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The tale of Nynniaw and Peibiaw
Nov. 3rd, 2007 01:50 pm translated by Lady Charlotte Guest
from The Mabinogion endnotes
I have changed a few names and such to fit with Tegid's world. Also, I have added the best part of the tale that I picked up from another book, and embellished the ending with it.
"There were two kings, formerly in Albion, named . As these two ranged the fields one starlight night, ‘See,’ said Nynniaw, ‘what a beautiful and extensive field I possess!'
‘Where is it?’ said Peibiaw
‘The whole Firmament,’ said Nynniaw, ‘far as vision can extend.’
‘And do thou see ‘said Peibiaw, ‘what countless herds and flocks of cattle and sheep I have depasturing thy field?’
‘Where are they?’ said Nynniaw.
‘Why the whole host of stars which thou seest,’ said Peibiaw, ‘and each of golden effulgence, with the Moon for their shepherdess, to superintend their wanderings.’
‘They shall not graze in MY pasture,’ said Nynniaw.
‘They shall,’ said Peibiaw
‘They shall not,’ said one ‘They shall’ said the other, repeatedly, in bandied contradiction, until at last it arose to wild contention between them, and from contention it came to furious war; until the armies and subjects of both were nearly annihilated in the desolation.
RHITTA, the Giant, King of Wales, hearing of the carnage committed by these two maniac kings, determined on hostility against them and, having previously consulted the laws and his people, he arose and marched against them because they had, as stated, followed the courses of depopulation and devastation, under the suggestions of phrenzy. He vanquished them, and then cut off their beards. But, when the other Sovereigns included in the twenty-eight kings of the island of Albion, heard these things, they combined all their legions to revenge the degradation committed on the two disbearded kings, and made a fierce onslaught on Rhitta the Giant, and his forces; and furiously bold fought the engagement. But Rhitta the Giant won the day.
‘This is my extensive field,’ said he, then, and immediately disbearded the other kings.
When the kings of the surrounding countries heard of the disgrace inflicted on all these disbearded kings, they armed themselves against Rhitta the Giant and his men; and tremendous was the conflict; but Rhitta the Giant achieved a most decisive victory, and then exclaimed:
‘This is MY immense field!’ and at once the kings were disbearded by him and his men. Then pointing to the irrational monarchs, ‘These,’ said he, ‘are the animals that grazed my field, but I have driven them out; they shall no longer depasture there.’
After that he took up all the beards, and made out of them a mantle for himself that extended from head to heel; and Rhitta was twice as large as any other person ever seen.
After that Rhitta changed Nynniaw and Peibiaw into oxen for the trouble they had caused Albion. They were to stay Oxen for a year and a day, and when the penance was paid they were to meet him on the same field to have the curse lifted.
from The Mabinogion endnotes
I have changed a few names and such to fit with Tegid's world. Also, I have added the best part of the tale that I picked up from another book, and embellished the ending with it.
"There were two kings, formerly in Albion, named . As these two ranged the fields one starlight night, ‘See,’ said Nynniaw, ‘what a beautiful and extensive field I possess!'
‘Where is it?’ said Peibiaw
‘The whole Firmament,’ said Nynniaw, ‘far as vision can extend.’
‘And do thou see ‘said Peibiaw, ‘what countless herds and flocks of cattle and sheep I have depasturing thy field?’
‘Where are they?’ said Nynniaw.
‘Why the whole host of stars which thou seest,’ said Peibiaw, ‘and each of golden effulgence, with the Moon for their shepherdess, to superintend their wanderings.’
‘They shall not graze in MY pasture,’ said Nynniaw.
‘They shall,’ said Peibiaw
‘They shall not,’ said one ‘They shall’ said the other, repeatedly, in bandied contradiction, until at last it arose to wild contention between them, and from contention it came to furious war; until the armies and subjects of both were nearly annihilated in the desolation.
RHITTA, the Giant, King of Wales, hearing of the carnage committed by these two maniac kings, determined on hostility against them and, having previously consulted the laws and his people, he arose and marched against them because they had, as stated, followed the courses of depopulation and devastation, under the suggestions of phrenzy. He vanquished them, and then cut off their beards. But, when the other Sovereigns included in the twenty-eight kings of the island of Albion, heard these things, they combined all their legions to revenge the degradation committed on the two disbearded kings, and made a fierce onslaught on Rhitta the Giant, and his forces; and furiously bold fought the engagement. But Rhitta the Giant won the day.
‘This is my extensive field,’ said he, then, and immediately disbearded the other kings.
When the kings of the surrounding countries heard of the disgrace inflicted on all these disbearded kings, they armed themselves against Rhitta the Giant and his men; and tremendous was the conflict; but Rhitta the Giant achieved a most decisive victory, and then exclaimed:
‘This is MY immense field!’ and at once the kings were disbearded by him and his men. Then pointing to the irrational monarchs, ‘These,’ said he, ‘are the animals that grazed my field, but I have driven them out; they shall no longer depasture there.’
After that he took up all the beards, and made out of them a mantle for himself that extended from head to heel; and Rhitta was twice as large as any other person ever seen.
After that Rhitta changed Nynniaw and Peibiaw into oxen for the trouble they had caused Albion. They were to stay Oxen for a year and a day, and when the penance was paid they were to meet him on the same field to have the curse lifted.
