BELI
the Great, the son of Manogan, had three sons, LIudd, and Caswallawn, and Nynyaw;
and according to the story he had a fourth son called Llevelys. And after the
death of Beli, the kingdom of the Island of Britain fell into the hands of Lludd
his eldest son; and Lludd ruled prosperously, and rebuilt the walls of London,
and encompassed it about with numberless towers. And after that he bade the
citizens build houses therein, such as no houses in the kingdoms could equal.
And moreover he was a mighty warrior, and generous and liberal in giving meat
and drink to all that sought them. And though he had many castles and cities
this one loved he more than any. And he dwelt therein most part of the year, and
therefore was it called Caer Lludd, and at last Caer London. And after the
stranger-race came there, it was called London, or Lwndrys.
Lludd loved Llevelys best of all his brothers, because he was a wise and
discreet man. Having heard that the king of France had died, leaving no heir
except a daughter, and that he had left all his possessions in her hands, he
came to Lludd his brother, to beseech his counsel and aid. And that not so much
for his own welfare, as to seek to add to the glory and honour and dignity of
his kindred, if he might go to France to woo the maiden for his wife. And
forthwith his brother conferred with him, and this counsel was pleasing unto
him.
So he prepared ships and filled them with armed knights, and set forth towards
France. And as soon as they had landed, they sent messengers to show the nobles
of France the cause of the embassy. And by the joint counsel of the nobles of
France and of the princes, the maiden was given to Llevelys, and the crown of
the kingdom with her. And thenceforth he ruled the land discreetly, and wisely
and happily, as long as his life lasted.
After a space of time had passed, three plagues fell on the Island of Britain,
such as none in the islands had ever seen the like of. The first was a certain
race that came, and was called the Coranians; and so great was their knowledge,
that there was no discourse upon the face of the Island, however low it might be
spoken, but what, if the wind met it, it was known to them. And through this
they could not be injured.
The second plague was a shriek which came on every May-eve, over every hearth in
the Island of Britain. And this went through people's hearts, and so seared
them, that the men lost their hue and their strength, and the women their
children, and the young men and the maidens lost their senses, and all the
animals and trees and the earth and the waters, were left barren.
The third plague was, that however much of provisions and food might be prepared
in the king's courts, were there even so much as a year's provision of meat and
drink, none of it could ever be found, except what was consumed in the first
night. And two of these plagues, no one ever knew their cause, therefore was
there better hope of being freed from the first than from the second and third.
And thereupon King Lludd felt great sorrow and care, because that he knew not
how he might be freed from these plagues. And he called to him all the nobles of
his kingdom, and asked counsel of them what they should do against these
afflictions. And by the common counsel of the nobles, Lludd the son of Beli,
went to Llevelys his brother, king of France, for he was a man great of counsel
and wisdom, to seek his advice.
And they made ready a fleet, and that in secret and in silence, lest that race
should know the cause of their errand, or any besides the king and his
counsellors. And when they were made ready, they went into their ships, Lludd
and those whom he chose with him. And they began to cleave the seas towards
France.
And when these tidings came to Llevelys, seeing that he knew not the cause of
his brother's ships, he came on the other side to meet him, and with him was a
fleet vast of size. And when Lludd saw this, he left all the ships out upon the
sea except one only; and in that one he came to meet his brother, and he
likewise with a single ship came to meet him. And when they were come together,
each put his arms about the other's neck, and they welcomed each other with
brotherly love.
After that Lludd had shown his brother the cause of his errand, Llevelys said
that he himself knew the cause of the coming to those lands. And they took
counsel together to discourse on the matter otherwise than thus, in order that
the wind might not catch their words, nor the Coranians know what they might
say. Then Llevelys caused a long horn to be made of brass, and through this horn
they discoursed. But whatsoever words they spoke through this horn, one to the
other, neither of them could hear any other but harsh and hostile words. And
when Llevelys saw this, and that there was a demon thwarting them and disturbing
through this horn, he caused wine to be put therein to wash it. And through the
virtue of the wine the demon was driven out of the horn. And when their
discourse was unobstructed, Llevelys told his brother that he would give him
some insects whereof he should keep some to breed, lest by chance the like
affliction might come a second time. And other of these insects he should take
and braise in water. And he assured him that it would have power to destroy the
race of the Coranians. That is to say, that when he came home to his kingdom he
should call together all the people both of his own race and of the race of the
Coranians for a conference, as though with the intent of making peace between
them; and that when they were all together, he should take this charmed water,
and cast it over all alike. And he assured him that the water would poison the
race of the Coranians, but that it would not slay or harm those of his own race.
