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- "Fair Elffin, dry your cheeks!
- Such sorrow does not become you,
- Although you consider yourself cheated
- Excessive sorrow gains nothing,
- Nor will doubting God's miracles.
- Although I am small, I am skilful.
- From the sea and the mountain,
- From the river's depth
- God gives His gifts to the blessed.
- "Elffin of the generous spirit,
- Cowardly is your purpose,
- You must not grieve so heavily.
- Better are good than evil omens.
- Though I am weak and small,
- On the wave crest of the the surging sea,
- I shall be better for you
- Than three hundred shares of salmon.
- "Elffin of noble generosity,
- Do not sorrow at your catch.
- Though I am weak on the floor of my basket,
- There are wonders on my tongue.
- "While I am watching over you,
- no great need will overcome you.
- Be mindful of the name of the Trinity
- And none shall overcome you."
Amazed, Elffin asked how a baby could talk. Again Taliesin replied with poetry, recounting the transformation chase between himself and Ceridwen. Finishing, he said:
- "Floating like a boat in its waters,
- I was thrown into a dark bag,
- and on an endless sea, I was set adrift.
- Just as I was suffocating, I had a happy omen,
- and the master of the Heavens brought me to liberty."
A few years later, when Taliesin turned thirteen, Elffin was at the court of King Maelgwn Gwynedd, who demanded that Elffin praise him and his court. Elffin refused, claiming Taliesin was a better bard and that his wife a prettier woman than anyone the king had in his court. Although he was not present, Taliesin knew what was happening, because he was a seer, and told Elffin's wife. Maelgwn's son Rhun went to Elffin's house to seduce his wife and prove Elffin's claims weren't true. Rhun got her drunk, and when she passed out, Rhun tried to take off her wedding ring to prove her unfaithfulness. When the ring wouldn't come off, he cut off her finger instead. When King Maelgwn attempted to show the finger to Elffin, he pointed out that his wife cut her fingernails more often than the owner of the finger. Moreover, the fingernails had bread dough under them, but his wife always had servants knead the dough. Moreover, his wife's ring was loose on her finger, but this one was tight.
Maelgwn then demanded Taliesin come to his court to prove wrong the claim that Taliesin was a better bard than the ones in his court. Taliesin responded with a challenge in which both he and the king's bards were to compose an epic in only twenty minutes. The royal bards failed at the task, but when it came time for Taliesin to recite his, he caused a massive wind to rattle the castle. Frightened, Maelgwn sent for Elffin. Taliesin's next song caused Elffin's chains to detach. Maelgwn challenged the pair to a horse race. Taliesin arrived the next day with an old, weak horse. As each of the king's horses passed him at the very start of the race, Taliesin touched its rump with a twig of holly. When they had all passed, he dropped his hat to the ground, and the king's horses turned back right before crossing the finish line, stopping at the holly twigs Taliesin had laid there, and began to dance. Taliesin's old horse strolled to the finish line and won the race.
[edit] Commentary on the traditions
The traditions that Taliesin was the foster-son of Elffin ap Gwyddno (associated with both Ceredigion and the Hen Ogledd) and that he was raised at his court in Aberdyfi and that Taliesin visited the court of Maelgwn Gwynedd do not have any historical substantiation, but also do not conflict with what little history is currently known about those people and that region and period. The birth myth of Ceridwen chasing Gwion through various forms is sometimes interpreted mystically and allegorically.
[edit] References
- Ford, Patrick K. 1977. The Mabinogi and Other Medieval Welsh Tales Berkeley: University of California Press.
- Ford, Patrick K. 1992. Ystoria Taliesin University of Wales Press: Cardiff.
- Ford, Patrick K. 1999. The Celtic Poets: Songs and Tales from Early Ireland and Wales Ford and Bailie: Belmont, Mass.
- Haycock, Marged 2007. Legendary Poems from the Book of Taliesin (CMCS, Aberystwyth)
- Haycock, Marged. 1997. "Taliesin's Questions" Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies 33 (Summer): 19–79.
- Haycock, Marged. 1987. "'Some talk of Alexander and some of Hercules': three early medieval poems from the 'Book of Taliesin." Cambridge Medieval Celtic Studies 13 (1987): 7–38.
- Haycock, Marged. 1987–88. "Llyfr Taliesin," National Library of Wales Journal 25: 357–86.
- Haycock, Marged. 1983–1984. "Preiddeu Annwn and the Figure of Taliesin" Studia Celtica18/19: 52–78.
- Koch, John and John Carey. 2003.The Celtic Heroic Age 3rd ed. Celtic Studies Publishing: Malden, Mass.
- Ifor Williams. 1960. Canu Taliesin. Translated into English by J. E. Caerwyn Williams as The Poems of Taliesin Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies: Dublin. (first edition 1967, reprinted 1975, 1987)
- Ifor Williams. 1944. Lectures on Early Welsh poetry. Dublin: DIAS
- Carrington, Leonara. 1977. "The Hearing Trumpet"
- Williams, John. 1999. "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace". Part of "The Battle of the Trees" is translated to Sanskrit for the lyrics of the song "Duel of the Fates".
[edit] Modern Fiction related to Taliesin
[edit] External links
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