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Now the maiden was with Math continually, and Gilvaethwy the son of Don set his affections upon her, and loved her so that he knew not what he should do because of her, and there from behold his hue, and his aspect, and his spirits changed for love of her, so that it was not easy to know him.

One day his brother Gwydion gazed steadfastly upon him. "Youth" said he, "what aileth thee?"

"Why" replied he, "what seest thou in me?"

"I see" said he, "that thou hast lost thy aspect and thy hue; what therefore aileth thee?"

"My lord brother" he answered, "that which aileth me, it will not profit me that I should own to any."

"What may it be, my soul?" said he.

"Thou knowest" he said, "that Math the son of Mathonwy has this property, that if men whisper together, in a tone how low soever, if the wind meet it, it becomes known unto him."

"Yes" said Gwydion, "hold now thy peace, I know thy intent, thou lovest Goewin."

When he found that his brother knew his intent, he gave the heaviest sigh in the world. "Be silent my soul and sigh not" he said.

"It is not thereby that thou wilt succeed. I will cause" said he, "if it cannot be otherwise, the rising of Gwynedd, and Powys, and Deheubarth, to seek the maiden. Be thou of glad cheer therefore, and I will compass it."

So they went unto Math the son of Mathonwy. "Lord" said Gwydion, "I have heard that there have come to the South some beasts, such as were never known in this island before."

"What are they called?" he asked. "Pigs, lord."

"And what kind of animals are they?"

"They are small animals, and their flesh is better than the flesh of oxen."

"They are small, then?"

"And they change their names. Swine are they now called."

"Who owneth them?""

"Pryderi the son of Pwyll; they were sent him from Annwn, by Arawn the king of Annwn, and still they keep that name, half hog, half pig."

"Verily" asked he, "and by what means may they be obtained from him?"

"I will go lord, as one of twelve, in the guise of bards, to seek the swine."

"But it may be that he will refuse you" said he.

"My journey will not be evil lord" said he; "I will not come back without the swine."

"Gladly" said he, "go thou forward."

So he and Gilvaethwy went, and ten other men with them. And they came into Ceredigiawn, to the place that is now called Rhuddlan Teivi, where the palace of Pryderi was. In the guise of bards they came in, and they were received joyfully, and Gwydion was placed beside Pryderi that night.

"Of a truth" said Pryderi, "gladly would I have a tale from some of your men yonder."

"Lord" said Gwydion, "we have a custom that the first night that we come to the Court of a great man, the chief of song recites. Gladly will I relate a tale."

Now Gwydion was the best teller of tales in the world, and he diverted all the Court that night with pleasant discourse and with tales, so that he charmed every one in the Court, and it pleased Pryderi to talk with him.

And after this, "Lord" said he unto Pryderi, "were it more pleasing to thee, that another should discharge my errand unto thee, than that I should tell thee myself what it is?"

"No" he answered, "ample speech hast thou."

"Behold then lord" said he, "my errand. It is to crave from thee the animals that were sent thee from Annwn."

"Verily" he replied, "that were the easiest thing in the world to grant, were there not a covenant between me and my land concerning them. And the covenant is that they shall not go from me, until they have produced double their number in the land."

"Lord" said he, "I can set thee free from those words, and this is the way I can do so; give me not the swine to-night, neither refuse them unto me, and tomorrow I will show thee an exchange for them."

That night he and his fellows went unto their lodging, and they took counsel. "Ah my men" said he, "we shall not have the swine for the asking."

"Well" said they, "how may they be obtained?"

"I will cause them to be obtained" said Gwydion.

Then he betook himself to his arts, and began to work a charm. He caused twelve chargers to appear, and twelve black greyhounds, each of them white-breasted, and having upon them twelve collars and twelve leashes, such as no one that saw them could know to be other than gold. Upon the horses twelve saddles, and every part which should have been of iron was entirely of gold, and the bridles were of the same workmanship.

With the horses and the dogs he came to Pryderi. "Good day unto thee lord" said he.

"Heaven prosper thee" said the other "and greetings be unto thee."

"Lord" said he, "behold here is a release for thee from the word which thou spakest last evening concerning the swine; that thou wouldst neither give nor sell them. Thou mayest exchange them for that which is better. And I will give these twelve horses, all caparisoned as they are, with their saddles and their bridles, and these twelve greyhounds, with their collars and their leashes as thou seest, and the twelve gilded shields that thou beholdest yonder." Now these he had formed of fungus.

