Ronabwy's dream

Here is the story of Ronabwy's dream. Madawc, son of Maredudd, was master of Powys in all its extent, that is to say from Porfordd to Gwauan, at the top of Arwystli. He had a brother who did not have as high a position as him, Iorwerth, son of Maredudd. Lorwerth was seized with great sorrow and sadness at considering the elevation and great possessions of his brother, while he himself had nothing.

Ronabwy's Dream

He gathered his companions and foster-brothers, and deliberated with them on what to do in this situation. They decided to send a few of them to claim some means of subsistence for him. Madawc offered him the same advantages as himself, and horses, arms, honors. Iorwerth refused, went to live on looting as far as England and began to kill, burn, take captives. Madawc and Powys' men took counsel and decided to charge a hundred men by three Kymwt in Powys to search for him. They valued the plain of Powys, from Aber Ceirawc in Allictwnver to Ryt Wilvre on Evyrnwy, as much as the three best Kymwt in the country. So they did not want someone who had no family property in Powys to have any in this plain.

These men divided into troops at Nillystwn Trevan, in this plain. There was a certain Ronabwy to be part of this research. He went with Kynnwric Vrychgoch, man of Mawddwy, and Kadwgawn Vras, man of Moelvre en Kynlleith, to Heilyn Goch, son of Kadwgawn son of Iddon. As they approached the house, they saw an old, dark room, with a straight gable, from which a thick smoke was coming out. As they entered, they saw a ground full of holes, rough. Where the ground bulged out, you could barely stand up, it was so slippery with the droppings and urine of the cattle. Where there were holes, we sank, over the instep, in the middle of a mixture of water and animal urine. On the ground were strewn abundantly branches of holly, the ends of which the cattle had grazed. As soon as they entered, the floors of the apartments were dusty and bare. On one side was a shivering old woman; when the cold seized her too much, she threw her apron full of cereal husks on the fire, from which a smoke which entered your nostrils and which it would have been difficult for anyone to bear. On the other side was thrown a yellow calfskin. It would have been good luck for any one of them who had obtained permission to lie down on that skin.

When they were seated, they asked the old woman where the people of the house were. She only answered them with whispers. In the meantime, the people of the house entered: a red man, slightly bald, with some curly hair, carrying a bundle on his back; a small woman, thin and pale, also having an armful of branches. They coldly greeted their hosts and began to light a fire of bundles; the woman went to cook and brought them their food: barley bread, cheese, and a mixture of water and milk. At this moment such a storm of wind and rain arose that it would not have been easy to get out, even on a matter of basic necessity. As a result of the painful walk they had made, the travelers did not feel the courage and went to bed. They glanced down at the bed: there was nothing on it but a short, dusty straw, full of fleas, crossed on all sides by large branches; all the straw, which protruded from the head and the feet, had been grazed by steers. A sort of blanket of bure had been spread over it, of a pale red, hard and worn, pierced; over the sackcloth, a large sheet with holes in it; on the sheet, a half-empty pillow, the cover of which was rather dirty. They went to bed. After being tormented by the fleas and the hardness of their diapers, Ronabwy's two companions fell into a deep sleep. As for him, seeing that he could neither sleep nor rest, he said to himself that he would suffer less if he were to lie down on the calfskin thrown on the ground. He fell asleep there indeed.

At the very moment when sleep closed his eyes, he saw himself in a dream, he and his companions, crossing the plain of Argyngroec; it seemed to him that his aim and objective was Rhyd y Groes on the Havren. On the way, he heard a great noise; he had never heard one that seemed faster to him. He looked behind him, and saw a young man with curly blond hair, a freshly shaved beard, mounted on a yellow horse, but which, at the origin of the legs from behind and from the knees in front, was greenish. The rider wore a tunic of yellow brocade, sewn with green silk; on his hip he had a sword with a gold hilt in a sheath of new cordwal, the straps of which were of deerskin and the buckle of gold. Over it he wore a yellow brocade coat sewn with green silk threads; the edge of the coat was green. The green of his clothes and the green of the horse was as distinct as the green of the leaves of the fir tree, and the yellow as the yellow of the flowers of the broom.

