called Olwen.
Then Kilhuch, sitting beside her on a bench, told her his love, and
she said that he would win her as his bride if he granted whatever
her father asked.
Accordingly they went up to the castle and laid their request before
him.
"Raise up the forks beneath my two eyebrows which have fallen over
my eyes," said Yspathaden Penkawr, "that I may see the fashion of my
son-in-law."
They did so, and he promised, them an answer on the morrow. But as
they were going forth, Yspathaden seized one of the three poisoned
darts that lay beside him and threw it back after them.
And Bedwyr caught it and flung it back, wounding Yspathaden in the
knee.
Then said he, "A cursed ungentle son-in-law, truly. I shall ever
walk the worse for his rudeness. 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."
The knights rested in the house of Custennin the herdsman, but the
next day at dawn they returned to the castle and renewed their
request.
Yspathaden said it was necessary that he should consult Olwen's four
great-grandmothers and her four great-grand-sires.
The knights again withdrew, and as they were going he took the
second dart and cast it after them.
But Menw caught it and flung it back, piercing Yspathaden's breast
with it, so that it came out at the small of his back.
"A cursed ungentle son-in-law, truly," says he, "the hard iron pains
me like the bite of a horse-leech. Cursed be the hearth whereon it
was heated! Henceforth whenever I go up a hill, I shall have a scant
in my breath and a pain in my chest."
On the third day the knights returned once more to the palace, and
Yspathaden took the third dart and cast it at them.
But Kilhuch caught it and threw it vigorously, and wounded him
through the eyeball, so that the dart came out at the back of his
head.
"A cursed ungentle son-in-law, truly. As long as I remain alive my
eyesight will be the worse. Whenever I go against the wind my eyes
will water, and peradventure my head will burn, and I shall have a
giddiness every new moon. Cursed be the fire in which it was forged.
Like the bite of a mad dog is the stroke of this poisoned iron."
And they went to meat.
Said Yspathaden Penkawr, "Is it thou that seekest my daughter?"
"It is I," answered Kilhuch.
"I must have thy pledge that thou wilt not do towards me otherwise
than is just, and when I have gotten that which I shall name, my
daughter thou shalt have."
"I promise thee that willingly," said Kilhuch, "name what thou
wilt."
"I will do so," said he.
"Throughout the world there is not a comb or scissors with which I
can arrange my hair, on, account of its rankness, except the comb
and scissors that are between the two ears of Turch Truith, the son
of Prince Tared. He will not give them of his own free will, and
thou wilt not be able to compel him."
"It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think
that it will not be easy."
"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get. It
will not be possible to hunt Turch Truith without Drudwyn the whelp
of Greid, the son of Eri, and know that throughout the world there
is not a huntsman who can hunt with this dog, except Mabon the son
of Modron. He was taken from his mother when three nights old, and
it is not known where he now is, nor whether he is living or dead."
"It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think
that it will not be easy."
"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get.
Thou wilt not get Mabon, for it is not known where he is, unless
thou find Eidoel, his kinsman in blood, the son of Aer. For it would
be useless to seek for him. He is his cousin."
"It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think
that it will not be easy. Horses shall I have, and chivalry; and my
lord and kinsman Arthur will obtain for me all these things. And I
shall gain thy daughter, and thou shalt lose thy life."
"Go
Then Kilhuch, sitting beside her on a bench, told her his love, and
she said that he would win her as his bride if he granted whatever
her father asked.
Accordingly they went up to the castle and laid their request before
him.
"Raise up the forks beneath my two eyebrows which have fallen over
my eyes," said Yspathaden Penkawr, "that I may see the fashion of my
son-in-law."
They did so, and he promised, them an answer on the morrow. But as
they were going forth, Yspathaden seized one of the three poisoned
darts that lay beside him and threw it back after them.
And Bedwyr caught it and flung it back, wounding Yspathaden in the
knee.
Then said he, "A cursed ungentle son-in-law, truly. I shall ever
walk the worse for his rudeness. 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."
The knights rested in the house of Custennin the herdsman, but the
next day at dawn they returned to the castle and renewed their
request.
Yspathaden said it was necessary that he should consult Olwen's four
great-grandmothers and her four great-grand-sires.
The knights again withdrew, and as they were going he took the
second dart and cast it after them.
But Menw caught it and flung it back, piercing Yspathaden's breast
with it, so that it came out at the small of his back.
"A cursed ungentle son-in-law, truly," says he, "the hard iron pains
me like the bite of a horse-leech. Cursed be the hearth whereon it
was heated! Henceforth whenever I go up a hill, I shall have a scant
in my breath and a pain in my chest."
On the third day the knights returned once more to the palace, and
Yspathaden took the third dart and cast it at them.
But Kilhuch caught it and threw it vigorously, and wounded him
through the eyeball, so that the dart came out at the back of his
head.
"A cursed ungentle son-in-law, truly. As long as I remain alive my
eyesight will be the worse. Whenever I go against the wind my eyes
will water, and peradventure my head will burn, and I shall have a
giddiness every new moon. Cursed be the fire in which it was forged.
Like the bite of a mad dog is the stroke of this poisoned iron."
And they went to meat.
Said Yspathaden Penkawr, "Is it thou that seekest my daughter?"
"It is I," answered Kilhuch.
"I must have thy pledge that thou wilt not do towards me otherwise
than is just, and when I have gotten that which I shall name, my
daughter thou shalt have."
"I promise thee that willingly," said Kilhuch, "name what thou
wilt."
"I will do so," said he.
"Throughout the world there is not a comb or scissors with which I
can arrange my hair, on, account of its rankness, except the comb
and scissors that are between the two ears of Turch Truith, the son
of Prince Tared. He will not give them of his own free will, and
thou wilt not be able to compel him."
"It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think
that it will not be easy."
"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get. It
will not be possible to hunt Turch Truith without Drudwyn the whelp
of Greid, the son of Eri, and know that throughout the world there
is not a huntsman who can hunt with this dog, except Mabon the son
of Modron. He was taken from his mother when three nights old, and
it is not known where he now is, nor whether he is living or dead."
"It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think
that it will not be easy."
"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get.
Thou wilt not get Mabon, for it is not known where he is, unless
thou find Eidoel, his kinsman in blood, the son of Aer. For it would
be useless to seek for him. He is his cousin."
"It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think
that it will not be easy. Horses shall I have, and chivalry; and my
lord and kinsman Arthur will obtain for me all these things. And I
shall gain thy daughter, and thou shalt lose thy life."
"Go
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