The Mabinogion (Oxford World's Classics)

by Sioned Davies

  ‘Men,’ said Owain, ‘wouldn’t it be good to try and find that place?’

  ‘By the hand of my friend,’ said Cai, ‘you often say with your tongue what you would not perform in deed.’

  ‘God knows,’ said Gwenhwyfar, ‘you should be hanged, Cai, for speaking such insulting words to a man like Owain.’

  ‘By the hand of my friend, lady,’ said Cai, ‘you have given Owain no more praise than I myself.’ And with that Arthur woke up, and asked if he had slept at all.

  ‘Yes, lord,’ said Owain, ‘quite a while.’

  ‘Is it time to go and eat?’

  ‘It is, lord,’ said Owain. And then the horn called them to washing, and the emperor and all his retinue went to eat. And when they had finished eating Owain slipped away unnoticed, and came to his lodging and got his horse and his armour ready.

  At dawn the next day Owain put on his armour, and mounted his horse, and set out for the remote regions of the world and desolate mountains. Finally he came across the valley that Cynon had told him about, and he was certain that it was the right one. And he travelled along the valley by the side of the river, and he travelled the other side of the river until he came to the plain. And he travelled across the plain until he saw the castle, and he approached the castle. He could see the lads aiming at their knives where Cynon had seen them, and the yellow-haired man who owned the castle standing near them. And when Owain was about to greet the yellow-haired man, the man greeted Owain, and went on to the castle. He could see a chamber in the castle, and when he came to the chamber he could see the maidens in golden chairs, sewing brocaded silk. And Owain thought that they were far more beautiful and attractive than Cynon had described. And they got up to wait on Owain as they had waited on Cynon. And Owain thought his food more impressive than Cynon had said, and halfway through the meal the yellow-haired man asked Owain where he was going. Owain told him everything about his journey—‘and I want to fight the knight who guards the well.’ The yellow-haired man smiled gently, and it was hard for him to tell Owain about that journey just as it had been hard for him to tell Cynon. Yet he told Owain everything about it, and they went to sleep.

  And the next morning Owain found that the maidens had prepared his horse, and he travelled until he reached the clearing where the black-haired man was. Owain thought the black-haired man was far bigger than Cynon had said, and Owain asked the black-haired man for directions, and he gave them. And Owain followed the road, like Cynon, until he came to the green tree. And he could see the well and the slab near the well, and the bowl on it. And Owain took the bowl and threw a bowlful of the water over the slab. And at once, behold, the noise, and after the noise the shower. They were far greater than Cynon had described. And after the shower the sky grew brighter, and when Owain looked at the tree there was not a single leaf on it. And with that, the birds alighted on the tree and began to sing. And when the birds’ song was most pleasing to Owain, he could see a knight coming along the valley. And Owain went to meet him and fought him fiercely, and they broke both their lances, and they drew their swords and began to fight. And with that Owain struck the knight a blow through his helmet and mail cap and hood of Burgundian cloth, and through the skin, flesh, and bone until it wounded the brain. And then the Black Knight knew that he had received a mortal blow, and turned his horse’s head and fled.

  And Owain pursued him, but did not succeed in striking him with his sword though he was not far behind him. And then Owain could see a large, shining castle; they came to the castle gate and the Black Knight was let in, but a portcullis was let down on Owain. And it struck him below the hind-bow of the saddle so that the horse was cut in half, and it went through the rowels of the spurs on Owain’s heels; and the portcullis dropped to the ground, with the rowels and part of the horse outside, and Owain and the rest of the horse between the two gates. And the inner gate was closed so that Owain could not escape.

  Owain was in a quandary. And while he was like this, he could see through the join in the gate a street opposite him, and a row of houses on either side of the road. And he could see a maiden with yellow curly hair coming to the gate, a band of gold on her head, and wearing a dress of yellow brocaded silk, with boots of speckled leather on her feet. And she asked for the gate to be opened.

