‘The Tale of Lludd and Llefelys’ is set around the time of the Roman Invasion, and forms part of the tangled web of medieval Welsh pseudo-history. Its two characters, Lludd and Llefelys, are uncles (or sometimes cousins) to the family of Llyr in the Second Branch of the Mabinogi, all being descendents of Beli the Great, who may echo the Celtic deity Bolgios. In some ways it’s a frustrating story, as it’s told in such a spare, bald style – there aren’t any of the flourishes or leaps of imagination that one would expect from a storyteller’s version. What we have may be a plot summary designed to jog the memory (a lot of Irish saga is written in a similar style.) Compared to the brilliance of the Four Branches, the characterisation and dialogue are distinctly flat. That said, the names are interesting: Lludd is sometimes referred to elsewhere as ‘Lludd Llaw Ereint’ ‘Lludd Silver-Hand’, which may well be a garbled version of ‘Nudd Silver-Hand’, making him the precise Welsh equivalent of the Irish Nuadu Silver-Hand. But whatever story there once was about him (which may have been borrowed from Irish) has been lost, and sadly it’s impossible to tinker with the medieval stories in such a way as to reconstruct the pagan myth. So what we have is a little folktale about how King Lludd of Britain, advised by his wise brother Llefelys, rids his island of three ‘afflictions’ or ‘oppressions’.
A Note on Translation Technique
I dislike cribs and archaisms. The Welsh of the Four Branches and some of the other tales, including this one, was natural at the time it was written. Therefore I aim to produce a version that can be read out comfortably, and happily insert full stops and shift clauses about to make good modern English. I also translate idioms according to the spirit not the letter, and in particular use a variety of verbs to render the ubiquitous Welsh heb, ‘said’. So you’ll find phrases like ‘he continued’, ‘Lefelys replied’ and suchlike, where the original text says monotonously ‘he said…he said…’. Middle Welsh is also very fond of ‘and’s, which I have seen fit to thin out. I have not used footnotes to mark such minor alterations. With those provisos, the translation is as close to the Medieval Welsh text as makes for natural English.
A Note on Pronunciation
‘Lludd’ rhymes with ‘seethe’ with the famous raspy Welsh HL- sound at the start.
‘Llefelys’ is Hlev-EL-iss (stress on the EL)
‘Coranieid’ is ‘korr – AN- ee – ide’ (rhymes with ‘slide’)
‘Mynogan’ is ‘muh – NOG – an’ not ‘mi – NOG – an’)
‘Caswallon’ is ‘cass – WAHL –on’ with the HL- sound occurring in the middle of the word.
The Tale of Lludd and Lefelys1
Beli the Great, son of Mynogan, had three sons: Lludd, Caswallon and Ninio2. And according to the lore of storytellers, he had a fourth son, Llefelys.3 And after Beli’s death, the kingdom of the Island of Britain passed into the hands of Lludd, the oldest son, and he ruled it prosperously. He rebuilt the walls of London, and encircled the city with innumerable towers. And after that, he ordered the inhabitants of the city to build houses therein, so that in the kingdom there would not be either buildings or houses to compare with those in the city.
And besides this he was a good fighter, and generous and open-handed in giving meat and drink to everyone who asked for them. And though he had many castles and cities, he loved this one above all, and he lived there for the best part of the year. Because of that, it was called ‘Caer Lludd’, and in the end ‘Caer Llundain’4. And after a foreign people arrived there, it was called ‘London’, or ‘Lwndrys’5.
Of all his brothers, Lludd loved Llefelys the most, because he was a wise and prudent man. When he heard that the king of France had died, leaving no heir but his only daughter, and that he had left his domain in her hands, Llefelys came to his brother Lludd, to ask for his help and advice. And when it came to the idea of going to France to woo the maiden for his wife, Llefelys’ priority was not so much his own well-being, but rather a desire to add to the glory and honour and nobility of his family.6 And at once he and his brother discussed the matter, and this plan of action satisfied him.
So Llefelys readied ships and filled them with armed knights, and set out for France. And as soon as they landed, they sent messengers to explain to the noblemen of France the reason for the embassy. And by the joint counsel of the nobles of France and of the princes, the maiden was given to Llefelys, and with her the crown of the kingdom. And thenceforth Llefelys ruled the land prudently, wisely and happily, as long as his life lasted.
After a space of time had passed, three afflictions fell on the Island of Britain, so that no one in the islands had ever seen anything like them. The first was a certain race that came, called the Coranieid; and their knowledge was so great, that there was no conversation in the Island, however quietly spoken, which the Coranieid did not know of, if the wind caught it.7 And as a result of this, they could not be injured.
