Mythology, Celtic -- Wales; Tales -- Wales; Welsh literature -- 1100-1400 -- Translations into English
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 Cleddyf,”
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 Kilhwch, 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 blow, 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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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