The Dream of Rhonabwy

Madawg son of Maredudd ruled Powys in its entirety, that is, from Porffordd to Gwaun in the uplands of Arwystli. And in that age he had a brother — who was not equal to him in rank. And he was Iorwoerth son of Maredudd. And he was possessed of great grief and sadness from seeing the honour and possessions that were his brother's; and him with none. He sought-out his friends and foster-brethren to consult them as to what he should do about this matter. And this was their counsel: that he should allow some of them to venture forth and seek a maintenance for him. Then Madawg offered him to become Master of the Household, [leader of his armed men], and equal status to himself along with steeds, weapons and honour. But Iorwoerth refused this and became an outlaw in England, slaying enemies, burning houses capturing prisoners — all this Iorwoerth did. Madawc consulted with the men of Powys. He decided to place a hundred men in each of the three commots of Powys to seek him [Iorwoerth] out. And this they did along all the arable land of Powys, from Aber Ceiriog in Hallictwn to Rhyd Wilfre on the Efyrnwy; the three best commots that were in Powys. And none of the war-band had lands and possessions save in the arable land along the borders. And unto Dillystwn Trefan did these men deploy.

There was a man on this quest, called Rhonabwy. And Rhonabwy, along with Cynnwrig Brychgoch from Mawddwy and Cadwgawn the Large a man of Moelfre in Cynlleith came to the house of Heilyn the Red, son of Cadwgan, son of Iddon to lodge. And when they approached the house they saw an old dark hall with an upright gable-end and from which issued a great plume of smoke. And when they entered they saw a pitted and uneven earthen floor and where a mound was seen upon it a man could hardly maintain his feet so slippery was the floor with the dung and urine of cattle. In those places where the floor was pitted a man would sink up to the arch of his foot in a mix of water and cow urine. Holly stems were spread thickly on the floor; the tips of these having been grazed by cattle. And when they came to the lower court of the house they saw bare divisions and a hag feeding a fire to one side. When she felt cold she would cast a lapful of tiny chaff onto the fire creating a cloying smoke that a man could hardly bear as it penetrated his nostrils. On the other side they saw upon the floor the yellow skin of a yearling calf. And a privilege it would be for any one who went atop this calfskin.

And when they were seated they enquired of the hag as to where the people of the house might be, but she said nothing unto them, save with incivility. Thereupon, behold, the people of the house arrived — a ruddy half-bald mottle-skinned man with a burden of halum upon his back. With him there was a pale slender woman with bearing a bundle beneath her arm. They welcomed the men only frostily before kindling a fire for them with the halum and then the woman went to bake before returning with food for them — barley bread, cheese and milk-and-water. And with this, behold, there arose a storm of wind and rain so that it was hardly possible for anyone to venture forth in it. Because of the weariness caused by their journey they lay down and sought to sleep. And when they gazed upon the platform there lay upon it little more than coarse, flea-ridden straw with plenty of halum sticking though and the straw above their heads and beneath their feet having been grazed by cattle. A hard, coarse, motley blanket of greyish-red that was threadbare and bore many holes was spread over this. Above the blanket was a sheet that was flea-ridden and full of large holes; and above this was an ill-stuffed pillow within a dirty pillowcase. And there they went to sleep. Despite the attention of the fleas and the general discomfort Rhonabwy's two companions fell into a deep slumber. However, Rhonabwy, being unable to either sleep or rest imagined that it would be more comfortable for him to go upon the yellow skin of the yearling calf to sleep. And there he slept.

