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

‘Matholwch, king of Ireland, is here, and these are his ships.’
    ‘What does he want?’ said the king. ‘Does he want to come ashore?’
    ‘No, lord,’ they said, ‘unless you grant him his request—he has business with you.’
    ‘What sort of request does he have?’ said the king.
    ‘He wishes to unite your two families, lord,’ they said. ‘He has come to ask for Branwen daughter of Llŷr, * and if you agree, he wishes to join together the Island of the Mighty * and Ireland so that they might be stronger.’
    ‘Very well,’ he said, ‘let him come ashore, and we will take advice on the matter.’ That answer was taken to Matholwch.
    ‘I will go gladly,’ he said. He came ashore, and was made welcome. And there was a great crowd in the court that night, what with Matholwch’s retinue and that of the court.
    First thing the next day they took counsel. They decided to give Branwen to Matholwch. She was one of the Three Chief Maidens of this Island: * she was the most beautiful girl in the world. They set a date for Matholwch to sleep with her at Aberffraw, * and they left Harlech. They all set off for Aberffraw, Matholwch and his retinue in the ships, Bendigeidfran and his own retinue overland until they came to Aberffraw. There the feast began, and they sat down. This is how they sat: the king of the Island of the Mighty with Manawydan son of Llŷr on one side and Matholwch on the other, with Branwen daughter of Llŷr next to him. They were not in a house, but in tents. Bendigeidfran had never been able to fit inside any house.
    They began the celebration, and continued to carouse and converse. When they thought it was better to sleep than continue carousing, they went to sleep. And that night Matholwch slept with Branwen. The next day, everyone in the court got up; and the officers began to discuss the billeting of the horses and grooms; and they billeted them in every region as far as the sea. Then, one day, Efnysien, the quarrelsome man of whom we spoke above, happened to come across the lodgings of Matholwch’s horses, and he asked whose horses they were.
    ‘These are the horses of Matholwch, king of Ireland,’ they said.
    ‘What are they doing here?’ he said.
    ‘The king of Ireland is here, and he has slept with Branwen, your sister, and these are his horses.’
    ‘Is that what they have done with such a fine maiden, and my sister at that, given her away without my permission? They could not have insulted me more,’ he said.
    Then he went for the horses, and cut their lips to the teeth, and their ears down to their heads, and their tails to their backs; and where he could get a grip on the eyelids, he cut them to the bone. And in that way he maimed the horses, so that they were no good for anything.
    The news reached Matholwch: he was told how his horses had been maimed and spoiled so that they were no good for anything.
    ‘Well, lord,’ said one, ‘you have been insulted, and it was done deliberately.’
    ‘God knows, but I find it strange, if they wanted to insult me, that they should have first given me such a fine maiden, of such high rank, so beloved by her family.’
    ‘Lord,’ said another, ‘it’s perfectly clear; there is nothing for you to do but return to your ships.’ So Matholwch made for his ships.
    The news reached Bendigeidfran that Matholwch was leaving the court, without asking, without permission. Messengers went to ask him why he was going. The messengers who went were Iddig son of Anarog and Hyfaidd Hir. Those men caught up with him, and asked him what was his intention, and why he was leaving.
    ‘God knows,’ he said, ‘if I had known, I would not have come here. I have been completely insulted; no one has ever been on a worse expedition than this one. And a strange thing has happened to me.’
    ‘What is that?’ they said.
    ‘I was given Bronwen daughter of Llŷr, one of the Three Chief Maidens of this Island, and daughter to a king of the Island of the