"And the second plague," said he, " that is in thy dominion,
behold it is a dragon. And another dragon of a foreign race is fighting with it,
and striving to overcome it. And therefore does your dragon make a fearful
outcry. And on this wise mayest thou come to know this. After thou hast returned
home, cause the Island to be measured in its length and breadth, and in the
place where thou dost find the exact central point, there cause a pit to be dug,
and cause a cauldron full of the best mead that can be made to be put in the
pit, with a covering of satin over the face of the cauldron. And then, in thine
own person do thou remain there watching, and thou wilt see the dragons fighting
in the form of terrific animals. And at length they will take the form of
dragons in the air. And last of all, after wearying themselves with fierce and
furious fighting, they will fall in the form of two pigs upon the covering, and
they will sink in, and the covering with them, and they will draw it down to the
very bottom of the cauldron. And they will drink up the whole of the mead; and
after that they will sleep. Thereupon do thou immediately fold the covering
around them, and bury them in a kistvaen, in the strongest place thou hast in
thy dominions, and hide them in the earth. And as long as they shall bide in
that strong place no plague shall come to the Island of Britain from
elsewhere."1
"The cause of the third plague," said he, "is a mighty man of
magic, who takes thy meat and thy drink and thy store. And he through illusions
and charms causes every one to sleep. Therefore it is needful for thee in thy
own person to watch thy food and thy provisions. And lest he should overcome
thee with sleep, be there a cauldron of cold water by thy side, and when thou
art oppressed with sleep, plunge into the cauldron."2
Then Lludd returned back unto his land. And immediately he summoned to him the
whole of his own race and of the Coranians. And as Llevelys had taught him, he
bruised the insects in water, the which he cast over them all together, and
forthwith it destroyed the whole tribe of the Coranians, without hurt to any of
the Britons.
And some time after this, Lludd caused the Island to be measured in its length
and in its breadth. And in Oxford he found the central point, and in that place
he caused the earth to be dug, and in that pit a cauldron to be set, full of the
best mead that could be made, and a covering of satin over the face of it. And
he himself watched that night. And while he was there, he beheld the dragons
fighting. And when they were weary they fell, and came down upon the top of the
satin, and drew it with them to the bottom of the cauldron. And when they had
drunk the mead they slept. And in their sleep, Lludd folded the covering around
them, and in the securest place he had in Snowdon, he hid them in a kistraen.
Now after that this spot was called Dinas Emreis, but before that, Dinas Ffaraon.
And thus the fierce outcry ceased in his dominions.
And when this was ended, King Lludd caused an exceeding great banquet to be
prepared. And when it was ready, he placed a vessel of cold water by his side,
and he in his own proper person watched it. And as he abode thus clad with arms,
about the third watch of the night, lo, he heard many surpassing fascinations
and various songs. And drowsiness urged him to sleep. Upon this, lest he should
be hindered from his purpose and be overcome by sleep, he went often into the
water. And at last, behold, a man of vast size, clad in strong, heavy armour,
came in, bearing a hamper. And, as he was wont, he put all the food and
provisions of meat and drink into the hamper, and proceeded to go with it forth.
And nothing was ever more wonderful to Lludd, than that the hamper should hold
so much.
And thereupon King Lludd went after him and spoke unto him thus. "Stop,
stop," said he, "though thou hast done many insults and much spoil
erewhile, thou shalt not do so any more, unless thy skill in arms and thy
prowess be greater than mine."
Then he instantly put down the hamper on the floor, and awaited him. And a
fierce encounter was between them, so that the glittering fire flew out from
their arms. And at the last Lludd grappled with him, and fate bestowed the
victory on Lludd. And he threw the plague to the earth. And after he had
overcome him by strength and might, he besought his mercy. "How can I grant
thee mercy," said the king, "after all the many injuries and wrongs
that thou hast done me?"
All the losses that ever I have caused thee," said he, "I will make
thee atonement for, equal to what I have taken. And I will never do the like
from this time forth. But thy faithful vassal will I be." And the king
accepted this from him.
And thus Lludd freed the Island of Britain from the three plagues. And from
thenceforth until the end of his life, in prosperous peace did Lludd the son of
Beli rule the Island of Britain. And this Tale is called the Story of Lludd and
Llevelys. And thus it ends.
1. These are the same dragons which appear in Nennius' story of Ambrosius and Vortigern, which Geoffrey of Monmouth makes Merlin and Vortigern. From Nennius comes the concept of the red dragon as representing the Britons; this is the same red dragon on the flag of Wales.
2. This of course is reminiscient of both Beowulf's Grendel, and the story of "Bel and the Dragon" in the Deuterocannonical chapters of Daniel.