the knight and horse were equipped with arms of speckled yellow, variegated with Spanish laton. And there was a robe of honour upon him, and upon his horse, divided in two parts, white and black, and the borders of the robe of honour were of golden purple. And above the robe he wore a sword three-edged and bright, with a golden hilt. And the belt of the sword was of yellow goldwork, having a clasp upon it of the eyelid of a black sea horse, and a tongue of yellow gold to the clasp. Upon the head of the knight was a bright helmet of yellow laton, with sparkling stones of crystal in it, and at the crest of the helmet was the figure of a griffin, with a stone of many virtues in its head. And he had an ashen spear in his hand, with a round shaft, coloured with azure blue. And the head of the spear was newly stained with blood, and was overlaid with fine silver.
Wrathfully came the knight to the place where Arthur was, and he told him that the Ravens had slain his household and the sons of the chief men of this Island, and he besought him to cause Owain to forbid his Ravens. And Arthur besought Owain to forbid them. Then Arthur took the golden chessmen that were upon the board, and crushed them until they became as dust. Then Owain ordered Gwres the son of Rheged to lower his banner. So it was lowered, and all was peace.
Then Rhonabwy enquired of Iddawc, who were the first three men that came to Owain, to tell him his Ravens were being slain. Said Iddawc, "They were men who grieved that Owain should suffer loss, his fellow-chieftains and companions, Selyv the son of Kynan Garwyn of Powys, and Gwgawn Gleddyvrudd, and Gwres the son of Rheged, he who bears the banner in the day of battle and strife." "Who," said Rhonabwy, "were the last three men who came to Arthur, and told him that the Ravens were slaughtering his men?" "The best of men," said Iddawc, "and the bravest, and who would grieve exceedingly that Arthur should have damage in aught; Blathaon, the son of Mawrheth, {124a} and Rhuvawn Pebyr the son of Prince Deorthach, and Hyveidd Unllenn."
And with that behold four and twenty knights came from Osla Gyllellvawr, to crave a truce of Arthur for a fortnight and a month. And Arthur arose and went to take counsel. And he came to where a tall auburn curly-headed man was a little way off, and there he assembled his counsellors. Bedwini, {124b} the Bishop, and Gwarthegyd the son of Kaw, and March the son of Meirchawn, and Caradawc Vreichvras, and Gwalchmai the son of Gwyar, and Edeyrn the son of Nudd, and Rhuvawn Pebyr the son of Prince Deorthach, and Rhiogan the son of the King of Ireland, and Gwenwynwyn the son of Nav, Howel the son of Emyr Llydaw, Gwilym the son of Rhwyf Freinc, and Daned the son of Ath, {124c} and Goreu Custennin, and Mabon the son of Modron, and Peredur Paladyr Hir, and Hyveidd {125a} Unllenn, and Twrch the son of Perif, and Nerth the son of Kadarn, and Gobrwy the son of Echel Vorddwyttwll, Gwair the son of Gwestyl, and Gadwy {125b} the son of Geraint, Trystan {125c} the son of Tallwch, Moryen Manawc, Granwen the son of Llyr, and Llacheu the son of Arthur, and Llawvrodedd Varvawc, and Kadwr Earl of Cornwall, Morvran the son of Tegid, and Rhyawd the son of Morgant, and Dyvyr the son of Alun Dyved, Gwrhyr Gwalstawd Ieithoedd, Adaon the son of Taliesin, Llary {125d} the son of Kasnar {125e} Wledig, and Fflewddur Fflam, and Greidawl Galldovydd, Gilbert the son of Kadgyffro, Menw the son of Teirgwaedd, Gwrthmwl Wledig, Cawrdav the son of Caradawc Vreichvras, Gildas the son of Kaw, Kadyriaith the son of Saidi, and many of the men of Norway, and Denmark, and many of the men of Greece, and a crowd of the men of the host came to that counsel.
"Iddawc," said Rhonabwy, "who was the auburn haired man to whom they came just now?" "Rhun the son of Maelgwn Gwynedd, a man of whose prerogative it is, that he may join in counsel with all." {125f} "And wherefore did they admit into counsel with men of such dignity as are yonder a stripling so young as Kadyriaith the son of Saidi?" "Because there is not throughout Britain a man better skilled in counsel than he."
