were wont to see cattle,
and herds, and dwellings, they beheld neither house nor beast, nor man
nor smoke; neither was any one remaining in the green place save these
four only.

'Whither have they gone, and my host also?' cried Manawyddan, and they
searched the hall, and there was no man, and the castle, and there was
none, and in the dwellings that were left was nothing save wild beasts.
For a year these four fed on the meat that Manawyddan and Pryderi killed
out hunting, and the honey of the bees that sucked the mountain heather.
For a time they desired nothing more, but when the next year began they
grew weary.

'We cannot spend our lives thus,' said Manawyddan at last, 'let us go
into England and learn some trade by which we may live.' So they
left Wales, and went to Hereford, and there they made saddles, while
Manawyddan fashioned blue enamel ornaments to put on their trappings.
And so greatly did the townsfolk love these saddles, that no others
were bought throughout the whole of Hereford, till the saddlers banded
together and resolved to slay Manawyddan and his companions.

When Pryderi heard of it, he was very wroth, and wished to stay and
fight. But the counsels of Manawyddan prevailed, and they moved by night
to another city.

'What craft shall we follow?' asked Pryderi.

'We will make shields,' answered Manawyddan.

'But do we know anything of that craft?' answered Pryderi.

'We will try it,' said Manawyddan, and they began to make shields, and
fashioned them after the shape of the shields they had seen; and these
likewise they enamelled. And so greatly did they prosper that no man
in the town bought a shield except they had made it, till at length the
shield-makers banded together as the saddlers had done, and resolved to
slay them. But of this they had warning, and by night betook themselves
to another town.

'Let us take to making shoes,' said Manawyddan, 'for there are not any
among the shoemakers bold enough to fight us.'

'I know nothing of making shoes,' answered Pryderi, who in truth
despised so peaceful a craft.

'But I know,' replied Manawyddan, 'and I will teach thee to stitch. We
will buy the leather ready dressed, and will make the shoes from it.

Then straightway he sought the town for the best leather, and for a
goldsmith to fashion the clasps, and he himself watched till it was
done, so that he might learn for himself. Soon he became known as 'The
Maker of Gold Shoes,' and prosp