Mythology, Celtic -- Wales; Tales -- Wales; Welsh literature -- 1100-1400 -- Translations into English
Then Arthur spoke, “If I thought you would not disparage me,” said he, “I
would sleep while I wait for my repast; and you can entertain one another
with relating tales, and can obtain a flagon of mead and some meat from
Kai.” And the King went to sleep. And Kynon the son of Clydno asked Kai
for that which Arthur had promised them. “I, too, will have the good
tale which he promised to me,” said Kai. “Nay,” answered Kynon, “fairer
will it be for thee to fulfill Arthur’s behest, in the first place, and
then we will tell thee the best tale that we know.” So Kai went to the
kitchen and to the mead-cellar, and returned bearing a flagon of mead and
a golden goblet, and a handful of skewers, upon which were broiled
collops of meat. Then they ate the collops and began to drink the mead.
“Now,” said Kai, “it is time for you to give me my story.” “Kynon,” said
Owain, “do thou pay to Kai the tale that is his due.” “Truly,” said
Kynon, “thou are older, and art a better teller of tales, and hast seen
more marvellous things than I; do thou therefore pay Kai his tale.”
“Begin thyself,” quoth Owain, “with the best that thou knowest.” “I will
do so,” answered Kynon.
“I was the only son of my mother and father, and I was exceedingly
aspiring, and my daring was very great. I thought there was no
enterprise in the world too mighty for me, and after I had achieved all
the adventures that were in my own country, I equipped myself, and set
forth to journey through deserts and distant regions. And at length it
chanced that I came to the fairest valley in the world, wherein were
trees of equal growth; and a river ran through the valley, and a path was
by the side of the river. And I followed the path until mid-day, and
continued my journey along the remainder of the valley until the evening;
and at the extremity of a plain I came to a large and lustrous Castle, at
the foot of which was a torrent. And I approached the Castle, and there
I beheld two youths with yellow curling hair, each with a frontlet of
gold upon his head, and clad in a garment of yellow satin, and they had
gold clasps upon their insteps. In the hand of each of them was an ivory
bow, strung with the sinews of the stag; and their arrows had shafts of
the bone of the whale, and were winged with peacock’s feathers; the
shafts also had golden heads. And they had daggers with blades of gold,
and with hilts of the bone of the whale. And they were shooting their
daggers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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