RHIANNON, DAUGHTER OF HEVED HEN,
FAIRY QUEEN, IS TELLING A STORY ©
by Suzanne Rhiannon Ratelle
(Earthsongs: Journal of the Society of Celtic Shamans is pleased to publish the winning entries submitted to our first annual Bardic Competition. Three stories were submitted and a panel of judges read and considered each. As this was a juried competition, had any of the three stories been judged unworthy of publication, that story would have been eliminated from the competition. All three of the submissions were excellent and all three will be published. The three judges, Tira Brandon-Evans, Dillon Carlyon, and Deirdre Smith, had a hard time assigning an order of excellence to the stories. We struggled to decide which of these wonderfully should be first, second, and third. After due consideration we decided Rhiannon's story was the second runner up in our competition. We thank Rhiannon Ratelle for entering our competition and sharing her talent with us and our readers.)
It has been a very busy day in the house preparing a feast to celebrate the return of Prydery. All afternoon friends were enjoying a tournament in the perfect weather and in evening time, during the feast tired from their work and celebrations, my family asked me to tell the story of how I met my late husband Pwyll.
It was a long time ago when I was still a young maiden and my father was always ready to offer me everything I wanted. I often travelled between the worlds on my white steed, particularly at the Full Moon. For me, human beings were so much more interesting, particularly back then.
The first time I saw Pwyll he was coming back from a campaign with his knights. He was wonderfully handsome and something about him charmed me right away. During that time my father advised me that since I had not found a suitable husband he would have to arrange a marriage for me with a man of his choosing. I was very unhappy about his decision so I decided to talk to him about Pwyll. He said that he was a mortal and although he had exchanged places with Arawn, the ruler of Annwn, and defeated Hafgan, he was not fit for me. He would still have to prove his worth and his love to marry me. I begged my father to give him a chance to prove his good heart and so it was that he gave me until Beltaine to complete my task.
The following Full Moon was the last moon before Beltaine so I had to act quickly. I crossed the veil and rode in front of Gorsedd Arberth, the mound. I had arranged with one of my servants to talk with one of the stewards in Pwyll’s castle spreading the rumor that something was amiss on the mound that night and to expect a wonder or a marvelous manifestation under the Full Moon. My plan worked just fine! After the feast, Pwyll went to the mound and sat waiting with his friends. I rode by on my horse at a slow and regal pace. He ordered one of his men to catch up with me but with a spell I gave the impression that no one could catch me even though I was riding slowly. The following night they returned to see if I would be back again and they brought a faster horse. Again one of his knights galloped behind me trying to catch up but again I cast the spell and no one could catch me. The third night Pwyll himself came with his own horse. As soon as I passed the mound he began to ride faster but my spell was still working so I seemed to ride ever slower without him coming nearer. I was laughing inside but hoping he would ask me to stop, as it was the only way to break the spell.
Finally, he told me from afar to wait for him. I stopped, smiling at him, and told him he should have asked me before, it would have been better for his horse. That was the first time we actually spoke and I am not sure at that time if Pwyll thought I was a real woman or a mirage. I told him I was Rhiannon, daughter of Heved the Old, and that I loved him and would rather marry him than any other man. I explained to him that my father wanted to marry me to another against my will. How could Pwyll resist me? We made an arrangement that he would come to the Beltaine Feast in my Realm and he would marry me at the Feast a few weeks hence.
I returned home and told my father about my love for Pwyll. Father was not happy with the turn of events since he had already invited Gwawl, my supposed betrothed, for the Beltaine feast. When he sent a messenger to deliver the bad news Gwawl was not pleased. At that time I thought he took it quite well but I was wrong as you will see later.
At Beltaine, Pwyll arrived with a hundred knights at the palace of my father. The feast was well underway, with my father between us as was the custom when Gwawl entered, with royal bearing and clothed in a garment of satin. He saluted Pwyll who did not know him and told him he would not sit for he was on an errand. Pwyll told him to do so. Gwawl replied that his errand was unto him, and it was to crave a boon of him that he had come. Pwyll answered that whatever boon he may ask of him, so far as he is able, he shall have it and it was then Gwawl asked for my hand.
Within myself I thought: “Ahhh… how could he have given that answer?” I was upset with him; never did a man make worse use of his wits. I must admit I had second thoughts about the wedding just then. Pwyll apologized that he didn’t recognize him, a poor excuse… I still had to take care of everything and solve the problem. My mind was racing until I found a way out. I told him it was Gwawl, son of Clud, a man of great power and wealth and because of his promise he would have to bestow me upon him, it was a question of honour.
