The Wooing Of Olwen

: Celtic Folk And Fairy Tales

Shortly after the birth of Kilhuch, the son of King Kilyth, his mother

died. Before her death she charged the king that he should not take a

wife again until he saw a briar with two blossoms upon her grave, and

the king sent every morning to see if anything were growing thereon.

After many years the briar appeared, and he took to wife the widow of

King Doged. She foretold to her stepson, Kilhuch, that it was his

destin
to marry a maiden named Olwen, or none other, and he, at his

father's bidding, went to the court of his cousin, King Arthur, to ask

as a boon the hand of the maiden. He rode upon a grey steed with

shell-formed hoofs, having a bridle of linked gold, and a saddle also

of gold. In his hand were two spears of silver, well-tempered, headed

with steel, of an edge to wound the wind and cause blood to flow, and

swifter than the fall of the dew-drop from the blade of reed grass

upon the earth when the dew of June is at its heaviest. A gold-hilted

sword was on his thigh, and the blade was of gold, having inlaid upon

it a cross of the hue of the lightning of heaven. Two brindled,

white-breasted greyhounds, with strong collars of rubies, sported

round him, and his courser cast up four sods with its four hoofs like

four swallows about his head. Upon the steed was a four-cornered cloth

of purple, and an apple of gold was at each corner. Precious gold was

upon the stirrups and shoes, and the blade of grass bent not beneath

them, so light was the courser's tread as he went towards the gate of

King Arthur's palace.



Arthur received him with great ceremony, and asked him to remain at

the palace; but the youth replied that he came not to consume meat and

drink, but to ask a boon of the king.



Then said Arthur, "Since thou wilt not remain here, chieftain, thou

shalt receive the boon, whatsoever thy tongue may name, as far as the

wind dries and the rain moistens, and the sun revolves, and the sea

encircles, and the earth extends, save only my ships and my mantle, my

sword, my lance, my shield, my dagger, and Guinevere my wife."



So Kilhuch craved of him the hand of Olwen, the daughter of Yspathaden

Penkawr, and also asked the favour and aid of all Arthur's court.



Then said Arthur, "O chieftain, I have never heard of the maiden of

whom thou speakest, nor of her kindred, but I will gladly send

messengers in search of her."



And the youth said, "I will willingly grant from this night to that at

the end of the year to do so."



Then Arthur sent messengers to every land within his dominions to seek

for the maiden; and at the end of the year Arthur's messengers

returned without having gained any knowledge or information

concerning Olwen more than on the first day.



Then said Kilhuch, "Every one has received his boon, and I yet lack

mine. I will depart and bear away thy honour with me."



Then said Kay, "Rash chieftain! dost thou reproach Arthur? Go with us,

and we will not part until thou dost either confess that the maiden

exists not in the world, or until we obtain her."



Thereupon Kay rose up.



Kay had this peculiarity, that his breath lasted nine nights and nine

days under water, and he could exist nine nights and nine days without

sleep. A wound from Kay's sword no physician could heal. Very subtle

was Kay. When it pleased him he could render himself as tall as the

highest tree in the forest. And he had another peculiarity--so great

was the heat of his nature, that, when it rained hardest, whatever he

carried remained dry for a handbreadth above and a handbreadth below

his hand; and when his companions were coldest, it was to them as fuel

with which to light their fire.



And Arthur called Bedwyr, who never shrank from any enterprise upon

which Kay was bound. None was equal to him in swiftness throughout

this island except Arthur and Drych Ail Kibthar. And although he was

one-handed, three warriors could not shed blood faster than he on the

field of battle. Another property he had; his lance would produce a

wound equal to nine opposing lances.



And Arthur called to Kynthelig the guide. "Go thou upon this

expedition with the chieftain." For as good a guide was he in a land

which he had never seen as he was in his own.



He called Gwrhyr Gwalstawt Ieithoedd, because he knew all tongues.



He called Gwalchmai, the son of Gwyar, because he never returned home

without achieving the adventure of which he went in quest. He was the

best of footmen and the best of knights. He was nephew to Arthur, the

son of his sister, and his cousin.



And Arthur called Menw, the son of Tiergwaeth, in order that if they

went into a savage country, he might cast a charm and an illusion over

them, so that none might see them whilst they could see every one.



