Three
Bestowed Horses of the Island of Britain:
Meinlas [Slender Grey], horse of Caswallawn son of Beli, Melyngan Gamre
[Pale Yellow of the Stud], horse of Lleu Skilful-Hand, and Lluagor
[Host-Splitter], horse of Caradawg Strong-Arm.
Three Chief Steeds of the Island of Britain:
Tall Black-Tinted, horse of Cynan Garrwyn, and Eager Long Fore-Legs, horse
of Cyhored son of Cynan, and Red... Wolf-Tread, horse of Gilbert son of
Cadgyffro.
Three Plundered Horses of the Island of Britain:
Karnaflawc [Cloven-Hoof], horse of Owain son of Urien, and Long Tongue,
horse of Cadwallawn son of Cadfan, and Bucheslom, horse of Gwgawn of the Red
Sword
Three Lively Steeds of the Island of Britain:
Gwineu Gwdwc Hir [Chestnut Long-neck] horse of Cei, and Grei hourse of
Edwin, and Llwyd [Grey] horse of Alfer son of Maelgwn.
Three Adulterers' Horses of the Island of
Britain:
Fferlas [Grey Fetlock] horse of Dalldaf son of Cunin, and Gwelwgan
Gohoewgein horse of Caradawg son of Gwallawc, and Gwrbrith [Spotted Dun] horse
of Rahawd.
Tri penn uarch ynys brydein dugant y tri
marchlwyth y mae eu henwen dracheuyn.
Is this a mistake of the scribe, leaving the triad incomplete?
Three Powerful Swineherds of the Island of
Britain:
Pryderi son of Pwyll, Lord of Annwfn, tending the swine of Penndaran Dyfed
his foster-father. These swine were the seven animals which Pwyll Lord of Annwfn
brought, and gave them to Penndaran Dyfed his foster-father. And the place where
he used to keep them was in Glyn Cuch in Emlyn. And this is why he was called a
Powerful Swineherd: because no one was able either to deceive or to force him;
and the second, Drystan son of Tallwch, tending the swine of March son of
Meirchyawn, while the swineherd went with a message to Essyllt. Arthur and March
and Cai and Bedwyr were (there) all four, but they did not succeed in getting so
much as one pigling - neither by force, nor by deception, nor by stealth; And
the third, Coll son of Collfrewy, tending the swine of Dallwyr Dallben in Glyn
Dallwyr in Cornwall. And one of the swine was pregnant, Henwen was her name. And
it was prophecied that the Island of Britain would be the worse for the
womb-burden. Then Arthur assembled the army of the Island of Britain, and set
out to seek to destroy her. And then she set off, about to bring forth (?), and
at Penrhyn Awstin in Cornwall she entered the sea, and the Powerful Swineherd
after her. And in the Wheat Field in Gwent she brought forth a grain of wheat
and a bee. And therefore from that day to this the Wheat Field in Gwent is the
best place for wheat and for bees. And at Llonion in Pembroke she brought forth
a grain of barley and a grain of wheat. Therefore, the barley of Llonion is
proverbial. At the Hill of Cyferthwch in Arfon she brought forth a (wolf-cub)
and a young eagle. The wolf was given to (M)ergaed and the eagle to Breat, a
prince of the North: and they were both the worse for them. And at Llanfair in
Arfon under the Black Rock she brought forth a kitten, and the Powerful
Swineherd threw it from the Rock into the sea. And the sons of Palug fostered it
in Môn, to their own harm: and that was Palug's Cat, and it was one of the
Three Great Oppressions of Môn, nurtured therein. The second was Daronwy, and
the third was Edwin, king of Lloegr.
It is worth noting that this triad is likely the inspiration of Lloyd
Alexander's series The Chronicles of Prydein, an award-winning fantasy series
that retells elements of Welsh legend and myth contained in the Red Book,
particularly the Mabinogi and the triads. Henwen the pig, Coll, Dallben,
Gwydion, and Pryderi all play prominent rolls in the series.
Three Favourites of Arthur's Court, and Three
Battle-Horsemen: they would never endure a PENTEULU over them. And
Arthur sang an ENGLYN:
These are my Three Battle-Horsemen:
and Lludd Llurugawc [of the Breastplate],
and the Pillar of the Cymry, Caradawg.
Three Golden Shoemakers of the Island of
Britain:
Caswallawn son of Beli, when he went to Rome to seek Fflur; and Manawydan
son of Llyr, when the Enchantment was on Dyfed; and Lleu Skilful-Hand, when he
and Gwydion were seeking a name and arms from his mother Ar(i)anrhod.
Three Kings who were (sprung) from Villeins:
Gwriad son of Gwrian in the North, and Cadafel son of Cynfeddw in Gwynedd,
and Hyfaidd son of Bleiddig in Deheubarth.
Three Defilements of the Severn:
Cadwallawn when he went to the Action of Digoll, and the forces of Cymry
with him; and Edwin on the other side, and the forces of Lloegr with him. And
then the Severn was defiled from its source to its mouth; The second, the gift
of Golydan from Einiawn son of Bedd, king of Cornwall; And the third, Calam the
horse of Iddon son of Ner from Maelgwn...