The Wooing of Olwen
Shortly after the birth of Kilhuch,
the son of King Kilyth, his
mother died. Before her death she charged the king that
he should
not take a wife again until he saw a briar with two blossoms
upon
her grave, and the king sent every morning to see if anything
were
growing thereon. After many years the briar appeared, and
he took to
wife the widow of King Doged. She foretold to her stepson,
Kilhuch,
that it was his destiny to marry a maiden named Olwen,
or none
other, and he, at his father's bidding, went to the court
of his
cousin, King Arthur, to ask as a boon the hand of the maiden.
He
rode upon a grey steed with shell-formed hoofs, having
a bridle of
linked gold, and a saddle also of gold. In his hand were
two spears
of silver, well-tempered, headed with steel, of an edge
to wound the
wind and cause blood to flow, and swifter than the fall
of the dew-
drop from the blade of reed grass upon the earth when the
dew of
June is at its heaviest. A gold-hilted sword was on his
thigh, and
the blade was of gold, having inlaid upon it a cross of
the hue of
the lightning of heaven. Two brindled, white-breasted greyhounds,
with strong collars of rubies, sported round him, and his
courser
cast up four sods with its four hoofs like four swallows
about his
head. Upon the steed was a four-cornered cloth of purple,
and an
apple of gold was at each corner. Precious gold was upon
the
stirrups and shoes, and the blade of grass bent not beneath
them, so
light was the courser's tread as he went towards the gate
of King
Arthur's palace.
Arthur received him with great ceremony, and asked him
to remain at
the palace; but the youth replied that he came not to consume
meat
and drink, but to ask a boon of the king.
Then said Arthur, "Since
thou wilt not remain here, chieftain, thou
shalt receive the boon, whatsoever thy tongue may name,
as far as
the wind dries and the rain moistens, and the sun revolves,
and the
sea encircles, and the earth extends, save only my ships
and my
mantle, my sword, my lance, my shield, my dagger, and Guinevere
my
wife."
So Kilhuch craved of him the hand of Olwen, the daughter
of
Yspathaden Penkawr, and also asked the favour and aid of
all
Arthur's court.
Then said Arthur, "O chieftain,
I have never heard of the maiden of
whom thou speakest, nor of her kindred, but I will gladly
send
messengers in search of her."
And the youth said, "I will
willingly grant from this night to that
at the end of the year to do so."
Then Arthur sent messengers to every land within his dominions
to
seek for the maiden; and at the end of the year Arthur's
messengers
returned without having gained any knowledge or information
concerning Olwen more than on the first day.
Then said Kilhuch, "Every
one has received his boon, and I yet lack
mine. I will depart and bear away thy honour with me."
Then said Kay, "Rash chieftain!
dost thou reproach Arthur? Go with
us, and we will not part until thou dost either confess
that the
maiden exists not in the world, or until we obtain her."
Thereupon Kay rose up.
Kay had this peculiarity, that his breath lasted nine
nights and
nine days under water, and he could exist nine nights and
nine days
without sleep. A wound from Kay's sword no physician could
heal.
Very subtle was Kay. When it pleased him he could render
himself as
tall as the highest tree in the forest. And he had another
peculiarity--so great was the heat of his nature, that,
when it
rained hardest, whatever he carried remained dry for a
handbreadth
above and a handbreadth below his hand; and when his companions
were
coldest, it was to them as fuel with which to light their
fire.
And Arthur called Bedwyr, who never shrank from any enterprise
upon
which Kay was bound. None was equal to him in swiftness
throughout
this island except Arthur and Drych Ail Kibthar. And although
he was
one-handed, three warriors could not shed blood faster
than he on
the field of battle. Another property he had; his lance
would
produce a wound equal to those of nine opposing lances.
And Arthur called to Kynthelig
the guide. "Go thou
upon this
expedition with the Chieftain." For as good a guide
was he in a land
which he had never seen as he was in his own.
He called Gwrhyr Gwalstawt Ieithoedd, because he knew
all tongues.
He called Gwalchmai, the son of Gwyar, because he never
returned
home without achieving the adventure of which he went in
quest. He
was the best of footmen and the best of knights. He was
nephew to
Arthur, the son of his sister, and his cousin.
And Arthur called Menw, the son of Teirgwaeth, in order
that if they
went into a savage country, he might cast a charm and an
illusion
over them, so that none might see them whilst they could
see every
one.
