Chapter 26 - Page 2

followed her. And he let his horse go
bounding playfully, and thought that he should soon come up with
her. But he came no nearer to her than at first. Then he urged his
horse to his utmost speed; yet he found that it availed not. Then said
Pwyll, "O maiden, for the sake of him whom thou best lovest, stay
for me." "I will stay gladly," said she; "and it were better for thy
horse hadst thou asked it long since." So the maiden stopped; and
she threw back that part of her headdress which covered her face. Then
he thought that the beauty of all the maidens and all the ladies
that he had ever seen was as nothing compared to her beauty. "Lady,"
he said, "wilt thou tell me aught concerning thy purpose?" "I will
tell thee," said she; "my chief quest was to see thee." "Truly,"
said Pwyll, "this is to me the most pleasing quest on which thou
couldst have come; and wilt thou tell me who thou art?" "I will tell
thee, lord," said she. "I am Rhiannon, the daughter of Heveydd, and
they sought to give me to a husband against my will. But no husband
would I have, and that because of my love for thee; neither will I yet
have one, unless thou reject me; and hither have I come to hear thy
answer." "By Heaven," said Pwyll, "behold this is my answer. If I
might choose among all the ladies and damsels in the world, thee would
I choose." "Verily," said she, "if thou art thus minded, make a pledge
to meet me ere I am given to another." "The sooner I may do so, the
more pleasing will it be to me," said Pwyll; "and wheresoever thou
wilt, there will I meet with thee." "I will that thou meet me this day
twelvemonth at the palace of Heveydd." "Gladly," said he, "will I keep
this tryst." So they parted, and he went back to his hosts, and to
them of his household. And whatsoever questions they asked him
respecting the damsel, he always turned the discourse upon other
matters.
And when a year from that time was gone, he caused a hundred knights
to equip themselves, and to go with him to the palace of Heveydd.
And he came to the palace, and there was great joy concerning him,
with much concourse of people, and great rejoicing, and vast
preparations for his coming. And the whole court was placed under
his orders.
And the hall was garnished, and they went to meat, and thus did they
sit: Heveydd was on one side of Pwyll, and Rhiannon on the other;
and all the rest according to their rank. And they ate and feasted,
and talked one with another. And at the beginning of the carousal
after the meat, there entered a tall, auburn-haired youth, of royal
bearing, clothed in a garment of satin. And when he came into the
hall, he saluted Pwyll and his companions. "The greeting of Heaven
be unto thee," said Pwyll; "come thou and sit down." "Nay," said