"The Ballad of Gwydion", Episode IV: Winter
The Fourth Branch of the Ancient Welsh Mabinogion Retold as a Ballad in Four Episodes
THE BALLAD OF GWYDION
by Jane Murphy
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IV. Winter
Watching the sky through the light falling snow, Gwydion thought of his nephew and smiled, Deaf to the voice at the portal below, Picturing Llew as a man, as a child, Llew's recent visit a joy to recall. There'd be another, though he knew not when. But ill tidings came to his door from the hall. Llew would be visiting never again. Grief and bewilderment spread through the Court As news of Llew's curious fate was dispersed. Math wept in pain when he heard the report, And Gwydion's misery was even worse. Yet he recalled what the messenger said. Llew was gone, but left no body behind. Could it be that he is not truly dead? Is there some sign of him that I could find? Said he unto Math, "Lord, I shall never rest Until I am certain of my nephew's fate." "Truly," said Math, "Do as thou thinkest best." "May Heaven sustain thee," he said at the gate. Then Gwydion, with Heaven's guidance, set forth Through Gwynedd and Powys while lasted the light, And thence into Arvon. He came from the north To the house of a vassal, to stay for the night. The man of the house and his household came in, And last came the swineherd, to whom the man said, "Well, youth, on this fine night, hast thy sow come in?" "She hath," said the youth, "with the pigs come to bed." Gwydion asked him, "Where doth this sow go?" "She goeth forth just as we open the sty. Whither she goeth, we none of us know, Nor can any tell what she seeketh, nor why." "Wilt thou," asked Gwydion, "grant unto me, That I might assay to observe the sow too, To open the sty while I watch there with thee?" "Gladly," replied the youth, "This will I do." After some hours of much-needed rest, The swineherd arose, seeing light in the sky, And, as he had promised, awakened the guest. Then both of them promptly walked down to the sty. The impatient sow, yearning to be released, Leaped forth from the gate and set off with great speed Uphill to a brook, where she stopped for a feast, And Gwydion wondered: On what does she feed? He went where she feasted, so that he might see. It was putrid flesh, that with vermin did drop From high overhead in a great leafless tree. He peered through its branches to the very top. There saw he an eagle who shook in the cold, Shedding dead flesh. Was it someone he knew? Thank Heaven! he thought, I don't need to be told. That eagle is certainly Llew, my nephew! Three Englyns he sang where the eagle would see: "Oak that grows between two banks, Darkened is the sky and hill! Shall I not tell him by his wounds, That this is Llew?" The eagle descended halfway down the tree. "Oak that grows in upland ground, Is it not wetted by the rain? Has it not been drenched By nine score tempests? It bears in its branches Llew Llaw Gyffes!" The eagle came to a branch low as could be. "Oak that grows beneath the steep, Stately and majestic in its aspect! Shall I not speak it? That Llew will come to my lap?" The eagle came down upon Gwydion's knee. Returned by the magic wand to his own form, Once again good Llew Llaw Gyffes was free, Cold eagle no longer, now human and warm. And Gwydion saw he was but skin and bone, In need of physicians and nourishing meals, And rest at Caer Dathyl. And so they went home, Back to the calmness and comfort that heals. Fully restored to his strength and good health, Llew thought of how he had suffered such woe, Wrongly betrayed for his lands and his wealth, Cruelly deceived, that he might take the blow Of the murderous spear that removed him from life. Said he unto Math, "Lord, this state is not right. My foe still possesses my lands and my wife, Having robbed me of them on that terrible night. "Fair compensation is all I ask for. Let him pay for what he cannot restore. Justice be done now, no less and no more. Let it be, then let all be as before." "Truly", said Math, "thy foe cannot for long Maintain himself by what is rightfully thine. We will go forth and attend to this wrong. He must comply, for he cannot decline." For Mur Y Castell soon set forth a great host, And Gwydion fearlessly went on before. Blodeuedd heard that the fate she feared most Was swiftly approaching her palace's door. She gathered her maidens and told them that they Must flee to the mountain, where there was a court. If they could move quickly and get far away, She thought they'd be safe, but their time would be short. They all crossed the river and started to climb, But they kept looking backwards, a fatal mistake. They all lost their balance and ended their time When they stumbled and fell headlong into the lake. And there in the lake, all the maidens were drowned, Except Blodeuedd, who was left all alone. And thus she remained to be easily found By Gwydion, who had a plan of his own. "I will not slay thee, but I will do worse", He said unto her that he struck with his wand. "The form of a bird will be henceforth thy curse, Today, and tomorrow, and all days beyond. "All birds scorn the owl in their natural way, So be thou an owl because of thy shame, Ne'er showing thy face in the light of the day. And may all owls henceforth be known by thy name."
Meanwhile, Gronw Pebyr, now trapped and distraught, Sent messengers to Llew Llaw Gyffes to plead For mercy he desperately hoped could be bought With some compensation for his evil deed. Would Llew accept land? Domain? Silver or gold? "To Heaven I confess that no, I will not," Came Llew's firm reply. He continued, "Behold The least I will take: that he come to the spot Where I was when he wounded me with his dart, And that I then stand where that murderer stood, And that with my dart I take aim at his heart. By no less than this can he hope to make good." Llew's message unto Gronw Pebyr was told. "Must I do thus?" he protested in dread, "Among all my warriors, kin and household, Is there none to stand the blow in my stead?" "There is none, verily," answered they all. He had no recourse, and so must be prepared To meet the grim fate that would come with his fall. "Well, I will meet it," at last he declared. Then they two returned to the place of the crime, By the river Cynvael where they had been before, But each took the place of the other this time, And Gronw requested of Llew one thing more. On the river's bank lay a broad slab of grey stone. "Through the wiles of a woman I became thy foe," Said Gronw, "therefore I beg, ere I atone, Let me place yonder slab between me and the blow." "I will not refuse thee this final request," Llew agreed. Then was done what they purposed to do. Llew flung his swift dart straight into Gronw's breast, And it pierced both the stone and the criminal through. The land that was stolen was all then restored To its Chieftain, who governed it wisely and well. In time, over all of Gwynedd he was lord, And of Gwydion and Llew there is no more to tell.
Source: Guest, Lady Charlotte E. (translation from the Red Book of Hergest), The Mabinogion, Dover edition (1997): 47-49