They journeyed on till they came to a vast open plain,
wherein they
saw a great castle, which was the fairest in the world.
But so far
away was it that at night it seemed no nearer, and they
scarcely
reached it on the third day. When they came before the
castle they
beheld a vast flock of sheep, boundless and without end.
They told
their errand to the herdsman, who endeavoured to dissuade
them,
since none who had come thither on that quest had returned
alive.
They gave to him a gold ring, which he conveyed to his
wife, telling
her who the visitors were.
On the approach of the latter, she ran out with joy to
greet them,
and sought to throw her arms about their necks. But Kay,
snatching a
billet out of the pile, placed the log between her two
hands, and
she squeezed it so that it became a twisted coil.
"O woman," said Kay, "if
thou hadst squeezed me thus, none could
ever again have set their affections on me. Evil love were
this."
They entered the house, and after meat she told them that
the maiden
Olwen came there every Saturday to wash. They pledged their
faith
that they would not harm her, and a message was sent to
her. So
Olwen came, clothed in a robe of flame-coloured silk, and
with a
collar of ruddy gold, in which were emeralds and rubies,
about her
neck. More golden was her hair than the flower of the broom,
and her
skin was whiter than the foam of the wave, and fairer were
her hands
and her fingers than the blossoms of the wood anemone amidst
the
spray of the meadow fountain. Brighter were her glances
than those
of a falcon; her bosom was more snowy than the breast of
the white
swan, her cheek redder than the reddest roses. Whoso beheld
was
filled with her love. Four white trefoils sprang up wherever
she
trod, and therefore was she called Olwen.
Then Kilhuch, sitting beside her on a bench, told her
his love, and
she said that he would win her as his bride if he granted
whatever
her father asked.
Accordingly they went up to the castle and laid their
request before
him.
"Raise up the forks beneath
my two eyebrows which have fallen over
my eyes," said Yspathaden Penkawr, "that I may
see the fashion of my
son-in-law."
They did so, and he promised, them an answer on the morrow.
But as
they were going forth, Yspathaden seized one of the three
poisoned
darts that lay beside him and threw it back after them.
And Bedwyr caught it and flung it back, wounding Yspathaden
in the
knee.
Then said he, "A cursed
ungentle son-in-law, truly. I shall ever
walk the worse for his rudeness. This poisoned iron pains
me like
the bite of a gad-fly. Cursed be the smith who forged it,
and the
anvil whereon it was wrought."
The knights rested in the house of Custennin the herdsman,
but the
next day at dawn they returned to the castle and renewed
their
request.
Yspathaden said it was necessary that he should consult
Olwen's four
great-grandmothers and her four great-grand-sires.
The knights again withdrew, and as they were going he
took the
second dart and cast it after them.
But Menw caught it and flung it back, piercing Yspathaden's
breast
with it, so that it came out at the small of his back.
"A cursed ungentle son-in-law, truly," says
he, "the hard iron pains
me like the bite of a horse-leech. Cursed be the hearth
whereon it
was heated! Henceforth whenever I go up a hill, I shall
have a scant
in my breath and a pain in my chest."
On the third day the knights returned once more to the
palace, and
Yspathaden took the third dart and cast it at them.
But Kilhuch caught it and threw it vigorously, and wounded
him
through the eyeball, so that the dart came out at the back
of his
head.
"A cursed ungentle son-in-law,
truly. As long as I remain alive my
eyesight will be the worse. Whenever I go against the wind
my eyes
will water, and peradventure my head will burn, and I shall
have a
giddiness every new moon. Cursed be the fire in which it
was forged.
Like the bite of a mad dog is the stroke of this poisoned
iron."
And they went to meat.
Said Yspathaden Penkawr, "Is
it thou that seekest my daughter?"
"It is I," answered
Kilhuch.
"I must have thy pledge
that thou wilt not do towards me otherwise
than is just, and when I have gotten that which I shall
name, my
daughter thou shalt have."
"I promise thee that willingly," said Kilhuch, "name
what thou
wilt."
"I will do so," said
he.
"Throughout the world there
is not a comb or scissors with which I
can arrange my hair, on, account of its rankness, except
the comb
and scissors that are between the two ears of Turch Truith,
the son
of Prince Tared. He will not give them of his own free
will, and
thou wilt not be able to compel him."