The knight looked so belligerent that they got scared and fled. he pursued them. Every time his horse huffed, they moved away from him; each time he inhaled, they approached the horse's chest. He reached them, and they begged him for mercy. "I grant you," he replied; " do not be afraid. – “Lord”, said Ronabwy, “since you are gracious to us, will you tell us who you are? – “I will not hide my race from you: I am Iddawc, son of Mynyo; but it is not by my name that I am best known: it is by my nickname. – “Would you like to tell us? – “Yes: they call me Iddawc Cordd Prydein. – “Lord”, said Ronabwy, “why are you called that? – “Here is the reason. At the battle of Kamlan, I was one of the intermediaries between Arthur and Medrawt his nephew. I was young, fiery. By desire of the fight, I put the disorder between them. Here's how: When Emperor Arthur sent me to Medrawt to represent to him that he was his foster-father and uncle, and to ask him to make peace in order to spare the blood of the sons of kings and nobles of the Isle of Brittany, Arthur spoke the most affectionate words he could in front of me, but I, myself, reported to Medrawt the most hurtful words. That's what earned me the nickname Iddawc Cordd Prydein, and that's how the Battle of Kamlan was fought. However, three nights before the end of the battle, I left them and went to Llechlas in Scotland to do penance. I stayed there for seven years like this and obtained my pardon. " 

At that moment, they heard a noise much more violent than before. They looked in the direction of the noise, and saw a young man with red hair, without beard and without mustache, of princely appearance, mounted on a large red horse, but who, from the withers on one side and from the knees on the other all the way down, was yellow. He wore a red brocade coat sewn with yellow silk; the border of his coat was yellow. The yellow of his clothes and his horse was as yellow as the flower of the broom, the red as the reddest blood in the world. The knight reached them and asked Iddawc if he would have his share of these little men. "The part that it is appropriate for me to give," replied Iddawc, "you will have it: you can be their companion as I am. With that, the knight walked away. "Iddawc," said Ronabwy, "what is this knight? "-" Ruawn the Radiant, son of Prince Deorthach. " 

They continued their march across the plain of Argyngroec, in the direction of Ryd y Groes on the Haven. A mile from the ford they perceived, on both sides of the road, encampments and tents, and the whole movement of a great army. When they reached the edge of the ford, they saw Arthur seated on an island on level ground, lower than the ford, with Bishop Betwin on one side and Gwarthegyt, son of Kaw. A tall dark-haired young man stood in front of them, holding a scabbarded sword in his hand. His tunic and hat were all black, his face as white as ivory with eyebrows as black as jet. What could be seen of her wrist between her gloves and her sleeves was as white as lily; his wrist was bigger than a warrior's instep. Iddawc and his companions walked up to Arthur and saluted him. “God give you good,” Arthur said. “Where did you find, Iddawc, those little men? – “Higher there, lord,” replied Iddawc, “on the road. Arthur smiled bitterly then. “Lord,” said Iddawc, “why are you laughing? – “Iddawc”, he replied, “I am not laughing; it pains me to see such despicable men guarding this island after it has been defended by men like those of old. Iddawc then said to Ronabwy: "Do you see in the Emperor's hand this ring with the stone set in it?" " .- " I see her. » – « One of the virtues of this stone is that it will make you remember what you saw last night; If you hadn't seen this stone, the slightest memory of this adventure would never have come to mind. " 

Then Ronabwy saw an army coming from the ford side. "Iddawc," he said, "who owns that troop over there? "-" These are the companions of Ruawn the Radiant. They can take mead and braqawt as they wish, as a mark of honor, and pay court, without any objection, to all the daughters of the princes of the Isle of Brittany; and they deserve it, because in any danger they are found in the front and then in the rear. Horses and men in this troop were red as blood; whenever a horseman detached himself from it, it was like a pillar of fire traveling through the air. This troop went to raise its flags higher than the ford. Immediately afterwards they saw another army advancing towards the ford. From the pommel to the top, the front of the horses was as white as the lily; and all the way down, as black as jet. Suddenly one of these horsemen moved forward, and spurs spurs pushed his horse into the ford, so that water gushed out on Arthur, on the bishop and all those who held council with them: they also found each other. wet as if they had been pulled out of the water. As he turned bridle, the valet standing in front of Arthur smacked his horse on the nostrils, with the scabbard sword in his hand; if he had struck with steel, it would have been marvelous if he had not cut into flesh and bones. The knight half-drew his sword from the scabbard, exclaiming: "Why did you hit my horse? is it to insult me or as a warning? "-" You really needed warning; what madness made you ride so brutally that water splashed on Arthur, the holy bishop and their advisers to the point where they were as wet as if they had been pulled from the river? "-" Well, I take that as a warning. And he turned to the side of his companions. "Iddawc," said Ronabwy, "what is this knight? "-" A young man who is regarded as the most courteous and wise on this island, Addaon, son of Teliessin "-" Who is the one who hit his horse? "-" A violent, prompt young man, Elphin, son of Gwyddno. " 

