place, and found gold and silver until they grew wealthy.
And that is how this branch of the Mabinogi ends, concerning the Blow to Branwen which was one of the Three Unfortunate Blows * in this Island; and the Assembly of Brân, when the army of one hundred and fifty-four districts went to Ireland to avenge the Blow to Branwen; and the Feasting in Harlech for seven years; and the Singing of the Birds of Rhiannon, and the Assembly of the Head for eighty years.
The Third Branch of the Mabinogi
A FTER the seven men we spoke of above * had buried Bendigeidfran’s head on the Gwynfryn in London, with its face towards France, Manawydan looked at the town of London and at his companions, and heaved a great sigh, and immense sorrow and longing came over him.
‘Alas Almighty God, woe is me!’ he said. ‘I am the only one who has no place to go tonight.’
‘Lord,’ said Pryderi, ‘do not be so sad. Your cousin Caswallon * is king over the Island of the Mighty; and although he has done you wrong,’ he said, ‘you have never claimed land or territory—you are one of the Three Undemanding Chieftains.’ *
‘Well,’ he said, ‘although that man may be my cousin, I am extremely sad to see anyone take the place of Bendigeidfran my brother, and I could not be happy under the same roof as him.’
‘Will you take any other advice?’ said Pryderi.
‘I need it,’ he said, ‘and what advice is that?’
‘The seven cantrefs of Dyfed * were left to me,’ said Pryderi, ‘and Rhiannon, my mother, lives there. I shall give her to you, together with the authority over those seven cantrefs. Although it may be the only realm you have, there are no better seven cantrefs. My wife is Cigfa, daughter of Gwyn Gloyw,’ he said. ‘And although the realm will be mine in name, let the benefits be yours and Rhiannon’s. And if you ever wanted a realm of your own, perhaps you could take that one.’
‘I have never wanted one, lord,’ he said, ‘but may God repay you your friendship.’
‘The best friendship I can give shall be yours, if you want it.’
‘I do, friend,’ he said. ‘May God repay you. And I shall go with you to visit Rhiannon and the realm.’
‘You are doing the right thing,’ he said. ‘I am sure that you have never heard a woman converse better than Rhiannon. When she wasin her prime, there was no woman more beautiful, and even now you will not be disappointed with her looks.’
They set off. Although the road was long, they came at last to Dyfed. A feast had been prepared for them, ready for their arrival at Arberth, arranged by Rhiannon and Cigfa.
Then Manawydan and Rhiannon sat together and began to converse; and as a result of that conversation his head and heart grew tender towards her, and he was delighted that he had never seen a woman who was fairer or more beautiful than her.
‘Pryderi,’ he said, ‘I will agree to your proposal.’
‘What was that?’ said Rhiannon.
‘My lady,’ said Pryderi, ‘I have given you as a wife to Manawydan son of Llŷr.’
‘I will agree to that gladly,’ said Rhiannon.
‘I am glad, too,’ said Manawydan, ‘and may God repay the man who gives me such firm friendship.’ Before that feast finished, he slept with her.
‘Continue with what is left of the feast,’ said Pryderi, ‘and I will go to England to pay homage to Caswallon son of Beli.’
‘Lord,’ said Rhiannon, ‘Caswallon is in Kent, so you can continue with the feast and wait until he is closer.’
‘Then we will wait for him,’ said Pryderi. They finished the feast, and began to make a circuit of Dyfed where they hunted and enjoyed themselves.
As they wandered through the land they had never seen a place more pleasant to live in, nor better hunting ground, nor land more abundant in honey and fish. And during that time a friendship developed between the four of them, so that not one wished to be without the other, either day or night. In the meantime Pryderi went to
And that is how this branch of the Mabinogi ends, concerning the Blow to Branwen which was one of the Three Unfortunate Blows * in this Island; and the Assembly of Brân, when the army of one hundred and fifty-four districts went to Ireland to avenge the Blow to Branwen; and the Feasting in Harlech for seven years; and the Singing of the Birds of Rhiannon, and the Assembly of the Head for eighty years.
The Third Branch of the Mabinogi
A FTER the seven men we spoke of above * had buried Bendigeidfran’s head on the Gwynfryn in London, with its face towards France, Manawydan looked at the town of London and at his companions, and heaved a great sigh, and immense sorrow and longing came over him.
‘Alas Almighty God, woe is me!’ he said. ‘I am the only one who has no place to go tonight.’
‘Lord,’ said Pryderi, ‘do not be so sad. Your cousin Caswallon * is king over the Island of the Mighty; and although he has done you wrong,’ he said, ‘you have never claimed land or territory—you are one of the Three Undemanding Chieftains.’ *
‘Well,’ he said, ‘although that man may be my cousin, I am extremely sad to see anyone take the place of Bendigeidfran my brother, and I could not be happy under the same roof as him.’
‘Will you take any other advice?’ said Pryderi.
‘I need it,’ he said, ‘and what advice is that?’
‘The seven cantrefs of Dyfed * were left to me,’ said Pryderi, ‘and Rhiannon, my mother, lives there. I shall give her to you, together with the authority over those seven cantrefs. Although it may be the only realm you have, there are no better seven cantrefs. My wife is Cigfa, daughter of Gwyn Gloyw,’ he said. ‘And although the realm will be mine in name, let the benefits be yours and Rhiannon’s. And if you ever wanted a realm of your own, perhaps you could take that one.’
‘I have never wanted one, lord,’ he said, ‘but may God repay you your friendship.’
‘The best friendship I can give shall be yours, if you want it.’
‘I do, friend,’ he said. ‘May God repay you. And I shall go with you to visit Rhiannon and the realm.’
‘You are doing the right thing,’ he said. ‘I am sure that you have never heard a woman converse better than Rhiannon. When she wasin her prime, there was no woman more beautiful, and even now you will not be disappointed with her looks.’
They set off. Although the road was long, they came at last to Dyfed. A feast had been prepared for them, ready for their arrival at Arberth, arranged by Rhiannon and Cigfa.
Then Manawydan and Rhiannon sat together and began to converse; and as a result of that conversation his head and heart grew tender towards her, and he was delighted that he had never seen a woman who was fairer or more beautiful than her.
‘Pryderi,’ he said, ‘I will agree to your proposal.’
‘What was that?’ said Rhiannon.
‘My lady,’ said Pryderi, ‘I have given you as a wife to Manawydan son of Llŷr.’
‘I will agree to that gladly,’ said Rhiannon.
‘I am glad, too,’ said Manawydan, ‘and may God repay the man who gives me such firm friendship.’ Before that feast finished, he slept with her.
‘Continue with what is left of the feast,’ said Pryderi, ‘and I will go to England to pay homage to Caswallon son of Beli.’
‘Lord,’ said Rhiannon, ‘Caswallon is in Kent, so you can continue with the feast and wait until he is closer.’
‘Then we will wait for him,’ said Pryderi. They finished the feast, and began to make a circuit of Dyfed where they hunted and enjoyed themselves.
As they wandered through the land they had never seen a place more pleasant to live in, nor better hunting ground, nor land more abundant in honey and fish. And during that time a friendship developed between the four of them, so that not one wished to be without the other, either day or night. In the meantime Pryderi went to
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