"Well" said he "we will take counsel." They consulted together, and determined to give the swine to Gwydion, and to take his horses and his dogs and his shields.

Then Gwydion and his men took their leave, and began to journey forth with the pigs. "Ah my comrades" said Gwydion, "it is needful that we journey with speed. The illusion will not last but from the one hour to the same tomorrow."

That night they journeyed as far as the upper part of Ceredigiawn, to the place which, from that cause, is called Mochdrev still. The next day they took their course through Melenydd, and came that night to the town which is likewise for that reason called Mochdrev, between Keri and Arwystli. Thence they journeyed forward; and that night they came as far as that Commot in Powys, which also upon account thereof is called Mochnant, and there tarried they that night. They journeyed thence to the Cantrev of Rhos, and the place where they were that night is still called Mochdrev.

"My men" said Gwydion "we must push forward to the fastnesses of Gwynedd with these animals, for there is a gathering of hosts in pursuit of us."

So they journeyed on to the highest town of Arllechwedd, and there they made a sty for the swine, and therefore was the name of Creuwyryon given to that town. After they had made the sty for the swine, they proceeded to Math the son of Mathonwy, at Caer Dathyl. When they came there, the country was rising. "What news is there here?" asked Gwydion.

"Pryderi is assembling one-and-twenty Cantrevs to pursue after you" answered they.

"It is marvellous that you should have journeyed so slowly."

"Where are the animals whereof you went in quest?" said Math.

"They have had a sty made for them in the other Cantrev below" said Gwydion.

Thereupon, they heard the trumpets and the host in the land, and they arrayed themselves and set forward and came to Penardd in Arvon.

At night Gwydion the son of Don, and Gilvaethwy his brother, returned to Caerdathyl; and Gilvaethwy took Math the son of Mathonwy's couch. And while he turned out the other damsels from the room discourteously, he made Goewin unwillingly remain.

When they saw the day on the morrow, they went back unto the place where Math the son of Mathonwy was with his host; and when they came there, the warriors were taking counsel in what district they should await the coming of Pryderi, and the men of the South. So they went in to the council. It was resolved to wait in the strongholds of Gwynedd, in Arvon. So within the two Maenors they took their stand, Maenor Penardd and Maenor Coed Alun.

There Pryderi attacked them, and there the combat took place. Great was the slaughter on both sides; but the men of the South were forced to flee. And they fled unto the place which is still called Nantcall. Thither did they follow them, and they made a vast slaughter of them there, so that they fled again as far as the place called Dol Pen Maen, and there they halted and sought to make peace.

That he might have peace, Pryderi gave hostages, Gwrgi Gwastra gave he and three-and-twenty others, sons of nobles. And after this they journeyed in peace even unto Traeth Mawr; but as they went on together towards Melenryd, the men on foot could not be restrained from shooting. Pryderi despatched unto Math an embassy to pray him to forbid his people, and to leave it between him and Gwydion the son of Don for that he had caused all this. And the messengers came to Math.

"Of a truth" said Math, "I call Heaven to witness, if it be pleasing unto Gwydion the son of Don, I will so leave it gladly. Never will I compel any to go to fight but that we ourselves should do our utmost."

"Verily" said the messengers, "Pryderi saith that it were more fair that the man who did him this wrong should oppose his own body to his, and let his people remain unscathed."

"I declare to Heaven, I will not ask the men of Gwynedd to fight because of me. If I am allowed to fight Pryderi myself, gladly will I oppose my body to his."

This answer they took back to Pryderi. "Truly" said Pryderi, "I shall require no one to demand my rights but myself."

Then these two came forth and armed themselves, and they fought. And by force of strength, and fierceness, and by the magic and charms of Gwydion, Pryderi was slain. And at Maen Tyriawc, above Melenryd, was he buried, and there is his grave.

The men of the South set forth in sorrow towards their own land; nor is it a marvel that they should grieve, seeing that they had lost their lord, and many of their best warriors, and for the most part their horses and their arms.

The men of Gwynedd went back joyful and in triumph. "Lord" said Gwydion unto Math, "would it not be right for us to release the hostages of the men of the South, which they pledged unto us for peace? For we ought not to put them in prison."

