day
twelvemonth at the palace of Heveydd. And I will cause a feast to be
prepared, so that it be ready against thou come." "Gladly," said he,
"will I keep this tryst." "Lord," said she, "remain in health, and be
mindful that thou keep thy promise; and now will I go hence." 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 Hen. 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 Hen was on one side of Pwyll, and Rhiannon on the other. And all
the rest according to their rank. And they eat 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, my soul," said
Pwyll, "come thou and sit down." "Nay," said he, "a suitor am I, and I
will do mine errand." "Do so willingly," said Pwyll. "Lord," said he,
"my errand is unto thee, and it is to crave a boon of thee that I come."
"What boon soever thou mayest ask of me, as far as I am able, thou shall
have." "Ah," said Rhiannon, "Wherefore didst thou give that answer?"
"Has he not given it before the presence of these nobles?" asked the
youth. "My soul," said Pwyll, "what is the boon thou askest?" "The lady
whom best I love is to be thy bride this night; I come to ask her of
thee, with the feast and the banquet that are in this place." And Pwyll
was silent because of the answer which he had given. "Be silent as long
as thou wilt," said Rhiannon. "Never did man make worse use of his wits
than thou hast done." "Lady," said he, "I knew not who he was." "Behold,
this is the man to whom they would have given me against my will," said
she. "And he is Gwawl the son of Clud, a man of great power and wealth,
and because of the word thou hast spoken, bestow me upon him lest shame
befall thee." "Lady," said he, "I understand not thine answe