Mythology, Celtic -- Wales; Tales -- Wales; Welsh literature -- 1100-1400 -- Translations into English
And they heard a call made for Eirynwych Amheibyn, Arthur's servant, a
red, rough, ill-favoured man, having red whiskers {116b} with bristly
hairs. And behold he came upon a tall red horse, with the mane parted on
each side, and he brought with him a large and beautiful sumpter pack.
And the huge red youth dismounted before Arthur, and he drew a golden
chair out of the pack, and a carpet of diapered satin. And he spread the
carpet before Arthur, and there was an apple of ruddy gold at each corner
thereof, and he placed the chair upon the carpet. And so large was the
chair that three armed warriors might have sat therein. Gwenn was the
name of the carpet, and it was one of its properties, that whoever was
upon it no one could see him, and he could see every one. And it would
retain no colour but its own.
And Arthur sat within the carpet, and Owain the son of Urien was standing
before him. "Owain," said Arthur, "wilt thou play chess?" "I will,
Lord," said Owain. And the red youth brought the chess for Arthur and
Owain; golden pieces and a board of silver. And they began to play.
And while they were thus, and when they were best amused with their game,
behold they saw a white tent with a red canopy, and the figure of a jet
black serpent on the top of the tent, and red glaring venomous eyes in
the head of the serpent, and a red flaming tongue. And there came a
young page with yellow curling hair, and blue eyes, and a newly springing
beard, wearing a coat and a surcoat of yellow satin, and hose of thin
greenish yellow cloth upon his feet, and over his hose shoes of parti-
coloured leather, fastened at the insteps with golden clasps. And he
bore a heavy three-edged sword with a golden hilt, in a scabbard of black
leather tipped with fine gold. And he came to the place where the
Emperor and Owain were playing at chess.
And the youth saluted Owain. And Owain marvelled that the youth should
salute him and should not have saluted the Emperor Arthur. And Arthur
knew what was in Owain's thought. And he said to Owain, "Marvel not that
the youth salutes thee now, for he saluted me erewhile; and it is unto
thee that his errand is." Then said the youth unto Owain, "Lord, is it
with thy leave that the young pages and attendants of the Emperor harass
and torment and worry the Ravens? And if it be not with thy leave, cause
the Emperor to forbid them." "Lord," said Owain, "thou hearest what the
youth says; if it seem good to thee, forbid them from my Ravens." "Play
thy game," said he. Then the youth returned to the tent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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