At that moment a proud, accomplished man, with harmonious, bold speech, exclaimed that it was marvelous that such a large army could hold in such a tight place, but that he was even more surprised to see there, at this hour, people who had promised to be at the battle of Baddon around noon, to fight Osla with the big knife. “Make up your mind,” he says, finishing, “whether to go on or not; for me, I'm leaving. – “You are right”, replied Arthur: “Let’s all leave together. “Iddawc,” said Ronabwy, “what is the man who just spoke to Arthur with such surprising freedom? – “A man who has the right to speak to him as boldly as he wishes: Karadawc with big arms, son of Llyr Marini, the leader of his advisers and his cousin german. Iddawc then followed Ronabwy up behind, and this whole great army, each division in its order of battle, marched towards Kevyn Digoll.

When they were in the middle of the ford on the Haven, Iddawc spun his horse around and Ronabwy looked down the valley of the river. He saw two armies moving slowly towards the ford. One looked bright white; each of the men wore a white brocade coat with all-black trim; the ends of the knees and the tops of the legs of the horses were all black, everything else was pale white; the standards were all white but the tops were black. “Iddawc,” said Ronabwy, “what is that stark white army over there? – “These are the men of Llychlyn (Scandinavia), and their chief is March son of Meirchiawn; he is a first cousin of Arthur. The other army which came after wore completely black garments, but the edging of the coats was completely white; at the base of the legs on one side and at the knees on the other, the horses were white, all the rest was black; the standards were all black but the top was all white. “Iddawc,” said Ronabwy, “what is that all-black army over there? – “These are the men of Denmark; Edern son of Nudd is their leader. When they rejoined the army, Arthur and his warriors from the Isle of Forts had descended below Kaer Vaddon. It seemed to Ronabwy that he and Iddawc were following the same path as Arthur. When they dismounted, he heard a great tumultuous noise in the ranks of the army.

The soldiers on the flanks passed through the middle, and those in the middle over the flanks. Immediately he saw a knight come, covered with a coat of mail, he and his horse; the rings were as white as the whitest of lilies, and the nails as red as blood the redest. He rode in the midst of the army. "Iddawc," said Ronabwy, "is the army I have there in front of me fleeing? "-" Emperor Arthur never fled; if we'd heard your words, you'd be a dead man. That knight you see over there is Kei; he is the finest horseman in all of Arthur's army. The wingmen rush to the center to see Kei, and the middle ones flee to the wings so as not to be hurt by the horse: this is the cause of all the uproar in the army. " 

At this moment they heard Kadwr, Earl of Cornwall; he stood up, holding Arthur's sword in his hand, on which were engraved two golden serpents. When the sword was drawn from its scabbard, two tongues of fire were seen issuing from the mouths of the serpents; it was so startling, it was hard for anyone to look at the sword. Then the army began to calm down and the uproar subsided. The Count returned to his pavilion. “Iddawc,” said Ronabwy, “Who is the man who carried Arthur's sword? –” Kadwr, Earl of Cornwall, the man who has the privilege of dressing the king in his armor on days of battle and battle. " 

