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learningthis,setforthfromhometovisitthepalaceandfreehis
adoptivefather,Elphin.
Inthosedaysitwasthecustomofkingstositinthehallanddine
inroyalstatewithlordsandbardsaboutthemwhoshouldkeep
proclaimingthegreatnessandgloryofthekingandhisknights.
Taliessinplacedhimselfinaquietcorner,waitingforthefourand
twentybardstopass,andaseachonepassedby,Taliessinmade
anuglyface,andgaveasoundwithhisfingeronhislips,thus,
˝Blerwm,Blerwm.˝Eachbardwentbyandbowedhimselfbeforethe
king,butinsteadofbeginningtochanthispraises,couldonlyplay
˝Blerwm,Blerwm˝onthelips,astheboyhaddone.Thekingwas
amazedandthoughttheymustbeintoxicated,sohesentoneofhis
lordstothem,tellingthemtobehavethemselvesandrememberwhere
theywere.Twiceandthricehetoldthem,buttheycouldonlyrepeat
thesamefoolishness,untilatlastthekingorderedoneofhissquires
togiveablowtothechiefbard,andthesquirestruckhimablowwith
abroom,sothathefellbackonhisseat.Thenhearoseandknelt
beforetheking,andsaid,˝Oh,honorableking,beitknownuntoyour
gracethatitisnotfromtoomuchdrinkingthatwearedumb,but
throughtheinfluenceofaspiritwhichsitsinthecorneryonderinthe
formofachild.˝ThenthekingbadeasquiretobringTaliessinbefore
him,andheaskedtheboywhohewas.Heanswered:–
˝PrimarychiefbardIamtoElphin,
Andmyoriginalcountryistheregionofthesummerstars;
Iamawonderwhoseoriginisnotknown;
IhavebeenfosteredinthelandoftheDeity,
Ihavebeenteachertoallintelligences,
Iamabletoinstructthewholeuniverse.
IwasoriginallylittleGwion,
AndatlengthIamTaliessin.˝
Thenthekingandhisnobleswonderedmuch,fortheyhadnever
heardthelikefromaboysoyoung.Thekingthencalledhiswisest
bardtoanswerTaliessin,buthecouldonlyplay˝Blerwm˝onhislips
asbefore,andeachoftheking'sfourandtwentybardstriedinthe
samewayandcoulddonothingmore.ThenthekingbadeTaliessin
singagain,andhebegan:–
˝Discoverthouwhatis
Thestrongcreaturefrombeforetheflood,
Withoutflesh,withoutbone,
Withoutvein,withoutblood,
