KILHWCH AND OLWEN, part 5 of 12
¶“Seest thou yonder vast hill?” “I see it.” “I require that it be rooted up, and that the grubbings be burned for manure on the face of the land, and that it be ploughed and sown in one day, and in one day that the grain ripen. And of that wheat I intend to make food and liquor fit for the wedding of thee and my daughter. And all this I require done in one day.”
¶“It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy.”
¶“Though this be easy for thee, there is yet that which will not be so. No husbandman can till or prepare this land, so wild is it, except Amaethon the son of Don, and he will not come with thee by his own free will, and thou wilt not be able to compel him.”
¶“It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy.”
¶“Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get. Govannon the son of Don to come to the headland to rid the iron, he will do no work of his own good will except for a lawful king, and thou wilt not be able to compel him.”
¶“It will be easy for me to compass this.”
¶“Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get; the two dun oxen of Gwlwlyd, both yoked together, to plough the wild land yonder stoutly. He will not give them of his own free will, and thou wilt not be able to compel him.”
¶“It will be easy for me to compass this.”
¶“Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get; the yellow and the brindled bull yoked together do I require.”
¶“It will be easy for me to compass this.”
¶“Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get; the two horned oxen, one of which is beyond, and the other this side of the peaked mountain, yoked together in the same plough. And these are Nynniaw and Peibaw whom God turned into oxen on account of their sins.”
¶“It will be easy for me to compass this.”
¶“Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get. Seest thou yonder red tilled ground?”
¶“I see it.”
¶“When first I met the mother of this maiden, nine bushels of flax were sown therein, and none has yet sprung up, neither white nor black; and I have the measure by me still. I require to have the flax to sow in the new land yonder, that when it grows up it may make a white wimple for my daughter’s head, on the day of thy wedding.”
¶“It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy.”
¶“Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get. Honey that is nine times sweeter than the honey of the virgin swarm, without scum and bees, do I require to make bragget for the feast.”
¶“It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy.”
¶“The vessel of Llwyr the son of Llwyryon, which is of the utmost value. There is no other vessel in the world that can hold this drink. Of his free will thou wilt not get it, and thou canst not compel him.”
¶“It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy.”
¶“Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get. The basket of Gwyddneu Garanhir, if the whole world should come together, thrice nine men at a time, the meat that each of them desired would be found within it. I require to eat therefrom on the night that my daughter becomes thy bride. He will give it to no one of his own free will, and thou canst not compel him.”
¶“It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy.”
¶“Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get. The horn of Gwlgawd Gododin to serve us with liquor that night. He will not give it of his own free will, and thou wilt not be able to compel him.”
¶“It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy.”
¶“Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get. The harp of Teirtu to play to us that night. When a man desires that it should play, it does so of itself, and when he desires that it should cease, it ceases. And this he will not give of his own free will, and thou wilt not be able to compel him.”
¶“It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy.”
¶“Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get. The cauldron of Diwrnach Wyddel, the steward of Odgar the son of Aedd, king of Ireland, to boil the meat for thy marriage feast.”
¶“It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy.”
¶“Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get. It is needful for me to wash my head, and shave my beard, and I require the tusk of Yskithyrwyn Penbaedd to shave myself withal, neither shall I profit by its use if it be not plucked alive out of his head.”
¶“It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy.”
¶“Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get. There is no one in the world that can pluck it out of his head except Odgar the son of Aedd, king of Ireland.”
¶“It will be easy for me to compass this.”
¶“Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get. I will not trust any one to keep the tusk except Gado of North Britain. Now the threescore Cantrevs of North Britain are under his sway, and of his own free will he will not come out of his kingdom, and thou wilt not be able to compel him.”
¶“It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy.”