Mythology, Celtic -- Wales; Tales -- Wales; Welsh literature -- 1100-1400 -- Translations into English
And thus passed the seasons of the year until the harvest came. And he
went to look at one of his crofts, and behold it was ripe. "I will reap
this to-morrow," said he. And that night he went back to Narberth, and
on the morrow in the grey dawn he went to reap the croft, and when he
came there he found nothing but the bare straw. Every one of the ears of
the wheat was cut from off the stalk, and all the ears carried entirely
away, and nothing but the straw left. And at this he marvelled greatly.
Then he went to look at another croft, and behold that also was ripe.
"Verily," said he, "this will I reap to-morrow." And on the morrow he
came with the intent to reap it, and when he came there he found nothing
but the bare straw. "Oh gracious Heaven," he exclaimed, "I know that
whosoever has begun my ruin is completing it, and has also destroyed the
country with me."
Then he went to look at the third croft, and when he came there, finer
wheat had there never been seen, and this also was ripe. "Evil betide
me," said he, "if I watch not here to-night. Whoever carried off the
other corn will come in like manner to take this. And I will know who it
is." So he took his arms, and began to watch the croft. And he told
Kicva all that had befallen. "Verily," said she, "what thinkest thou to
do?" "I will watch the croft to-night," said he.
And he went to watch the croft. And at midnight, lo! there arose the
loudest tumult in the world. And he looked, and behold the mightiest
host of mice in the world, which could neither be numbered nor measured.
And he knew not what it was until the mice had made their way into the
croft, and each of them climbing up the straw and bending it down with
its weight, and had cut off one of the ears of wheat, and had carried it
away, leaving there the stalk, and he saw not a single straw there that
had not a mouse to it. And they all took their way, carrying the ears
with them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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