Part 27 (1/2)

*The ****Mabinogion***

We now come to the work in which the chief treasures of Cymric myth and legend were collected by Lady Charlotte Guest sixty years ago, and given to the world in a translation which is one of the masterpieces of English literature. The t.i.tle of this work, the Mabinogion, is the plural form of the word _Mabinogi_, which means a story belonging to the equipment of an apprentice-bard, such a story as every bard had necessarily to learn as part of his training, whatever more he might afterwards add to his _rpertoire_. Strictly speaking, the _Mabinogi_ in the volume are only the four tales given first in Mr. Alfred Nutts edition, which were ent.i.tled the Four Branches of the Mabinogi, and which form a connected whole.

They are among the oldest relics of Welsh mythological saga.

*Pwyll, Head of Hades*

The first of them is the story of Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed, and relates how that prince got his t.i.tle of _Pen Annwn_, or Head of HadesAnnwn being the term under which we identify in Welsh literature the Celtic Land of the Dead, or Fairyland. It is a story with a mythological basis, but breathing the purest spirit of chivalric honour and n.o.bility.

Pwyll, it is said, was hunting one day in the woods of Glyn Cuch when he saw a pack of hounds, not his own, running down a stag. These hounds were snow-white in colour, with red ears. If Pwyll had had any experience in these matters he would have known at once what kind of hunt was up, for these are the colours of Farythe red-haired man, the red-eared hound are always a.s.sociated with magic.(228) Pwyll, however, drove off the strange hounds, and was setting his own on the quarry when a horseman of n.o.ble appearance came up and reproached him for his discourtesy. Pwyll offered to make amends, and the story now develops into the familiar theme of the Rescue of Fairyland. The strangers name is Arawn, a king in Annwn. He is being harried and dispossessed by a rival, Havgan, and he seeks the aid of Pwyll, whom he begs to meet Havgan in single combat a year hence.

Meanwhile he will put his own shape on Pwyll, who is to rule in his kingdom till the eventful day, while Arawn will go in Pwylls shape to govern Dyfed. He instructs Pwyll how to deal with the foe. Havgan must be laid low with a single strokeif another is given to him he immediately revives again as strong as ever.

Pwyll agreed to follow up the adventure, and accordingly went in Arawns shape to the kingdom of Annwn. Here he was placed in an unforeseen difficulty. The beautiful wife of Arawn greeted him as her husband. But when the time came for them to retire to rest he set his face to the wall and said no word to her, nor touched her at all until the morning broke.

Then they rose up, and Pwyll went to the hunt, and ruled his kingdom, and did all things as if he were monarch of the land. And whatever affection he showed to the queen in public during the day, he pa.s.sed every night even as this first.

At last the day of battle came, and, like the chieftains in Gaelic story, Pwyll and Havgan met each other in the midst of a river-ford. They fought, and at the first clash Havgan was hurled a spears length over the crupper of his horse and fell mortally wounded.(229) For the love of heaven, said he, slay me and complete thy work. I may yet repent that, said Pwyll. Slay thee who may, I will not. Then Havgan knew that his end was come, and bade his n.o.bles bear him off; and Pwyll with all his army overran the two kingdoms of Annwn, and made himself master of all the land, and took homage from its princes and lords.

Then he rode off alone to keep his tryst in Glyn Cuch with Arawn as they had appointed. Arawn thanked him for all he had done, and added: When thou comest thyself to thine own dominions thou wilt see what I have done for thee. They exchanged shapes once more, and each rode in his own likeness to take possession of his own land.

At the court of Annwn the day was spent in joy and feasting, though none but Arawn himself knew that anything unusual had taken place. When night came Arawn kissed and caressed his wife as of old, and she pondered much as to what might be the cause of his change towards her, and of his previous change a year and a day before. And as she was thinking over these things Arawn spoke to her twice or thrice, but got no answer. He then asked her why she was silent. I tell thee, she said, that for a year I have not spoken so much in this place. Did not we speak continually? he said. Nay, said she, but for a year back there has been neither converse nor tenderness between us. Good heaven! thought Arawn, a man as faithful and firm in his friends.h.i.+p as any have I found for a friend. Then he told his queen what had pa.s.sed. Thou hast indeed laid hold of a faithful friend, she said.

And Pwyll when he came back to his own land called his lords together and asked them how they thought he had sped in his kings.h.i.+p during the past year. Lord, said they, thy wisdom was never so great, and thou wast never so kind and free in bestowing thy gifts, and thy justice was never more worthily seen than in this year. Pwyll then told them the story of his adventure. Verily, lord, said they, render thanks unto heaven that thou hast such a fellows.h.i.+p, and withhold not from us the rule which we have enjoyed for this year past. I take heaven to witness that I will not withhold it, said Pwyll.