The second affliction was a shrieking which occurred every May-eve, over every hearth in the Island of Britain. And this went through people’s hearts, and so shocked them that the men went pale and weakened, the women miscarried, the young men and women went mad, and all the animals and trees and earth and waters were left barren. The third affliction was that whatever amount of provisions and food was prepared in the king’s courts, even a year’s provision of meat and drink, none of it could ever be found, except what was eaten up on the first night. And no one knew the cause of two of these afflictions, and so there was better hope of being rid of the first one than the second and third. At that King Lludd felt great sorrow and worry, because that he did not know how he might be rid of these afflictions. And he called to him all the noblemen of his kingdom, and asked their advice as to what they would do against these plagues. And by the common counsel of the noblemen, Lludd son of Beli visited Llefelys his brother, king of France, to ask his advice, for he was a man of great counsel and wisdom. And they made ready a fleet, secretly and in silence, so that the Coranieid would not know why they were going, nor anyone but the king and his counsellors. And when they were ready they embarked, Lludd and those whom he chose with him. And they began to cut through the seas towards France. And when these tidings came to Llefelys, he came from the other side to meet him, and with him was a fleet of vast size, because he didn’t know why his brother’s ships were there. When Lludd saw this, he left all the ships out upon the sea except one; and he came to meet his brother in that ship, and in the same way Llefelys came to meet him in a single ship. And when they met, each embraced the other8, and each welcomed the other with a brother’s love.
After Lludd had explained the cause of his errand to his brother, Llefelys said that he already knew the reason why Lludd had come to those lands. And they took counsel together in the following manner, so as to discuss the matter in such a way that the wind might not catch their words, and the Coranieid would not know what they were saying: Llefelys caused a long brass horn to be made, and they spoke through this horn. But whatever one of them said to the other through the horn, neither of them could hear anything but hateful, hostile words. And when Llefelys saw this, and that there was a demon thwarting and obstructing them through the horn, he caused wine to be put into it and it to be washed. And thanks to the virtue of the wine, the demon was flushed out of the horn.
And when their conversation was unobstructed, Llefelys told his brother that he would give him some insects, and that he should keep some of then alive to breed, in case this kind of affliction should happen to befall again. And he told him to take some of the insects and mash them up in water; he assured his brother that this would destroy the race of the Coranieid effectively. That is to say, when he got home to his kingdom he should call together all the people, both of his own race and of the race of the Coranieid, to a single conference, as though he intended to make peace between them; and when they were all together, he should take this charmed water, and sprinkle it over everyone regardless. Llefelys gave him his assurance him that the water would poison the race of the Coranieid, but that it would neither kill nor harm any of Lludd’s own people.
’And as for the second oppression that is in your kingdom’, said Llefelys, ‘it’s a dragon. And another dragon of a foreign race9 is fighting it, and trying to defeat it. And because of that your dragon is making a horrible screaming. And you can discover this like so: after you arrive home, have the Island measured lengthwise and breadthwise, and where you find the exact centre point, have a pit dug there, and have a vat full of the best mead that can be made put into the pit, with a covering of brocaded silk over the surface of the vat. And stay there watching, you yourself,10 and you will see the dragons fighting, looking like huge animals. And after a while they will take on the form of dragons in the air. And last of all, when they’ve exhausted themselves with fierce and furious fighting, they will collapse in the form of two pigs upon the covering, and the cloth will sink with their weight*, and they will pull it down to the bottom of the vat. And they will drink up all the mead; and then they’ll fall asleep. Then, quick as you can, wrap the cloth around them, and bury them in a stone chest in the most secure place you possess in your country, and conceal them in the earth. And as long as they are in that strong place, no oppression shall come to the Island of Britain from elsewhere’.
‘The cause of the third plague’, Llefelys continued, ‘is a mighty man with magical powers, who pilfers your meat and drink and your provisions. And he is making everyone fall asleep by means of his magic and enchantment. And so you yourself need to keep watch on your food and provisions. So that he does not overcome you with sleep, have a tub of cold water by your side, and when you feel yourself being made to go to sleep11, get into the tub.’
And then Lludd went back again to land, and at once he summoned before him the entirety of his own people and that of the Coranieid. And just as Llefelys had taught him, he pounded up the insects in water, and he sprinkled it over everyone regardless. And at once it destroyed the whole people of the Coranieid, without harm to any of the Britons.
And some time after this, Lludd had the Island measured lengthwise and breadthwise. It was in Oxford that he found the central point.12 And in that place he caused the earth to be dug up, and ordered a vat to be set in that pit, full of the best mead that could be made, with a covering of brocaded silk over its surface, and he himself kept watch that night. And while he was keeping watch like this, he saw the dragons fighting each other. And when they were worn out and exhausted they sank down upon the top of the brocaded silk, and pulled it down with them to the bottom of the vat. And when they had finished drinking the mead they fell asleep. And in their sleep, Lludd wrapped the cloth around them, and in the securest place he had in Snowdon he hid them within a stone chest. After that this place was called ‘Emrys’s Citadel’, but before that, ‘The Citadel of Ffaraon Dandde’. (Ffaraon Dandde was one of the Three Stewards whose Hearts broke with Sorrow.)13And in this way the tempestuous shrieking came to an end in the kingdom.
