Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

314 Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race[364]had devoured it in the night, and had overcome them with furiousstrength when they would have prevented her—and for all shecould say or do the six women persisted in this story.When the story was told to Pwyll he would not put awayRhiannon, as his nobles now again begged him to do, but apenance was imposed on her—namely, that she was to sit everyday by the horse-block at the gate of the castle and tell the taleto every stranger who came, and offer to carry them on her backinto the castle. And this she did for part of a year.The Finding of Pryderi 231Now at this time there lived a man named Teirnyon of GwentIs Coed, who had the most beautiful mare in the world, but therewas this misfortune attending her, that although she foaled onthe night of every first of May, none ever knew what becameof the colts. At last Teirnyon resolved to get at the truth of thematter, and the next night on which the mare should foal hearmed himself and watched in the stable. So the mare foaled,and the colt stood up, and Teirnyon was admiring its size andbeauty when a great noise was heard outside, and a long, clawedarm came through the window of the stable and laid hold of thecolt. Teirnyon immediately smote at the arm with his sword, andsevered it at the elbow, so that it fell inside with the colt, anda great wailing and tumult was heard outside. He rushed out,leaving the door open behind him, but could see nothing becauseof the darkness of the night, and he followed the noise a littleway. Then he came back, and behold, at the door he found aninfant in swaddling-clothes and wrapped in a mantle of satin. Hetook up the child and brought it to where his wife lay sleeping.She had no children, and she loved the child when she saw it,and next day pretended to her women that she had borne it as herown. And they called its name Gwri of the Golden Hair, for itshair was yellow as gold; and it grew so mightily that in two years231 Pronounced “Pry-dair´y.”