As soon as sleep came to his eyes he received a vision that he and his companions were walking across Maes Argyngroeg, and from their general direction and the appearance of the countryside it seemed as if he was approaching Rhyd-y-Groes on the Hafren. And as he walked he heard a noise, the like of which he had never heard before. And as he gazed behind him he saw a squire, newly shaven and with blond curling hair, mounted on a chestnut steed. And from the tops of its rear legs to the knees of its forelegs the horse's belly was grey. The rider wore a coat of yellow silk, sown with green thread. Upon his thigh he had a golden-hilted sword with a scabbard of new Cordovan leather for it and a belt about his shoulder clasped with gold to hold the scabbard. Atop this he wore a cloak of yellow silk sewn with green thread, the borders of the cloak also being green and those parts of the knight and his steed's raiments which were green were as green as pine and those parts which were yellow were as yellow as broom-flowers. So fierce did the knight appear that fear seized them and they began to flee. The knight pursued them. And when his steed exhaled the men became distant from him and when he inhaled the men were drawn towards him until they reached the horse's breast. And when he overtook them they besought his mercy:
'Thou shall have it, and gladly, so be not afraid,' [the knight said]
'Ah, lord, as you have granted us mercy, will you tell me who you are?' Rhonabwy asked.
'I shall not hide my lineage from you, I am Iddawg son of Mynyo. Though it is not from my name, but rather my nickname, that I am best known.'
'Will you tell us what your nickname is?'
'I shall... I am called Iddawg Cordd Prydain.'
'Ha, lord,' Rhonabwy said, 'why are you called thus?'
'I shall tell you why... I was one of the messengers at the battle of Camlann between Arthur and his nephew, Medrawd. I was a lively youth and because of my desire for battle I engendered strife between them. And this agitation I caused; when I was sent by the emperor, Arthur, to convey to Medrawd that he was his foster-father and his uncle and to plead for peace lest the sons of the leaders of the island of Britain and their nobles be slain. And when Arthur related to me the fairest report he could think of I uttered unto Medrawd the most unworthy words that I could imagine. And therefore I am called Iddawg the Agitator of Britain. And from this were the ranks of soldiers arrayed at Camlann. Despite this, three nights before the battle of Camlann had ended I departed them and came to Llech Las in Pictland to atone. And for seven years did I do penance. And pardon did I receive.

With that, lo, they heard a sound that was far greater than the disturbance they had heard previously. And when they gazed in the direction from whence the sound emanated, behold, a ruddy youth without beard or moustache; with the bearing of a lord, astride a charger. And from the steed's shoulders down to its knees its underside was yellow. The the man was dressed in red silk sewn with threads of yellow silk and yellow were the borders of his cloak. Those portions of his and the steed's raiments which were yellow were as yellow as broom flowers and those portions which were red were redder than the reddest blood. And then, behold, the horseman gained on them and drawing level and asked of Iddawg a share of the little men who were with him.
'That portion which is fitting for me to grant, I shall give you; be a companion to them as I have been.'
And this the horseman did before departing.
'Iddawg,' Rhonabwy enquired, 'who was that horseman?'
'Rhufawn Bebyr son of King Deorthach.'

And then they walked across the broad plain of Argyngroeg until they reached Rhyd-y-Groeas on the Hafren. A mile from the ford they saw tents and night-erected cabins and there was the commotion of a large host. And down to the ford they came. There they saw Arthur seated upon a level meadow below the ford and on one side he had bishop Bedwin and on the other was Gwarthegydd son of Caw. Before him was a tall auburn-haired youth bearing a sheathed sword in his hand who wore a pure-black mantle and gown. His face was as white as elephant ivory and his eyebrows were as black as jet. And that portion of his wrist which was visible between his glove and his sleeve was whiter than a lily and thicker than the thinnest part of a warrior's leg. And then Iddawg brought them before Arthur and greeted him most civilly.
'God reward you,' said Arthur. 'But where, Iddawg, did you find men of such small stature?'
'I found them, lord, yonder on the road.'
The emperor smiled coldly at this.
'Lord,' said Iddawg, 'why do you laugh?'
'Iddawg,' replied Arthur, '| am not laughing, rather I am full of pity that such wretched men as these are now guarding this island of ours, especially after the noble men who guarded it of yore.'
And then Iddawg said: 'Rhonabwy, do you see the ring on the emperor's finger, and the stone set in that ring?'
'I do,' said he.
'One of the stone's properties is that it will allow you to recall all that you saw this night; and if you had not seen that stone no memory of what transpired here would come to you.'

And with this he saw an army approaching the ford.
'Iddawg,' Rhonabwy enquired, 'to whom do that host hold allegiance?'
'They are the fellows of Rhufawn Bebyr son of king Deorthach. Men who received their wages of mead and bragget and, unimpeded, they were allowed to take the daughters of the leaders of Britain as concubines. This was their right for, in each battle, they were at the forefront of each company.'
Within that army no single colour was seen, not on steed nor soldier, save a red that was as red as blood. And when one of the knights isolated himself from the army he seemed as if he were a pillar of fire rising into the air. This army bivouacked above the ford.

