The Mabinogion Part 8

"It will be easy for me to compa.s.s 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 compa.s.s 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 G.o.d turned into oxen on account of their sins."

"It will be easy for me to compa.s.s 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 compa.s.s 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 sc.u.m and bees, do I require to make bragget for the feast."

"It will be easy for me to compa.s.s 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 compa.s.s 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 compa.s.s 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 G.o.dodin 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 compa.s.s 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 compa.s.s 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 compa.s.s 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 compa.s.s 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 compa.s.s 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 compa.s.s this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy."

"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get. I must spread out my hair in order to shave it, and it will never be spread out unless I have the blood of the jet-black sorceress, the daughter of the pure white sorceress, from Pen Nant Govid, on the confines of h.e.l.l."

"It will be easy for me to compa.s.s this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy."

"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get. I will not have the blood unless I have it warm, and no vessels will keep warm the liquid that is put therein except the bottles of Gwyddolwyd Gorr, which preserve the heat of the liquor that is put into them in the east, until they arrive at the west. And 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 compa.s.s this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy."

"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get.

Some will desire fresh milk, and it will not be possible to have fresh milk for all, unless we have the bottles of Rhinnon Rhin Barnawd, wherein no liquor ever turns sour. And 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 compa.s.s this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy."

"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get.

Throughout the world there is not a comb or scissors with which I can arrange my hair, on account of its rankness, except the comb and scissors that are between the two ears of Twrch Trwyth, the son of Prince Tared. 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 compa.s.s 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 will not be possible to hunt Twrch Trwyth without Drudwyn the whelp of Greid, the son of Eri."

"It will be easy for me to compa.s.s this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy."

"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get.

Throughout the world there is not a leash that can hold him, except the leash of Cwrs Cant Ewin."

"It will be easy for me to compa.s.s this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy."

"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get.

Throughout the world there is no collar that will hold the leash except the collar of Canhastyr Canllaw."

"It will be easy for me to compa.s.s 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 chain of Kilydd Canhastyr to fasten the collar to the leash."

"It will be easy for me to compa.s.s this, although thou mayest think that it will not be easy."

"Though thou get this, there is yet that which thou wilt not get.