"Let them then be set free" saith Math. So that youth, and the other hostages that were with him, were set free to follow the men of the South. Math himself went forward to Caerdathyl. Gilvaethwy the son of Don, and they of the household that were with him went to make the circuit of Gwynedd as they were wont, without coming to the Court. Math went into his chamber, and caused a place to be prepared for him whereon to recline, so that he might put his feet in the maiden's lap.

"Lord" said Goewin, "seek now another to hold thy feet, for I am now a wife."

"What meaneth this?" said he.

"An attack lord, was made unawares upon me; but I held not my peace, and there was no one in the Court who knew not of it. Now the attack was made by thy nephews lord, the sons of thy sister, Gwydion the son of Don, and Gilvaethwy the son of Don; unto me they did wrong and unto thee dishonour."

"Verily" he exclaimed, "I will do to the utmost of my power concerning this matter. But first I will cause thee to have compensation, and then will I have amends made unto myself. As for thee, I will take thee to be my wife, and the possession of my dominions will I give unto thy hands."

Gwydion and Gilvaethwy came not near the Court, but stayed in the confines of the land until it was forbidden to give them meat and drink. At first they came not near unto Math, but at the last they came. "Lord" said they, "Good day to thee."

So they had the boy baptized, and as they baptized him he plunged into the sea. And immediately when he was in the sea, he took its nature, and swam as well as the best fish that was therein. And for that reason was he called Dylan, the son of the Wave. Beneath him no wave ever broke. And the blow whereby he came to his death, was struck by his uncle Govannion. The third fatal blow was it called.

As Gwydion lay one morning on his bed awake, he heard a cry in the chest at his feet; and though it was not loud, it was such that he could hear it. Then he arose in haste, and opened the chest: and when he opened it, he beheld an infant boy stretching out his arms from the folds of the scarf, and casting it aside. He took up the boy in his arms, and carried him to a place where he knew there was a woman that could nurse him. He agreed with the woman that she should take charge of the boy, and that year he was nursed.

At the end of the year he seemed by his size as though he were two years old. The second year he was a big child, and able to go to the Court by himself. When he came to the Court, Gwydion noticed him, and the boy became familiar with him, and loved him better than any one else. Then was the boy reared at the Court until he was four years old, when he was as big as though he had been eight.

They told him this. "Verily" said he, "I will not make her any shoes, unless I see her foot."

This was told unto her. "Truly" she answered "I will go unto him."

So she went down to the boat, and when she came there, he was shaping shoes and the boy stitching them. "Ah lady" said he, "good day to thee."

"Heaven prosper thee" said she. "I marvel that then cannot manage to make shoes according to a measure."

"I could not" he replied, "but now I shall be able."

Thereupon behold a wren stood upon the deck of the boat, and the boy shot at it, and hit it in the leg between the sinew and the bone. Then she smiled. "Verily" said she, "with a steady hand did the lion aim at it."

Then they went towards Dinas Dinllev, and there he brought up Llew Llaw Gyffes, until he could manage any horse, and he was perfect in features, and strength, and stature. Then Gwydion saw that he languished through the want of horses, and arms. He called him unto him. "Ah youth" said he, "we will go to-morrow on an errand together. Be therefore more cheerful than thou art."

"That I will" said the youth.

Next morning, at the dawn of day, they arose, and they took way along the sea coast, up towards Bryn Aryen. At the top of Cevn Clydno they equipped themselves with horses, and went towards the Castle of Arianrod. They changed their form, and pricked towards the gate in the semblance of two youths, but the aspect of Gwydion was more staid than that of the other. "Porter" said he "go thou in and say that there are here bards from Glamorgan."

The porter went in. "The welcome of Heaven be unto them, let them in" said Arianrod.

With great joy were they greeted. And the hall was arranged, and they went to meat. When meat was ended, Arianrod discoursed with Gwydion of tales and stories. Now Gwydion was an excellent teller of tales. When it was time to leave off feasting, a chamber was prepared for them, and they went to rest.

In the early twilight Gwydion arose, and he called unto him his magic and his power. By the time that the day dawned, there resounded through the land uproar, and trumpets, and shouts.

"The tumult was but to break thy prophecy and to obtain arms for thy son. Now he has got arms without any thanks unto thee."

"By Heaven" said Arianrod, "thou art a wicked man. Many a youth might have lost his life through the uproar thou hast caused in this Cantrev to-day. Now will I lay a destiny upon this youth" she said, "that he shall never have a wife of the race that now inhabits this earth."