With this they saw another army approaching the ford. And from the foremost pommel of their steeds upwards they were as white as the lily and from there downwards they were as black as dusk. And they saw a rider advancing on the host as he spurred his steed to the ford, splashing water on Arthur, the bishop and those who were consulting with them until they were as wet as if they had been bathing in the river. As he was turning his steed's head the young man who had been standing before Arthur struck the steed across his nostrils with his sheathed sword; and wonder of wonders — if the steed had been struck with naked steel it would have been equivalent to harming the bone as well as the flesh.
The horseman drew his sword until it was half-way out of it scabbard before enquiring of the youth:
'Why did you strike my steed: was it as an insult to me, or was it to afford me counsel?'
'It was imperative that you received counsel. What form of folly made you ride so hastily as to cast water from the ford upon Arthur and the sanctified bishop and their counsellors until they were as wet as if they'd been newly-plucked from the river?'
'Then I shall accept this as counsel.'
Once more he returned his steed towards his army.
'Iddawg,' Rhonabwy enquired. 'who was that horseman?"
'The most eloquent and wise young lad within this realm; Addaon son of Telesin.'
'Who was that man who struck his steed?'
'An enthusiastic, mighty, youth; Elphin son of Gwyddno.'
And then there spoke a fair, stately, man, possessed of eloquent, witty and confident speech. that it was strange to encompass a host as large as this within a place so confined. It was stranger still, as far as he was concerned, that here, at this time, were warriors who had promised that they would be at the battle of Baddon by mid-day to do battle with Osla Longsword.'
'What is your choice,' [lord], 'to go or not to go? I shall go, myself.'
'What you say is truth,' said Arthur, 'we shall make out way together.'
'Iddawg,' enquired Rhonabwy, 'who is that man who spoke as fearlessly with Arthur as that man did earlier?'
'A man who may speak as boldly as he likes to him — Caradog Broad-burden the son of Llၷr Marini, his chief adviser and his cousin.'

From there Iddawg took Rhonabwy behind him on his horse and the great host began to march towards Cefn Digoll, each regiment in its proper order. And when they had reached the center of the ford that crossed the Hafren Iddawg turned his steed's head towards its back and Rhonabwy gazed towards the vale of the Hafren. There he saw two noble armies approaching the ford. A pure-white army neared, each wearing a mantle of white silk; the fringes of which were jet black. And from their knees to the tops of their legs the horses were pure black and except for this the remainder of the horses were a pale grey. And their banners were white save for their black tips.
'Iddawg,' enquired Rhonabwy, 'whose is that pure-white army yonder?'
'They are the men of Norway and March son of Meirchion is their prince. He is Arthur's cousin.'
Then they saw an army all dressed in black and with their mantles fringes in jet black. And from their knees to the tops of their legs the horses were pure white. And their banners were black save for their pure-white tips.
'Iddawg,' said Rhonabwy, 'whose is that black army yonder?'
'They are the men of Denmark and Edern son of Nudd is their prince.'

And when they reached the great host Arthur and the men of the Island of the Mighty dismounted below the fortress of Baddon. He [Rhonabwy] saw that he and Iddawg were travelling in the same direction as Arthur. And when they had dismounted they heard a mighty tumult from the host. And those that had been on the fringes of the host returned to the centre. And those who were in the centre ended-up on the fringes. And with this, behold, a knight dressed in ring-mail appeared. And on his steed the rings were as white as the whitest lily and their rivets were as red as the reddest blood. And he rode at the heart of the host.
'Iddawg,' said Rhonabwy, 'does the host flee from me?'
'The emperor, Arthur, never fled and were he to hear your words you would be a corpse. But, the night you see yonder, that is Cei, and the fairest man who rode in Arthur's llys is Cei. And the men at the edge of the host are hurrying to see Cei riding and the men at the centre are fleeing to the side to save themselves from injury by his horse. And this is the reason for the agitation in the host.'

With this they heard a call for Cadwr, Earl of Cornwall and, behold, he arose with Arthur's sword in his hand. And upon the sword were the images of two serpents in gold. And when the sword was withdrawn from its hilt it seemed as if two tongues of fire leapt from the serpents' maws. And the sword was so marvellous that no one could easily look upon it. And with this, behold, the host quietened and the agitation ceased. The earl then returned to his tent.
'Iddawg,' said Rhonabwy, 'who was the man who bore the sword to Arthur?'
'He is Cadwr, earl of Cornwall the man whose rôle it is to dress the king in his arms on the days of battle and warfare.'
With this they heard the call for Eiryn Wych Amheibyn, Arthur's servant, rough-red prickly man with a red moustache of coarse hair. Behold, he came on a large red steed whose mane had been parted on either side of its neck and he brought a large and beautiful sumpter pack. He dismounted before Arthur and brought a golden chair from the pack along with a ground-sheet of silk brocade sewn with twisted thread. He spread the sheet before Arthur and there were red-gold spheres on each corner of it. Then he set the chair upon the sheet and so large was it that three armed warriors might have sat upon it.

