The Mabinogion · 117 of 191 · tr. Lady Charlotte Guest

Tale THE DREAM OF RHONABWY-f

And they began to play.

And while they were thus, and when they were best amused with their game, behold they saw a white tent with a red canopy, and the figure of a jet-black serpent on the top of the tent, and red glaring venomous eyes in the head of the serpent, and a red flaming tongue.

And there came a young page with yellow curling hair, and blue eyes, and a newly-springing beard, wearing a coat and a surcoat of yellow satin, and hose of thin greenish-yellow cloth upon his feet, and over his hose shoes of parti-coloured leather, fastened at the insteps with golden clasps.

And he bore a heavy three-edged sword with a golden hilt, in a scabbard of black leather tipped with fine gold.

And he came to the place where the Emperor and Owain were playing at chess.

And the youth saluted Owain.

And Owain marvelled that the youth should salute him and should not have saluted the Emperor Arthur.

And Arthur knew what was in Owain’s thought.

And he said to Owain, “Marvel not that the youth salutes thee now, for he saluted me erewhile; and it is unto thee that his errand is.” Then said the youth unto Owain, “Lord, is it with thy leave that the young pages and attendants of the Emperor harass and torment and worry thy Ravens?

And if it be not with thy leave, cause the Emperor to forbid them.” “Lord,” said Owain, “thou hearest what the youth says; if it seem good to thee, forbid them from my Ravens.” “Play thy game,” said he.

Then the youth returned to the tent.

That game did they finish, and another they began, and when they were in the midst of the game, behold, a ruddy young man with auburn curling hair and large eyes, well-grown, and having his beard new-shorn, came forth from a bright yellow tent, upon the summit of which was the figure of a bright red lion.

And he was clad in a coat of yellow satin, falling as low as the small of his leg, and embroidered with threads of red silk.

And on his feet were hose of fine white buckram, and buskins of black leather were over his hose, whereon were golden clasps.

And in his hand a huge, heavy, three-edged sword, with a scabbard of red deer-hide, tipped with gold.

And he came to the place where Arthur and Owain were playing at chess.

And he saluted him.

And Owain was troubled at his salutation, but Arthur minded it no more than before.

And the youth said unto Owain, “Is it not against thy will that the attendants of the Emperor harass thy Ravens, killing some and worrying others?

If against thy will it be, beseech him to forbid them.” “Lord,” said Owain, “forbid thy men, if it seem good to thee.” “Play thy game,” said the Emperor.

And the youth returned to the tent.

And that game was ended and another begun.

And as they were beginning the first move of the game, they beheld at a small distance from them a tent speckled yellow, the largest ever seen, and the figure of an eagle of gold upon it, and a precious stone on the eagle’s head.

And coming out of the tent, they saw a youth with thick yellow hair upon his head, fair and comely, and a scarf of blue satin upon him, and a brooch of gold in the scarf upon his right shoulder as large as a warrior’s middle finger.

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Themes

Correspondencecosmology

The Hermetic axiom that the structure of the cosmos is reflected at every scale — 'as above, so below; as within, so without' — making each level a legible map of the others.

The dream vision relies on a symbolic mapping where specific heraldic images (serpent, lion, eagle) and colors correspond to distinct political factions or kingdoms in the waking world. [quarantine-w4: correspondence x celtic — see rellm data/quarantine/dossiers.jsonl]

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