*(2) The Welsh have a fable on the subject of the half-man, taken to be illustrative of the force of habit. In this allegory Arthur is supposed to be met by a sprite, who appears at first in a small and indistinct form, but who, on approaching nearer, increases in size, and, assuming the semblance of half a man, endeavors to provoke the king to wrestle. Despising his weakness, and considering that he should gain no credit by the encounter, Arthur refuses to do so, and delays the contest until at length the half-man (Habit) becomes so strong that it requires his utmost efforts to overcome him.
Then said Arthur, 'O chieftain, I have never heard of the maiden of whom thou speakest, nor of her kindred, but I will gladly send messengers in search of her. Give me time to seek her.' And the youth said, 'I will willingly grant from this night to that at the end of the year to do so.' Then Arthur sent messengers to every land within his dominions to seek for the maiden, and at the end of the year Arthur's messengers returned without having gained any knowledge or intelligence concerning Olwen more than on the first day. Then said Kilwich, 'Every one has received his boon, and I yet lack mine. I will depart, and bear away thine honor with me.' Then said Kay, 'Rash chieftain! dost thou reproach Arthur? Go with us, and we will not part until thou dost either confess that the maiden exists not in the world, or until we obtain her.' Thereupon Kay rose up. And Arthur called Bedwyr, who never shrank from any enterprise upon which Kay was bound. None were equal to him in swiftness throughout this island except Arthur alone; and although he was one-handed, three warriors could not shed blood faster than he on the field of battle.
And Arthur called to Kyndelig, the guide, 'Go thou upon this expedition with the chieftain.' For as good a guide was he in a land which he had never seen as he was in his own.
He called Gurhyr Gwalstat, because he knew all tongues.
He called Gawain, the son of Gwyar, because he never returned home without achieving the adventure of which he went in quest.
And Arthur called Meneu, the son of Teirgwed, in order that, if they went into a savage country, be might cast a charm and an illusion over them, so that none might see them whilst they could see every one.
They journeyed until they came to a vast open plain, wherein they saw a great castle, Which was the fairest of the castles of the world. And when they came before the castle they beheld a vast flock of sheep. And upon the top of a mound there was a herdsman keeping the sheep. And a rug made of skins was upon him, and by his side was a shaggy mastiff, larger than a steed nine winters old.
Then said Kay, 'Gurhyr Gwalstat, go thou and salute yonder man.' 'Kay,' said he, 'I engaged not to go further than thou thyself.' 'Let us go then together,' answered Kay. Said Meneu, 'Fear not to go thither, for I will cast a spell upon the dog so that he shall injure no one.' And they went up to the mound whereon the herdsman was, and they said to him, 'How dost thou fare, herdsman?' 'Not less fair be it to you than to me.' 'Whose are the sheep that Thou dost keep, and to whom does yonder castle belong?' 'Stupid are ye, truly! not to know that this is the castle of Yspadaden Penkawr. And ye also, who are ye?' 'We are an embassy from Arthur, come to seek Olwen, the daughter of Yspadaden Penkawr.' 'O men! the mercy of Heaven be upon you; do not that for all the world. None who ever came hither on this quest has returned alive.' And the herdsman rose up. And as he rose Kilwich gave unto him a ring of gold. And he went home and gave the ring to his spouse to keep. And she took the ring when it was given her, and she said, 'Whence came this ring, for thou art not wont to have good fortune?' 'O wife, him to whom this ring belonged thou shalt see here this evening.' 'And who is he?' asked the woman. 'Kilwich, the son of Kilydd, by Goleudid, the daughter of Prince Anlawd, who is come to seek Olwen as his wife.' And when the heard that she had joy that her nephew, the son of her sister, was coming to her, and sorrow because she had never known any one depart alive who had come on that quest.
