and
went towards a court that there was upon the mountain, and through fear
they could not proceed except with their faces looking backwards, so that
unawares they fell into the lake. And they were all drowned except
Blodeuwedd herself, and her Gwydion overtook. And he said unto her, "I
will not slay thee, but I will do unto thee worse than that. For I will
turn thee into a bird; and because of the shame thou hast done unto Llew
Llaw Gyffes, thou shall never show thy face in the light of day
henceforth; and that through fear of all the other birds. For it shall
be their nature to attack thee, and to chase thee from wheresoever they
may find thee. And thou shalt not lose thy name, but shalt be always
called Blodeuwedd." Now Blodeuwedd is an owl in the language of this
present time, and for this reason is the owl hateful unto all birds. And
even now the owl is called Blodeuwedd.

Then Gronw Pebyr withdrew unto Penllyn, and he despatched thence an
embassy. And the messengers he sent, asked Llew Llaw Gyffes, if he would
take land, or domain, or gold, or silver, for the injury he had received.
"I will not, by my confession to Heaven," said he. "Behold this is the
least that I will accept from him; that he come to the spot where I was
when he wounded me with the dart, and that I stand where he did, and that
with a dart I take my aim at him. And this is the very least that I will
accept."

And this was told unto Gronw Pebyr. "Verily," said he, "is it needful
for me to do thus? My faithful warriors, and my household, and my foster-
brothers, is there not one among you who will stand the blow in my
stead?" "There is not, verily," answered they. And because of their
refusal to suffer one stroke for their lord, they are called the third
disloyal tribe even unto this day. "Well," said he, "I will meet it."

{Picture: p106.jpg}

Then they two went forth to the banks of the river Cynvael, and Gronw
stood in the place where Llew Llaw Gyffes was when he struck him, and
Llew in the place where Gronw was. Then said Gronw Pebyr unto Llew,
"Since it was through the wiles of a woman that I did unto thee as I have
done, I adjure thee by Heaven to let me place between me and the blow,
the slab thou seest yonder on the river's bank." "Verily," said Llew, "I
will not refuse thee this." "Ah," said he, "may Heaven reward thee." So
Gronw took the slab and placed it between him and the blow.

Then Llew flung the dart at him