The Mabinogion (Oxford World's Classics)

by Sioned Davies

  ‘Iddog,’ said Rhonabwy, ‘who was the man who brought the sword to Arthur?’

  ‘Cadwr, earl of Cornwall, the man whose duty it is to dress the king in his armour on the day of battle and combat.’

  Then they heard Eiryn Wych Amheibyn,* Arthur’s servant, being summoned, a rough, ugly, red-haired man, with a red moustache full of bristling hairs. Behold, he came on a big red horse with its mane parted on both sides of its neck, carrying a large, handsome load. The big red-haired servant dismounted in front of Arthur and pulled out a golden chair from the load, and a mantle of damasked, brocaded silk. He spread out the mantle in front of Arthur, with a reddish gold apple at each of its corners. He placed the chair on the mantle, and the chair was so large that three armed men could sit on it. Gwen was the name of the mantle.* One of the attributes of the mantle was that the person wrapped in it could see everyone yet no one could see him. And no colour would ever last on it except its own colour. Arthur sat down on the mantle; Owain son of Urien* was standing near him.

  ‘Owain,’ said Arthur, ‘do you want to play gwyddbwyll?’*

  ‘I do, lord,’ said Owain. And the red-haired servant brought the gwyddbwyll to Arthur and Owain—pieces of gold and a board of silver. And they began to play.

  When their game of gwyddbwyll was at its most entertaining, behold, they see coming from a white, red-topped tent—with an image of a pure black serpent on top of the tent, and crimson-red, poisonous eyes in the serpent’s head, and its tongue flame-red—a young squire with curly yellow hair and blue eyes, sprouting a beard, wearing a tunic and surcoat of yellow brocaded silk, and stockings of thin greenish-yellow cloth on his feet. And over the stockings two buskins of speckled Cordovan leather,* and clasps of gold around his ankles to fasten them, and a golden-hilted, heavy, triple-grooved sword, with a sheath of black Cordovan leather, and a tip of excellent reddish gold at the end of the sheath. And he was coming to where the emperor and Owain were playing gwyddbwyll. The squire greeted Owain. And Owain was surprised that the squire greeted him but did not greet the emperor Arthur. And Arthur knew what Owain was thinking, and he said to Owain, ‘Do not be surprised that the squire greeted you just now. He greeted me earlier. And his message is for you.’

  Then the squire said to Owain,

  ‘Lord, is it with your permission that the emperor’s young lads and squires are molesting and harassing and brawling with your ravens?* If they don’t have your permission, then ask the emperor to call them off.’

  ‘Lord,’ said Owain, ‘you hear what the squire says. If you please, call them off my little ravens.’

  ‘Your move,’ he said. Then the squire returned to his tent.

  They finished that game and began another. When they were halfway through the game, behold, a young ruddy-faced lad with very curly auburn hair, sharp-eyed, well-built, having trimmed his beard, coming from a bright yellow tent, with the image of a bright red lion on top of the tent. And he was wearing a tunic of yellow brocaded silk down to his calf, embroidered with thread of red silk, and two stockings on his feet of thin white linen, and over the stockings, two buskins of black Cordovan leather with golden clasps. And he had a large, heavy, triple-grooved sword in his hand, and a sheath of red deerskin for it, and a golden tip on the sheath, and he was coming to where Arthur and Owain were playing gwyddbwyll. The lad greeted him. And Owain was put out at being greeted, but Arthur was no more troubled than before. The squire said to Owain, ‘Is it against your will that the emperor’s squires are wounding your ravens, and killing some and bothering others? If it is against your will, beg him to call them off.’

  ‘Lord,’ said Owain, ‘call your men off if you please.’

  ‘Your move,’ said the emperor. Then the squire returned to his tent.

  They finished that game and began another. As they were beginning the first move in the game, they could see a short distance from them a mottled yellow tent, bigger than anyone had ever seen, with an image on it of an eagle made of gold, and precious stones in the eagle’s head. Coming from the tent they could see a squire with bright yellow hair on his head, fair and graceful, wearing a mantle of green brocaded silk, a golden pin in the mantle on his right shoulder, as thick as a warrior’s middle finger, and two stockings on his feet of thin totnes cloth,* and two shoes of speckled Cordovan leather with golden clasps. The young lad was of noble appearance—he had a white, rosy-cheeked face, and large, hawk-like eyes. In the squire’s hand was a thick, speckled yellow spear, with a newly sharpened head, and on the spear a conspicuous banner. The squire came angrily, passionately, and at a fast canter to where Arthur was playing gwyddbwyll with Owain. And they realized that he was angry. Yet he greeted Owain, and told him that the most notable ravens had been killed, ‘and those who have not been killed have been wounded and injured so badly that not one of them can raise its wings six feet from the ground.’

