sts and crocodiles.
He himself went to a gloomy pool, the haunt of the king of the efync,
baited a huge hook attached to a cable, filing it into the pool, and when
the monster had gorged the snare drew him out by means of certain
gigantic oxen, {21a} which he had tamed to the plough, and burnt his
horrid, wet, scaly carcass on a fire. He then caused enclosures to be
made, fields to be ploughed and sown, pleasant wooden houses to be built,
bees to be sheltered and encouraged, and schools to be erected where song
and music were taught. O, a truly great man was Hu Gadarn! though a
warrior, he preferred the sickle and pruning-hook to the sword, and the
sound of the song and lute to the hoarse blast of the buffalo's horn:--

The mighty Hu with mead would pay
The bard for his melodious lay;
The Emperor of land and sea
And of all livings things was he. {21b}

For many years after the death of Hu the Cymry retrograded instead of
advancing in civilization; they ceased to be a united people; plunder and
devastation were of daily occurrence among them; every one did as he
pleased, as far as in his power lay; there was no law, but the law of the
strongest; and no justice, save that which was obtained from clemency and
courtesy. At length one Prydain arose, who, either from ambition or a
nobler motive, determined to introduce a system of government amongst
them. By strength of arm and character he induced the Cymry of the lower
country to acknowledge him for their head, and to obey certain laws which
he enacted for the regulation of conduct. But neither his sovereignty
nor his laws were regarded by the Cymry of the hilly regions. Prydain
was the first king amongst the Cymry; and from his time the island was
called Britain, which is a modification of his name, and the inhabitants
Britons. The independent Cymry, however, disdained to call themselves or
their districts after him, but still styled themselves Cymry, and their
districts Cumrie-land and Cumberland; whilst the Gael of the North, who
never submitted to his sway, and who knew little about him, still called
themselves Gael, and their country Caledon and Alban.

Various kings succeeded Prydain, during whose reigns the Britons
continued in much the same state as that in which he had left them; on
the coming of one Dyfnwal Moelmud, however, to the throne, a mighty
improvement was effected in their condition. This prince was the great
lawgiver of the Britons