Culhwch and Olwen
part 17
Then they went thence, and returned to Arthur, and they told him where Mabon the son of Modron was imprisoned. And Arthur summoned the warriors of the Island, and they journeyed as far as Gloucester, to the place where Mabon was in prison. Kai and Bedwyr 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. And Arthur returned home, and Mabon with him at liberty.
Said Arthur, "Which of the marvels will it be best for us now to seek first?"
"It will be best to seek for the two cubs of Gast Rhymhi."
"Is it known," asked Arthur, "where she is!"
"She is in Aber Deu Gleddyf," said one.
Then Arthur went to the house of Tringad, in Aber Cleddyf, and he inquired of him whether he had heard of her there.
"In what form may she be?"
"She is in the form of a she-wolf," said he; "and with her there are two cubs."
"She has often slain my herds, and she is there below in a cave in Aber Cleddyf."
So Arthur went in his ship Prydwen by sea, and the others went by land, to hunt her. And they surrounded her and her two cubs, and God did change them again for Arthur into their own form. And the host of Arthur dispersed themselves into parties of one and two.
On a certain day, as Gwythyr the son of Greidawl was walking over a mountain, he heard a wailing and a grievous cry. And when he heard it, he sprang forward, and went towards it. And when he came there, he drew his sword, and smote off an ant-hill close to the earth, whereby it escaped being burned in the fire.
And the ants said to him, "Receive from us the blessing of heaven, and that which no man can give we will give thee."
Then they fetched the nine bushels of flax-seed which Yspaddaden Penkawr had required of Culhwck, and they brought the full measure without lacking any, except one flax-seed, and that the lame pismire brought in before night.
As Kai and Bedwyr sat on a beacon carn on the summit of Plinlimmon, in the highest wind that ever was in the world, they looked around them, and saw a great smoke towards the south, afar off, which did not bend with the wind.
Then said Kai, "By the hand of my friend, behold, yonder is the fire of a robber!"
Then they hastened towards the smoke, and they came so near to it, that they could see Dillus Varvawc scorching a wild boar.
"Behold, yonder is the greatest robber that ever fled from Arthur," said Bedwyr unto Kai.
"Dost thou know him?"
"I do know him," answered Kai, "he is Dillus Varvawc, and no leash in the world will be able to hold Drudwyn,
the cub of Greid the son of Eri, save a leash made from the beard of him thou seest yonder. And even that will be useless, unless his beard be plucked alive with wooden tweezers; for if dead, it will be brittle."
"What thinkest thou that we should do concerning this?" said Bedwyr.
"Let us suffer him," said Kai, "to eat as much as he will of the meat, and after that he will fall asleep."
And during that time they employed themselves in making the wooden tweezers. And when Kai knew certainly that he was asleep, he made a pit under his feet, the largest in the world, and he struck him a violent plow, and squeezed him into the pit. And there they twitched out his beard completely with the wooden tweezers; and after that they slew him altogether.
And from thence they both went to Gelli Wic, in Cornwall, and took the leash made of Dillus Varvawc's beard with them, and they gave it into Arthur's hand. Then Arthur composed this Englyn--
|
Pwyll