  ‘Lord,’ said Owain, ‘call off your men.’

  ‘Play on,’ he said, ‘if you want to.’

  Then Owain said to the squire, ‘Go back, and raise the banner where you see the battle at its most intense. And let God’s will be done.’

  Then the squire rode to where the battle was at its most intense for the ravens, and raised the banner. As he raised it the ravens flew up into the sky angrily, passionately, and ecstatically, to let wind into their wings and to throw off their fatigue. When they had regained their strength and power, with anger and joy they swooped down together on the men who had previously caused them injury and pain and loss. They carried off the heads of some, the eyes of others, the ears of others, and the arms of others, and took them up into the air. There was a great commotion in the sky with the fluttering of the jubilant ravens and their croaking, and another great commotion with the screaming of the men being attacked and injured and others being killed. It was as terrifying for Arthur as it was for Owain to hear that commotion above the gwyddbwyll.

  When they looked they could hear a rider on a dapple-grey horse coming towards them. His horse was of a very strange colour*— dapple-grey, and its right foreleg bright red, and from the top of its legs to the top of its hoof, bright yellow. The rider and his horse were dressed in strange, heavy armour. His horse’s covering, from the front pommel of his saddle upwards, was of bright red sendal, and from the pommel downwards, of bright yellow sendal. There was a large, golden-hilted, one-edged sword on the lad’s thigh and a new bright-green sheath with its tip of Spanish latten.* The sword’s belt was of rough, black, Cordovan leather with gilded cross-pieces, and a clasp of ivory with a pure black tongue. On the rider’s head was a golden helmet with precious, valuable stones in it, on top of the helmet an image of a yellow-red leopard, with two crimson-red stones in its head, so that it was terrifying for a warrior, however strong-hearted he might be, to look in the face of the leopard, let alone in the face of the warrior. In his hand a spear with a long, heavy, green shaft, and from its hilt upwards it was crimson-red with the blood of the ravens and their feathers. The rider approached the place where Arthur and Owain were over the gwyddbwyll. They realized that he was weary, angry, and troubled as he came towards them. The squire greeted Arthur and said that Owain’s ravens were killing his young lads and squires. Arthur looked at Owain and said, ‘Call off your ravens.’

  ‘Lord,’ said Owain, ‘your move.’ They played. The rider turned back towards the battle, and the ravens were no more restrained than before.

  When they had played a little they could heard a great commotion, and the screaming of men, and the croaking of ravens as they seized the men by brute force into the sky and tore them apart between each other, and let them fall in pieces to the ground. Out of the commotion they could see a rider approaching on a pale white horse, and the horse’s left foreleg was pure black down to the top of the hoof. The rider and his horse were dressed in large, heavy, green armour. He wore a cloak of yellow, damasked, brocaded silk, and the fringes of the cloak were green. His horse’s covering was pure black with its fr
inges bright yellow. On the squire’s thigh was a long, heavy, triple-grooved sword, with a sheath of engraved, red leather, and the belt of new red deerskin, with many golden cross-pieces, and a clasp made of whalebone with a pure black tongue. On the rider’s head a golden helmet with magic sapphires in it, and on top of the helmet an image of a yellow-red lion, its foot-long, flame-red tongue sticking out of its mouth, and crimson-red, poisonous eyes in its head. The rider carried a stout spear of ash in his hand, with a new, bloody head on it and silver rivets. And the squire greeted the emperor.

  ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘your squires and young lads have been killed, together with the sons of the noblemen of the Island of Britain, so that from now on it will never be easy to protect this Island.’

  ‘Owain,’ said Arthur, ‘call off your ravens.’

  ‘Lord,’ said Owain, ‘your move.’