Immediately afterwards, they heard Eirinwych called the Splendid, Arthur's servant, a man with red hair, rough, unpleasant-looking, with a red mustache and spiky hair. He arrived mounted on a large red horse, the mane of which fell equally on both sides of the neck, and carrying a large and handsome pack. This tall red valet went down in front of Arthur and took out of the baggage a gold pulpit, a checkered brocade cloak; he spread the cloak in front of Arthur, which bore a red gold apple at each corner, and set the pulpit on it: it was large enough that three knights clad in armor could sit on it. Gwenn (Blanche) was the name of the mantle, one of its virtues was that the man who was wrapped in it could see everyone without being seen by anyone; he kept no color but his own. Arthur sat down on the coat; before him stood Owein, son of Uryen. "Owein," said Arthur, "do you want to play chess? ' "-" Willingly, Lord, "replied Owein. The red valet brought them the chess: golden knights, silver chessboard. They started the game.

When they were most interested in it, leaning over the chessboard, we saw emerging a hard white flag, with a red top, surmounted by an image of an all-black snake, with poisoned red eyes, with a flame-red tongue, a young squire with curly blond hair, blue eyes, a growing beard, tunic and overcoat of yellow brocade, stockings of yellow-green cloth and, above, boots of spotted cordwal, closed at the instep with gold staples. He carried a golden hilted sword with a triangular blade; the scabbard was of black cordwal, and it had, at its end, a fastener of fine red gold. He went to where Emperor Arthur and Owein were playing chess, and addressed his greetings to Owein. He was astonished that the page greeted him, and did not greet the Emperor Arthur. Arthur guessed Owein's thought and said, "Don't be surprised that the page is greeting you right now; he has already greeted me, and besides, it is with you that he is dealing. The page then said to Owein: "Lord, is it with your permission that the little servants and the pages of Emperor Arthur amuse themselves by annoying, harassing and harassing your crows? If it isn't with your permission, make Emperor Arthur stop them. "-" Lord ", said Owein," you hear what the page says; please keep them from touching my crows ”. - "Play your game", replied Arthur. The young man returned to his lodge. They finished the game and started a second.

They were about halfway through, when a young red man with brown hair, slightly curling, with large eyes, of slender build, with a shaved beard, came out of an all yellow tent, surmounted by an image of an all red lion. . He wore a tunic of yellow brocade reaching down to the instep and sewn with red silk threads; her two stockings were of fine white buckram and her boots of black cordwal, with gilded clasps. He held in his hand a large, heavy sword with a triangular blade; the sheath was of red deerskin, with a gold cap at the end. He walked over to where Arthur and Owein were playing chess, and greeted Owein. Owein was sorry that the greeting was addressed to him alone; but Arthur was not more upset about it than the first time. The page said to Owein: "Is it in spite of you that the pages of Emperor Arthur are stinging your crows and even killing them? If it's against your will, beg him to stop them. "-" Lord ", Owein said to Arthur," Please stop your people. "-" Play your game ", replied the emperor. The page returned to the pavilion. They finished this part and started another.

As they began to set the pieces in motion, a spotted yellow flag was seen at some distance from them, the largest one had ever seen, surmounted by a golden eagle image, the head of which was adorned with 'a precious stone; there came out of it a page with strong blond curly hair, beautiful and well ordered, with a green brocade cloak, attached to the right shoulder by a gold clip, as thick as a warrior's middle finger, to the late Totness stockings, to the spotted cordwal shoes, with gold buckles. He had a noble appearance, a white face, red cheeks, large hawk eyes. I'll hold in his hand a spear with a strong yellow spotted shaft, newly sharpened iron, surmounted by a conspicuous standard. He walked with an annoyed, furious look, with a hasty step, towards where Arthur and Owein were playing, bending over their chess. You could tell he was irritated. He greeted Owein, however, and told him that the main of his crows had been slain, and that the others had been so injured and mistreated, that not one could lift his wings from the ground more than a fathom. "Lord," said Owein, "stop your people. "-" play, if you want, "replied Arthur. Then Owein said to the page: "Go quickly, raise the standard at the height of the fray, and come what God wills. " 

