The Junior Classics, Volume 4: Heroes and heroines of chivalry
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 4: Heroes and heroines of chivalry
Children's literature
Now Manawyddan returned from the war in Ireland, and he found that his
cousin had seized all his possessions, and much grief and heaviness
came upon him. "Alas! woe is me!" he exclaimed; "there is none save
myself without a home and a resting-place." "Lord," said Pryderi, "be
not so sorrowful. Thy cousin is king of the Island of the Mighty, and
though he has done thee wrong, thou hast never been a claimant of land
or possessions." "Yea," answered he, "but although this man is my
cousin, it grieveth me to see any one in the place of my brother,
Bendigeid Vran; neither can I be happy in the same dwelling with him."
"Wilt thou follow the counsel of another?" said Pryderi. "I stand in
need of counsel," he answered, "and what may that counsel be?" "Seven
cantrevs belong unto me," said Pryderi, "wherein Rhiannon, my mother,
dwells. I will bestow her upon thee, and the seven cantrevs with her;
and though thou hadst no possessions but those cantrevs only, thou
couldst not have any fairer than they. Do thou and Rhiannon enjoy
them, and if thou desire any possessions thou wilt not despise these."
"I do not, chieftain," said he, "Heaven reward thee for the
friendship! I will go with thee to seek Rhiannon, and to look at thy
possessions." "Thou wilt do well," he answered; "and I believe that
thou didst never hear a lady discourse better than she, and when she
was in her prime, none was ever fairer. Even now her aspect is not
uncomely."
They set forth, and, however long the journey, they came at last to
Dyved; and a feast was prepared for them by Rhiannon and Kieva. Then
began Manawyddan and Rhiannon to sit and to talk together; and his
mind and his thoughts became warmed towards her, and he thought in his
heart he had never beheld any lady more fulfilled of grace and beauty
than she. "Pryderi," said he, "I will that it be as thou didst say."
"What saying was that?" asked Rhiannon. "Lady," said Pryderi, "I did
offer thee as a wife to Manawyddan." "By that will I gladly abide,"
said Rhiannon. "Right glad am I also," said Manawyddan; "may Heaven
reward him who hath shown unto me friendship so perfect as this!" And
before the feast was over she became his bride.
"Tarry ye here the rest of the feast, and I will go into England to
tender my homage unto Caswallawn, the son of Beli," said Pryderi.
"Lord," said Rhiannon, "Caswallawn is in Kent; thou mayest therefore
tarry at the feast, and wait until he shall be nearer." "We will
wait," he answered. So they finished the feast. And they began to make
the circuit of Dyved, and to hunt, and to take their pleasure. And as
they went through the country, they had never seen lands more pleasant
to live in, nor better hunting grounds, nor greater plenty of honey
and fish. And such was the friendship between these four, that they
would not be parted from each other by night nor by day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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