  That game ended and they began another. When they were at the end of that game, behold, they heard a great commotion, and the screaming of armed men, and the croaking of ravens and their fluttering in the sky as they let the weapons fall to the ground in one piece but the men and horses were in pieces. Then they could see a rider on a black-hoofed, high-headed horse, and the top of the horse’s left leg was bright red, and its right foreleg was pure white to the top of the hoof. The rider and his horse were dressed in mottled yellow armour, speckled with Spanish latten. He and his horse wore a cloak, in two halves, white and pure black, and the fringes of his cloak were golden purple. On top of his cloak was a golden-hilted, shining, triple-grooved sword. The sword’s belt was of yellow gold cloth, with a clasp made of the eyelid of a pure black whale and a tongue of yellow gold. On the rider’s head was a shiny helmet of yellow latten with shining crystals in it, and on top of the helmet an image of a griffin with magic stones in its head. In his hand was a spear of ash with a rounded shaft, coloured with blue azure, with a new, bloody head on the spear, riveted with precious silver. The rider came angrily to where Arthur was, and said that the ravens had killed his retinue and the sons of the noblemen of this Island, and asked him to persuade Owain to call off his ravens. Then Arthur asked Owain to call off his ravens. Then Arthur crushed the golden pieces that were on the board until they were nothing but dust; and Owain asked Gwres son of Rheged to lower his banner. Then it was lowered and everything was peaceful.

  Then Rhonabwy asked Iddog who were the first three men who had come to tell Owain that his ravens were being killed. Iddog said, ‘Men who were unhappy at Owain’s loss, fellow noblemen and companions, Selyf son of Cynan Garwyn from Powys, and Gwgawn Gleddyfrudd,* and Gwres son of Rheged, the man who carries Owain’s banner on the day of battle and combat.’

  ‘Who were the last three men who came to tell Arthur that the ravens were killing his men?’ said Rhonabwy.

  ‘The best and bravest men,’ said Iddog, ‘and they hate to see Arthur suffer any loss: Blathaon son of Mwrheth, and Rhuawn Bebyr son of Deorthach Wledig, and Hyfaidd Unllen.’*

  Then twenty-four horsemen came from Osla Gyllellfawr to ask Arthur for a truce until the end of a fortnight and a month. Arthur got up and took counsel. He went up to a large man with curly auburn hair standing a short distance from him. And there his counsellors were brought to him: Bedwin the Bishop, and Gwarthegydd son of Caw, and March son of Meirchawn, and Caradog Freichfras, and Gwalchmai son of Gwyar, and Edern son of Nudd, and Rhuawn Bebyr son of Deorthach Wledig, and Rhiogan son of the king of Ireland, and Gwenwynwyn son of Naf, Hywel son of Emyr Llydaw, Gwilym son of the king of France, and Daned son of Oth, and Gorau son of Custennin, and Mabon son of Modron, and Peredur Paladr Hir, and Hyfaidd Unllen, and Twrch son of Perif, Nerth son of Cadarn, and Gobrw son of Echel Forddwyd Twll, Gwair son of Gwystyl, and Adwy son of Geraint, Dyrstan son of Tallwch, Morien Manog, Granwen son of Llŷr, and Llacheu son of Arthur, and Llawfrodedd Farfog, and Cadwr, earl of Cornwall, Morfran son of Tegid, and Rhyawdd son of Morgant, and Dyfyr son of Alun Dyfed, Gwrhyr Gwalstawd Ieithoedd, Addaon son of Taliesin, and Llara son of Casnar Wledig, and Fflewddwr Fflam, and Greidol Gallddofydd, Gilbert son of Cadgyffro, Menw son of Teirgwaedd, Gyrthmwl Wledig, Cawrdaf son of Caradog Freichfras, Gildas son of Caw, Cadyriaith son of Saidi, and many men from Norway and Denmark, together with many men from Greece.* And plenty of people came to that counsel.

  ‘Iddog,’ said Rhonabwy, ‘who is the man with auburn hair they approached just now?’

  ‘Rhun son of Maelgwn Gwynedd, a man who has such authority that everyone goes to him for advice.’

  ‘Why was a lad as young as Cadyriaith son of Saidi* brought to a counsel of such high-ranking men as those over there?’

  ‘Because no one in Prydain gives more solid advice than he.’

  Then, behold, poets came to perform a poem for Arthur. And no one understood the poem, apart from Cadyriaith himself, except that it was in praise of Arthur.* Then, behold, twenty-four mules arrived with their loads of gold and silver, and a tired and weary man with each of them, bringing tribute to Arthur from the Islands of Greece. Then Cadyriaith son of Saidi asked that a truce be given to Osla Gyllellfawr for a fortnight and a month; and that the mules which had brought the tribute be given to the poets, along with what was on them, as a reward for waiting; and that during the truce they should be given payment for their singing. And that was agreed.

  ‘Rhonabwy,’ said Iddog, ‘would it not be wrong to stop a young man who can give such generous advice as that from attending his lord’s council?’

