Hearthstone

Taliesin
The Tale of Taliesin
One May eve Elfyn son of Gwyddno Garanhir of Gwynedd was fishing in a weir without much success, year in and year out his family had caught more fish on May eve than at any time of the year. As time passed he saw a small leather bag floating on the water, Elfyn reached out and grabbed the bag, holding it carefully in his hands he opened it. To his surprise inside looking up at him was a young male child with a beautiful radiant face, "Taliesin!" he exclaimed. The child was the son of Ceridwen who gave birth to Gwion after ingesting him in the form of a grain. Ceridwen's intention was to kill the child at birth but due to his beauty she was unable and cast him out to sea in a leather bag. On the way home Elfyn, having caught no salmon for his father, became gloomy, Taliesin realised this and spoke saying:
	"Fair Elfyn, cease your lament! Swearing profits no-one. It is not evil to hope Nor does any man see what supports him, Not an empty treasure is the prayer of Cynllo, Nor does God break his promise. No catch in Gwyddno's weir Was ever as good as tonight's. "Fair Elfyn, 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. "Elphin 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, Spumed with Dylan's wave, I shall be better for you Than three hundred shares of salmon. "Elphin 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."

Shocked and amazed Elfyn asked the child how could he talk, Taliesin replied: "Firstly I was formed in the shape of a handsome man, in the hall of Ceridwen in order to be refined. Although small and modest in my behavior, I was great in her lofty sanctuary. "While I was held prisoner, sweet inspiration educated me and laws were imparted to me in a speech which had no words; but I had to flee from the angry, terrible hag whose outcry was terrifying. "Since then I have fled in the shape of a crow, since then I have fled as a speedy frog, since then I have fled with rage in my chains, - a roe-buck in a dense thicket. "I have fled in the shape of a raven of prophetic speech, in the shape of a satirizing fox, in the shape of a sure swift, in the shape of a squirrel vainly hiding. "I have fled in the shape of a red deer, in the shape of iron in a fierce fire, in the shape of a sword sowing death and disaster, in the shape of a bull, relentlessly struggling. "I have fled in the shape of a bristly boar in a ravine, in the shape of a grain of wheat. I have been taken by the talons of a bird of prey which increased until it took the size of a foal. "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."	On arriving home his father asked Elfyn about the size of his catch, Elfyn said he had caught no fish but caught a bard. Gwyddno was dismayed and said a bard would not profit him. Taliesin sang: "In water there is a quality endowed with a blessing On God it is most just to meditate aright; To God it is proper to supplicate with seriousness, Since no obstacle can there be to obtain a reward from him. Three times have I been born, I know by meditation; It were miserable for a person not to come and obtain All the sciences of the world, collected together in my breast, For I know what has been, what in future will occur. I will supplicate my Lord that I get refuge in him, A regard I may obtain in his grace The Son of Mary is my trust, great in him is my delight, For in him is the world continually upholden. God has been to instruct me and to raise my expectation, The true Creator of heaven, who affords me protection It is rightly intended that the saints should daily pray, For God, the renovator, will bring them to him."

