“She is my wife,” replied the bishop, “and I am called Llwyd, the son of Kilcoed, and I cast the charm over Dyfed, and upon Rhiannon and Pryderi, to avenge Gwawl son of Clûd for the game of ‘badger in the bag’ which was played on him by Pwyll, Head of Annwn. It was my household that came in the guise of mice and took away your corn. But since my wife has been caught, I will restore Rhiannon and Pryderi and take the charm off Dyfed if you will let her go.” “I will not let her go,” said Manawyddan, “until you have promised that there shall be no charm put upon Dyfed again.” “I will promise that also,” replied Llwyd. “So let her go.” “I will not let her go,” said Manawyddan, “unless you swear to take no revenge for this hereafter.” “You have done wisely to claim that,” replied Llwyd. “Much trouble would else have come upon your head because of this. Now I swear it. So set my wife free.” “I will not,” said Manawyddan, “until I see Rhiannon and Pryderi.” Then he saw them coming towards him; and they greeted one another. “Now set my wife free,” said the bishop. “I will, gladly,” replied Manawyddan. So he released the mouse, and Llwyd struck her with a wand, and turned her into “a young woman, the fairest ever seen”. And when Manawyddan looked round him, he saw Dyfed tilled and cultivated again, as it had formerly been. The powers of light had, this time, the victory. Little by little, they increased their mastery over the dominion of darkness, until we find the survivors of the families of Llyr and Pwyll mere vassals of Arthur. ----- Footnote 345: Retold from Lady Guest’s translation of the Mabinogi of _Manawyddan, the Son of Llyr_. Footnote 346: Saxon Britain—England. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XX THE VICTORIES OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS The powers of light were, however, by no means invariably successful in their struggles with the powers of darkness. Even Gwydion son of Dôn had to serve his apprenticeship to misfortune. Assailing Caer Sidi—Hades[347] under one of its many titles,—he was caught by Pwyll and Pryderi, and endured a long imprisonment.[348] The sufferings he underwent made him a bard—an ancient Celtic idea which one can still see surviving in the popular tradition that whoever dares to spend a night alone either upon the chair of the Giant Idris (the summit of Cader Idris, in Merionethshire), or under the haunted Black Stone of Arddu, upon the Llanberis side of Snowdon, will be found in the morning either inspired or mad.[349] How he escaped we are not told; but the episode does not seem to have quenched his ardour against the natural enemies of his kind.