  Then Cai got up and said, ‘Whoever wishes to follow Arthur, let him be with him tonight in Cornwall.* And he who does not, let him stand against Arthur until the end of the truce.’

  So loud was that commotion, Rhonabwy awoke. And when he awoke he was on the yellow ox-skin, having slept for three nights and three days.

  And this story is called the Dream of Rhonabwy. This is why no one knows the dream— neither poet nor storyteller—without a book,* because of the number of colours on the horses, and the many unusual colours both on the armour and their trappings, and on the precious mantles and the magic stones.

  EXPLANATORY NOTES

  ABBREVIATIONS

  TYP Trioedd Ynys Prydein: The Triads of the Island of Britain, ed. and trans. Rachel Bromwich (3rd revised edn. Cardiff, 2006; 1st edn. 1961). References are to triad numbers or page numbers in the 3rd edition.

  AOW The Arthur of the Welsh, ed. Rachel Bromwich, A. O. H. Jarman, and Brynley F. Roberts (Cardiff, 1991).

  LHDd The Law of Hywel Dda, ed. and trans. Dafydd Jenkins (Llandysul, 1986).

  THE FIRST BRANCH OF THE MABINOGI

  In the White and Red Book manuscripts there are no specific titles to the Four Branches: each tale ends with a variation on the colophon ‘and so ends this branch of the Mabinogi’, giving rise to the current title which was popularized by Ifor Williams in his classic edition Pedeir Keinc y Mabinogi (Cardiff, 1930)—‘The Four Branches of the Mabinogi’. However, it is not clear whether there were only four branches. In the Red Book of Hergest the words llyma dechreu mabinogi (‘this is the beginning of a mabinogi’) appear before the First Branch; similar introductions are given to the other three tales: ‘this is the Second/Third/Fourth Branch of the mabinogi’. Yet, there is no closing formula informing us that the mabinogi has come to an end, again implying that there may well have been more than four branches originally (see also the note to p. 21 on branch of the Mabinogion.

  Regarding the titles of the individual tales, the First and Fourth Branches are commonly referred to by their incipits—‘Pwyll, prince of Dyfed’ and ‘Math son of Mathonwy’. The Third Branch is, in reality, a continuation of the Second, and no personal name appears in the opening lines (indeed, these may have been one branch originally); however, Manawydan is central to the plot, and it could thus be argued that ‘Manawydan son of Llŷr’ is a suitable title. The Second Branch begins with the words ‘Bendigeidfran fab Llŷr’; until the middle of the nineteenth century this, too, was commonly known in scholarly publications as Mabinogi
Bendigeidfran or Brân (another version of his name). However, the tale is commonly known today as ‘Branwen daughter of Llŷr’, a title bestowed on the branch by Lady Charlotte Guest. From her textual notes, it would seem that Branwen had captured Guest’s imagination, and especially the ‘discovery’ of her grave in 1813. To the male scholars of her time it was the king who was central to the tale; to Guest, however, it was the ‘unfortunate heroine’, Branwen. One could surmise about whether Guest felt some empathy with Branwen who, like her, had left her homeland for foreign parts in order to get married (see Sioned Davies, ‘A Charming Guest:Translating the Mabinogion’, Studia Celtica, 38 (2004), 157–78). The current translation uses the less neutral titles, and those that emanate from the colophons themselves.

  Pwyll, prince of Dyfed … seven cantrefs of Dyfed: the name Pwyll means ‘wisdom, caution’. Dyfed is an area in the south-west of Wales, comprising today’s Pembrokeshire and part of Carmarthenshire. Cantref was the basic territorial administrative unit in medieval Wales: the seven cantrefs of Dyfed were Cemais, Pebidiog, Rhos, Penfro, Daugleddyf, Emlyn, and Cantref Gwarthaf. A cantref would be subdivided into cymydau (‘commots’), usually corresponding to the English ‘hundred’.

  Arberth, one of his chief courts … Glyn Cuch: Arberth is usually equated with the town of Arberth in Pembrokeshire (English: Narberth), while the Cuch Valley runs along the border of Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire. One of his chief courts refers to the practice whereby the lord, together with his retinue and officials, would circuit the land, staying at various courts of his where he would be maintained by his subjects. Hunting was a common pastime for the noblemen of medieval Wales, with its own terminology and legalities. The hunt is often used in medieval French and English tales and romances as well as in the Mabinogion as a precursor to an encounter with the supernatural (see e.g. p. 26), while the prince lost on a hunt is a well-known international device for beginning an adventure. See also note to p. 8.