Culhwch And Olwen by Heather Dale
Culhwch, son of Cilydd, a nobleman of Wales
was counselled by his mother to seek Olwen as a bride.
Fair Olwen, only daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden
Who would never let her marry, for when she wed he'd die.
So Culhwch went to Arthur, his kinsman and his cousin
To ask for aid in seeking fairest Olwen for his bride
Arthur's knights they joined him: Kei, Bedwyr and Gawain
With Menw the magician and Cynddylig as their guide
And so they travelled onwards to the lands of Ysbaddaden
Where they came upon his castle, and rode their steeds inside.
"Chief giant!" shouted Culhwch to the monster king before him
"I've come for fairest Olwen, that your daughter be my bride."
"Before you have my daughter bring me Mabon son of Modron
Who was taken from his mother even as his lips first cried."
"I know that I can do so, 'though you think it be not easy."
Said good Culhwch to the giant as he called the knights to ride.
So the sought the oldest animal, the Blackbird of Cilgwri,
And said "Know ye of Mabon, stolen from his mother's side?"
The Bird showed them an anvil that his beak had rendered small
And said, "Though I am ancient, there are older hearts than I."
They found the Stag of Rhedynfre who stood beside a stump
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