Mythology, Celtic -- Wales; Tales -- Wales; Welsh literature -- 1100-1400 -- Translations into English
After that Lludd had shown his brother the cause of his errand, Llevelys
said that he himself knew the cause of the coming to those lands. And
they took counsel together to discourse on the matter otherwise than
thus, in order that the wind might not catch their words, nor the
Coranians know what they might say. Then Llevelys caused a long horn to
be made of brass, and through this horn they discoursed. But whatsoever
words they spoke through this horn, one to the other, neither of them
could hear any other but harsh and hostile words. And when Llevelys saw
this, and that there was a demon thwarting them and disturbing through
this horn, he caused wine to be put therein to wash it. And through the
virtue of the wine the demon was driven out of the horn. And when their
discourse was unobstructed, Llevelys told his brother that he would give
him some insects whereof he should keep some to breed, lest by chance the
like affliction might come a second time. And other of these insects he
should take and bruise in water. And he assured him that it would have
power to destroy the race of the Coranians. That is to say, that when he
came home to his kingdom he should call together all the people both of
his own race and of the race of the Coranians for a conference, as though
with the intent of making peace between them; and that when they were all
together, he should take this charmed water, and cast it over all alike.
And he assured him that the water would poison the race of the Coranians,
but that it would not slay or harm those of his own race.
“And the second plague,” said he, “that is in thy dominion, behold it is
a dragon. And another dragon of a foreign race is fighting with it, and
striving to overcome it. And therefore does your dragon make a fearful
outcry. And on this wise mayest thou come to know this. After thou hast
returned home, cause the Island to be measured in its length and breadth,
and in the place where thou dost find the exact central point, there
cause a pit to be dug, and cause a cauldron full of the best mead that
can be made to be put in the pit, with a covering of satin over the face
of the cauldron. And then, in thine own person do thou remain there
watching, and thou wilt see the dragon fighting in the form of terrific
animals. And at length they will take the form of dragons in the air.
And last of all, after wearying themselves with fierce and furious
fighting, they will fall in the form of two pigs upon the covering, and
they will sink in, and the covering with them, and they will draw it down
to the very bottom of the cauldron. And they will drink up the whole of
the mead; and after that they will sleep. Thereupon do thou immediately
fold the covering around them, and bury them in a kistvaen, in the
strongest place thou hast in thy dominions, and hide them in the earth.
And as long as they shall bide in that strong place no plague shall come
to the Island of Britain from elsewhere.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account