So the two kings made strong the friends.h.i.+p that was between them, and sent each other rich gifts of horses and hounds and jewels; and in memory of the adventure Pwyll bore thenceforward the t.i.tle of Lord of Annwn.

*The Wedding of Pwyll and Rhiannon*

Near to the castle of Narberth, where Pwyll had his court, there was a mound called the Mound of Arberth, of which it was believed that whoever sat upon it would have a strange adventure: either he would receive blows and wounds or he would see a wonder. One day when all his lords were a.s.sembled at Narberth for a feast Pwyll declared that he would sit on the mound and see what would befall.

He did so, and after a little while saw approaching him along the road that led to the mound a lady clad in garments that shone like gold, and sitting on a pure white horse. Is there any among you, said Pwyll to his men, who knows that lady? There is not, said they. Then go to meet her and learn who she is. But as they rode towards the lady she moved away from them, and however fast they rode she still kept an even distance between her and them, yet never seemed to exceed the quiet pace with which she had first approached.

Several times did Pwyll seek to have the lady overtaken and questioned, but all was in vainnone could draw near to her.

Next day Pwyll ascended the mound again, and once more the fair lady on her white steed drew near. This time Pwyll himself pursued her, but she flitted away before him as she had done before his servants, till at last he cried : O maiden, for the sake of him thou best lovest, stay for me.

I will stay gladly, said she, and it were better for thy horse had thou asked it long since.

Pwyll then questioned her as to the cause of her coming, and she said: I am Rhiannon, the daughter of Hevydd Hen,(230) and they sought to give me to a husband against my will. But no husband would I have, and that because of my love for thee; neither will I yet have one if thou reject me. By heaven! said Pwyll, if I might choose among all the ladies and damsels of the world, thee would I choose.

They then agree that in a twelvemonth from that day Pwyll is to come and claim her at the palace of Hevydd Hen.

Pwyll kept his tryst, with a following of a hundred knights, and found a splendid feast prepared for him, and he sat by his lady, with her father on the other side. As they feasted and talked there entered a tall, auburn-haired youth of royal bearing, clad in satin, who saluted Pwyll and his knights. Pwyll invited him to sit down. Nay, I am a suitor to thee, said the youth; to crave a boon am I come. Whatever thou wilt thou shalt have, said Pwyll unsuspiciously, if it be in my power. Ah, cried Rhiannon, wherefore didst thou give that answer? Hath he not given it before all these n.o.bles? said the youth; and now the boon I crave is to have thy bride Rhiannon, and the feast and the banquet that are in this place. Pwyll was silent. Be silent as long as thou wilt, said Rhiannon. Never did man make worse use of his wits than thou hast done. She tells him that the auburn-haired young man is Gwawl, son of Clud, and is the suitor to escape from whom she had fled to Pwyll.

Pwyll is bound in honour by his word, and Rhiannon explains that the banquet cannot be given to Gwawl, for it is not in Pwylls power, but that she herself will be his bride in a twelvemonth; Gwawl is to come and claim her then, and a new bridal feast will be prepared for him. Meantime she concerts a plan with Pwyll, and gives him a certain magical bag, which he is to make use of when the time shall come.

A year pa.s.sed away, Gwawl appeared according to the compact, and a great feast was again set forth, in which he, and not Pwyll, had the place of honour. As the company were making merry, however, a beggar clad in rags and shod with clumsy old shoes came into the hall, carrying a bag, as beggars are wont to do. He humbly craved a boon of Gwawl. It was merely that the full of his bag of food might be given him from the banquet.

Gwawl cheerfully consented, and an attendant went to fill the bag. But however much they put into it it never got fullerby degrees all the good things on the tables had gone in; and at last Gwawl cried: My soul, will thy bag never be full? It will not, I declare to heaven, answered Pwyllfor he, of course, was the disguised beggar manunless some man wealthy in lands and treasure shall get into the bag and stamp it down with his feet, and declare, Enough has been put herein. Rhiannon urged Gwawl to check the voracity of the bag. He put his two feet into it; Pwyll immediately drew up the sides of the bag over Gwawls head and tied it up.

Then he blew his horn, and the knights he had with him, who were concealed outside, rushed in, and captured and bound the followers of Gwawl. What is in the bag? they cried, and others answered, A badger, and so they played the game of Badger in the Bag, striking it and kicking it about the hall.

At last a voice was heard from it. Lord, cried Gwawl, if thou wouldst but hear me, I merit not to be slain in a bag. He speaks truth, said Hevydd Hen.