Pwyll was lord of all Dyfed and ruled over the seven cantrevs of the land. One day while at Arbeth, his main court, Pwyll and his companions decided to go hunting at Glyn Cuch and so they set out that evening stopping at Penn Llwyn on Bwya to rest for the night. Dawn rose and the party headed for Glyn Coch where they turned their hounds loose in the forest. While chasing the pack, Pwyll became separated from his comrades and while listening to the bay of his hounds he could hear another, different pack heading toward him.

Through a clearing in the woods, Pwyll saw his pack pursuing a stag and as they reached the edge of the clearing he saw the other pack overtake the stag and bring it down. The hounds were like no other that Pwyll had ever seen, they had dazzling white coats and red ears. Quickly, Pwyll drove the strange hounds off the stag and baited his own upon it. As he was doing this a horseman arrived in hunting robes saying.. "Chieftain, I know who you are but I will not greet you". Pwyll replied "Well, perhaps your rank prevents your doing so" to which the horseman responded "God knows, it is not the degree of my rank which prevents me but your own rudeness and discourtesy. In no man have I seen greater discourtesy than driving away the pack which has killed a stag and baiting one's own pack upon it and though I will take no vengeance, between me and god I will dishonour you to the value of one hundred stags". Pwyll, realising his error apologised and asked how he might win the strangers friendship.

The stranger introduced himself as Arawn King of Annwvyn and told Pwyll "there is a man - Havgan King of Annwvyn whose realm borders on mine and he is constantly waging war against me. By ridding me of his opposition, which you can do easily, you will earn my friendship". Pwyll agreed to Arawn's request asking only how this might be achieved. "We will make a strong bond of friendship" said Arawn "I will send you into Annwvyn in my place and give you the loveliest woman you have ever seen to sleep with every night; moreover I will endow you with my shape and appearance so that none will doubt that you are I and we will meet here again, one year and a day from now". "Fair enough" replied Pwyll "but how am I to find the man of whom you speak ?". "A year from tonight, he and I are to meet at the ford" replied Arawn "but you will be there in my place; strike him a single blow, which he will not survive but do not finish him off no matter how much he pleads". Pwyll agreed and after Arawn agreed to take on Pwyll's appearance in order to take care of his land, he led Pwyll to the court where he was to spend the next year.

Pwyll rode on alone and entered the court. Never had Pwyll seen such fine buildings, halls and chambers. Arawn's men were the finest looking and best equipped that there had ever been and with them stood the Queen, the most beautiful woman anyone had laid eyes upon. Nobody suspected that the man before them was any other than Arawn and so they passed the time eating, drinking and carousing as normal and of all the courts that he had ever seen, this was the best supplied with gold and jewels. When it was time to sleep he and his queen retired and as soon as they were in bed, he turned his back to the Queen and they did not speak or make contact until morning. The next day was much like the previous one and although they spoke together affectionately and with tenderness every night thereafter was the same as the first.

That whole year was spent carousing, hunting and in fellowship and in pleasant talk with his companions until the night of the meeting with Havgan beckoned. The nobles of the realm accompanied Pwyll to the ford whereupon it was announced .. "Nobles, listen well. This encounter lies between the two Kings, in single combat, for each claims the land and the domain of the other therefore let everyone else draw back". With that the two Kings drew near and met in the middle of the ford. On the first rush Pwyll struck Hagvan's shield in the centre of the boss so that it split in two; Havgan's armour shattered and he was thrown an arm and a spear's length over his horse's hindquarters to the ground where he lay, mortally wounded. Whether or not Havgan realised that the man before him was not really Arawn, is not known but he addressed his victor "what right did you have to kill me ? I made no claim against you nor do I know of any reason why you should wish to kill me but since you have begun so, finish me off now". "Chieftain" replied Pwyll "I may yet regret what I have done to you but I will not strike you again." Havgan addressed his men, "Loyal followers, carry me away for my end is now certain and I can no longer maintain you". Pwyll said to Havgan's men "talk among yourselves and decide which of you should join me" to which they replied "Lord all men ought to be for throughout Annwvyn there is no King but yourself". Thus, Pwyll received the homage of his men and began to rule the land and by noon the following day both realms were in his power.

Having defeated Havgan, Pwyll set out for his meeting with Arawn at Glynn Cuch. When he arrived, Arawn was there to greet him and both men were glad to see each other. Pwyll told Arawn of his deeds after which each man returned to his original shape and appearance and set out for their respective homes.

