The Mabinogion Vol. 3 | Page 5

them.
And the next day they amused themselves until it was time to go to
meat. And when meat was ended, Pwyll said, "Where are the hosts that
went yesterday and the day before to the top of the mound?" "Behold,
Lord, we are here," said they. "Let us go," said he, "to the mound, to sit
there. And do thou," said he to the page who tended his horse, "saddle
my horse well, and hasten with him to the road, and bring also my
spurs with thee." And the youth did thus. And they went and sat upon
the mound; and ere they had been there but a short time, they beheld
the lady coming by the same road, and in the same manner, and at the
same pace. "Young man," said Pwyll, "I see the lady coming; give me
my horse." And no sooner had he mounted his horse than she passed
him. And he turned after her and followed her. And he let his horse go
bounding playfully, and thought that at the second step or the third he
should come up with her. But he came no nearer to her than at first.
Then he urged his horse to his utmost speed, yet he found that it availed

nothing to follow her. Then said Pwyll, "O maiden, for the sake of him
whom thou best lovest, stay for me." "I will stay gladly," said she, "and
it were better for thy horse hadst thou asked it long since." So the
maiden stopped, and she threw back that part of her head dress which
covered her face. And she fixed her eyes upon him, and began to talk
with him. "Lady," asked he, "whence comest thou, and whereunto dost
thou journey?" "I journey on mine own errand," said she, "and right
glad am I to see thee." "My greeting be unto thee," said he. Then he
thought that the beauty of all the maidens, and all the ladies that he had
ever seen, was as nothing compared to her beauty. "Lady," he said,
"wilt thou tell me aught concerning thy purpose?" "I will tell thee," said
she. "My chief quest was to seek thee." "Behold," said Pwyll, "this is to
me the most pleasing quest on which thou couldst have come; and wilt
thou tell me who thou art?" "I will tell thee, Lord," said she, "I am
Rhiannon, the daughter of Heveydd Hen, and they sought to give me to
a husband against my will. But no husband would I have, and that
because of my love for thee, neither will I yet have one unless thou
reject me. And hither have I come to hear thy answer." "By Heaven,"
said Pwyll, "behold this is my answer. If I might choose among all the
ladies and damsels in the world, thee would I choose." "Verily," said
she, "If thou art thus minded, make a pledge to meet me ere I am given
to another." "The sooner I may do so, the more pleasing will it be unto
me," said Pwyll, "and wheresoever thou wilt, there will I meet with
thee." "I will that thou meet me this day twelvemonth at the palace of
Heveydd. And I will cause a feast to be prepared, so that it be ready
against thou come." "Gladly," said he, "will I keep this tryst." "Lord,"
said she, "remain in health, and be mindful that thou keep thy promise;
and now will I go hence." So they parted, and he went back to his hosts
and to them of his household. And whatsoever questions they asked
him respecting the damsel, he always turned the discourse upon other
matters. And when a year from that time was gone, he caused a
hundred knights to equip themselves and to go with him to the palace
of Heveydd Hen. And he came to the palace, and there was great joy
concerning him, with much concourse of people and great rejoicing,
and vast preparations for his coming. And the whole court was placed
under his orders.

And the hall was garnished and they went to meat, and thus did they sit;
Heveydd Hen was on one side of Pwyll, and Rhiannon on the other.
And all the rest according to their rank. And they eat and feasted and
talked one with another, and at the beginning of the carousal after the
meat, there entered a tall auburn-haired youth, of royal bearing, clothed
in a garment of satin. And when he came into the hall, he saluted Pwyll
and his companions. "The greeting of Heaven be unto thee, my soul,"
said Pwyll, "come thou and sit down." "Nay," said he, "a suitor am I,
and I will do mine errand." "Do so willingly," said Pwyll. "Lord," said
he, "my