They journeyed on till they came to a vast open plain, wherein they

saw a great castle, which was the fairest in the world. But so far

away was it that at night it seemed no nearer, and they scarcely

reached it on the third day. When they came before the castle they

beheld a vast flock of sheep, boundless and without end. They told

their errand to the herdsman, who endeavoured to dissuade them, since

none who had come thither on that quest had returned alive. They gave

to him a gold ring, which he conveyed to his wife, telling her who the

visitors were.



On the approach of the latter, she ran out with joy to greet them, and

sought to throw her arms about their necks. But Kay, snatching a

billet out of the pile, placed the log between her two hands, and she

squeezed it so that it became a twisted coil.



"O woman," said Kay, "if thou hadst squeezed me thus, none could ever

again have set their affections on me. Evil love were this."



They entered the house, and after meat she told them that the maiden

Olwen came there every Saturday to wash. They pledged their faith that

they would not harm her, and a message was sent to her. So Olwen came,

clothed in a robe of flame-coloured silk, and with a collar of ruddy

gold, in which were emeralds and rubies, about her neck. More golden

was her hair than the flower of the broom, and her skin was whiter

than the foam of the wave, and fairer were her hands and her fingers

than the blossoms of the wood anemone amidst the spray of the meadow

fountain. Brighter were her glances than those of a falcon; her bosom

was more snowy than the breast of the white swan, her cheek redder

than the reddest roses. Whoso beheld was filled with her love. Four

white trefoils sprang up wherever she trod, and therefore was she

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 is now, 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 forward. And thou shalt not be chargeable for food or raiment for

my daughter while thou art seeking these things; and when thou hast

compassed all these marvels, thou shalt have my daughter for wife."



Now, when they told Arthur how they had sped, Arthur said, "Which of

these marvels will it be best for us to seek first?"



"It will be best," said they, "to seek Mabon the son of Modron; and he

will not be found unless we first find Eidoel, the son of Aer, his

kinsman."



Then Arthur rose up, and the warriors of the Islands of Britain with

him, to seek for Eidoel; and they proceeded until they came before the

castle of Glivi, where Eidoel was imprisoned.



Glivi stood on the summit of his castle, and said, "Arthur, what

requirest thou of me, since nothing remains to me in this fortress,

and I have neither joy nor pleasure in it; neither wheat nor oats?"



Said Arthur, "Not to injure thee came I hither, but to seek for the

prisoner that is with thee."



"I will give thee my prisoner, though I had not thought to give him up

to any one; and therewith shalt thou have my support and my aid."



His followers then said unto Arthur, "Lord, go thou home, thou canst

not proceed with thy host in quest of such small adventures as these."



Then said Arthur, "It were well for thee, Gwrhyr Gwalstawt Ieithoedd,

to go upon this quest, for thou knowest all languages, and art

familiar with those of the birds and the beasts. Go, Eidoel, likewise

with my men in search of thy cousin. And as for you, Kay and Bedwyr, I

have hope of whatever adventure ye are in quest of, that ye will

achieve it. Achieve ye this adventure for me."



These went forward until they came to the Ousel of Cilgwri, and Gwrhyr

adjured her for the sake of Heaven, saying, "Tell me if thou knowest

aught of Mabon, the son of Modron, who was taken when three nights old

from between his mother and the wall."



And the ousel answered, "When I first came here there was a smith's

anvil in this place, and I was then a young bird, and from that time

no work has been done upon it, save the pecking of my beak every

evening, and now there is not so much as the size of a nut remaining

thereof; yet the vengeance of Heaven be upon me if during all that

time I have ever heard of the man for whom you inquire. Nevertheless,

there is a race of animals who were formed before me, and I will be

your guide to them."



So they proceeded to the place where was the Stag of Redynvre.



"Stag of Redynvre, behold we are come to thee, an embassy from Arthur,

for we have not heard of any animal older than thou. Say, knowest thou

aught of Mabon?"



The stag said, "When first I came hither, there was a plain all around

me, without any trees save one oak sapling, which grew up to be an oak

with an hundred branches. And that oak has since perished, so that

now nothing remains of it but the withered stump; and from that day to

this I have been here, yet have I never heard of the man for whom you

inquire. Nevertheless, I will be your guide to the place where there

is an animal which was formed before I was."



So they proceeded to the place where was the Owl of Cwm Cawlwyd, to

inquire of him concerning Mabon.