And the men went forward to the gate of the herdsman's dwelling. And when she heard their footsteps approaching she ran out with joy to meet them. And Kay snatched a billet out of the pile. And when she met them she sought to throw her arms about their necks. And Kay placed the log between her two hands, and she squeezed it so that it became a twisted coil. 'O woman,' said Kay, 'if thou hadst squeezed me thus none could ever again set their affections on me. Evil love were this.' They entered into the house and were served; and soon after they all went forth to amuse themselves. Then the woman opened a stone chest that was before the chimney-corner, and out of it rose a youth with yellow, curling hair. Said Gurhyr, 'It is a pity to hide this youth. I know that it is not his own crime that is thus visited upon him.' 'This is but a remnant,' said the woman. 'Three and twenty of my sons has Yspadaden Penkawr slain, and I have no more hope of this one than of the others.' Then said Kay, 'Let him come and be a companion with me and he shall not be slain unless I also am slain with him.' And they ate. And the woman asked them, 'Upon what errand come you here?' 'We come to seek Olwen for this youth.' Then said the woman, 'In the name of Heaven, since no one from the castle hath yet seen you, return again whence you came.' 'Heaven is our witness that we will not return until we have seen the maiden. Does she ever come hither, so that she may be seen?' 'She comes here every Saturday to wash her head, and in the vessel where she washes she leaves all her rings, and she never either comes herself or sends any messenger to fetch them.' 'Will she come here if she is sent to?' 'Heaven knows that I will not destroy my soul, nor will I betray those that trust me; unless you will pledge me your faith that you will not harm her I will not send to her.' 'We pledge it,' said they. So a message was sent, and she came.
The maiden was clothed in a robe of flame-colored silk, and about her neck was a collar of ruddy gold, on which were precious emeralds and rubies. More yellow was her head than the flower of the broom,* and her skin was whiter than the foam of the wave, and fairer were her hands and her fingers than the blossoms of the wood- anemone amidst the spray of the meadow fountain. The eye of the trained hawk was not brighter than hers. Her bosom was more snowy than the breast of the white swan, her cheek was redder than the reddest roses. Whoso beheld her was filled with her love. Four white trefoils sprung up wherever she trod. And therefore was she called Olwen.
The romancers dwell with great complacency on the fair hair and delicate complexion of their heroines. This taste continued for a long time, and to render the hair light was an object of education. Even when wigs came into fashion they were all flaxen. Such was the color of the hair of the Gauls and of their German conquerors. It required some centuries to reconcile their eyes to the swarthy beauties of their Spanish and Italian neighbors.
She entered the house and sat beside Kilwich upon the foremost bench; and as soon as he saw her he knew her. And Kilwich said unto her, 'Ah! maiden, thou art she whom I have loved; come away with me lest they speak evil of thee and of me. Many a day have I loved thee.' 'I cannot do this, for I have pledged my faith to my father not to go without his counsel, for his life will last only until the time of my espousals. Whatever is to be, must be. But I will give thee advice, if thou wilt take it. Go ask me of my father, and that which he shall require of thee, grant it, and thou wilt obtain me; but if thou deny him anything, thou wilt not obtain me, and it will be well for thee if thou escape with thy life.' 'I promise all this, if occasion offer,' said he.
She returned to her chamber, and they all rose up, and followed her to the castle. And they slew the nine porters, that were at the nine gates, in silence And they slew the nine watch-dogs without one of them barking. And they went forward to the hall.
'The greeting of Heaven and of man be unto thee, Yspadaden Penkawr,' said they. 'And you, wherefore come you?' 'We come to ask thy daughter Olwen for Kilwich, the son of Kilydd, the son of Prince Kelyddon.' 'Where are my pages and my servants? Raise up the forks beneath my two eyebrows, which have fallen over my eyes, that I may see the fashion of my son-in-law.' And they did so. 'Come hither to-morrow, and you shall have an answer.'
They rose to go forth, and Yspadaden Penkawr seized one of the three poisoned darts that lay beside him, and threw it after them. And Bedwyr caught it, and flung it, and pierced Yspadaden Penkawr grievously with it through the knee. Then he said, 'A cursed ungentle son-in-law, truly! I shall ever walk
