Being the sixth part of the tale of Culhwch ac Olwen; in which Arthur and his warriors proceed to complete yet more of the tasks required by Yspaddaden Pencawr in return for the hand of his daughter Olwen; including the the two cubs of Gast Rhymhi, the nine bushels of flax-seed and the leash made from the beard of Dillus Farfawc.
Said Arthur, "Which of the marvels will it be best for us now to seek first?"
"It will be best to seek for the two cubs of Gast Rhymhi."
"Is it known," asked Arthur, "where she is!"
"She is in Aber Deu Gleddyf," said one.
Then Arthur went to the house of Tringad, in Aber Cleddyf, and he inquired of him whether he had heard of her there. "In what form may she be?" "She is in the form of a she-wolf," said he; "and with her there are two cubs. She has often slain my herds, and she is there below in a cave in Aber Cleddyf."
So Arthur went in his ship Prydwen by sea, and the others went by land, to hunt her. And they surrounded her and her two cubs, and God did change them again for Arthur into their own form. And the host of Arthur dispersed themselves into parties of one and two.
On a certain day, as Gwythyr ap Greidawl was walking over a mountain, he heard a wailing and a grievous cry. And when he heard it, he sprang forward, and went towards it. And when he came there, he drew his sword, and smote off an ant-hill close to the earth, whereby it escaped being burned in the fire. And the ants said to him, "Receive from us the blessing of heaven, and that which no man can give we will give you." Then they fetched the nine bushels of flax-seed which Yspaddaden Pencawr had required of Culhwch, and they brought the full measure without lacking any, except one flax-seed, and that the lame ant brought in before night.
As Cai and Bedwyr sat on a beacon carn on the summit of Plinlimmon, in the highest wind that ever was in the world, they looked around them, and saw a great smoke towards the south, afar off, which did not bend with the wind. Then said Cai, "By the hand of my friend, see, there is the fire of a robber!" Then they hastened towards the smoke, and they came so near to it, that they could see Dillus Farfawc scorching a wild boar. "See, there is the greatest robber that ever fled from Arthur," said Bedwyr to Cai.
"Do you know him?"
"I do know him," answered Cai, "he is Dillus Farfawc, and no leash in the world will be able to hold Drudwyn, the cub of Greid ab Eri, save a leash made from the beard of him you see there. And even that will be useless, unless his beard be plucked alive with wooden tweezers; for if dead, it will be brittle."
"What do you think that we should do concerning this?" said Bedwyr.
"Let us suffer him," said Cai, "to eat as much as he will of the meat, and after that he will fall asleep."
And during that time they employed themselves in making the wooden tweezers. And when Cai knew certainly that he was asleep, he made a pit under his feet, the largest in the world, and he struck him a violent blow, and squeezed him into the pit. And there they twitched out his beard completely with the wooden tweezers; and after that they slew him altogether.
And from thence they both went to Gelli Wic, in Cornwall, and took the leash made of Dillus Farfawc's beard with them, and they gave it into Arthur's hand. Then Arthur composed this Englyn;
Cai made a leash
Of Dillus ab Eurei's beard.
Were he alive, your death he'd be.
And
Cai was angry, so that the warriors of the Island could scarcely make peace between
Cai and
Arthur. And afterwards, neither in
Arthur's troubles, nor for the slaying of his men, would
Cai come forward to his aid for ever after.
Said Arthur, "Which of the marvels is it best for us now to seek?" "It is best for us to seek Drudwyn, the cub of Greid ab Eri."
A little while before this, Creiddylad the daughter of Llud Llaw Ereint, and Gwythyr ap Greidawl, were betrothed. And before she had become his bride, Gwyn ap Nudd came and carried her away by force; and Gwythyr ap Greidawl gathered his host together, and went to fight with Gwyn ap Nudd. But Gwyn overcame him, and captured Greid ab Eri, and Glinneu ap Taran, and Gwrgwst Ledlwm, and Dynfarth his son. And he captured Penn ap Nethawg, and Nwython, and Cyledyr Wyllt his son. And they slew Nwython, and took out his heart, and forced Cyledyr to eat the heart of his father. And as a result Cyledyr became mad. When Arthur heard of this, he went to the North, and summoned Gwyn ap Nudd before him, and set free the nobles whom he had put in prison, and made peace between Gwyn ap Nudd and Gwythyr ap Greidawl. And this was the peace that was made; that the maiden should remain in her father's house, without advantage to either of them, and that Gwyn ap Nudd and Gwythyr ap Greidawl should fight for her every first of May, from then until the day of doom, and that whichever of them should then be conqueror should have the maiden.
And when Arthur had thus reconciled these chieftains, he obtained Mygdwn, Gweddw's horse, and the leash of Cwrs Cant Ewin.
And after that Arthur went into Armorica, and with him Mabon ap Mellt, and Gware Gwallt Euryn, to seek the two dogs of Glythmyr Ledewic. And when he had got them, he went to the West of Ireland, in search of Gwrgi Seferi; and Odgar mac Aedd king of Ireland, went with him. And thence went Arthur into the North, and captured Cyledyr Wyllt; and he went after Yscithyrwyn Benbaedd. And Mabon ap Mellt came with the two dogs of Glythmyr Ledewic in his hand, and Drudwyn, the cub of Greid ab Eri. And Arthur went himself to the chase, leading his own dog Cafall. And Caw, of North Britain, mounted Arthur's mare Llamrei, and was first in the attack. Then Caw, of North Britain, wielded a mighty axe, and absolutely daring he came valiantly up to the boar, and broke his head in two. And Caw took away the tusk. Now the boar was not slain by the dogs that Yspaddaden had mentioned, but by Cafall, Arthur's own dog.
To the seventh and final part of Culhwch ac Olwen