Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

337after them a poisoned dart. Bedwyr caught it and flung itback, wounding him in the knee, and Yspaddaden cursed him inlanguage of extraordinary vigour; the words seem to crackle andspit like flame. Thrice over this happened, and at last Yspaddadendeclared what must be done to win Olwen.The Tasks of KilhwchA long series of tasks follows. A vast hill is to be ploughed,sown, and reaped in one day; only Amathaon son of Dōn can doit, and he will not. Govannon, the smith, is to rid the ploughshareat each headland, and he will not do it. The two dun oxen ofGwlwlyd are to draw the plough, and he will not lend them.Honey nine times sweeter than that of the bee must be got tomake bragget for the wedding feast. A magic cauldron, a magicbasket out of which comes any meat that a man desires, a magichorn, the sword of Gwrnach the Giant—all these must be won; [391]and many other secret and difficult things, some forty in all,before Kilhwch can call Olwen his own. The most difficult questis that of obtaining the comb and scissors that are between thetwo ears of Twrch Trwyth, a king transformed into a monstrousboar. To hunt the boar a number of other quests must beaccomplished—the whelp of Greid son of Eri is to be won, and acertain leash to hold him, and a certain collar for the leash, and achain for the collar, and Mabon son of Modron for the huntsmanand the horse of Gweddw to carry Mabon, and Gwyn son ofNudd to help, “whom God placed over the brood of devils inAnnwn ... he will never be spared them,” and so forth to an extentwhich makes the famous eric of the sons of Turenn seem triflingby comparison. “Difficulties shalt thou meet with, and nightswithout sleep, in seeking this [bride price], and if thou obtainit not, neither shalt thou have my daughter.” Kilhwch has oneanswer for every demand: “It will be easy for me to accomplishthis, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy. And Ishall gain thy daughter and thou shalt lose thy life.”So they depart on their way to fulfil the tasks, and on their