The Mabinogion (Oxford World's Classics) (36 page)

with a robe of flame-red silk about her,

and a torque of red gold about the maiden’s neck,

with precious pearls and red jewels.

Yellower was her hair than the flowers of the broom.

Whiter was her flesh than the foam of the wave.

Whiter were her palms and her fingers

than moist cotton grass amidst the fine gravel of a bubbling

spring.

Neither the eye of a mewed hawk,

nor the eye of a thrice-mewed falcon—

no eye was fairer than hers.

Whiter were her breasts than the breast of a white swan.

Redder were her cheeks than the reddest foxglove.

Whoever saw her would be filled with love for her.

Four white clovers would spring up behind her wherever

she went.

And for that reason she was called Olwen.
*

She came into the house and sat down between Culhwch and the high seat. And as he saw her he recognized her.

Culhwch said to her, ‘Maiden, it is you I have loved. And will you come with me?’

‘In case you and I are accused of being sinful, I cannot do that at all. My father has asked me to give my word that I will not leave without consulting him, for he shall only live until I take a husband.
*
There is, however, advice I can give you, if you will take it. Go to my father to ask for my hand, and however much he asks of you, promise to get it, and you will get me too. But if he has cause to doubt at all, you will not get me, and you will be lucky to escape with your life.’

‘I promise all that, and I will get it.’

She went to her chamber. They all got up to go after her to the fort, and killed the nine gatekeepers who were at the nine gates without a single man crying out, and nine mastiffs without a single one squealing. And they proceeded to the hall.

They said, ‘Greetings, Ysbaddaden Bencawr, from God and from man.’

‘You, where are you going?’

‘We have come to seek Olwen your daughter for Culhwch son of Cilydd.’

‘Where are my good-for-nothing servants and my scoundrels?’ he said. ‘Raise the forks under my eyelids so that I may see my prospective son-in-law.’ They did that.

‘Come here tomorrow. I’ll give you some sort of an answer.’

They got up, and Ysbaddaden Bencawr snatched one of the three poisoned stone spears
*
beside him and hurled it after them. And Bedwyr caught it and hurled it back, and pierced Ysbaddaden Bencawr right through his kneecap.

He said, ‘Cursed, savage son-in-law, I shall be all the worse when I walk down the slope. Like the sting of a gadfly the poison iron has hurt me. Cursed be the smith who forged it and the anvil on which it was forged, it is so painful.’

They spent that night in the house of Custennin. And the second day, splendidly, and with fine combs set in their hair, they came to the fort and into the hall.

They said, ‘Ysbaddaden Bencawr, give us your daughter in exchange for her dowry and her maiden-fee to you and her two
kinswomen. And unless you give her, you shall meet your death because of her.’

‘She and her four great-grandmothers and her four greatgrandfathers are still alive—I must consult with them.’
*

‘Do that,’ they said. ‘We’ll go to eat.’

As they got up, he took the second stone spear that was beside him and hurled it after them. And Menw son of Teirgwaedd caught it and hurled it back and pierced him in the middle of his chest, so that it came out in the small of his back.

‘Cursed, savage son-in-law, like the bite of a horse-leech the hard iron has hurt me. Cursed be the furnace in which it was heated, and the smith who forged it, it is so painful. When I go uphill I shall have a tight chest, and belly-ache, and throw up often.’ They went to their food.

And the third day they came to the court. They said, ‘Ysbaddaden Bencawr, do not aim at us again. Do not bring harm and hurt and death upon yourself.’

‘Where are my servants? Raise the forks—my eyelids have fallen down over my eyeballs—so that I may take a look at my prospective son-in-law.’

They got up, and as they got up he took the third poisoned stone spear and hurled it after them. And Culhwch caught it and hurled it back as he had longed to do, and pierced him in his eyeball so that it came out through the nape of his neck.

‘Cursed, savage son-in-law, as long as I live my eyesight shall be the worse. When I walk against the wind, my eyes will water; I shall have a headache and giddiness with each new moon. Cursed be the furnace in which it was heated. Like the bite of a mad dog the poisoned iron has pierced me.’ They went to their food.

The following day they came to the court.

They said, ‘Do not aim at us again. Do not bring harm and hurt and martyrdom upon yourself, and more than that if you wish. Give us your daughter.’

‘Where is the one who is seeking my daughter?’

‘I am the one who is seeking her, Culhwch son of Cilydd.’