"It will be easy for me
to compass this, although thou mayest think
that it will not be easy."
"Though thou get this, there
is yet that which thou wilt not get. It
will not be possible to hunt Turch Truith without Drudwyn
the whelp
of Greid, the son of Eri, and know that throughout the
world there
is not a huntsman who can hunt with this dog, except Mabon
the son
of Modron. He was taken from his mother when three nights
old, and
it is not known where he now is, nor whether he is living
or dead."
"It will be easy for me
to compass this, although thou mayest think
that it will not be easy."
"Though thou get this, there
is yet that which thou wilt not get.
Thou wilt not get Mabon, for it is not known where he is,
unless
thou find Eidoel, his kinsman in blood, the son of Aer.
For it would
be useless to seek for him. He is his cousin."
"It will be easy for me
to compass this, although thou mayest think
that it will not be easy. Horses shall I have, and chivalry;
and my
lord and kinsman Arthur will obtain for me all these things.
And I
shall gain thy daughter, and thou shalt lose thy life."
"Go forward. And thou shalt
not be chargeable for food or raiment
for my daughter while thou art seeking these things; and
when thou
hast compassed all these marvels, thou shalt have my daughter
for
wife."
Now, when they told Arthur how
they had sped, Arthur said, "Which
of
these marvels will it be best for us to seek first?"
"It will be best," said they, "to
seek Mabon the son of Modron; and
he will not be found unless we first find Eidoel, the son
of Aer,
his kinsman."
Then Arthur rose up, and the warriors of the Islands of
Britain with
him, to seek for Eidoel; and they proceeded until they
came before
the castle of Glivi, where Eidoel was imprisoned.
Glivi stood on the summit of
his castle, and said, "Arthur,
what
requirest thou of me, since nothing remains to me in this
fortress,
and I have neither joy nor pleasure in it; neither wheat
nor oats?"
Said Arthur, "Not to injure
thee came I hither, but to seek for the
prisoner that is with thee."
"I will give thee my prisoner,
though I had not thought to give him
up to any one; and therewith shalt thou have my support
and my aid."
His followers then said unto
Arthur, "Lord, go thou
home, thou canst
not proceed with thy host in quest of such small adventures
as
these."
Then said Arthur, "It were
well for thee, Gwrhyr Gwalstawt
Ieithoedd, to go upon this quest, for thou knowest all
languages,
and art familiar with those of the birds and the beasts.
Go, Eidoel,
likewise with my men in search of thy cousin. And as for
you, Kay
and Bedwyr, I have hope of whatever adventure ye are in
quest of,
that ye will achieve it. Achieve ye this adventure for
me."
These went forward until they came to the Ousel of Cilgwri,
and
Gwrhyr adjured her for the sake of Heaven, saying, "Tell
me if thou
knowest aught of Mabon, the son of Modron, who was taken
when three
nights old from between his mother and the wall."
And the Ousel answered, "When
I first came here there was a smith's
anvil in this place, and I was then a young bird, and from
that time
no work has been done upon it, save the pecking of my beak
every
evening, and now there is not so much as the size of a
nut remaining
thereof; yet the vengeance of Heaven be upon me if during
all that
time I have ever heard of the man for whom you inquire.
Nevertheless, there is a race of animals who were formed
before me,
and I will be your guide to them."
So they proceeded to the place where was the Stag of Redynvre.
"Stag of Redynvre, behold
we are come to thee, an embassy from
Arthur, for we have not heard of any animal older than
thou. Say,
knowest thou aught of Mabon?"
The stag said, "When first
I came hither there was a plain all
around me, without any trees save one oak sapling, which
grew up to
be an oak with an hundred branches. And that oak has since
perished,
so that now nothing remains of it but the withered stump;
and from
that day to this I have been here, yet have I never heard
of the man
for whom you inquire. Nevertheless, I will be your guide
to the
place where there is an animal which was formed before
I was."
So they proceeded to the place where was the Owl of Cwm
Cawlwyd, to
inquire of him concerning Mabon.
And the owl said, "If I
knew I would tell you. When first I came
hither, the wide valley you see was a wooded glen. And
a race of men
came and rooted it up. And there grew there a second wood,
and this
wood is the third. My wings, are they not withered stumps?