Upon his arrival at Annwvyn, Arawn was pleased to see the companies and troops he had left behind. They knew nothing of his arrangement with Pwyll and therefore greeted him no differently than any other day. Arawn spent the day in carousing and great merriment until night fell and he and his wife retired to bed and Arawn began to hold and caress her lovingly. "My God !" thought the Queen, "how different he is tonight from what he has been this past year". Arawn spoke to his wife and yet she did not answer, he tried again and a third time but still the Queen did not answer him. Arawn pleaded "why do you not answer me ?" The Queen replied " for a year now I have not spoken at all in this place. Shame on me if, since a year for yesternight, this bed has seen conversation or pleasure between us or even your turning your face toward me, let alone anything more". Arawn was amazed and marvelled at what a friend he had made in Pwyll who had resisted such temptation. He told her what had happened and that it was not he who slept alongside her but Pwyll.

Upon Pwyll's return to his own realm he asked his subjects who he had reigned this past year. "Never have you been so kind and so free in the distribution of your goods" was their reply.

From that time hence, the relationship between Pwyll and Arawn grew. Each sent the other gifts of horses, hounds and other treasures. Because of Pwyll's year long reign over Annwvyn and because of the unity of the two realms he was known as Pwyll Head of Annwvyn ever after.

One day, while at his main court at Arberth, Pwyll assembled a great number of men for a feast. After the first sitting Pwyll took a walk to the hill above the court known as Gorsedd Arberth. Once of his companions told Pwyll that it was the property of the hill that whenever a man of royal blood sits on it, one of two things happens: either he receives a blow and is wounded or else he sees a wonder. Pwyll replied "I do not expect to receive a blow while in the company of such a host and I would be pleased to see a wonder, I will go and sit on the hill".

As Pwyll was sitting on the hill he saw a woman dressed in the finest gold brocade and riding a magnificent pale horse. The horse was approaching on the highway that ran past the hill and anyone who saw it would have said that it was moving at a slow and steady pace. "Who is that horsewoman" asked Pwyll but none of his company had ever laid eyes upon her before this time. Pwyll ordered a man to go and find out who the woman was but by the time the man had reached the highway, the woman had already past and the faster he ran after her, the further ahead she drew. The man returned and addressed Pwyll, "Lord, it is no use following her on foot". Pwyll instructed the man to return to the court, take the fastest horse and go after the mysterious rider. The man did as Pwyll commanded and soon caught sight of the woman but no matter how fast he rode his quarry still drew farther ahead until, at last, he gave in and returned to Pwyll. "Lord it is useless" he said , "I know of no horse in the land faster than this and yet I could not overtake her". "Very well" said Pwyll "let us return to court but there is some hidden meaning in this vision". Pwyll and his companions returned to court.

The next day, after the first lunch sitting Pwyll rose, "let all those who went to Gorsedd Arberth yesterday accompany once more and bring the fastest horse we have". The group returned to the hill and once again the lady appeared and as she drew past the hill a horseman mounted and gave chase. To all that viewed her she seemed to be going at the same slow and steady pace as before but still the horseman could not catch her. "I have seen it is useless for anyone to pursue this lady" said Pwyll "but I know she is on an errand of some sort and with a message fro someone on this hill, let us return to court."

After lunch the next day, the party once again returned to the hill but his time they brought Pwyll's own horse with them. As soon as the lady appeared, Pwyll mounted his horse and gave chase and yet despite her apparent slow pace, he could not overtake her. Frustrated, Pwyll called out "Lady, for the sake of the man you love best, stop for me". "I will" came the reply "and it would have been better for you and your horse had you asked me that earlier". The lady stopped, drew back the veil from her face and gazed upon Pwyll. "Lady, where are you from and where are you going?". "I am doing my errands and I am glad to see you" was the reply. Pwyll was enchanted by the lady's appearance and it seemed to him that he had never before set eyes on such a beautiful woman. He asked what the nature of her errand was to which the lady replied "my errand was to see you". " I am Rhiannon, daughter of Heveydd the Old. I am being given to a man against my will: I have not sought any husband because of my love for you and will not accept this man unless you reject me now". Pwyll replied "between me and my god, had I the choice of any woman in the land I would choose you". Rhiannon told Pwyll to meet her a year from tonight in Heveydd's court where a feast would be prepared for his arrival. Pwyll and Rhiannon parted company and he returned to his companions but every time they enquired after the mysterious rider, Pwyll would turn to other topics.