I talked to Pwyll for a long time explaining my plan and then told Gwawl that the feast that night was for the men of Dyfed but in a year from tonight a banquet will be prepared for him in the palace. Only then would I become his bride… It was agreed and Gwawl went back to his castle and Pwyll to Dyfed with his instruction.
A year later, Gwawl set out for the feast that I had prepared for him and was received at the Palace with great rejoicing. Pwyll came to the orchard with a hundred knights, as I had instructed him. He was clad in coarse and ragged garments, and wore large, clumsy old shoes. And when he knew that the time was right, he went toward the hall; and as he came into the hall he saluted Gwawl, the son of Clud, and his company. "Heaven prosper you," said Gwawl, "and friendly greetings be upon you!" "Lord," said Pwyll in disguise, "may Heaven reward thee! I have an errand unto thee." "Welcome be your errand, and if you ask of me that which is right, you shall have it gladly." "It is fitting," answered he; "I crave but from want, and the boon I ask is to have this small bag that you see filled with meat." "A request within reason is this," said he, "and gladly shall you have it. Bring him food." A great number of attendants arose and began to fill the bag; but for all they put into it, it was no fuller than at first. "My soul," said Gwawl, "will your bag ever be full?" "It will not," said Pwyll, "for all that may be put into it, unless one possessed of lands, and domains, and treasure, shall arise and tread down with both his feet the food that is within the bag, and shall say, 'Enough has been put therein.'"
Then I said to Gwawl, "Rise up quickly." Willingly he rose up, and put his two feet into the bag. As he rose up I knew it was in the bag! Pwyll turned up the sides of the bag, so that Gwawl was over his head in it. And he shut it up quickly, and slipped a knot upon the thongs blowing his horn. Thereupon, his knights came into the palace, they seized the entire host that had come with Gwawl and cast them into prison. Pwyll threw off his rags and as Pwyll’s knights came in every one struck a blow upon the bag and asked, "What is here?" "A badger," said they. And in this manner they played, each of them striking the bag, either with his foot or with a staff. And then was the game of Badger in the Bag first played.
"Lord," said the man in the bag, "if you would but hear me, I merit not to be slain in a bag." To this my father said: "Lord, he speaks truth; you must listen to him, for he does not deserve this."
"Verily," said Pwyll and turning to me he said: "I will follow your counsel concerning him." "Behold, this is my counsel then," said I. "You are now in a position in which it behooves thee to satisfy suitors and minstrels. Let him give unto them in thy stead, and take a pledge from him that he will never seek to revenge that which has been done to him. And this will be punishment enough." "I will do this gladly," said Gwawl in the bag. "And gladly will I accept it," said Pwyll, since it is the counsel of Heved and Rhiannon. And upon this he was let out of the bag, and his men were freed. "Verily, lord," said Gwawl, "I am greatly hurt, and I have many bruises. With your leave I will go forth. I will leave nobles in my stead to answer for me in all that you shall require."
"Willingly," said Pwyll, "may you do so." So Gwawl went away. And we ate and feasted, and spent the night in mirth and joy. Our wedding was thus celebrated!
Suzanne Ratelle is also known as Rhiannon. She lives in Quebec in Canada. Her email address is suzanne_ratelle@yahoo.ca. Rhiannon works as a financial consultant and enjoys horseback riding, motocycling, caravaning, reading and studying, and learning something new. Rhiannon is Wiccan and her abilities include empathy. She says: "At ten years old, I used to say I was a witch and that at twenty-nine years'old my power would come back to me. At twenty-five, I start studying the Qabalah, hermetics magick, and pathworkings with friends. At twenty-seven, we were invited in a group of hereditary witches and then I was initiated and continue the training. I loved the nature oriented religion and even in our cold weather in Quebec, we did all the eight sabbats outside. Me and my friends then split from the mother group and we continue our own group called "High Oaks Grove". We devised initiation into the elements and pathworking to meet all the elementals. Then we went our different ways and continue to work by ourselves. Today, apart from this group, I am studying naturopathy to be able, when I am old to work, at home in nature, grow my plants and help people."
Rhiannon, Daughter Of Heved Hen, Fairy Queen, Is Telling A Story copyright © 2009 by Suzanne Rhiannon Ratelle, all rights reserved. Used with permission. Top of Page
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