Gwenn was the name of that sheet and one of its cynneddfs was — none could see any man who placed himself within its confines, but he could see everyone without. And no colour would remain upon it save its own colour. Arthur sat within the sheet, with Owein the son of Urien standing before him.
'Owein,' said Arthur, 'will you play chess?'
'I will play, lord,' said Owein.
The red servant brought the gwyddbwyll board for Arthur and Owein; golden men upon a silver surface. And they began to play.

And when they were engrossed in their game, behold, they saw, emerging from a white tent with a red canopy which bore the image of a jet-black serpent with venomous scarlet eyes in its head and with a scarlet tongue at its crown, a young squire with curly blonde hair and blue eyes and the beginnings of a beard upon his cheeks with a coat and surcoat of yellow brocade about him and thin hose of yellow-green cloth upon his feet. On his feet were two buskins of parti-coloured Cordovan leather and golden buckles at his insteps to close them. He bore a golden-hilted three-edged sword within a scabbard of black Cordovan leather whose point was of fine red gold. He came to the place where the emperor and Owein were playing gwyddbwyll. The squire greeted Owein respectfully. And Owein wondered at why the squire had greeted him respectfully without also greeting the emperor. And Arthur knew that this was what Owein was thinking and said to him:
'I am not surprised that the squire greeted you respectfully at this time. He greeted me earlier, and his missive is for you.'
And then the squire said unto Owein: 'Lord, is by your request that the emperor's pages and his squires are contending with and disturbing your ravens? And it is only by your request that the emperor will prohibit them.'
'Lord,' said Owein, 'you heard what the squire said. If it pleases you, prohibit them from my raven-lets.'
'Play your game,' said he. And then the squire returned towards his tent.

They completed that game and started another. And when they were mid-way through playing a tall, ruddy, young man with curly auburn hair and large eyes and with his beard newly-shaven emerged from a pure-yellow tent which bore the image of a pure-red lion upon its crown. He wore a coat of yellow brocade that fell to his ankles, this having been embroidered with a thread of red silk. Upon his feet he wore stockings of thin white buckram overtopped with buskins of Cordovan leather which bore golden buckles. In his hand was a large, heavy, three-bladed sword within a scabbard of red deer-skin whose point was of golden metal. He came to the place where Arthur and Owein were playing gwyddbwyll and he greeted him respectfully. But Owein was suspicious of his greeting, though Arthur seemed not to mind it any more than before.
The squire said unto Owein: 'Is it from your ignorance that the squires of the emperor wound your ravens — killing some and worrying others. And if it is in your nature, invite him to forbid them.'
'Lord,' said Owein, 'if it pleases you, forbid your men.'
'Play the game,' the emperor said. And then the squire returned to his tent.

They ended that game and began another. And as they were beginning the first move of the game, a short distance away they spied the largest mottled-yellow tent that anyone had ever seen. A tent that bore the form of a golden eagle at its summit and a precious stone atop the eagle. Emerging from the tent they saw a squire with gleaming yellow hair upon his head, fair and handsome, and with a cloak of blue silk about his shoulders. And this cloak was pinned at the shoulder with a golden brooch that was as thick as a warrior's middle finger. On his feet were two hose of thin Totnes cloth and two shoes of motley Cordovan leather on his feet, buckled with golden clasps. The youth was noble of form, possessed of a fair ruddy-cheeked face and large hawk-like eyes. In the squire's hand was a stout yellow-speckled lance with a newly-honed point. And upon the lance was a prominent banner. Angry and violent the squire approached at a jog-trot towards where Arthur was playing with Owein above their gwyddbwyll board. And they recognized that he was enraged.

With this he greeted Owein respectfully and said unto him that the finest amongst his ravens had been slain and that 'those amongst them that were not dead were so badly injured that none were expected to be able to use their wings to ascend more than a man's height above the earth.'
'Lord,; said Owein, 'prohibit your men.'
'Play,' said he, 'if it pleases you.'
And then Owein told the squire: 'Go forth, and at the place where the fighting is most intense raise your banner. And if god wills it, the fighting will cease.

