Spirit Mystery's Spiritual Palace

THE LEGEND OF RHIANNON AND PWYLL

Pwyll Prince of Dyfed, was Lord of the seven Cantrevs of Dyfed. Once upon a time Pwyll was at his chief palace in Narbeth where there was a feast prepared for him.After the first meal, Pwyll got up and began to walk towards a great mound that was that was near the palace.The mound was known as Gorseth Arbeth. There was a legend about this mound, it was said that who ever sat upon the mound would either receive wounds or see a great wonder. Pwyll was not afraid of being wounded and wanted to see a great wonder so he went up and sat on the mound. When Pwyll was on the mound he noticed a beautiful woman riding a large horse and wearing a gown of spun gold coming up the path toward the mound.

He asked his men if anyone knew who the woman was. None of his men knew who this mysterious woman was so he sent one of his men to fetch her. As the man headed towards the woman the woman moved farther away from him. The faster he would move the faster the woman would move away. The next day Pwyll returned to the mound and this time bought one of his best steeds. He thought that since she was on a horse that it was best to catch her with another horse. Yet again he saw the same woman on her big horse and sent one of his men to fetch her on his horse. But again each time the man moved toward the woman the further away she would be.

On the third day Pwyl decided that he himself would have to fetch the woman he saw on the mound. When the woman appeared to him again he set out after her. Again she moved away everytime he tried to get close. Eventually exhausted and frustrated he called out to the woman. The woman stopped and turned and came toward Pwyll. When the woman reached Pwyll he asked her why she had moved away from his men and who was she? The woman replied I am Rhiannon, daughter of Heveyth Hen and I have come in search of Pwyll. She was inlove with the man Pwyll and her father had set to marry her against her will to another man in the twelfth month. She wished for pwyll to came and save her on the day she was due to be wed to another and take her hand in marriage. Pwyll agreed to Rhiannon since she was so beautiful and said he would keep the date and come to her fathers palace to take her hand in marriage.

When ever any one asked Pwyll what it was he spoke of with the mysterious woman he would not say. When the twelfth month came he set out with 100 knights to Heveyth Hen's Palace. There was great joy at his arrival and he was put in charge of the whole court. Rjianon was seated to one side of her father and pwyll to the other side. After the feast had finished a young man entered the court and Pwyll asked him to join they're table. The youth replied no that he was a suitor and had to finish his errand. pwyll being of good spirits offered the youth his assistance to to gain the youths desired one. The youth replied that it was Rhiannon that he intended. Rhiannon was astonished, Pwyll had managed to give his word to the very man she did not love and her father had previously wanted her to marry. Pwyll wanted to take back his word but Rhiannon said no that he was a man of honour and must be true to his word but she had an idea of how to avoid the marriage to the youth and be married to Pwyll.

Rhiannon arranged to marry the youth on the next twelfth month. Rhiannon gave Pwyll a small bag and told him to keep it safe and to return to the palace on the next twelth month. On the following twelth month Pwyll returned to the palace with 100 knights. He hid them in the orchards and dressed himself in rags. He went into the palace where the great feast was to be held begging for food to put in the bag that Rhiannon had given him. Rhiannon had secretly made the bag to appear small but it was large enough to hold all the food of the kingdom. As Pwyll took the food and put it in the bag and the bag never appeared full he said that it could never be full until a man of noble birth must stomp inside the bag with his feet until the bag was full.

The youth that was to marry Rhiannon stepped forward and put his feet in the bag. And quickly Pwyll pulled the bag up over the youth and tied it so he could not get out. The knights asked Pwyll what was in the bag? Pwyll replied that it was a badger so the knights kicked and struck blows at the bag as it was a past time to play "badger in the bag". The youth cried out from inside the bag that he was of noble birth and he did not want to be slain inside a bag.Pwyll took pity on the youth and said that he would release him if he promised Rhiannons hand and would not take revenge on Pwyll. To make sure he kept his promise he would take the youths counsellors so he could not take revenge. The youth returned to his palace to heal his wounds.

Pwyll and Rhiannon were married and gave gifts to all and then returned to the Palace of Narberth. In the forth year after their marriage a son was born to them. Pwyll sent for a group of nurses to mind the child. One night the nurses got tired and fell asleep and when they woke the child was gone. They plotted together to tell Pwyll that Rhiannon had taken the child and killed it so they would not be punished by Pwyll. Rhiannon begged them not to do this that her husband was kind and even though they would be punished she would ask him to be lenient. The nurses went to Pwyll anyway deciding that they would have to believe all them over Rhiannon. Pwyll was angry over the loss of his son but could not kill his wife so instead he sent her to stand at the palaces gates and offer to carry anyone who entered into the palace upon her back like a horse. Rhiannon served her penance for almost a full year.

Tiernyon Twryv was the Lord of Gwent and was said to be the best man in the world. He and his wife were unable to have children. But he did have some of the best horses in the world and a very beautiful mare. Each year he would bring in a colt to serve the mare but the night the foal was to be born the colt was killed and he would have to get another. no colt could survive in his kingdom. So when his mare was due to foal around solstice he hid behind the stable to catch the culprit. Around midnight he saw a big claw come in and grab for the colt. He grabbed the claw of the beast and ripped it off. As he went to return to the palace he saw a young male child. He took it back with him and his wife and himself raised and kept the child as their own. As the child grew, the lord of gwent saw a resemblance to Pwyll. He knew that it was his son that had disappeared and decided to return the boy. Pwyll was so grateful for his sons return that he allowed The Lord of Gwent and his wife to become second parents of the child and gave him money to repay him for caring so well for the child.

From that day on Pwyll named his son :pryderi, which meant "end of trouble".