Page:Celtic Stories by Edward Thomas.djvu/104

 which thou canst not do,' said Uspathadden, shaking the tangled thickets of his grey-sprinkled black hair, which the magpies visited to gather lining for their nests. 'I must trim my hair. Throughout the world there is not a comb or scissors with which I can arrange my hair on account of its rankness, except the comb and scissors that are between the two ears of Turk Truith, the son of Prince Tared. He will not give them of his own free will, and thou wilt not be able to compel him. Nor must thou leave among the bristles Turk Truith's razor, for I shall need it to finish what is begun by the tusk of Yskithyrwyn Penbaeth.'

'It will be easy,' said Kilhugh, itching to be gone.

'Young man,' interrupted Uspathadden, with a voice like a sea-cave in storm, rumbling within, roaring out of his mouth, hissing in the hair on his lips, 'young man, Turk Truith cannot be hunted without Dridwyn the hound, whelp of Greid the son of Eri.'

'Him I can easily obtain.'

'But if thou find him thou canst not hold him except in a leash made of Dillus Varvawc's beard, plucked out while he is alive, because it would be brittle if he were dead.'

'It will be easy for me to obtain it.'

'If thou dost, thou hast yet to perform the impossible. One huntsman in all the world was born to hunt with Dridwyn, and he alone. That is Mabon, the son of Modron. He was taken from his mother when three nights old, and it is not known where he now is, nor whether he is living or dead.'

'It will be easy for me to find him.'

'If thou find Mabon and Dridwyn and twist the leash out of Dillus Varvawc's beard and with their help thou bring Turk Truith to bay, thou canst not slay him. Only