Mythology, Celtic -- Wales; Tales -- Wales; Welsh literature -- 1100-1400 -- Translations into English
And with that the maid arose, and kindled a fire, and filled a pot with
water, and placed it to warm; and she brought a towel of white linen, and
placed it around Owain’s neck; and she took a goblet of ivory, and a
silver basin, and filled them with warm water, wherewith she washed
Owain’s head. Then she opened a wooden casket, and drew forth a razor,
whose haft was of ivory, and upon which were two rivets of gold. And she
shaved his beard, and she dried his head, and his throat, with the towel.
Then she rose up from before Owain, and brought him to eat. And truly
Owain had never so good a meal, nor was he ever so well served.
When he had finished his repast, the maiden arranged his couch. “Come
here,” said she, “and sleep, and I will go and woo for thee.” And Owain
went to sleep, and the maiden shut the door of the chamber after her, and
went towards the Castle. When she came there, she found nothing but
mourning, and sorrow; and the Countess in her chamber could not bear the
sight of any one through grief. Luned came and saluted her, but the
Countess answered her not. And the maiden bent down towards her, and
said, “What aileth thee, that thou answerest no one to-day?” “Luned,”
said the Countess, “what change hath befallen thee, that thou hast not
come to visit me in my grief? It was wrong in thee, and I having made
thee rich; it was wrong in thee that thou didst not come to see me in my
distress. That was wrong in thee.” “Truly,” said Luned, “I thought thy
good sense was greater than I find it to be. Is it well for thee to
mourn after that good man, or for anything else, that thou canst not
have?” “I declare to heaven,” said the Countess, “that in the whole
world there is not a man equal to him.” “Not so,” said Luned, “for an
ugly man would be as good as, or better than he.” “I declare to heaven,”
said the Countess, “that were it not repugnant to me to cause to be put
to death one whom I have brought up, I would have thee executed, for
making such a comparison to me. As it is, I will banish thee.” “I am
glad,” said Luned, “that thou hast no other cause to do so, than that I
would have been of service to thee where thou didst not know what was to
thine advantage. And henceforth evil betide whichever of us shall make
the first advance towards reconciliation to the other; whether I should
seek an invitation from thee, or thou of thine own accord shouldst send
to invite me.”
With that Luned went forth: and the Countess arose and followed her to
the door of the chamber, and began coughing loudly. And when Luned
looked back, the Countess beckoned to her; and she returned to the
Countess. “In truth,” said the Countess, “evil is thy disposition; but
if thou knowest what is to my advantage, declare it to me.” “I will do
so,” quoth she.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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