"Verily" said he, "thou wast ever a malicious woman, and no one ought to support thee. A wife shall he have notwithstanding."

They went thereupon unto Math the son Mathonwy, and complained unto him most bitterly of Arianrod. Gwydion showed him also how he had procured arms for the youth. "Well" said Math, "we will seek, I and thou, by charms and illusion, to form a wife for him out of flowers. He has now come to man's stature, and he is the comeliest youth that was ever beheld."

So they took the blossoms of the oak, and the blossoms of the broom, and the blossoms of the meadowsweet, and produced from them a maiden, the fairest and most graceful that man ever saw. They baptized her, and gave her the name of Blodeuwedd.

"Of a truth" said Math, "I will give the young man the best Cantrev to hold."

"Lord" said he, "what Cantrev is that?"

"The Cantrev of Dinodig" he answered. Now it is called at this day Eivionydd and Ardudwy. And the place in the Cantrev where he dwelt, was a palace of his in a spot called Mur y Castell, on the confines of Ardudwy. There dwelt he and reigned, and both he and his sway were beloved by all.

One day he went forth to Caer Dathyl, to visit Math the son of Mathonwy. On the day that he set out for Caer Dathyl, Blodeuwedd walked in the court. She heard the sound of a horn. After the sound of the horn, behold a tired stag went by, with dogs and huntsmen following it. After the dogs and the huntsmen there came a crowd of men on foot.

"Send a youth" said she, "to ask who yonder host may be."

Gronw Pebyr pursued the stag, and by the river Cynvael he overtook the stag and killed it. What with flaying the stag and baiting his dogs, he was there until the night began to close in upon him. As the day departed and the night drew near, he came to the gate of the Court. "Verily" said Blodeuwedd, "the Chieftain will speak ill of us if we let him at this hour depart to another land without inviting him in."

"Yes truly lady" said they, "it will be most fitting to invite him."

Then went messengers to meet him and bid him in. He accepted her bidding gladly, and came to the Court, and Blodeuwedd went to meet him and greeted him, and bade him welcome.

"Lady" said he, "Heaven repay thee thy kindness."

When they had disaccoutred themselves, they went to sit down. Blodeuwedd looked upon him, and from the moment that she looked on him she became filled with his love. He gazed on her, and the same thought came unto him as unto her, so that he could not conceal from her that he loved her, but he declared unto her that he did so. Thereupon she was very joyful. All their discourse that night was concerning the affection and love which they felt one for the other, and which in no longer space than one evening had arisen. That evening passed they in each other's company.

That night he tarried also, and that night they consulted by what means they might always be together. "There is none other counsel" said he, "but that thou strive to learn from Llew Llaw Gyffes in what manner he will meet his death. This must thou do under the semblance of solicitude concerning him."

The next day Gronw sought to depart. "Verily" said she, "I will counsel thee not to go from me to-day."

"At thy instance will I not go" said he, "albeit, I must say, there is danger that the chief who owns the palace may return home."

"Tomorrow" answered she, "will I indeed permit thee to go forth."

The next day he sought to go, and she hindered him not. "Be mindful" said Gronw, "of what I have said unto thee, and converse with him fully, and that under the guise of the dalliance of love, and find out by what means he may come to his death."

"Verily" said she, "in what manner then canst thou be slain?"

I will tell thee" said he. "By making a bath for me by the side of a river, and by putting a roof over the cauldron, and thatching it well and tightly, and bringing a buck, and putting it beside the cauldron. Then if I place one foot on the buck's back, and the other on the edge of the cauldron, whosoever strikes me thus will cause my death."

"Well" said she, "I thank Heaven that it will be easy to avoid this."

No sooner had she held this discourse than she sent to Gronw Pebyr. Gronw toiled at making the spear. That day twelve month it was ready, and that very day he caused her to be informed thereof.

"Lord" said Blodeuwedd unto Llew, "I have been thinking how it is possible that what thou didst tell me formerly can be true; wilt thou show me in what manner thou couldst stand at once upon the edge of a cauldron and upon a buck, if I prepare the bath for thee?"

"I will show thee" said he.

Then she sent unto Gronw, and bade him be in ambush on the hill which is now called Bryn Kyvergyr, on the bank of the river Cynvael. She caused also to be collected all the goats that were in the Cantrev, and had them brought to the other side of the river, opposite Bryn Kyvergyr.

