thus for no less
than three years.

{Picture: p49.jpg}

And Branwen reared a starling in the cover of the kneading trough, and
she taught it to speak, and she taught the bird what manner of man her
brother was. And she wrote a letter of her woes, and the despite with
which she was treated, and she bound the letter to the root of the bird's
wing, and sent it towards Wales. And the bird came to this Island, and
one day it found Bendigeid Vran at Caer Seiont in Arvon, conferring
there, and it alighted upon his shoulder and ruffled its feathers, so
that the letter was seen, and they knew that the bird had been reared in
a domestic manner.

Then Bendigeid Vran took the letter and looked upon it. And when he had
read the letter, he grieved exceedingly at the tidings of Branwen's woes.
And immediately he began sending messengers to summon the Island
together. And he caused seven score and four countries to come unto him,
and he complained to them himself of the grief that his sister endured.
So they took counsel. And in the counsel they resolved to go to Ireland,
and to leave seven men as princes here. And Caradawc the son of Bran, as
the chief of them, and their seven knights. In Edeyrnion, were these men
left. And for this reason were the seven knights placed in the town.
{50a} Now the names of these seven were Caradawc the son of Bran, and
Heveydd Hir, and Unic Glew Ysgwyd, and Iddic the son of Anarawc
Gwalltgrwn, and Fodor the son of Ervyll, and Gwlch Minascwrn, and Llassar
the son of Llaesar Llaesgygwyd, and Pendaran Dyved as a young page with
them. And these abode as seven ministers to take charge of this Island;
and Caradawc the son of Bran was the chief amongst them.

Bendigeid Vran, with the hosts of which we spoke, sailed towards Ireland,
and it was not far across the sea, and he came to shoal water. It was
but by two rivers; the Lli and the Archan were they called; and the
nations covered the sea. {50b} Then he proceeded with what provisions he
had on his own back, and approached the shore of Ireland.

Now the swineherds of Matholwch were upon the sea shore, and they came to
Matholwch. "Lord," said they, "greeting be unto thee." "Heaven protect
you," said he, "have you any news?" "Lord," said they, "we have
marvellous news; a wood have we seen upon the sea, in a place where we
never yet saw a single tree." "This is indeed a marvel," said he; "saw
you aught else?" "We saw, lord," said they, "a