The young man immediately went to the place where the crows were under the most severe attack and raised the standard in the air. As soon as the standard was raised, they rose in the air irritated, full of ardor and enthusiasm, to let the wind spread their wings and recover from their fatigue. When they had regained their natural value and their superiority, they fell with the same furious enthusiasm on the men who had just caused them anger, pain and loss. From some they tore off the heads, from others the eyes, from others the ears, from some the arms, and carried them up with them in the air. The air was all upset and by the flapping of wings, the croaks of the exultant crows, and on the other hand by the cries of pain from the men they were biting, crippling or killing. The uproar was so frightening that Arthur and Owein, leaning over the chessboard, heard it. Looking up, they saw a knight coming on a dark gray horse: the horse was of an extraordinary color: it was dark gray, but his right shoulder was all red; from the birth of the legs to the middle of the hoof, it was all yellow. The rider and his mount were covered with heavy, foreign weapons. His horse's blanket, from the front saddle to the top, was all red cendal, and from the back saddle to the bottom, all yellow cendal. The young man had at his hip a sword with a gold hilt, with a single edge, in an all-blue scabbard, having at the end a brass rivet from Spain. The girdle of the sword was of black Irish leather, with gold plates; the buckle was ivory and the tongue of the buckle all black. His golden helm was enhanced with a precious stone possessing great virtue, and surmounted by a figure of a yellow-red leopard, whose eyes were two red stones: even a soldier, firm as his heart was, would have had afraid to stare at this leopard, and all the more so, this warrior. He had in his hand the shaft of a long, heavy lance with a green shaft, but from the hilt to the tip, red with the blood of crows with their plumage. The knight walked over to where Arthur and Owein were playing, hunched over chess. They recognized that he arrived exhausted, beside himself with anger. He greeted Arthur and told him that Owein's crows were killing his little minions and his pages. Arthur turned his eyes to Owein and said, "Stop your crows. "-" Lord, "replied Owein," play your game. "And they played. The knight returned to the scene of the struggle, without any attempt to stop the crows.

Arthur and Owein had already been playing for some time, when they heard a great uproar: it was the cries of distress of the men and the croaking of the crows easily lifting the men in the air, crushing them and tearing with pecks, and letting them fall apart to the ground. At the same time, they saw coming a knight mounted on a pale white horse, but, from the left shoulder, all black to the middle of the hoof. Horse and rider were covered in heavy, strong bluish armor. The coat of arms was of yellow damask brocade, with a green border, while his horse's coat was all black, with all yellow edges. Attached to his hip was a long, heavy three-edged sword, the scabbard of which was of artistically cut red leather; the belt was of deer skin a very fresh red; the buckle, of cetacean bone, with an all black tongue. His head was covered with a golden helmet, in which was embedded a sapphire of wonderful properties; it was surmounted by a red-yellow lion figure, whose flame-red tongue protruded a foot from its mouth, whose eyes were all red and poisoned. The knight came forward, holding in his hand a large lance with an ash shaft, with a freshly bloody iron, the ankles of which were silver, and saluted the emperor. "Lord," he said to him, "it is done: your pages and your little servants, the sons of the nobles of the Isle of Brittany are slain; it is to the point that it will no longer be easy to defend this island from now on. "-" Owein ", said Arthur," stop your crows. "-" Play, lord, "he replied," this game. They finished the part and started another.

Towards the end of the game, suddenly, they heard a great uproar, the cries of distress of the armed people, the croaking and flapping of the wings of the crows in the air, and the noise they were making as they dropped. on the ground the whole armor and the men and the horses in pieces. Immediately they saw a knight come running, mounted on a pious black horse, with his head held high, whose left foot was all red, and his right foot, from the withers to the middle of the hoof, all white. Horse and rider were covered in spotted yellow armor, variegated with Spanish brass. The coat of arms which covered him and his horse was half-white and black, with a border of golden purple. Above the coat was a shining, three-edged sword with a golden hilt; the belt, formed of a fabric of yellow gold, had an all-black buckle in walrus eyebrows, with a tongue of yellow gold. His glittering helm, of yellow brass, bore, set in a transparent crystal stone, and was surmounted by a griffin figure whose head was adorned with a stone of wonderful properties. He held in his hand a lance with a round ash shaft, dyed in azure, with a freshly bloodied iron, fixed by silver pins. He went, irritated, to Arthur, and told him that the crows had slaughtered the people of his household and the sons of the nobles of the island; he asked him to make Owein stop his crows. Arthur begged Owein to stop them, and squeezed the golden knights of the chessboard in his hand until they were all powdered. Owein ordered Gwers, son of Reget, to lower the banner. It was brought down and immediately peace was reestablished everywhere.

