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II.TALIESSINOFTHERADIANTBROW
IntimespasttherewereenchantedislandsintheAtlanticOcean,off
thecoastofWales,andevennowthefishermensometimesthinkthey
seethem.OnoneofthesetherelivedamannamedTegidVoelandhis
wifecalledCardiwen.Theyhadason,theugliestboyintheworld,and
Cardiwenformedaplantomakehimmoreattractivebyteachinghim
allpossiblewisdom.Shewasagreatmagicianandresolvedtoboil
alargecaldronfullofknowledgeforherson,sothathemightknowall
thingsandbeabletopredictallthatwastohappen.Thenshethought
peoplewouldvaluehiminspiteofhisugliness.Butsheknewthatthe
caldronmustburnayearandadaywithoutceasing,untilthreeblessed
dropsofthewaterofknowledgewereobtainedfromit;andthosethree
dropswouldgiveallthewisdomshewanted.
SosheputaboynamedGwiontostirthecaldronandablindman
namedMordatofeedthefire;andmadethempromisenevertolet
itceaseboilingforayearandaday.Sheherselfkeptgatheringmagic
herbsandputtingthemintoit.Onedaywhentheyearwasnearlyover,
itchancedthatthreedropsoftheliquorflewoutofthecaldronandfell
onthefingerofGwion.Theywerefieryhot,andheputhisfinger
tohismouth,andtheinstanthetastedthemheknewthattheywerethe
enchanteddropsforwhichsomuchtroublehadbeentaken.Bytheir
magicheatonceforesawallthatwastocome,andespeciallythat
Cardiwentheenchantresswouldneverforgivehim.
ThenGwionfled.Thecaldronburstintwo,andalltheliquorflowed
forth,poisoningsomehorseswhichdrankit.Thesehorsesbelonged
toakingnamedGwyddno.Cardiwencameinandsawallthetoil
ofthewholeyearlost.Seizingastickofwood,shestrucktheblind
manMordafiercelyonthehead,buthesaid,˝Iaminnocent.Itwasnot
Iwhodidit.˝˝True,˝saidCardiwen;˝itwastheboyGwionwho
robbedme;˝andsherushedtopursuehim.Hesawherandfled,
changingintoahare;butshebecameagreyhoundandfollowedhim.
Runningtothewater,hebecameafish;butshebecameanotherand
chasedhimbelowthewaves.Heturnedhimselfintoabird,whenshe
becameahawkandgavehimnorestinthesky.Justassheswooped
onhim,heespiedapileofwinnowedwheatonthefloorofabarn,and
droppinguponit,hebecameoneofthewheat-grains.Changingherself
intoahigh-crestedblackhen,Cardiwenscratchedhimupand
swallowedhim,whenhechangedatlastintoaboyagainandwas
sobeautifulthatshecouldnotkillhimoutright,butwrappedhim
inaleathernbagandcasthimintothesea,committinghimtothe
