LIAM GUILAR is Poetry Editor of The Brazen Head, and the author of several poetry collections, including the series A Man of Heart, Presentment of Englishry and The Fabled Third (Shearsman), set in post-Roman Britain
This is from a translation of Culhwch and Olwen, ‘the oldest surviving Arthurian tale’ from medieval Welsh prose to modern English Verse. The story tells how Culhwch marries Olwen, the giant’s daughter. However, before he can marry her, he must complete forty tasks for her father. Many are obviously impossible; some merely extremely difficult. The tasks are completed not by Culhwch but by King Arthur and his men. What follows is the second and third task.
The complete translation, How Culhwch won Olwen, a verse translation of the oldest Arthurian tale, will be published by Shearsman in 2026. See
https://www.shearsman.com/store/Liam-Guilar-trans-How-Culhwch-Won-Olwen-p767786031
The translation is based on Culhwch and Olwen. An edition and study of the oldest Arthurian tale, by Rachel Bromwich and D. Simon Evans, (University of Wales Press, 1992)
The tale of the oldest animals (The freeing of Mabon mab Modron)
After they’d told Arthur all that had happened,
he said, ‘Which of these wonders should we seek first?’
‘It’s best to seek Mabon mab Modron
And to find him we need his kinsmen,
Eidoel mab Aer.’
Arthur and his knights arose,
and sought throughout Britain
until they came to the outer walls of Gliwi
where Eidoel was a prisoner.
Gliwi stood on the top of his fort:
‘Arthur, what do you want?
Life’s bad enough on this crag
without you coming to ruin me.
I have neither wheat nor oats,
nor goods nor pleasure.’
‘I haven’t come to harm you,
I seek your prisoner.’
‘You can have him, although
I never intended to give him up.
And on top of that my help and support.
The men said to Arthur: ‘Lord, go home.
You cannot go with your host,
to seek such a petty thing as this.’
Arthur replied: ‘Gwrhyr the Translator,
It is good for you to go on this quest,
You know all the languages of men,
and some of the animals and birds’.
Eidoel, it is good that you go with my men
to seek Mabon, as he is your cousin.
Kei and Bedwyr, it is my hope
that whatever you seek you will find.
Go on this quest for me.’
They went until they found the Blackbird of Gilgwri.
Gwrhyr asked her: ’For God’s sake,
Do you know anything of Mabon mab Modron,
who was taken from between his mother and the wall,
when he was three nights old?’
The Blackbird replied:
‘I was a young bird
when first I came here
and found this anvil.
It hasn’t been touched
except by my beak,
tapping each evening.
Today you can see
all that’s left is the size
of a nut. God’s
vengeance on me
if I know of this man
you ask me about.
However, I will do
what is proper for
Arthur’s messengers.
There is another
creature God made
before me, and I
will take you to him.’
They went until they found the Stag of Redynure.
‘Stag of Redynure, we are messengers of Arthur,
we know of no animal older than you.
Say if you know anything of Mabon mab Modron,
who was taken from between his mother and the wall
when he was three nights old.’
‘When first I came here,
I had but a single tine
on either side of my head.
There were no trees but a single sapling.
That sapling grew into an oak with a hundred branches.
Then it fell to the earth, and now
there’s nothing of it left but a red stump.
Though I’ve been here from that day to this,
I’ve heard nothing of this man you mention.
But because you are Arthur’s messengers,
I will be your guide to an animal God made before me.’
They came to the place
where they found the Owl of Cwm Kawlwyt.
‘Owl of Cwm Kawlywt these are messengers from Arthur.
Do you know anything of Mabon mab Modron
who was taken from his mother on the third night?’
‘What I do know, I will tell to you.
When first I came here
the great valley you see
was thick with trees.
Then came a race of men
and laid waste the wood.
A second wood grew.
You now see the third.
The roots of my wings
are mere stumps now.
From that day to this
I have heard nothing
of the man you are seeking.
But I will be a guide
for Arthur’s messengers
until you come to the oldest
creature in the world
who has travelled the furthest:
the Eagle of Gwern Abwy.’
Gwyhyr said: ‘Eagle of Gwern Abwy
We have come, as messengers of Arthur,
to ask if you know anything about Mabon mab Modron
who was taken from his mother
when he was three nights old?’
The Eagle replied:
‘I came here
a long time ago
and when I first came here,
I had a stone,
and each evening,
from the top of my stone
I pecked at the stars.
Now it is not a handsbreadth in height.
From that day to this I have been here.
I have heard nothing of this man.
However,
when I was seeking my food in Llyn Llyw,
I sunk my talons into a salmon,
thinking he would feed me for a long time
but he pulled me down into the depths.
It was with difficulty I got away.
What I then did,
with all my kinsmen,
was to launch an attack.
We sought to destroy him.
He sent messengers
to me
to make peace,
then came
to me,
in person,
to have fifty tridents
removed from his back.
Unless he knows something
of the man you mentioned
I don’t know of anyone who does.
However, I will take you to him.’
They came to the place where he was.
The eagle said: ‘Salmon of Llyn Llyw,
I have come to you with Arthur’s messengers,
to ask if you know anything of Mabon mab Modron
who was taken from his mother on the third night.’
‘As much as I know I will tell you.
With every flood tide I go up the river
until I come to the bend
beneath the walls of Kaer Loyw.
Never in my life have I encountered,
such misery as I found there.
So you may believe me,
let one of you climb
on each of my two shoulders.’
Kei and Gwrhyr climbed on his shoulders.
They travelled upstream until they came
to the other side of the wall from the prisoner.
They could hear a-weeping and a-wailing.
Gwrhyr said: ‘What man laments
in this house of stone?’ ‘Alas, man,
I have cause for lamentation.
Mabon mab Modron is the prisoner here.
And no one has ever been imprisoned so cruelly,
neither Llud Silver hand nor Greit mab Eri.’
‘Is there hope of obtaining your freedom,
with gold or silver or worldly goods?
Or will it require assault and fighting?’
‘Whatever you can get of me,
will be got by fighting.’
They returned to Arthur
and told him where Mabon was.
Arthur summoned the fighting men of the island,
and they went to Kaer Loyw.
Kei and Bedwyr went upstream
on the shoulders of the salmon.
While Arthur’s warriors were attacking the fort,
Kei broke the wall, fighting with the men inside,
even when he was carrying the prisoner on his back.
Arthur came home with Mabon a free man.
LIAM GUILAR is Poetry Editor of The Brazen Head, and the author of several poetry collections, including the series A Man of Heart, Presentment of Englishry and The Fabled Third (Shearsman), set in post-Roman Britain