to let it
go free.'

'I will not let it go free, neither will I sell it.'

'As thou wilt, lord,' answered the scholar, and he went his way.

Manawyddan was placing the cross-beam on the two forked sticks, where
the mouse was to hang, when a priest rode past.

'Good-day to thee, lord; and what art thou doing?'

'I am hanging a thief that I caught robbing me.'

'What manner of thief, lord?'

'A creature in the form of a mouse. It has been robbing me, and it shall
suffer the doom of a thief.'

'Lord,' said the priest, 'sooner than see thee touch this reptile, I
would purchase its freedom.'

'I will neither sell it nor set it free.'

'It is true that a mouse is worth nothing, but rather than see thee
defile thyself with touching such a reptile as this, I will give thee
three pounds for it.'

'I will not take any price for it. It shall be hanged as it deserves.'

'Willingly, my lord, if it is thy pleasure.' And the priest went his
way.

Then Manawyddan noosed the string about the mouse's neck, and was
about to draw it tight when a bishop, with a great following and horses
bearing huge packs, came by.

'What work art thou upon?' asked the bishop, drawing rein.

'Hanging a thief that I caught robbing me.'

'But is not that a mouse that I see in thine hand?' asked the bishop.

'Yes; that is the thief,' answered Manawyddan.

'Well, since I have come at the doom of this reptile, I will ransom it
of thee for seven pounds, rather than see a man of thy rank touch it.
Loose it, and let it go.'

'I will not let it loose.'

'I will give thee four and twenty pounds to set it free,' said the
bishop.

'I will not set it free for as much again.'

'If thou wilt not set it free for this, I will give thee all the horses
thou seest and the seven loads of baggage.'

'I will not set it free.'

'Then tell me at what price thou wilt loose it, and I will give it.'

'The spell must be taken off Rhiannon and Pryderi,' said Manawyddan.

'That shall be done.'

'But not yet will I loose the mouse. The charm that has been cast over
all my lands must be taken off likewise.'

'This shall be done also.'

'But not yet will I loose the mouse till I know who she is.'

'She is my wife,' answered the bishop.

'And wherefore came she to me?' asked Manawyddan.

'To despoil thee,' replied the bishop, 'for it is I who cast the charm
over thy lands, to avenge Gwawl the son of Clud my friend. And it was I
who threw the spell