‘Come here where I can see you.’ A chair was placed under him, face to face with him.

Ysbaddaden Bencawr said, ‘Are you the one who seeks my daughter?’

‘I am,’ said Culhwch.

‘I want your word that you will not be less than honest with me.’

‘You have it.’

‘When I get what I ask from you, then you shall get my daughter.’

‘Name what you want.’

‘I will. Do you see the large thicket over there?’

‘I do.’

‘I want it uprooted from the earth and burned along the ground so that the cinders and ashes fertilize it; and I want it ploughed and sown so that it’s ripe in the morning by the time the dew disappears, so that it can be made into food and drink for the wedding guests of my daughter and yourself. And all that I want done in one day.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’
*

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
.

There is no ploughman to till that land or to prepare it apart from Amaethon son of Dôn. He will not come with you willingly, nor can you force him.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. Gofannon son of Dôn
*
to come to the edge of the land to set the plough. He will not undertake work willingly save for a rightful king, nor can you force him.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. The two oxen of Gwlwlydd Winau, yoked together, to plough well the rough ground over there. He will not give them willingly, nor can you force him.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. I want the Melyn Gwanwyn and the Ych Brych
*
yoked together.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. Two horned oxen, one from the far side of Mynydd Bannog and the other from this side, and brought together under the one plough. They are Nyniaw and Peibiaw,
*
whom God transformed into oxen for their sins.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. Do you see the tilled red soil over there?’

‘I do.’

‘When I first met the mother of that maiden, nine hestors
*
of flax seed were sown in it; neither black nor white has come out of it yet, and I still have that measure. I want to have that flax seed sown in the newly ploughed land over there, so that it may be a white veil on my daughter’s head at your wedding feast.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. Honey that will be nine times sweeter than the honey of the first swarm, without drones and without bees, to make bragget for the feast.’
*

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. The cup of Llwyr son of Llwyrion,
*
which holds the best drink; for it is the only vessel in the world able to hold that strong drink. You will not get it from him willingly, nor can you force him.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. The hamper of Gwyddnau Garan Hir.
*
If the whole world were to gather around it, three nines at a time, everyone would find the food that he wanted in it, just to his liking. I want to eat from that the night my daughter sleeps with you. He will not give it willingly to any one, nor can you force him.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. The horn of Gwlgawd Gododdin
*
to pour for us that night. He will not give it willingly, nor can you force him.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. The harp of Teirtu to entertain me that night. When a man so desires, it will play itself; when he wants it to be silent, it is. He will not give it willingly, nor can you force him.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. I want the birds of Rhiannon,
*
they that wake the dead and lull the living to sleep, to entertain me that night.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. The cauldron of Diwrnach Wyddel,
*
the steward of Odgar son of Aedd, king of Ireland, to boil food for your wedding guests.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. I must wash my head and shave my beard. I want the tusk of Ysgithrwyn Pen Baedd
*
to shave with. It will be no use to me unless it is pulled from his head while he’s alive.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. There is no one in the world who can pull it from his head except Odgar son of Aedd, king of Ireland.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. I will not entrust the keeping of the tusk to anyone except Caw of Prydyn.
*
The sixty cantrefs of Prydyn are under him. He will not leave his kingdom willingly, nor can he be forced.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. I must dress my beard to be shaved. It will never straighten out until you get the blood of the Very Black Witch, daughter of the Very White Witch, from Pennant Gofid
*
in the uplands of hell.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. The blood will be useless unless it is obtained while warm. There is no vessel in the world that can keep the liquid in it warm except the bottles of Gwyddolwyn Gorr,
*
which keep their heat from when liquid is placed in them in the east until the west is reached. He will not give them willingly, nor can you force him.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. Some will want milk. There’s no way of getting milk for everyone until you get the bottles of Rhynnon Ryn Barfog.
*
No liquid ever turns sour in them. He will not give them willingly to anyone, nor can you force him.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. There is no comb and shears in the world which can dress my beard, because of its stiffness, except the comb and shears that lie between
the ears of Twrch Trwyth son of Taredd Wledig.
*
He will not give them willingly, nor can you force him.’

‘
It is easy for me to get that, though
you
may think it’s not easy
.’

‘
Though you may get that, there is something you will not get
. You cannot hunt Twrch Trwyth until you get Drudwyn, the whelp of Graid son of Eri.’
*