosperously, as long as he lived.

  After a period of time had passed, three plagues* fell upon the Island of Britain, the like of which no one in the Islands had seen before. The first of these was the arrival of a certain people called the Coraniaid.* And so great was their knowledge that there was no conversation anywhere in the Island that they did not know about, however softly it was spoken, provided the wind carried it. Because of that no harm could be done to them. The second plague was a scream that was heard every May eve* above every hearth in the Island of Britain. It pierced people’s hearts and terrified them so much that men lost their colour and their strength, and women miscarried, and young men and maidens lost their senses, and all animals and trees and the earth and the waters were left barren. The third plague was this: however much food and provision might be prepared in the king’s courts, even though it might be a year’s supply of food and drink, none of it was ever consumed except what was enjoyed the very first night. And the first plague was plain and clear, but the other two plagues, no one knew their meaning, and because of that there was more hope of getting rid of the first than there was of the second or the third.

  Because of that King Lludd became greatly troubled and anxious, for he did not know how he could get rid of those plagues. He summoned all the nobles of his kingdom, and asked their advice as to what they should do against them. And with the unanimous advice of his nobles, Lludd son of Beli went to Llefelys his brother, king of France, to seek advice from him, for he was a wise man of remarkable counsel. Then the
y prepared a fleet, and did so in secrecy and silence, in case those people (the Coraniaid) or anyone else should get to know the reason for their mission, apart from the king and his advisers. And when they were ready they went in their fleet, Lludd and those he had selected with him, and they began to sail the seas towards France. When news of that reached Llefelys, since he did not know the reason for his brother’s fleet, he came from the other shore to meet him with a huge fleet. When Lludd saw that, he left all his ships out at sea, apart from one, and in that he went to meet Llefelys who, in another single ship, came forward to meet his brother. And when they met they embraced and greeted each other with brotherly affection.

  When Lludd told his brother the reason for his mission, Llefelys said that he already knew why he had come to those parts. Then they conferred as to how they could discuss their business in some other way, so that the wind would not catch their conversation and the Coraniaid find out what they were saying. And then Llefelys ordered a long horn of bronze to be made, and they spoke together through that horn, but whatever one said to the other through the horn, only hateful, hostile words were heard by the other. And when Llefelys saw that, and how there was a demon obstructing them and creating trouble through the horn, he had wine poured into the horn to wash it, and through the power of the wine the demon was driven out.*