Math, son of Mathonwy
final part
"Lord," said he unto Math the son of Mathonwy, "it is fall time now that I have retribution of him by whom I have suffered all this woe."
"Truly," said Math, "he will never be able to maintain himself in the possession of that which is thy right."
"Well," said Llew, "the sooner I have my right, the better shall I be pleased."
Then they called together the whole of Gwynedd, and set forth to Ardudwy. And Gwydion went on before and proceeded to Mur y Castell. And when Blodeuwedd heard that he was coming, she took her maidens with her, and fled to the mountain. And they passed through the river Cynvael, and went towards a court that there was upon the mountain, and through fear they could not proceed except with their faces looking backwards, so that unawares they fell into the lake.
And they were all drowned except Blodeuwedd herself, and her Gwydion overtook.
And he said unto her, "I will not slay thee, but I will do unto thee worse than that. For I will turn thee into a bird; and because of the shame thou hast done unto Llew Llaw Gyffes, thou shalt never show thy face in the light of day henceforth; and that through fear of all the other birds. For it shall be their nature to attack thee, and to chase thee from wheresoever they may find thee. And thou shalt not lose thy name, but shalt be always called Blodeuwedd."
Now Blodeuwedd is an owl in the language of this present time, and for this reason is the owl hateful unto all birds. And even now the owl is called Blodeuwedd.
Then Gronw Pebyr withdrew unto Penllyn, and he despatched thence an embassy. And the messengers he sent asked Llew Llaw Gyffes, if he would take land, or domain, or gold, or silver, for the injury he had received.
"I will not, by my confession to Heaven," said he. "Behold this is the least that I will accept from him; that he come to the spot where I was when he wounded me with the dart, and that I stand where he did, and that with a dart I take my aim at him. And this is the very least that I will accept."
And this was told unto Gronw Pebyr.
"Verily," said he, "is it needful for me to do thus? My faithful warriors, and my household, and my foster-brothers, is there not one among you who will stand the blow in my stead? There is not, verily," answered they.
And because of their refusal to suffer one stroke for their lord, they are called the third disloyal tribe even unto this day.
"Well," said he, "I will meet it."
Then they two went forth to the banks of the river Cynvael, and Gronw stood in the place where Llew Llaw Gyffes was when he struck him, and Llew in the place where Gronw was.
Then said Gronw Pebyr unto Llew, "Since it was through the wiles of a woman that I did unto thee as I have done, I adjure thee by Heaven to let me place between me and the blow, the slab thou seest yonder on the river's bank."
"Verily," said Llew, "I will not refuse thee this."
"Ah," said he, "may Heaven reward thee."
So Gronw took the slab and placed it between him and the blow.
Then Llew flung the dart at him, and it pierced the slab and went through Gronw likewise, so that it pierced through his back. And thus was Gronw Pebyr slain. And there is still the slab on the bank of the river Cynvael, in Ardudwy, having the hole through it. And therefore is it even now called Llech Gronw.
A second time did Llew Llaw Gyffes take possession of the land, and prosperously did he govern it. And as the story relates, he was lord after this over Gwynedd.
And thus ends Math, son of Mathonwy, a portion of the Mabinogi.
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Pwyll