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Then they fetched the nine bushels of flax-seed which Yspaddaden Penkawr had required of Kilhwch, and they brought the full measure without lacking any, except one flax-seed, and that the lame pismire brought in before night.
'What aileth thee, my son? asked his father at last, when Kilwch had forgotten something he had been bidden to do, and Kilwch blushed red as he answered: 'My stepmother says that none but Olwen, the daughter of Yspaddaden Penkawr, shall be my wife. 'That will be easily fulfilled, replied his father. 'Arthur the king is thy cousin.
'Then my cousin thou art in truth, replied Arthur, 'and whatsoever boon thou mayest ask thou shalt receive. 'The boon I crave is that thou mayest win for me Olwen, the daughter of Yspaddaden Penkawr, and this boon I seek likewise at the hands of thy warriors.
Go, and ask me of my father, and whatsoever he shall required of thee grant it, and thou shalt win me; but if thou deny him anything thou wilt not obtain me, and it will be well for thee if thou escape with thy life. 'All this I promise, said he. So she returned to the castle, and all Arthur's men went after her, and entered the hall. 'Greeting to thee, Yspaddaden Penkawr, said they.
And unless thou wilt do this we will slay thee. 'Her four great grandmothers and her four great grandfathers yet live, answered Yspaddaden Penkawr; 'it is needful that I take counsel with them. 'Be it so; we will go to meat, but as they turned he took up the second dart that lay by his side and cast it after them.
That night also they took up their abode in the house of Custennin the herdsman. The next day with the dawn they arrayed themselves in haste and proceeded to the castle, and entered the hall, and they said, "Yspaddaden Penkawr, give us thy daughter in consideration of her dower and her maiden fee, which we will pay to thee and to her two kinswomen likewise.
'Three and twenty of my sons has Yspaddaden slain, and I have no more hope of saving this one, replied she, and Kai was full of sorrow and answered: 'Let him come with me and be my comrade, and he shall never be slain unless I am slain also. And so it was agreed. 'What is your errand here? asked the woman.
'It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest deem it will not be easy, answered Kilwch, thinking of Ossol, under whose feet the highest mountain became straightway a plain, but Yspaddaden paid no heed, and continued: 'Seest thou that field yonder? When my daughter was born nine bushels of flax were sown therein, and not one blade has sprung up.
And they slew the nine watch-dogs without one of them barking. And they went forward to the hall. "The greeting of Heaven and of man be unto thee, Yspaddaden Penkawr," said they. "And you, wherefore come you?" "We come to ask thy daughter Olwen, for Kilhwch the son of Kilydd, the son of Prince Kelyddon." And they did so. "Come hither to-morrow, and you shall have an answer."
'A gentle son-in-law, truly! he cried, writhing with pain. 'I shall ever walk the worse for this rudeness. Cursed be the smith who forged it, and the anvil on which it was wrought! That night the men slept in the house of Custennin the herdsman, and the next day they proceeded to the castle, and entered the hall, and said: 'Yspaddaden Penkawr, give us thy daughter and thou shalt keep her dower.
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