So Ronabwy asked Iddawc who were the three men who had come first to tell Owein that his crows were being killed. These are ", replied Iddawcl" men who were grieved by the losses of Owein, leaders like him, and his companions: Selyv, son of Kynan Garwyn of Powys, Gwgawn with the red sword; Gwres, son of Reget, is the one who carries the banner on days of battle and battle. - "Who are the three who came last to tell Arthur that the crows were killing his people?" "-" The best and bravest men, those whom any loss of Arthur most indignifies: Blathaon, son of Mwrheth, Ruvawn the Beaming, son of Deorthach Wledic, and Hyveidd in a cloak. " 

At this moment came twenty-four knights from Osla with the great knife to ask Arthur for a truce of a month and fifteen days. Arthur got up and went to consult. He went a short distance away, to the place where a tall dark man with curly hair stood, and summoned his advisers: Betwin the bishop; Gwarthegyt, son of Kaw; March, son of Meirchawn; Kradawc with big arms; Gwalchmei, son of Gwyar; Edyrn son of Nudd; Ruvawn the Radiant, son of Deorthach Wledic; Riogan, son of the King of Ireland; Gwenwynnwyn, son of Nav; Howel, son of the Emperor of Armorica; Gwillim, son of the King of France; Danet, son of Oth; Goreu, son of Custennin; Mabon, son of Modron; Peredur Paladyr Hir; Heneidwn Llen (Hyveidd unllen?); Twrch son of Perif-, Nerth son of Kadarn; Gobrwy, son of Echel Vorddwyt-Twll; Gweir, son of Gwestel; Adwy, son of Gereint; Drystan, son of Tallwch; Moryen the Noble; Granwen, son of Llyr; Llacheu, son of Arthur; Llawrodedd Varyvawe; Kadwr Earl of Cornwall; Morvran, son of Tegit; Ryawd, son of Morgant; Dyvyr; son of Alun Dyvet; Gwrhyr the interpreter of tongues; Addaon, son of Teliessin; Llara, son of Kasnar Wledic; Ffleuddur Fflam; Greidyawl Galldovydd; Gilbert, son of Katgyfro; Menw, son of Teirgwaedd; Gyrthmwl Wledic; Kawrda, son of the strong-armed Karadawc; Gilsas, son of Kaw; Kadyrieith, son of Seidi. Many warriors from Scandinavia and Denmark many men from Greece, a good number of people from the army also took part in this council.

 "Iddawc," said Ronabwy, "who is the dark-haired man we went to earlier? "-" It is Run, son of Maelgwn of Gwynedd, whose privilege is that each one comes to consult with him. "-" How is it that a man as young as Kadyrieith, son of Saidi, was admitted into a council of men of such high rank as those over there? "-" Because there is not a man in Brittany whose opinion is more valuable than his. Just then some bards came to sing for Arthur. There was no one, except Kadyrieth, to understand anything about it except that it was a song in praise of Arthur. In the meantime, twenty-four donkeys arrived with their loads of gold and silver, each led by a weary man, bringing Arthur the tribute of the islands of Greece. Kadyrieith, son of Saidi, was of the opinion that Osla with the long knife should be granted a truce of one month and fifteen days and that the donkeys which brought tribute to the bards, with their load, should be given as payment for their stay; at the end of the truce, they would be paid for their songs. It was at this party that we stopped.

 Ronabwy, "said Iddawc," wouldn't it have been unfortunate to prevent a young man who gave such generous advice from going to his lord's advice? At that moment Kei stood up and said, "May anyone who wants to follow Arthur be with him tonight in Cornwall; that the others are against him, even during the truce. Such an uproar ensued that Ronabwy awoke. He found himself on the yellow calfskin, after having slept three nights and three days.

This story is called The Dream of Ronabwy. This is why no one, bard or storyteller, knows the Dream without the help of a book : it is because of the remarkable number and variety of colors of horses, weapons and items of equipment, precious coats and stones with marvelous properties.