  ‘God knows, lady,’ said Owain, ‘it cannot be opened for you from in here any more than you can rescue me from out there.’

  ‘God knows,’ said the maiden, ‘it’s a great shame that you cannot be rescued; and it would only be right for a woman to help you. God knows I have never seen a better young man for a woman than you. If you had a woman friend, you would be the best friend a woman could have; if you had a mistress, you would be the best lover. And because of that,’ she said, ‘whatever I can do to rescue you, I will. Take this ring and place it on your finger, and put the stone in your hand, and close your fist around the stone, and as long as you hide it it will hide you too. And when they turn their attention to this place they will come and fetch you to put you to death, because of what happened to the man. And when they fail to see you, they will be angry. And I shall be on the mounting-block over there waiting for you; and you will see me even though I won’t see you. Come and put your hand on my shoulder, and then I will know that you have come. And the road I take from there, come with me.’ And with that she left Owain.

  And Owain did everything the maiden had told him. And then the men from the court came to look for Owain to put him to death. And when they came to look for him they could see nothing except half the horse, and that made them angry. And Owain slipped away from their midst, and came to the maiden and put his hand on her shoulder; and she set off, and Owain with her, until they came to the door of a large, fine upstairs chamber. And the maiden opened the door, and they entered and closed the door.

  Owain looked around the chamber; and there was not a single nail in the chamber not painted with a precious colour, and there was not a single panel without a different golden pattern on it. The maiden lit a charcoal fire, and took a silver bowl with water in it, and a towel of fine white linen on her shoulder, and gave Owain the water to wash. And she placed before him a silver table inlaid with gold, with a tablecloth of fine yellow linen on it, and she brought him his dinner. And Owain was certain that he had never seen any kind of food that he did not see there in abundance, except that the service he saw there was better than in any other place ever. And he had never seen anywhere so many wonderful courses of food and drink as there, and there was not one vessel from which he was served that was not of silver or gold. And Owain ate and drank until it was late afternoon.

  Suddenly they heard crying in the castle, and Owain asked the maiden, ‘What is that wailing?’

  ‘They are anointing the nobleman who owns the castle’,* said the maiden.

  Owain went to sleep, and the excellent bed she prepared for him of scarlet cloth and ermine and brocaded silk and sendal* and fine linen was fit for Arthur himself. And at midnight they could hear dreadful crying.

  ‘What crying is it this time?’ said Owain.

  ‘The nobleman who owns the castle has just died,’ said the maiden.

  And shortly after dawn they could hear tremendous crying and wailing, and Owain asked the maiden, ‘What is the meaning of this wailing?’

  ‘They are taking the body of the nobleman who owns the castle to the church.’ And Owain rose and got dressed, and opened a chamber window, and he looked towards the castle. And he could see neither end nor limit to the crowds filling the streets, and they were fully armed, and many women with them on horseback and on foot, and all the clerics of the town chanting. And Owain felt that the sky was ringing because of all the wailing, and the trumpets, and the clerics chanting.

  And in the middle of that crowd he could see the bier covered in a sheet of fine white linen, and many wax tapers burning around it. And not one of the men carrying the bier was of lower rank than a powerful baron. Owain was certain that he had never seen a
gathering as fine as that, in brocaded silk and damask and sendal. And following that crowd he could see a lady, her yellow hair let down over her shoulders and covered with the blood of many wounds, and she was wearing a dress of yellow brocaded silk, which was torn, and boots of speckled leather on her feet. And it was surprising that the tips of her fingers were not worn away, so violently did she wring her hands together. Owain was certain that he had never seen such a beautiful woman, if she had been in her usual form. And her cries were louder than those of all the men and trumpets in the crowd. And when he saw the woman he was inflamed with love for her until it filled every part of him.

  Owain asked the maiden who the lady was.