And after these things came to pass, King Lludd caused a feast of extraordinary size to be prepared. And when it was ready, he placed a tub full of cold water by his side, and he himself watched it. And as he was thus, all dressed in his armour, about the third watch of the night, listen!14 – he heard many eerie songs and different kinds of music, and drowsiness urged him to doze off. After that, so that he would not be distracted from his intention and be overcome by sleep, he often got into the water. And finally, look! – in came a man of great size, clad in strong, heavy armour, and he had a hamper. And, as he had been accustomed to do, he put all the food and provisions of meat and drink into the hamper, and made off with it. And nothing ever struck Lludd as stranger than that the hamper should contain as much as that. And thereupon King Lludd went after him and spoke to him like this: ‘Stop, stop!’ he said, ‘although you have insulted me greatly and despoiled much up till now, you will do so no more, unless your skill in arms be judged stronger and mightier than mine!’ Then immediately the man put the hamper down on the floor, and waited for him. And there was a violent encounter between them, so that sparks flew from their weapons. And in the end Lludd wrestled with him, and fate saw that victory was Lludd’s, as he threw down the giant man15 to the earth. And after Lludd had overcome him by strength and fierceness, the man sought protection of him.
‘How can I give you protection,’ said the king, ‘after all the host of losses and insults that you have done me!?’
‘All the losses which I have ever inflicted upon you’, he said, ‘I will pay you them back, just as good as I stole. And from hereon in, I will never do anything like it again; I shall be your faithful servant from now on.’
And the king accepted this from him.
And so Lludd rid the Island of Britain from the Three Oppressions, and from then on until the end of his life, Lludd the son of Beli ruled the Island of Britain in peace and prosperity.
And this story is called ‘The Tale of Lludd and Llefelys’.
And so it ends.
Notes:
(1) The word ‘Cyfranc’ in the title means both ‘meeting’ and ‘story, adventure’.
(2) Middle Welsh ‘Nynhyaw’ = Modern Welsh ‘Ninio’.
(3) Bran, Manawydan, and Branwen in the Second Branch are children of Penarddun daughter of Beli, by Llyˆr. Efnisien and Nisien are her children by Euroswydd. So Caswallon, Ninio, Lludd and Llefelys are brothers to Penarddun and thus uncles to Bran, Branwen and Manaywdan, though in the Four Branches they are depicted as cousins.
(4) ‘Llundain’ is Welsh for London.
(5) The ‘foreign people’ are the English, but also the Normans (as ‘Lwndrys’ is an attempt at French ‘Londres’, ‘London’.)
(6) I’ve shunted this sentence around a lot, but not added or removed anything from the meaning.
(7) These are a bit of a puzzler. They aren’t mentioned anywhere else in Welsh medieval tradition, but their name may be related to the word ‘corr’ ‘dwarf’. They were part of Welsh folklore until the 18th century, when Anne Griffiths referred to the Bushmen of the Kalahari as ‘blackest Coraniaid, barbaric host’ in a dreadful evangelical hymn.’
(8) The text says ‘put their arms round the other’s neck’.
(9) In Welsh tradition, dragons are constantly used as symbols of national groups and this is behind the phrase ‘of foreign race’. Though we shouldn’t look for allegory here, ‘of foreign race’ is an absolutely literal rendering of the Welsh.
(10) The Welsh says ‘in you own person’ which sounds too Medieval.
(11) Literally ‘and when it be sleep which is oppressing you’. The word for ‘oppress’ implies forcing someone to do something against their will, and can mean ‘to rape’.
(12) This is a bit odd. Oxford is in fact pretty much the farthest point from the sea in Britain, but it’s not really the centre unless southern Britain is meant.
(13) Several things are going on here. The storyteller implies that the change of name has something to do wit the concealment of the dragons, but this is because he is thinking of a the episode in Geoffrey of Monmouth and Nennius in which the wonder-child Ambrosius reveals hidden fighting dragons to Vortigern, also in Snowdon. ‘Emrys’ is Welsh for Ambrosius. This story is designed as an explanation for how the dragons got there, but the storyteller has forgotten that the place cannot yet bear the name ‘Emrys’s Citadel’ for another few hundred years! (The events of The Tale of Lludd and Llefelys are roughly contemporary with the Roman Invasion of Britain, according to the imaginary timeline of the stories.) Ffaraon Dandde means ‘Fiery Pharaoh’ and the storyteller seems just to have cooked up a mysterious-sounding name, remembering the episode of Moses and Aaron’s snakes [=dragons] before Pharaoh in Exodus. Another Broken-Hearted Steward was Caradoc son of Bran the Blessed, as we are told in Branwen Daughter of Llyr. (Pharaoh breaks his heart because of the loss of his first-born son.) But the mixing up of Biblical and native characters is unexpected.
(15) The text uses the technical word ‘Oppression, Affliction, Plague’, as the man is one of the three Oppressions, gormesoedd. Other versions say ‘Oppressor’. But both read slightly oddly in English.