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480 for that he would go to Maelgwn's court to free his master. Then she asked him in what manner he would set him free. And he answered her:—

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 Elphin 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 Elphin free

From haughty tyrant's 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;