res to ally himself with thee, lord," said they, "and
he comes to ask Branwen the daughter of Llyr, that, if it seem well to
thee, the Island of the Mighty may be leagued with Ireland and both
become more powerful." "Verily," said he, "let him come to land, and we
will take counsel thereupon." And this answer was brought to Matholwch.
"I will go willingly," said he. So he landed, and they received him
joyfully; and great was the throng in the palace that night, between his
hosts and those of the court; and next day they took counsel, and they
resolved to bestow Branwen upon Matholwch. Now she was one of the three
chief ladies of this Island, and she was the fairest damsel in the world.

And they fixed upon Aberffraw, as the place where she should become his
bride. And they went thence, and towards Aberffraw the hosts proceeded;
Matholwch and his host in their ships; Bendigeid Vran and his host by
land, until they came to Aberffraw. And at Aberffraw they began the
feast and sat down. And thus sat they. The King of the Island of the
Mighty and Manawyddan the son of Llyr, on one side, and Matholwch on the
other side, and Branwen the daughter of Llyr beside him. And they were
not within a house, but under tents. No house could ever contain
Bendigeid Vran. And they began the banquet and caroused and discoursed.
And when it was more pleasing to them to sleep than to carouse they went
to rest, and that night Branwen became Matholwch's bride.

And next day they arose, and all they of the court, and the officers
began to equip and to range the horses and the attendants, and they
ranged them in order as far as the sea.

And behold one day, Evnissyen, the quarrelsome man of whom it is spoken
above, came by chance into the place, where the horses of Matholwch were,
and asked whose horses they might be. "They are the horses of Matholwch
king of Ireland, who is married to Branwen, thy sister; his horses are
they." "And is it thus they have done with a maiden such as she, and
moreover my sister, bestowing her without my consent? They could have
offered no greater insult to me than this," said he. And thereupon he
rushed under the horses and cut off their lips at the teeth, and their
ears close to their heads, and their tails {42} close to their backs, and
wherever he could clutch their eyelids, he cut them to the very bone, and
he disfigured the horses and rendered them useless.

And they came with these tidings unto