Thereupon, behold, bards came and recited verses before Arthur, and no man understood those verses, but Kadyriaith only, save that they were in Arthur's praise.
And, lo, there came four and twenty asses with their burdens of gold and of silver, and a tired wayworn man with each of them, bringing tribute to Arthur from the Islands of Greece. Then Kadyriaith the son of Saidi besought that a truce might be granted to Osla Gyllellvawr for the space of a fortnight and a month, and that the asses and the burdens they carried might be given to the bards, to be to them as the reward for their stay and that their verse might be recompensed, during the time of the truce. And thus it was settled.
"Rhonabwy," said Iddawc, "would it not be wrong to forbid a youth who can give counsel so liberal as this from coming to the councils of his Lord?"
Then Kai arose, and he said, "Whosoever will follow Arthur, let him be with him to-night in Cornwall, and whosoever will not, let him be opposed to Arthur even during the truce." And through the greatness of the tumult that ensued, Rhonabwy awoke. And when he awoke he was upon the yellow calfskin, having slept three nights and three days.
And this tale is called The Dream of Rhonabwy. And this is the reason that no one knows the dream without a book, neither bard nor gifted seer; because of the various colours that were upon the horses, and the many wondrous colours of the arms and of the panoply, and of the precious scarfs, and of the virtue-bearing stones.
Footnotes: {15} "The Emperor Arthur" all through the tale.
{16} To begin to honour them, to inform them of the manners and the customs of the Court, those he was told were to go to the hall or the presence chamber, and those he was told were to get lodging.
{17a} And I did not think there was in the world a wrong too mighty for me to set right. And when I had set right all the wrongs that were in my own country.
{17b} Add "with fair curly hair."
{18a} And such was his courtesy that he greeted me before I could greet him.
{18b} Add, "I ween that."
{18c} When she was ever loveliest, at Christmas, or at Easter tide mass.
{19a} And the man I had seen erstwhile sat down to the table.
{19b} Did I not think that too much trouble would befall thee.
{20} With querulous roughness.
{21a} And he would but bandy words with me.
{21b} So that they cannot be separated.
{27} Add "On account of the knight."
{28} An image of a different kind.
{29a} Monks.
{29b} Land-owning.
{30} Louder was her cry than any trumpet blast that arose from among the multitude.
{31} "Truly," said Luned, "I thought thy good sense was greater than I find it to be. Is it better to grieve because thou canst not get _that_ good man, than it is to grieve for anything else thou canst never get?"
"I declare to heaven," said the Countess, "that I could never get my lord in any other man, be he the best in the world." "Oh yes," said Luned, "thou couldst marry a husband that would be as good as he, or better than he."
{36} Encamped.
{37a} Add "and looked at him."
{37b} And belaboured each other.
{38} Add "and this is my abode."
{39} To the disgrace of thy beard.
{45} Owen was certain he had never seen better service, but every one was as sorrowful as if death had been upon him.
{46a} And to-morrow is the appointed day for me to meet him, to deliver to him yonder maiden, otherwise he will kill my sons before my eyes.
{46b} And the Earl determined to hold the castle against him, abandoning his two sons to their fate.
{47} And they told him their tale.
{48} But Owen's strength had not yet returned.
{52} Her.
{56} And very unmeet for so honourable a Court.
{58} Add "causing a grievous wound."
{59a} "This iron coat will never come off him," said Peredur. "I doubt whether it is not part of himself, born with him."
{59b} Add "and the threat against Kai."
{62} We are brother and sister.
{72} In the dingle.
{76} Progress.
{102} And the side that he would favour would lose the game.
{108} And they reckoned that the corn land of Powys, from Aber Ceirawc in Allictun Ver to Rhyd Wilure on the Vyrnwy, was as good as the three best commots in Powys; and that, if there was not sustenance for him and his followers in that corn land, there would be none in Powys.
{109} Scantly draped, poverty-stricken.
{111} Moustache.
{112} Bedwin.
{116a} For fear of being crushed by his horse.
{116b} A red moustache.
{124a} Murheth.
{124b} Bedwin.
{124c} Oth.
{125a} Heneidd.
{125b} Adwy.
{125c} Dyrstan.
{125d} Llara.
{125e} Kasnat.
{125f} It is his privilege that everyone should come to have counsel with him.