Elfyn and his wife nursed the child Taliesin and as he grew so their wealth and happiness grew. The king of the land at that time was Maelgwn. The year that Taliesin turned thirteen, Elfyin received a summons from the king, demanding his presence at the Christ Mass feast at midwinter. Elfyin would have preferred to stayed home with his wife and foster son, but as a dutiful subject he reluctantly went. As they all sat around the table feasting, the gathering praised Maelgwn, his lands and his bards. Elfyn being a simple man was not one to offer praise and was very quiet. Maelgwn asked Elfyn why he was so quiet? Elfyn replied that there was no better bard or more beautiful wife than his family at home. Maelgwyn was furious and had Elfyn thrown into the deepest dungeon and kept there until he was prepared to admit he was mistaken. Maelgwn sent Rhun, his son, to meet with and seduce Elfyn's wife. Taliesin foresaw what was about to happen and advised Elfyn's wife of the coming events.Taliesin greeted the stranger and invited him in to the hall where a woman sat dressed in finery, with rings on her fingers and a golden torque. She made him welcome and they feasted together, after a while the woman fell asleep in a drunken stupor, Rhun tried to remove her ring and failed so cut off her finger. He rode back to his father's house and told the story of what had happened. Maelgwn was delighted and asked for Elfyn to be brought forward. Maelgwn told Elfyn of what had happened and showed him the finger wearing the ring. Elfyn looked at the ring and agreed it was his but announced that the finder did not belong to his wife. He explained that his wife trimmed her nails daily the finger nail had not been trimmed in weeks, the finger was too large to be his wife's and covered with rye dough from bread kneading, this was not the finger of his wife. Maelgwn became furious and threw him back in prison saying if your bard is so powerful invite him here to compete with mine.
Taliesin told Elfyn's wife that he would go and free Elfyn from the prison of Maelgwn, she asked how? Taliesin said: "A journey will I perform, And to the gate I will come The hall I will enter, And my song I will sing; My speech I will pronounce To silence royal bards. In presence of their chief, I will greet to deride, Upon them I will break And Elfyn I will free. Should contention arise, In presence of the prince, With summons to the bards For the sweet flowing song, And wizards' posing lore And wisdom of Druids. In the court of the sons of the distributor Some are who did appear Intent on wily schemes, By craft and tricking means, In pangs of affliction To wrong the innocent, Let the fools be silent, As erst in Badon's fight,- With Arthur of liberal ones The head, with long red blades Through feats of testy men, And a chief with his foes. Woe be to them, the fools, When revenge comes on them. I Taliesin, chief of bards, With a sapient Druid's words, Will set kind Elfyn free From haughty tyrants bonds. To their fell and chilling cry, By the act of a surprising steed, From the far distant North, There soon shall be an end. Let neither grace nor health Be to Maelgwn Gwynedd, For this force and this wrong And be extremes of ills And an avenged end To Rhun and all his race: Short be his course of life, Be all his lands laid waste And Iona exile be assigned To Maelgwn Gwynned!"
Taliesin arrived at the court and slipped through the gates. He made his way to the throne room and sat in the corner. When the king's bards filed in, Taliesin whispered placing a spell on them, and the bards stood still, talking gibberish instead of praising Maelgwn. Maelgwn was upset and asked them to try again, they were unable to speak anything other than gibberish. Maelgwn finally ordered a guard to strike Heinnin Fardd, his chief bard. This broke their trance enough that Heinnin Fardd could explain to Maelgwn that there was a spirit in the form of a child who had cast a spell on them.
	Maelgwn had Taliesin brought out, and questioned him. I have come to salvage Elfyn's honour and his freedom. Taliesin am I, primary chief bard to Elfyn. "Primary chief bard am I to Elfyn, And my original country is the region of the summer stars; Idno and Heinin called me Merddin, At length every king will call me Taliesin. I was with my Lord in the highest sphere, On the fall of Lucifer into the depth of hell: I have borne a banner before Alexander; I know the names of the stars from north to south; I have been on the galaxy at the throne of the Distributor; I was in Canaan when Absalom was slain; I conveyed the Divine Spirit to the level of the vale of Hebron; I was in the court of Don before the birth of Gwdion. I was instructor to Eli and Enoc; I have been winged by the genius of the splendid crosier; I have been loquacious prior to being gifted with speech; I was at the place of the crucifixion of the merciful Son of God I have been three periods in the prison of Arianrod; I have been the chief director of the work of the tower of Nimrod I am a wonder whose origin is not known. I have been in Asia with Noah in the ark, I have seen the destruction of Sodom and Gomorra; I have been in India when Roma was built, I am now come here to the remnant of Troia. I have been with my Lord in the manger of the ass; I strengthened Moses through the water of Jordan; I have been in the firmament with Mary Magdalene; I have obtained the muse from the cauldron of Ceridwen; I have been bard of the harp to Lleon of Lochlin. I have been on the White Hill, in the court of Cynvelyn, For a day end a year in stocks and fetters, I have suffered hunger for the Son of the Virgin. I have been fostered in the land of the Deitv, I have been teacher to all intelligences, I am able to instruct the whole universe. I shall be until the day of doom on the face of the earth; And it is not known whether my body is flesh or fish. Then I was for nine months In the womb of the hag Ceridwen I was originally little Gwion, And at length I am Taliesin."
"And all this makes you think you're better than my bards," sneered Maelgwn, "My bards, who have trained for twenty years." "They are as nothing beside me," declared Taliesin. It was then the Heinnin Fardd asked if a contest would help decide the matter. Taliesin agreed to the challenge of composing a poem on the wind. Maelgwn agreed to judge the poem and asked them to prepare in twenty minutes. Heinnin Fardd was shoked and desperate at the challenge of preparing and epic poem in twenty minutes. Heinnin Fardd and the king's bards huddled in the corner, consulting scrolls of rhymes and metaphors. When the time was up the king's bards stood in a line before the king and bowed, when they tried to read their poem all that came from their mouth was more gibberish. Maelgwn was furious, he shouted at them and asked them to be silent. They complained it was the demon child and his spells. Taliesin started to sing his poem, immediately a great wind arose and buffeted the castle, the king became very afraid and called for Elfyn to be brought out. As soon as Taliesin saw Elfyn the great winds stopped. Taliesin asked Elfyn's wife to come to her husband and she showed her ten fingers, so that people could see. Maelgwn was angrier than ever. Maelgwn was so mad and frustrated that he cried out, "You are nothing, my horses are better than yours". Taliesin smiled and whispered Elfyn to accept the bet. Maelgwn announced a horse race. Elphin, his wife and Taliesin left for home. On the day of the race they returned leading a lame old horse. Maelgwn could not believe his luck and rubbed his hands with glee. The horse race started, all the kings horses overtook Taliesin riding the lame horse, as they passed he struck his horse with a holly twig and let it fall to the ground. As the kings horses got further ahead Taliesin slowed down and stopped for a rest, the gathering had no idea what was going on. As the kings horses approached the dropped holly they reared up and would not pass. Taliesin slowly passed the finish line. The crowds were amazed at what had happened, and Maelgwn and Rhun were at a lost to explain it. Taliesin had won the race, Maelgwn had no option but to acknowledge the result and agreed that Elphin should remain free.