The year passed and when the time came Pwyll gathered ninety nine companions and they rode to the court of Heveydd the Old. There was great joy at the company's arrival and a great feast was laid on, as Rhiannon had promised, and they ate and caroused and made merry. After the first sitting, an auburn haired youth appeared before Pwyll and Rhiannon. "Greetings to you friend, sit down" said Pwyll but the stranger replied "I will not for I am a suppliant and I have come to ask you a favour". Pwyll told the youth, "whatever you ask, so far as it lies within my power, you shall have it". "Alas" cried Rhiannon "why did you answer him so?". The youth told Pwyll "Lord, the woman I love best you are to sleep with tonight and it his to ask for her and for the preparations and the feast that I have come".

Pwyll fell silent for he had given the youth his word and there was only one answer hi could give to his request. "Stay silent" said Rhiannon "for I have never witnessed such a feeble witted performance". "Lady, I did not know who he was" exclaimed Pwyll. "This is Gwawl son of Clud, the man to whom I was to be betrothed against my will and now as you have given your word you must give me to him or else you will dishonour yourself". Heartbroken, Pwyll replied "I could never do that my Lady" but Rhiannon had a plan. "Give me to him now and I will see to it that he never has me. I will give you a bag which you must keep with you. He has asked you for the preparations and the feast but those are not within your power, I will give the feast to your host and your company and this will be your answer to him. I will set a date, a year and a day from now, for him to bed me and at that time you, with your bag and your company must enter dressed in rags and ask for nothing more than the filling of the bag with food. I will ensure that even if all the food and drink in this entire land were to be placed in that bag it would still not be filled. After a great deal of food has been placed I the bag Gwawl will ask you if it will ever be filled to which you must respond that it will not unless a very powerful noble were to press down the food with both feet and says "enough has been put inside". I will then persuade Gwawl to step into the bag, when he does turn the bag upside down and tie the strings so that he is trapped inside. Once trapped sound your horn as a signal to your company to descend upon the court".

Rhiannon turned to Gwawl, "You shall have as much of your request as I am able to give but as for the preparations and the feast, I have already given them to the troops of Dyved and so a year from tonight another feast shall be prepared for you and you shall sleep with me".

Pwyll returned to Dyved and Gwawl to his own kingdom and each spent the year waiting for the feast. When the time came Gwawl went to the court of Heveydd the Old and was welcomed warmly by all while Pwyll and his ninety nine men waited in the orchard as arranged. Hearing that the carousing after the first course had begun Pwyll, dressed in rags, descended to the court and greeted Gwawl thus "Lord, I am a suppliant and I have come to ask favour of you". Gwawl replied "your request is welcome and, if it is reasonable, shall be granted." "It is reasonable Lord, for all I ask is that my bag be filled with food and drink". "A modest request and one that I will gladly grant" said Gwawl and he ordered that Pwyll's bag be filled. As Rhiannon had foretold, no matter how much food or drink was placed in the bag, it was no fuller than before. "Will your bag ever be full" asked Gwawl. "No sir" replied Pwyll "not until a nobleman of land and possessions steps inside and presses the food down with his feet and says "enough has been put inside". "Rise at once my Champion" said Rhiannon to Gwawl and he did as he was asked. As soon as Gwawl stepped inside the bag, Pwyll turned it upside down, tied the strings and blew his horn. As his company descended from the orchard Pwyll threw off his rags.

As each of Pwyll's company entered the court he struck the bag and called out "what is this" to which the rest of the company would respond "A badger" and this was the first playing of the game "badger in the bag".

Gwawl cried out from inside the bag, "Lord, this is no proper end for me". To which Rhiannon advised Pwyll that he ought to spare him on condition that Gwawl satisfy the requests of all suppliants and that he should swear to take no revenge and make no claim against the couple. Gwawl agreed to these terms.

For he rest of the day the company caroused and made merry until Pwyll and Rhiannon retired to bed and spent the night in pleasure and delight and the next morning the couple made their way back to Dyved.

Pwyll and Rhiannon ruled Dyved well for the first and second year and were loved by the people. During the third year, the men of Dyved began to grow restless that their lord and his lady had yet to produce a child and so they summoned Pwyll to a meeting at Presseleu and voiced their concerns. "Lord, we fear Rhiannon will never bear you a child and ask that you take another woman so that you may produce an heir. Though you may want things to remain as they are, we cannot permit it". Pwyll loved Rhiannon deeply and asked that the men give them another year and that if a child was not born, he would accept their advice.