Then the squire walked away to that place where the fighting against the ravens was fiercest and there he raised his banner. And as it as raised they [the ravens] raised into the air, angry and wrathful, and they rejoiced to have air flowing through their wings and to cast the worry from them. And after regaining their passion and courage in the angry raising of their spirits they fell down as one upon the heads of the men who, earlier, had been the cause of their pain and injury. They took the heads of some, the eyes of others, the ears of others and the arms of others still. And then they raised them into the sky. There was a great commotion in the sky, caused by the beating of the ravens' wings and their joyful croaking, and a greater disturbance from the cries of the men in their rending and their injury and the slaughter of others. And a great wonder was this to Arthur and Owein when they heard the agitation above their gwyddbwyll board.

They heard a rider approach and when they looked they saw a knight upon a mottled-grey steed. The horse's hue was marvellous; mottled-grey with a pure-red right foreleg and the other legs, from their tops of its other legs to the coronets of their hooves were pure yellow. The knight and his steed were arrayed with heavy foreign armour and the steed's mantle, from its front support upwards was of pure red sendal and the lower surface was pure yellow. On the youth's thigh was a large, gold-hilted, one-edged sword seated in a blue scabbard bearing a point of yellow Spanish brass. The belt supporting the scabbard was of black Irish Cordovan leather with golden bands supporting its sides, and an ivory buckle with a black clasp. Upon the knight's head was a golden helm with inset with valuable stones of great worth. And atop the helm were two orange leopards with two ruby-red stones in their heads, such that it was astounding for a warrior, no matter how stout his heart, to gaze upon the visage of a leopard. In his hand was a stout blue-shafted lance and from the haft to the point it was stained scarlet with the blood and feathers of the ravens. The knight came towards the place where Arthur and Owein were above their gwyddbwyll. And they perceived that the man approaching them was enraged and exhausted. The squire greeted Arthur respectfully, informing him that Owein's ravens where killing his pages and squires. And Arthur gazed at Owein as he said:
'Prohibit your ravens.'
'Lord,' said Owein, 'play your game.'
And they played. Meanwhile, the knight returned to the battle and the crows were not prohibited any more than before.'

And when they had played for a while they heard a great tumult; the clamouring of men and the cawing of ravens employing their might to carry the men into the air before rending them between them and casting them down to shatter on the ground. And in the midst of the tumult they saw a knight approaching on a pale-white steed whose right leg was jet-black down to the coronet of its hoof. The knight was arrayed with heavy blue-steel armour and about him was a blue-edged brocade mantle embroidered with braided thread. His steed's mantle being black with yellow edging. At the squire's thigh was a three-edged long-handled sword within a scabbard of red patterned leather upon a belt of newly-reddened deer hide bearing a number of golden stays and fastened wit ha buckle of whalebone and a jet-black tongue. On the night's head there was a golden helm bearing a sapphire stone of great virtue. And atop the helm was the image of an orange bearing a flame-red tongue extending over a foot before him, and with venomous ruby-red eyes in its head. The knight came bearing a thick ashen lance with silver rivets in his hand, the head of which had been newly blooded. The squire greeted the emperor respectfully.
'Lord,' said he, 'will you cause the killing of your squires and pages and the sons of the leaders of the Island of Britain to cease, else, from this day forth, it will not be easy to support this island.'
'Owein,' Arthur said, 'prohibit you ravens.'
'Play this game, lord,' said Owein.

They completed that game and began another. And when they had reached the end of this game, behold, they heard a great tumult and the clamouring of armed men and the cawing of ravens and the beating of wings in the air as the birds released the arms whole and the men and their steeds in fragments to the ground. And then they beheld a knight upon a lofty-headed black-hoofed steed and the top of the horse's left leg was blood-red and his right leg down to the coronet of his hoof was pure white. The knight and his steed were arrayed with armour mottled yellow and variegated with Spanish brass. And there was a mantle upon him and his horse that was divided into two halves — a black half and a white half and its borders were of golden purple. Above his mantle he wore a bright three-edged sword with a golden hilt upon a belt of gold filigree bearing a buckle formed from the jet-black eyelid of a whale and attached by a golden tongue. Upon the knight's head was a helmet of yellow brass with a bright crystal inset into it. And atop the helm was the figure of a flying griffin bearing a stone of great virtue within its head. In his hand was a a rounded lance coloured with blue azure. The lance's point was overlaid with fine silver and newly bloodied. The knight approached wrathfully towards the place where Arthur sat and told him to prevent the ravens from killing his household and the sons of the nobles of the isle, and he implored him to cause Owein to prohibit his ravens. With this Arthur beseeched Owein to prohibit his ravens. And Arthur took the golden men from the [gwyddbwyll] board and crushed them until they were all no more than dust. And Owein ordered Gwers son of Rheged to lower his banner. He lowered this and everything became peaceful.

