Free The Mabinogion (Oxford World's Classics) by Sioned Davies

the foal was born and you saved it.’
    ‘I will not disagree with that,’ said Teyrnon. ‘I will let you give it to him.’
    ‘Lord,’ she said, ‘may God repay you; I will give it to him.’
    Then the horse was given to the boy, and she went to the grooms and stableboys to tell them to look after the horse, and to break it in for when the boy would go riding, and to report on its progress.
    Meanwhile they heard news of Rhiannon and her punishment. Because of what he had found, Teyrnon Twrf Liant listened out for news and enquired constantly about the matter, until he heard increased complaints about the wretchedness of Rhiannon’s misfortune and punishment from the very many people who visited the court. Teyrnon reflected on this, and looked closely at the boy. He realized that he had never seen a son and father so alike as the boy and Pwyll Pen Annwfn. Pwyll’s appearance was known to Teyrnon, for he had previously been a vassal of his. Then grief seized him because of how wrong it was for him to keep the boy, when he knew that he was another man’s son. As soon as he had the first chance to talk privately with his wife, he told her that it was not right for them to keep the boy, nor to let a noblewoman as good as Rhiannon be punished so terribly for it, when the boy was the son of Pwyll Pen Annwfn.
    Teyrnon’s wife agreed to send the boy to Pwyll.
    ‘And we shall get three things, lord, as a result of that,’ she said: ‘thanks and gratitude for releasing Rhiannon from her punishment; and thanks from Pwyll for rearing the boy and restoring him; and thirdly, if the boy proves to be a considerate man, he will be our foster-son, and he will always do his best for us.’
    They agreed on that.
    No later than the next day Teyrnon prepared himself with two other riders, and the boy a fourth on the horse that Teyrnon had given him. They travelled towards Arberth, and it was not long before they arrived. As they approached the court, they saw Rhiannon sitting bythe mounting-block. When they drew level with her, ‘My lord,’ she said, ‘go no further. I shall carry each of you to the court. And that is my punishment for killing my own son and destroying him.’
    ‘My lady,’ said Teyrnon, ‘I do not imagine that any one of these will ride on your back.’
    ‘If anyone wants to, then let him do so,’ said the boy; ‘I certainly will not.’
    ‘God knows, my friend,’ said Teyrnon, ‘neither will we.’
    They made for the court, and there was great joy at their arrival. A feast was about to begin at court—Pwyll himself had just returned from a circuit of Dyfed. They went into the hall and to wash themselves. Pwyll welcomed Teyrnon, and they went to sit. This is how they sat—Teyrnon between Pwyll and Rhiannon, with Teyrnon’s two companions above Pwyll, and the boy between them.
    When they had finished eating, at the beginning of the carousal, they conversed. Teyrnon told the whole story about the mare and the boy, and how he and his wife had taken the boy into their charge, and how they had brought him up.
    ‘And this is your son, my lady,’ said Teyrnon. ‘And whoever told lies against you did you wrong. And when I heard of your affliction, I was saddened, and distressed. And I imagine there is no one in this entire company who does not recognize that the boy is Pwyll’s son,’ said Teyrnon.
    ‘No one doubts it,’ said everyone.
    ‘Between me and God,’ said Rhiannon, ‘what a relief from my anxiety if that were true.’ *
    ‘My lady,’ said Pendaran Dyfed, ‘you have named your son well—Pryderi; Pryderi son of Pwyll Pen Annwfn suits him best.’
    ‘Make sure that his own name does not suit him better,’ said Rhiannon.
    ‘What is his name?’ said Pendaran Dyfed.
    ‘We called him Gwri Wallt Euryn.’
    ‘Pryderi shall be his name,’ said Pendaran Dyfed.
    ‘That is most appropriate,’ said Pwyll, ‘to take the boy’s name from the word his mother uttered when she received joyous