  ‘God knows,’ said the maiden, ‘a woman you could say is the most beautiful of women, and the most chaste, and the most generous, and wisest and noblest. She is my mistress, known as the Lady of the Well,* the wife of the man you killed yesterday.’

  ‘God knows,’ said Owain, ‘she is the woman I love best.’

  ‘God knows,’ said the maiden, ‘there is no way she loves you, not in the very slightest.’

  And with that the maiden got up and lit a charcoal fire, and filled a pot with water and heated it; and took a towel of fine white linen and placed it round Owain’s neck, and took a bowl of ivory, and a silver basin, and filled it with the hot water, and washed Owain’s head. And then she opened a wooden box and took out a razor with an ivory handle and two grooves of gold in the blade, and she shaved his beard, and dried his head and neck with the towel. And then the maiden set up a table in front of Owain and brought him his dinner. And he was certain that he had never had such a good dinner, nor better service. And when he had finished eating, the maiden made up the bed.

  ‘Come and sleep here,’ she said, ‘and I shall go courting on your behalf.’ And Owain went to sleep. And the maiden closed the chamber door and went to the castle.

  And when she got there she found only sadness and sorrow, the countess herself in her chamber, unable to see anyone for grief. And Luned came to her and greeted her, but the countess did not reply. And the maiden lost her temper and said to her, ‘What is wrong with you, why won’t you talk to anyone today?’

  ‘Luned,’ said the countess, ‘how can you be so bold, seeing that you didn’t come and visit me in my grief? And I made you wealthy. That was wrong of you.’

  ‘God knows,’ said Luned, ‘I really did think you would have more sense. It would be better for you to start worrying about replacing your husband than wish for something you can never have back.’

  ‘Between me and God,’ said the countess, ‘I could never replace my lord with any other man in the world.’

  ‘Yes, you could,’ said Luned; ‘marry someone as good as he, or better.’

  ‘Between me and God,’ said the countess, ‘if I were not repelled by the thought of putting to death someone I had brought up, I would have you executed for proposing something as disloyal as that to me. And I will certainly have you banished.’

  ‘I am glad’, said Luned, ‘that your only reason is that I told you what was good for you when you could not see it for yourself. And shame on whichever of us first sends word to the other, whether it is I to beg an invitation of you, or you to invite me.’ And with that Luned left.

  The countess got up and went to the chamber door after Luned, and coughed loudly. Luned looked back; the countess beckoned to her. And Luned came back to the countess.

  ‘Between me and God,’ said the countess to Luned, ‘what a temper you have. But since you were telling me what was good for me, explain to me how that could be.’

  ‘I will,’ she said. ‘You know that your kingdom can be defended only through military might and weapons; you must therefore quickly find someone to defend it.’

  ‘How do I do that?’ said the countess.

  ‘I will tell you,’ said Luned. ‘Unless you can defend the well you cannot defend your kingdom. No one can defend the well but one of Arthur’s retinue. So I shall go’, said Luned, ‘to Arthur’s court, and shame on me,’ she said, ‘if I do not return with a warrior who will defend it as well as or even better than the man who defended it before.’

  ‘That will be difficult,’ said the countess, ‘but nevertheless go and put your words to the test.’ Luned set off as if to go to Arthur’s court, but went instead to Owain in the upstairs chamber. And she stayed there with Owain until it was time for her to return from Arthur’s court.

  Then she got dressed and went to see the countess. And the countess welcomed her.

  ‘Do you have news from Arthur’s court?’ said the countess.

  ‘The best news I have, lady,’ she said, ‘is that I have succeeded in my quest. And when do you want to see the lord who has come with me?’

  ‘Bring him to visit me at midday tomorrow,’ said the countess, ‘and I shall have the town cleared by then.’ And she went home.

  And at midday the next day Owain put on a tunic and surcoat and cloak of yellow brocaded silk and a wide border of gold thread in the cloak, and boots of speckled leather on his feet with an image of a golden lion fastening them.* And they came to the countess’s chamber, and the countess welcomed them. And the countess looked carefully at Owain.

