Mythology, Celtic -- Wales; Tales -- Wales; Welsh literature -- 1100-1400 -- Translations into English
She entered the house, and sat beside Kilhwch upon the foremost bench;
and as soon as he saw her he knew her. And Kilhwch said unto her, "Ah!
maiden, thou art she whom I have loved; come away with me lest they speak
evil of thee and of me. Many a day have I loved thee." "I cannot do
this, for I have pledged my faith to my father not to go without his
counsel, for his life will last only until the time of my espousals.
Whatever is, must be. But I will give thee advice if thou wilt take it.
Go, ask me of my father, and that which he shall require of thee, grant
it, and thou wilt obtain me; but if thou deny him anything, thou wilt not
obtain me, and it will be well for thee if thou escape with thy life." "I
promise all this, if occasion offer," said he. {84a}
She returned to her chamber, and they all rose up and followed her to the
castle. And they slew the nine porters that were at the nine gates in
silence. And they slew the nine watch-dogs without one of them barking.
And they went forward to the hall.
"The greeting of Heaven and of man be unto thee, Yspaddaden Penkawr,"
said they. "And you, wherefore come you?" "We come to ask thy daughter
Olwen, for Kilhwch the son of Kilydd, the son of Prince Kelyddon." "Where
are my pages and my servants? {84b} Raise up the forks beneath my two
eyebrows which have fallen over my eyes, that I may see the fashion of my
son-in-law." And they did so. "Come hither to-morrow, and you shall
have an answer."
They rose to go forth, and Yspaddaden Penkawr seized one of the three
poisoned darts that lay beside him, and threw it after them. And Bedwyr
caught it, and flung it, and pierced Yspaddaden Penkawr grievously with
it through the knee. {85a} Then he said, "A cursed ungentle son-in-law,
truly. I shall ever walk the worse for his rudeness, and shall ever be
without a cure. This poisoned iron pains me like the bite of a gad-fly.
Cursed be the smith who forged it, and the anvil whereon it was wrought!
So sharp is it!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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