Then Rhonabwy enquired of Iddawg as to who the first three men who cam to Owein to inform him that his ravens were being slaughtered were.
And Iddawg responded: 'Men who grieved that Owein was suffering loss, his companions and co-heads of household: Selyf son of Cynan Garwyn from Powys, Gwgawn Red-sword and Gwres son of Rheged, the man who bears the banner upon the day of fighting and battle.'
'Who,' enquired Rhonabwy, 'were the last three men who came to Arthur to tell him that the ravens were slaughtering his men.'
'The best of men,' Iddawg said, 'the bravest and most disfigured were Arthur ever to suffer any loss; Blathaon son of Mwrheth, Rhufawn Bebyr son of emperor Deothach and Hyfeidd Unllen.'
With this, behold, twenty-four knights came from Ossa Gyllellfawr to crave peace from Arthur for a period of six weeks. And Arthur arose and went to take counsel. He went towards the place where a tall, curly auburn-haired man stood a short distance away and there his counsellors were brought to him.

The bishop, Bedwin and Gwarthegyd son of Caw and March son of Meirchion and Caradog Feichfras and Gwalchmei son of Gwyar and Edyrn son of Nudd and Rhufawn Bebyr son of Deorthach Wledig and Rhiogan son of the king of Ireland and Gwenwynwyn son of Naf and Howel son of Emry of Brittany and Gwilym son of the roi of France and Danet son of Oth and Goreu [son of] Custennin and Mabon son of Modron an Peredur Long-lance and Hefeidd Unllen and Twrch son of Perif, Nerth son of Cadarn and Gobrwy son of Gwestel and Adwy son of Gereint, Drystan son of Tallwch, Morien the Manxman, Granwen son of Llŷr and Llacheu son of Arthur and Llawfrodedd the bearded and Cadwr earl of Cornwall, Morfran son of Tegid and Rhiawd descentant of Morgant and Dyfyr son of Alun of Dyfed, Gwryr Speaker of Tongues, Addaon son of Telessyn an Llara son of emperor Casnar and Ffleuddwr Fflam and Greidial Gallddofyd, Gilbert son of Cadgyffro, Menw son of Teirgwaedd, emperor Gyrthmwl, Cawrdaf son of Caradawg Feichfras, Gildas son of Caw, Cadrieith son of Seidi and many men of Norway and Denmark and many men of Greece along with them. And a large host came to that council.

'Iddawg,' said Rhonabwy, 'who was that auburn-haired man they came to earlier?'
'Rhun son of Maelgwn Gwynedd, a man who has the privilege of being allowed into every counsel.'
'Why was a lad as young as Cadyrieith son of Saidi brought to council along with men of such dignity as those over there?'
'Because there is no man more splendid in his counsel in the entirety of Britain than him.
And with this, behold, bards came to recite a verse for Arthur. And there was no man who understood that verse save Cadyrieath himself, except that it was a poem of praise for Arthur. And with this, behold, twenty-four asses with burdens of gold and silver and a tired wayworn man to accompany each one to bring tribute to Arthur from the land of Greece. Then Cadyrieith son of Seidi sought to grant a truce to Osla Gyllellfawr for six weeks and the asses, along with their tribute, were given to the bards in the place of the reward for their stay and in payment for their songs throughout the period of the truce. And this was agreed upon.
'Rhonabwy,' Iddawg said, 'would it not be wrong to prohibit a youth who gave such an excellent counsel as this from consulting with the lord?'

And then Cei arose and said: 'Whomsoever wishes to follow Arthur, let him be with him tonight in Cornwall. And he who does not wish to do so, he will be opposed to Arthur even during this time of truce.'
And so great was the size of the ensuing tumult that Rhonabwy awoke. And when he woke he found himself upon the yellow skin of the yearling calf; and he had slept for three nights and three days.
And this tale is called: The Dream of Rhonabwy.

 (And this is the reason that no-one knows of this dream without a book: neither bards nor story-tellers, because of the multitude of colours on the steeds, and this because of the many wondrous colours. And or the arms and their exactness and the expensive mantles and the virtuous stones.)

This is the text of the 'Breuddwyd Rhonabwy' (Dream of Rhonabwy) from the Llyfr Coch Hergest (Red Book of Hergest) which is presented as a new translation by myself, Dyfed Lloyd Evans. This text is copyrighted by me. If you wish to use or puclish this text pelase contact me via this website.