rel and of the trappings of his horse
as were yellow, as yellow were they as the blossom of the broom, and such
as were red, were as ruddy as the ruddiest blood in the world.

Then behold the horseman overtook them, and he asked of Iddawc a share of
the little men that were with him. "That which is fitting for me to
grant I will grant, and thou shalt be a companion to them as I have
been." And the horseman went away. "Iddawc," enquired Rhonabwy, "who
was that horseman?" "Rhuvawn Pebyr, the son of Prince Deorthach."

And they journeyed over the plain of Argyngroeg as far as the ford of
Rhyd y Groes on the Severn. And for a mile around the ford on both sides
of the road, they saw tents and encampments, and there was the clamour of
a mighty host. And they came to the edge of the ford, and there they
beheld Arthur sitting on a flat island below the ford, having Bedwini
{112} the Bishop on one side of him, and Gwarthegyd the son of Kaw on the
other. And a tall auburn-haired youth stood before him, with his
sheathed sword in his hand, and clad in a coat and a cap of jet black
satin. And his face was white as ivory, and his eyebrows black as jet,
and such part of his wrist as could be seen between his glove and his
sleeve was whiter than the lily, and thicker than a warrior's ankle.

Then came Iddawc and they that were with him, and stood before Arthur,
and saluted him. "Heaven grant thee good," said Arthur. "And where,
Iddawc, didst thou find these little men?" "I found them, lord, up
yonder on the road." Then the Emperor smiled. "Lord," said Iddawc,
"wherefore dost thou laugh?" "Iddawc," replied Arthur, "I laugh nor; but
it pitieth me that men of such stature as these should have this Island
in their keeping, after the men that guarded it of yore." Then said
Iddawc, "Rhonabwy, dost thou see the ring with a stone set in it, that is
upon the Emperor's hand?" "I see it," he answered. "It is one of the
properties of that stone, to enable thee to remember that thou seest here
to-night, and hadst thou not seen the stone, thou wouldest never have
been able to remember aught thereof."

After this they saw a troop coming towards the ford. "Iddawc," enquired
Rhonabwy, "to whom does yonder troop belong?" "They are the fellows of
Rhuvawn Pebyr the son of Prince Deorthach. And these men are honourably
served with mead and bragget, and are freely beloved by the daughters of
the kings of the Island of Britain. And th