Pwyll, Lord of Dyfed - Pwyll Encounters the Lovely Rhiannon

Part Two of the First Branch of the Mabinogi

One day Pwyll was in his chief court at Arberth where a feast had been prepared and a great number of men had assembled. He rose to take a walk and set out for Gorsedd Arberth, the hill that rose above the court. One of his men said, "Lord, it is the property of this hill that whenever a man of royal blood sits on it, one of two things happen: he receives blows and wounds, or sees a wonder." "I do not expect to receive blows or wounds in the company of such a host, and I would be glad to see a wonder. I will go and sit on the hill."

As they were sitting on this hill a woman dressed in shining gold brocade and riding a great pale horse approached the highway which ran past them. Anyone who saw the horse would have said it was moving at a slow steady pace as it drew adjacent to the hill. "Men," said Pwyll, "does anyone know that horsewoman?" "No, lord," they answered. "Then let someone go and find out who she is." A man rose to go after her but by the time he reached the highway she had already gone past. He tried to follow her on foot, but she drew farther ahead of him. When he saw his pursuit was in vain he returned and told Pwyll, "Lord, it is pointless for anyone to follow her on foot." "All right. Go to the court and take the fastest horse you know and go after her." The man fetched the horse and set out after her. Once he reached open country his spurs found his mount, but no matter how much he urged the steed onward the farther ahead she drew, all the while going at the same pace as before. His horse tired and he slowed it to a walk and returned to where Pwyll was waiting. "Lord, it is useless for anyone to follow that lady. I know of no horse in the entire kingdom faster than this one, and I could not overtake her." "All right, but there is some hidden meaning here. Let us return to court."

They spent the next two days there until dinner time that second day. After the first sitting Pwyll said, "Well, let those who went out yesterday accompany me to the hill now. And you," he said to one of the lads, "bring along the fastest horse you know of in the field." The lad did as he was asked and they went to the hill with the horse with them. As they were sitting there they saw the woman in the brocade garment riding the same horse along the highway. "There is the horsewoman of yesterday," Pwyll said. "Lad, be ready to find out who she is." "Gladly, lord." The horsewoman drew opposite. The lad mounted his horse, but before he could settle into the saddle she had gone past and put distance between them, all the while travelling at the same steady pace as the previous day. He kept his horse at a walk thinking that he could surely overtake her but he could not. He gave the horse its head, but even then he was no closer to her and the farther ahead she drew. Perceiving the pursuit was useless he returned to where Pwyll was waiting. "Lord, the horse cannot do better than you have seen." "I have seen it is useless for anyone to pursue her, but between me and God she had an errand for someone on this plain, had her obstinacy not prevented her declaring it. Let us return to the court."

They spent the night singing and carousing until dinner time the next day. After all had sat down for dinner Pwyll said, "Where are the men who went to the top of the hill yesterday and the day before?" "Here we are, lord." "Then let us go to the hill and sit there. And you," he said to the stableboy, "saddle my horse and bring it to the highway, and bring my spurs as well." They reached the hill and sat down. Almost immediately they saw the horsewoman in the same dress coming along the highway at the same pace. "Lad, I see our horsewoman coming, give me my horse." Pwyll mounted and settled into his saddle but no sooner had he done this than the lady rode past him. Giving his spirited horse its head he turned to follow, thinking he could easily overtake her, yet he drew no closer than before. He pushed his steed to its utmost speed until he saw that the pursuit was useless.