And the owl said, "If I knew I would tell you. When first I came

hither, the wide valley you see was a wooded glen. And a race of men

came and rooted it up. And there grew there a second wood, and this

wood is the third. My wings, are they not withered stumps? Yet all

this time, even until to-day, I have never heard of the man for whom

you inquire. Nevertheless, I will be the guide of Arthur's embassy

until you come to the place where is the oldest animal in this world,

and the one who has travelled most, the Eagle of Gwern Abwy."



When they came to the eagle, Gwrhyr asked it the same question; but it

replied, "I have been here for a great space of time, and when I first

came hither there was a rock here, from the top of which I pecked at

the stars every evening, and now it is not so much as a span high.

From that day to this I have been here, and I have never heard of the

man for whom you inquire, except once when I went in search of food as

far as Llyn Llyw. And when I came there, I stuck my talons into a

salmon, thinking he would serve me as food for a long time. But he

drew me into the deep, and I was scarcely able to escape from him.

After that I went with my whole kindred to attack him, and to try to

destroy him, but he sent messengers and made peace with me, and came

and besought me to take fifty fish spears out of his back. Unless he

know something of him whom you seek, I cannot tell you who may.

However, I will guide you to the place where he is."



So they went thither, and the eagle said, "Salmon of Llyn Llyw, I have

come to thee with an embassy from Arthur to ask thee if thou knowest

aught concerning Mabon, the son of Modron, who was taken away at three

nights old from between his mother and the wall."



And the salmon answered, "As much as I know I will tell thee. With

every tide I go along the river upwards, until I come near to the

walls of Gloucester, and there have I found such wrong as I never

found elsewhere; and to the end that ye may give credence thereto, let

one of you go thither upon each of my two shoulders."



So Kay and Gwrhyr went upon his shoulders, and they proceeded till

they came to the wall of the prison, and they heard a great wailing

and lamenting from the dungeon.



Said Gwrhyr, "Who is it that laments in this house of stone?"



And the voice replied, "Alas, it is Mabon, the son of Modron, who is

here imprisoned!"



Then they returned and told Arthur, who, summoning his warriors

attacked the castle.






And whilst the fight was going on, Kay and Bedwyr, mounting on the

shoulders of the fish, broke into the dungeon, and brought away with

them Mabon, the son of Modron.



Then Arthur summoned unto him all the warriors that were in the three

islands of Britain and in the three islands adjacent; and he went as

far as Esgeir Oervel in Ireland where the Boar Truith was with his

seven young pigs. And the dogs were let loose upon him from all sides.

But he wasted the fifth part of Ireland, and then set forth through

the sea to Wales. Arthur and his hosts, and his horses, and his dogs

followed hard after him. But ever and awhile the boar made a stand,

and many a champion of Arthur's did he slay. Throughout all Wales did

Arthur follow him, and one by one the young pigs were killed. At

length, when he would fain have crossed the Severn, and escaped into

Cornwall, Mabon, the son of Modron, came up with him, and Arthur fell

upon him, together with the champions of Britain. On the one side,

Mabon, the son of Modron, spurred his steed and snatched his razor

from him, whilst Kay came up with him on the other side and took from

him the scissors. But, before they could obtain the comb, he had

regained the ground with his feet, and from the moment that he reached

the shore, neither dog nor man nor horse could overtake him until he

came to Cornwall. There Arthur and his host followed in his track

until they overtook him in Cornwall. Hard had been their trouble

before, but it was child's play to what they met in seeking the comb.

Win it they did, and the Boar Truith they hunted into the deep sea,

and it was never known whither he went.



Then Kilhuch set forward, and as many as wished ill to Yspathaden

Penkawr. And they took the marvels with them to his court. And Kaw of

North Britain came and shaved his beard, skin and flesh clean off to

the very bone from ear to ear.



"Art thou shaved man?" said Kilhuch.



"I am shaved," answered he.



"Is thy daughter mine now?"



"She is thine, but therefore needst thou not thank me, but Arthur who

hath accomplished this for thee. By my free will thou shouldst never

have had her, for with her I lose my life."



Then Goreu, the son of Custennin, seized him by the hair of his head

and dragged him after him to the keep, and cut off his head and placed

it on a stake on the citadel.



Thereafter the hosts of Arthur dispersed themselves each man to his

own country.



Thus did Kilhuch, son of Kelython, win to wife Olwen, the daughter of

Yspathaden Penkawr.



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