The next day she spoke thus. "Lord" said she, "I have caused the roof and the bath to be prepared, and lo they are ready."

"Well" said Llew, "we will go gladly to look at them."

The day after they came and looked at the bath. "Wilt thou go into the bath lord?" said she.

"Willingly will I go in" he answered.

So into the bath he went, and he anointed himself.

"Lord" said she, "behold the animals which thou didst speak of as being called bucks."

"Well" said he, "cause one of them to be caught and brought here." The buck was brought. Then Llew rose out of the bath, and put on his trousers, and he placed one foot on the edge of the bath and the other on the buck's back.

Thereupon Gronw rose up from the hill which is called Bryn Cyvergyr, and he rested on one knee, and flung the poisoned dart and struck him on the side, so that the shaft started out, but the head of the dart remained in. Then he flew up in the form of an eagle and gave a fearful scream. And thenceforth was he no more seen.

As soon as he departed Gronw and Blodeuwedd went together unto the palace that night. The next day Gronw arose and took possession of Ardudwy. After he had overcome the land, he ruled over it, so that Ardudwy and Penllyn were both under his sway.

Then these tidings reached Math the son of Mathonwy. And heaviness and grief came upon Math, and much more upon Gwydion than upon him. "Lord" said Gwydion, "I shall never rest until I have tidings of my nephew."

"Lord" said he unto Math the son of Mathonwy, "it is fall time now that I have retribution of him by whom I have suffered all this woe."

"Truly" said Math, "he will never be able to maintain himself in the possession of that which is thy right."

"Well" said Llew, "the sooner I have my right, the better shall I be pleased."

Then they called together the whole of Gwynedd, and set forth to Ardudwy. Gwydion went on before and proceeded to Mur y Castell. When Blodeuwedd heard that he was coming, she took her maidens with her, and fled to the mountain. They passed through the river Cynvael, and went towards a court that there was upon the mountain, and through fear they could not proceed except with their faces looking backwards, so that unawares they fell into the lake.

They were all drowned except Blodeuwedd herself, and her Gwydion overtook. He said unto her, "I will not slay thee, but I will do unto thee worse than that. For I will turn thee into a bird; and because of the shame thou hast done unto Llew Llaw Gyffes, thou shalt never show thy face in the light of day henceforth; and that through fear of all the other birds. For it shall be their nature to attack thee, and to chase thee from wheresoever they may find thee. Thou shalt not lose thy name, but shalt be always called Blodeuwedd."

Now Blodeuwedd is an owl in the language of this present time, and for this reason is the owl hateful unto all birds. And even now the owl is called Blodeuwedd.

Then Gronw Pebyr withdrew unto Penllyn, and he despatched thence an embassy. And the messengers he sent asked Llew Llaw Gyffes, if he would take land, or domain, or gold, or silver, for the injury he had received. "I will not, by my confession to Heaven" said he. "Behold this is the least that I will accept from him; that he come to the spot where I was when he wounded me with the dart, and that I stand where he did, and that with a dart I take my aim at him. This is the very least that I will accept."

This was told unto Gronw Pebyr. "Verily" said he, "is it needful for me to do thus? My faithful warriors, and my household, and my foster brothers, is there not one among you who will stand the blow in my stead?"

"There is not verily" answered they, and because of their refusal to suffer one stroke for their lord, they are called the third disloyal tribe even unto this day.

"Well" said he, "I will meet it."

Then they two went forth to the banks of the river Cynvael, and Gronw stood in the place where Llew Llaw Gyffes was when he struck him, and Llew in the place where Gronw was. Then said Gronw Pebyr unto Llew, "Since it was through the wiles of a woman that I did unto thee as I have done, I adjure thee by Heaven to let me place between me and the blow, the slab thou seest yonder on the river's bank."

"Verily" said Llew, "I will not refuse thee this."

"Ah" said he, "may Heaven reward thee." So Gronw took the slab and placed it between him and the blow.

Then Llew flung the dart at him, and it pierced the slab and went through Gronw likewise, so that it pierced through his back. Thus was Gronw Pebyr slain, and there is still the slab on the bank of the river Cynvael, in Ardudwy, having the hole through it. Therefore is it even now called Llech Gronw.

A second time did Llew Llaw Gyffes take possession of the land, and prosperously did he govern it. As the story relates, he was lord after this over Gwynedd.