Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

317giant form of Bran. They caroused and made merry in peace andamity, and Branwen became the bride or the Irish king.Next day Evnissyen came by chance to where the horses of [367]Matholwch were ranged, and he asked whose they were. “Theyare the horses of Matholwch, who is married to thy sister.” “Andis it thus,” said he, “they have done with a maiden such as she,and, moreover, my sister, bestowing her without my consent?They could offer me no greater insult.” Thereupon he rushedamong the horses and cut off their lips at the teeth, and their earsto their heads, and their tails close to the body, and where hecould seize the eyelids he cut them off to the bone.When Matholwch heard what had been done he was bothangered and bewildered, and bade his people put to sea. Bransent messengers to learn what had happened, and when he hadbeen informed he sent Manawyddan and two others to makeatonement. Matholwch should have sound horses for every onethat was injured, and in addition a staff of silver as large and astall as himself, and a plate of gold the size of his face. “And lethim come and meet me,” he added, “and we will make peace inany way he may desire.” But as for Evnissyen, he was the son ofBran's mother, and therefore Bran could not put him to death ashe deserved.The Magic CauldronMatholwch accepted these terms, but not very cheerfully, andBran now offered another treasure, namely, a magic cauldronwhich had the property that if a slain man were cast into it hewould come forth well and sound, only he would not be ableto speak. Matholwch and Bran then talked about the cauldron,which originally, it seems, came from Ireland. There was a lakein that country near to a mound (doubtless a fairy mound) whichwas called the Lake of the Cauldron. Here Matholwch had oncemet a tall and ill-looking fellow with a wife bigger than himself,and the cauldron strapped on his back. They took service with [368]Matholwch. At the end of a period of six weeks the wife gave