Page:Celtic Stories by Edward Thomas.djvu/107

 The maiden was sent to her father's house, and it was ordained that Gwythyr and Gwynn should fight for her on every May-day until the day of doom, and that whoever should be the conqueror on that day should make her his bride. From the north men followed Arthur into Armorica and into Ireland and to the north again, and they were setting out upon the scent of Yskithyrwyn when a man came up to them leading two hounds in his right hand and one in the left. Now the single hound was Dridwyn and the leash was that which had been twisted out of Dillus Varvawc's beard. But the man could not or would not tell how he had captured Dridwyn. So Kilhugh thanked him and took Dridwyn and joined Arthur in pursuit of Yskithyrwyn. Arthur's own hound Cavall was the first to come up with the boar. King Kaw of North Britain drew out the tusk that was to shave Uspathadden, and afterwards slew the beast with his great axe.

They now thought more and more of the boar, Turk Truith, who had the comb and scissors and razor hidden between his ears that were to prune Uspathadden's head for Olwen's wedding. Arthur sent Menw, the man of charms and illusions, to see if these instruments were still in their place. As the boar had laid waste a third part of Ireland it was easy for Menw to find his traces. To enter his lair Menw took the form of a bird. He could see the scissors and comb, but when the bird Menw tried to snatch them away he was angrily shaken off with nothing more than one bristle of the boar. He brought back the news and the one bristle.

The hunt was still delayed because the hound Dridwyn was useless without Mabon the son of Modron as huntsman. Chief in the search for Mabon was Gwrhyr, who knew the languages of birds and beasts. He went first