Before the year was up Rhiannon did indeed produce a son and on the night he was born six women were brought to her chamber to care for both mother and child. Through the evening the women kept watch but by midnight all had fallen asleep. Upon waking at dawn the women were horrified to find the baby gone and despite searching high and low, no trace could be found of him. The women were in great panic for they feared for their lives "is there any hope for us" said one, "I have a plan" said another "There is a deer at court with pups. We must kill some of the pups and smear the blood on Rhiannon's face and hands, throw the bones about her and swear that it was she who killed the child".

When Rhiannon woke and asked to see her child the women exclaimed "Lady, do not ask us for your child, we are covered in bruises and wounds from struggling with you and we are certain that we have never seen such fight in any woman so that all our struggling was in vain". "What do you speak of ?" cried Rhiannon. "Do not accuse me thus. God knows your words are false, if you are in fear of your safety I will protect you". Despite Rhiannon's' pleading and her sureties the women stood fast to their story.

News soon spread of the events of that morning and of the claims of the women and when it reached the ears of the nobles of the land they assembled and asked Pwyll to separate from Rhiannon because of her deeds. Pwyll stood by his wife and said "the only fault that can be found with my wife is that I am childless and since I know she has born a child I will not part from her, if she has done wrong then she shall be punished". Rhiannon summoned the wise men of the land and was told her punishment. She was to remain at court for seven years where she must sit at the mounting block by the main gate and tell her story to all that might hear it. In addition she was to offer to carry all visitors to the court on her back though it was rare that any would accept.

Tiernon Twrvliant was Lord of Gwent Ys Coed at the time and he was the owner of the finest mare anyone had ever seen. Every May eve, the mare foaled but come morning the foals were never to be seen. One May eve, Tiernon turned to his wife and said "we are fools to lose a foal every year, it's May eve tonight and I shall arm myself and stay with the mare and keep watch". As night fell Tiernon's mare foaled and no finer or perfect a foal had ever been born. As Tiernon rose to admire his new colt he heard a great noise and saw a huge claw come through the window and seize the colt. Tiernon drew his sword and struck such a blow that it severed the arm off at the elbow and the creature let out such a terrible scream that Tiernon ran out to follow the beast. Realising that he had left the door open, he rushed back to find the colt and with it a small boy dressed in swaddling clothes and wrapped in a silk mantle.

Tiernon took the boy back to his home and presented him to his wife, "Lady, here is a boy for you, for I know it is the one thing that you have always wanted but never had". Tiernon's wife was greatly pleased, "look at the finery the lad is dressed in, he is obviously of noble blood. I will tell some of the local women that I am pregnant and we shall raise the boy as out own".

The boy was baptised and given the name Gwri Golden Hair because the hair on his head was a beautiful golden colour. Gwri was a remarkable boy, before he was a year old he was as big as a boy three times his age. At his second year he was as grown as a six year old and by the time he was four he was arguing with the stable boys to let him ride the horses. Because of the boy's interest in horse Tiernon and his wife decided to have the colt that was born alongside Gwri, broken in and given to him.

Meanwhile news of Rhiannon's downfall had reached Tiernon and, looking at Gwri, he realised that the boy bore a striking resemblance to Pwyll Head of Annwvyn. Talking with his wife later that night Tiernon told her of his suspicions and remarked that it was not right to keep Gwri and allow such a fine lady as Rhiannon to suffer such an injustice. Sadly, the couple decided that Gwri must be returned to his rightful parents. The very next day Tiernon, Gwri and three companions went to Arberth and upon entering court came across Rhiannon who offered to carry them to the court on her back. "No lady", replied Tiernon "I do not suppose any of will allow you to carry him". When Tiernon entered the court there was much rejoicing. Tiernon told Pwyll of the events of that May eve, "Lady, look upon your son, for whoever lied about you did wrong, surely you cannot doubt that he is your son". There could be no doubt to anyone that this was indeed the son of Pwyll and Rhiannon and so he was renamed Pryderi son of Pwyll Head of Annwvyn. Pwyll turned to Tiernon, "God reward you for raising the boy and if he grows into a good man, he too should reward you. I myself will maintain you and your land for as long as you live".

Pryderi was then sent to the Chieftain of Dyved to be fostered as befitted his rank. Pwyll offered Tiernon treasures and jewels as reward but he would accept none.

Pryderi grew up to be the most perfect lad and was accomplished at all feats. After Pwyll's death he conquered the three cantrevs of Ystrad Tywi and the four cantrevs of Keredigyawn so that they became known as the seven cantrevs of Seissyllwch. He took a wife, Kigva daughter of Gwyn the Splendid Son of Gloyw Wide Hair .

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