Pwyll then called out, "Lady, for the sake of the man you love best, stop for me!" "I will, gladly," she said, "and it would have been better for your horse had you asked me that earlier." The lady reined in her horse and haulted. She drew up the part of her veil which covered her face and fixed her gaze on Pwyll and they began to talk. "Lady," said Pwyll, "where do you come from, and where are you going?" "I am doing my errands," she said, "and I am glad to see you." "I welcome you," Pwyll said, for it seemed to him that the beauty of every girl and woman he had ever seen was nothing compared to the face of this lady. "Lady, will you tell me anything of your errands?" "Between me and God I will. My most important errand was to try to see you." "That seems to me the best errand you could have come on. Will you tell me your name?" "Lord, I will. I am Rhiannon daughter of Heveydd the Old. I am being given to a man against my will. I have not wanted any husband and that because of my love for you. Even now I will not have him unless you reject me, and it is to hear your answer to me that I have come." "Between me and my God, here is my answer. Had I my choice of every girl and woman in the world, I would choose you." "Well, if that is how you feel, then set a time for us to meet before I am given to another man." "The best time for me would be the soonest, in whatever place you like. Set the date." "That I will, lord; a year from this night in Heveydd's court. I will see that a feast is prepared for your arrival." "I will certainly keep that appointment," Pwyll said. "Lord, farewell, and remember to keep your promise. I will leave you now." They parted and he returned to his troops and whenever they inquired about the lady he would turn to other topics.

The year passed and time came for Pwyll and ninety-nine companions to ride to the court of Heveydd the Old. There was great joy at their arrival. A huge assembly rejoiced to see them and a great feast has been prepared and all the court's resources were at Pwyll's disposal. The hall was made ready and they entered and sat down. Heveydd sat on one side of Pwyll and Rhiannon on the other, and everyone else according to rank. They ate, talked and caroused. After the first course they noticed a tall, auburn-haired, noble-looking youth in silk garment enter the hall. He approached the upper end and greeted Pwyll and his companions. "God's greeting to you, friend," said Pwyll, "sit down." "I will not, for I am a suppliant and I have an errand." "Go on," Pwyll said. "Lord, it is with you my errand lies, for I have come to ask you a favour." "Whatever you ask, so far as it lies within my power you shall have it." "Alas, why did you answer him so?" said Rhiannon. Then the youth said, "Lady, he has given his answer in the presence of these nobles." "Friend," asked Pwyll, "what is your request?" The young spoke, "The woman I love best you are to sleep with tonight. It is to ask for her, and for the preparations and the feast, that I have come."

Pwyll fell silent, for there was no answer her could give. "You had better not say any more," said Rhiannon, "for I have never seen such a feeble-witted performance." "Lady, I did not know who he was." "This is the man to whom I was to be given against my will, Gwawl son of Clud, a powerful lord with many followers. As you have given your words, you had better give me to him before you dishonour yourself." "Lady, I do not know what sort of answer that is. I could never bring myself to do as you say." "Give me to him and I will arrange it so that he will never have me." "How can that be?" asked Pwyll. "I will give you a little bag, which you must keep with you. He will ask for the preparations and the feast, but those do not lie within your power, for I will give the feast to your host and your company, and this will be your answer to him concerning that.

"As for me, I will set a date, a year from this night, for him to sleep with me, and at that time, you with your bag and your ninety-nine horsemen, must station yourselves in the orchard above the court. When Gwawl is in the midst of feasting and carousing you must enter dressed in shabby clothes and with the bag in your hand. You must ask for nothing more than the filling of the bag with food, for I will see that even if all the food and drink in these seven cantrevs is put into the bag it will be no fuller than before. After a great deal has been put in Gwawl will ask you if your bag will ever be full and you must answer that is will not unless a very powerful noble rises and pressed down the food with both feet and says, 'Enough has been put inside.' I will persuade Gwawl to rise and tread down the food in the bag, and when he does, turn the bag so that he is upside down inside and tie the strings of the bag into a knot. Wear a hunting horn around your neck, and when Gwawl is securely in the bag sound the horn, and let that be the signal to your horsemen. When they hear your horn, they are to descend upon the court."

"Lord, it is about time I had an answer to my request," said Gwawl. Pwyll answered, "You shall have as much of your request as it is in my power." "Friend," said Rhiannon, "as for the preparations and the feast which are here, I have already given them to the troops and companies of Dyved, and I cannot allow them to be given to anyone else. But a year from this night in this court a feast will be prepared for you, my friend, and you shall sleep with me."