  ‘Luned,’ she said, ‘this lord doesn’t look as if he has been on a journey.’

  ‘What harm is in that, lady?’ said Luned.

  ‘Between me and God,’ said the countess, ‘this is none other than the man who took away my lord’s life.’

  ‘All the better for you, lady; had he not been stronger than your lord, then he would not have taken his life. Nothing can be done about that,’ she said, ‘since it is over and done with.’

  ‘Go home,’ said the countess, ‘and I shall take advice.’

  And the next day the countess had her entire kingdom summoned to one place, and she told them that her earldom was unoccupied, and could be defended only by horse and armour and military prowess: ‘So I’m giving you a choice: either one of you take me, or let me take a husband from elsewhere to defend the kingdom.’ They decided to allow her to take a husband from elsewhere. And then she brought bishops and archbishops to her court to perform the marriage between her and Owain. And the men of the earldom paid homage to Owain, and Owain defended the well with spear and sword. This is how he defended it: whatever knight came there, Owain would overthrow him and ransom him at his full value. And Owain would share that income among his barons and knights, so that no one in the whole world was more loved by his subjects than he. And he stayed thus for three years.

  One day as Gwalchmai was out walking with the emperor Arthur, he looked at Arthur and saw that he was sad and distressed. And Gwalchmai was extremely grieved to see Arthur in this state, and asked him, ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘what is wrong with you?’

  ‘Between me and God, Gwalchmai,’ said Arthur, ‘I miss Owain who has been gone for three years. And if I go a fourth year without seeing him, I will die. And I know for certain that it’s because of the tale of Cynon son of Clydno that we have lost Owain.’

  ‘There is no need for you to summon your kingdom on account of that,’ said Gwalchmai. ‘You and the men of your household can avenge Owain if he has been killed, or free him if he is in prison, and if he is alive, bring him back with you.’ And they agreed on what Gwalchmai had said.

  Arthur got ready to go and look for Owain, together with the men of his household. There were three thousand of them, not counting retainers, and Cynon son of Clydno their guide. And Arthur came to the castle where Cynon had been, and when they arrived the lads were shooting at their knives in the same place, and the yellowhaired man was standing beside them. And when the yellow-haired man saw Arthur, he greeted him and invited him to stay; and Arthur accepted the invitation and they went into the castle. And although they were a huge crowd, their presence was scarcely noticed in the castle. And the maidens got up to wait on them; and they found fault with every service they had ever been given except the service from these
ladies. And the service provided by the grooms that night was as good as that which Arthur would receive in his own court.

  The next morning Arthur set out from there with Cynon as his guide, and they came to where the black-haired man was. And Arthur thought the black-haired man was far bigger than he had been told. They came to the top of the hill, and to the plain, as far as the green tree, and until they saw the well and the bowl and the slab. And then Cai came to Arthur, and said, ‘My lord,’ he said, ‘I know the reason for this journey, and I beg you to let me throw the water on the slab and face the first ordeal that comes along.’ And Arthur gave him permission.

  And Cai threw a bowlful of the water on the slab. And straight after that came the noise, and after the noise the shower. And they had never heard a noise and a shower like that, and the shower killed many of the men who were with Arthur. And when the shower stopped, the sky grew brighter, and when they looked at the tree there was not a single leaf on it. And the birds alighted on the tree, and they were certain that they had never heard a song as delightful as the one the birds sang. And with that they could see a knight on a pure black horse, dressed in brocaded silk of pure black, and travelling at a brisk pace. And Cai took him on and fought with him. And the fighting did not last long; Cai was overthrown. And then the knight set up camp and Arthur and his host set up camp for the night.

  When they got up the next day, there was the signal for battle on the black knight’s spear. And Cai came to Arthur and said to him, ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘I was unfairly thrown yesterday; will you let me go and fight the knight today?’