Yet all
this time, even until to-day, I have never heard of the
man for whom
you inquire. Nevertheless, I will be the guide of Arthur's
embassy
until you come to the place where is the oldest animal
in this
world, and the one who has travelled most, the eagle of
Gwern Abwy."
When they came to the eagle, Gwrhyr asked it the same
question; but
it replied, "I have been here for a great space of
time, and when I
first came hither there was a rock here, from the top of
which I
pecked at the stars every evening, and now it is not so
much as a
span high. From that day to this I have been here, and
I have never
heard of the man for whom you inquire, except once when
I went in
search of food as far as Llyn Llyw. And when I came there,
I struck
my talons into a salmon, thinking he would serve me as
food for a
long time. But he drew me into the deep, and I was scarcely
able to
escape from him. After that I went with my whole kindred
to attack
him and to try to destroy him, but he sent messengers and
made peace
with me, and came and besought me to take fifty fish-spears
out of
his back. Unless he know something of him whom you seek,
I cannot
tell you who may. However, I will guide you to the place
where he
is."
So they went thither, and the
eagle said, "Salmon
of Llyn Llyw, I
have come to thee with an embassy from Arthur to ask thee
if thou
knowest aught concerning Mabon, the son of Modron, who
was taken
away at three nights old from between his mother and the
wall."
And the salmon answered, "As
much as I know I will tell thee. With
every tide I go along the river upwards, until I come near
to the
walls of Gloucester, and there have I found such wrong
as I never
found elsewhere; and to the end that ye may give credence
thereto,
let one of you go thither upon each of my two shoulders."
So Kay and Gwrhyr went upon his shoulders, and they proceeded
till
they came to the wall of the prison, and they heard a great
wailing
and lamenting from the dungeon. Said Gwrhyr, "Who
is it that laments
in this house of stone?"
And the voice replied, "Alas,
it is Mabon, the son of Modron, who is
here imprisoned!"
Then they returned and told Arthur, who, summoning his
warriors,
attacked the castle.
And whilst the fight was going on, Kay and Bedwyr, mounting
on the
shoulders of the fish, broke into the dungeon, and brought
away with
them Mabon, the son of Modron.
Then Arthur summoned unto him all the warriors that were
in the
three islands of Britain and in the three islands adjacent;
and he
went as far as Esgeir Ocrvel in Ireland where the Boar
Truith was
with his seven young pigs. And the dogs were let loose
upon him from
all sides. But he wasted the fifth part of Ireland, and
then set
forth through the sea to Wales. Arthur and his hosts, and
his
horses, and his dogs followed hard after him. But ever
and awhile
the boar made a stand, and many a champion of Arthur's
did he slay.
Throughout all Wales did Arthur follow him, and one by
one the
young pigs were killed. At length, when he would fain have
crossed
the Severn and escaped into Cornwall, Mabon the son of
Modron came
up with him, and Arthur fell upon him together with the
champions of
Britain. On the one side Mabon the son of Modron spurred
his steed
and snatched his razor from him, whilst Kay came up with
him on the
other side and took from him the scissors. But before they
could
obtain the comb he had regained the ground with his feet,
and from
the moment that he reached the shore, neither dog nor man
nor horse
could overtake him until he came to Cornwall. There Arthur
and his
hosts followed in his track until they overtook him in
Cornwall.
Hard had been their trouble before, but it was child's
play to what
they met in seeking the comb. Win it they did, and the
Boar Truith
they hunted into the deep sea, and it was never known whither
he
went.
Then Kilhuch set forward, and as many as wished ill to
Yspathaden
Penkawr. And they took the marvels with them to his court.
And Kaw
of North Britain came and shaved his beard, skin and flesh
clean off
to the very bone from ear to ear.
"Art thou shaved, man?" said
Kilhuch.
"I am shaved," answered
he.
"Is thy daughter mine now?"
"She is thine, but therefore
needst thou not thank me, but Arthur
who hath accomplished this for thee. By my free will thou
shouldst
never have had her, for with her I lose my life."
Then Goreu the son of Custennin seized him by the hair
of his head
and dragged him after him to the keep, and cut off his
head and
placed it on a stake on the citadel.
Thereafter the hosts of Arthur dispersed themselves each
man to his
own country.
Thus did Kilhuch son of Kelython win to wife Olwen, the
daughter of
Yspathaden Penkawr. |