Gwawl set out for his kingdom and Pwyll returned to Dyved. Each spent the following year waiting for the feast in the court of Heveydd the Old. Gwawl son of Clud set out for the feast which had been prepared for him. When he arrived he was greeted joyfully. Pwyll Head of Annwvyn went to the orchard with his ninety-nine horsemen and his bag, just as Rhiannon had requested him to do. Wearing a shabby outfit with big rag boots on his feet he perceived that the carousing after the first course had begun and made his way to the hall. When he reached the upper end he greeted Gwawl and the companions, both men and women. "God be good to you," said Gwawl, "and His welcome to you." "Lord, God reward you," Pwyll said. I am a suppliant." "Your request is welcome, and if it is reasonable I will gladly grant it." "It is reasonable, lord, for I ask only to ward off hunger. My request is the filling of this little bag with food." "A modest request that is, and I will gladly grant it. Bring him food." A great number of servants rose and began filling the bag, but however much was put in it, it was no fuller than before. "Friend, will your bag ever be full?" asked Gwawl. "Between me and God, it will not, unless a nobleman of land and possessions rises and presses the food down into the bag with both feet and says, 'Enough has been put inside.' " "Champion, rise at once," said Rhiannon to Gwawl. "Gladly," said Gwawl, and he rose and put both feet in the bag, which Pwyll turned so that he was head over heels inside. Pwyll then closed it quickly and knotted the strings and blew his horn. At this his company fell upon the court and took prisoner the host that had come with Gwawl, while Pwyll threw off his rags and tattered boots. Upon entering, each of Pwyll's number struck the bag and asked, "What is this?" "A badger," the rest of the men replied. This is how they played the game. Each man would strike the bag with his foot or his staff and as he did so he would ask, "What game are you playing?" "The game of Badger in the Bag," they would all cry. This was the first playing of Badger in the Bag.

Lord, if you would listen to me," said the man in the bag, "death in a bag is no proper end for me." "What he says is true, lord," said Heveydd the Old. "You ought to listen to him, that is no proper death." "Then I will follow your advice in this matter," said Pwyll, whereupon Rhiannon said, "This is what you should do. You are in a position where it is customary to satisfy the requests of suppliants and minstrels. Require Gwawl there to give the presents on your behalf, and have him swear that he will make no claim and seek no revenge. That is punishment enough." "He will get that gladly," said the man in the bag. "I will gladly accept the advice of Heveydd and Rhiannon," said Pwyll. "Well, that is our advice." "Then I will take it." Heveydd said, "Obtain sureties for yourself; we will answer for his conduct until his men are free to do so," and with that Gwawl was released from the bag and his men were freed. Then Heveydd said, "Now ask for your sureties - we know what ought to be asked for," and he drew up a list of sureties. "Arrange your own conditions," said Gwawl, but Pwyll answered, "I am satisfied with what Rhiannon has drawn up," and the sureties were arranged on those terms. Then Gwawl said, "Lord, I am injured and have sustained many wounds. I have need of a healing bath and so, with your permission, I will go now. But I will leave men behind on my behalf to answer anyone who might have a request." "Gladly," said Pwyll, so Gwawl departed for his own kingdom.

The hall was made ready for Pwyll and his company and those of Heveydd's court. They entered and sat down, and they sat down now as they had the year before. They all feasted and caroused, and when bed time Pwyll and Rhiannon retired to their chamber and spent the night in pleasure and delight. The next morning Rhiannon said, "Lord, rose now and begin to content the minstrels, and do not refuse anyone who desires a gift." "Gladly," said Pwyll, "today and every day, as long as the feast lasts." He rose and called for silence, asking all suppliants and minstrels to present themselves. He announced the every whim and fancy would be satisfied. This was done; the feast went on and on, and while it lasted no one was turned away. When it ended Pwyll said to Heveydd, "With your permission, lord, I will depart for Dyved tomorrow." "Godspeed, then," said Heveydd, "and will you set a time for Rhiannon to follow you?" "Between me and God, we will leave together." "Is that your will, lord?" "Between me and God, it is." The next day they left for Dyved, making for the court at Arberth where a feast was being prepared. An assembly of the noblest men and women in the kingdom came and not one of them, man or woman, left Rhiannon without being given a memorable gift; a brooch or a ring or a precious stone.