up, he fell back a second time, and betook him to flight. Then they
pursued the boar until they beheld a vast and lofty castle, all newly
built, in a place where they had never before seen either stone or
building. And the boar ran swiftly into the castle and the dogs after
him. Now when the boar and the dogs had gone into the castle, they began
to wonder at finding a castle in a place where they had never before then
seen any building whatsoever. And from the top of the Gorsedd they
looked and listened for the dogs. But so long as they were there they
heard not one of the dogs nor aught concerning them.

"Lord," said Pryderi, "I will go into the castle to get tidings of the
dogs." "Truly," he replied, "thou wouldst be unwise to go into this
castle, which thou hast never seen till now. If thou wouldst follow my
counsel, thou wouldst not enter therein. Whosoever has cast a spell over
this land, has caused this castle to be here." "Of a truth," answered
Pryderi, "I cannot thus give up my dogs." And for all the counsel that
Manawyddan gave him, yet to the castle he went.

When he came within the castle, neither man nor beast, nor boar nor dogs,
nor house nor dwelling saw he within it. But in the centre of the castle
floor he beheld a fountain with marble work around it, and on the margin
of the fountain a golden bowl upon a marble slab, and chains hanging from
the air, to which he saw no end.

And he was greatly pleased with the beauty of the gold, and with the rich
workmanship of the bowl, and he went up to the bowl and laid hold of it.
And when he had taken hold of it his hands stuck to the bowl, and his
feet to the slab on which the bowl was placed, and all his joyousness
forsook him, so that he could not utter a word. And thus he stood.

And Manawyddan waited for him till near the close of the day. And late
in the evening, being certain that he should have no tidings of Pryderi
or of the dogs, he went back to the palace. And as he entered, Rhiannon
looked at him, "Where," said she, "are thy companion and thy dogs?"
"Behold," he answered, "the adventure that has befallen me." And he
related it all unto her. "An evil companion hast thou been," said
Rhiannon, "and a good companion hast thou lost." And with that word she
went out, and proceeded towards the castle according to the direction
which he gave her. The gate of the castle she found open. She was
nothing daunted, and she went in. And as she we