The Mabinogion, Dream of Macsen Wledig, Emperor of Rome

One day Macsen Wledig, Emperor of Rome, went hunting. He spent all morning on horseback in a hot river-valley and at noon lay down to sleep. To shelter him from the sun, his men propped their shields on spears and laid a golden shield beneath his head.

Macsen slept, and in his dream he went on a journey far from Rome. At first he travelled up the valley until it ended at a high mountain. Beyond the mountain stretched a grassy plain with rivers winding towards the sea, and at the mouth of one river he saw a fleet of ships beside a great city.

Pwyll rode towards a grassy clearing and came apon a dead stag surrounded by small but fiery hounds: their coats were a blinding white, and their ears like glowing red coals. Bravely, the Prince urged his horse into the glade, charged wildly at the dogs and scattered them away.

As his own pack returned and grouped around the deer, a huntsman rode out from the trees and hailed him: "Lord, I will not greet you because you have driven off my hounds from their prey".

At these words the Prince promised to make up for his discourtesy. "Well" said the stranger "This is how to win my friendship. I am Arawn, King of Annwn (the Other World), and I have a neighbour called King Hafgan who is forever causing trouble. Yet whenever I hit him more than one stroke, the next day he is as well as he was before."

Before The Lord of the Rings there was THE MABINOGION. Widely recognized as the finest arc of Celtic mythology, the eleven stories were preserved in two Welsh collections, The White Book of Rhydderch (1300-1325) and The Red Book of Hergest (1375-1425), though the stories themselves hail from an oral tradition dating back a thousand years. At its core are tales of heroes and men, birth and death, gods and beasts, penance and vindication, kinship and kingship, battles and quests. THE MABINOGION embraces much of ancient and early British culture, combining the numinous world of Celtic mythology, Arthurian legend and feudal Europe’s Age of Chivalry. Indeed, scholars have identified that it was out of THE MABINOGION that the Arthurian legends were born.

He crossed over a bridge of walrus tusks to reach the biggest ship, which was made of gold and silver wood. Then he sailed far away towards an island, the finest and fairest in all the world.

The west of this new country was rocky, with deep green valleys and blue lakes. From the highest mountain a river ran down to the sea, and at the river's mouth the gate of an ornate castle opened wide to welcome him in.

In the castle's hall Macsen saw two young boys playing gwyddbwyll with golden men on a silver board, and on an ivory throne sat their father, carving pieces for the game.

Beside him was his daughter, glorious in garments of white and gold. A broach of red-gold pinned her robe, and a girdle of red-gold curled about her waist. Apon her head she wore a golden band, clustered with rubies and pearls. Altogether, she was the most beautiful girl that he had ever seen.

Of course, just as he was taking her in his arms - Macsen woke up. Sadly, he returned to Rome, and despite being offered the finest wine and the finest song all he wanted to do was sleep.

After a week the wise men of the city met with the Emperor and suggested: "For three years send out envoys to all corners of the world to seek out the maid of your dreams".

This idea pleased Macsen, and the men departed. However, they returned after only one year without any news to cheer him.

Eventually, Macsen set out himself to find the river-valley in which he'd hunted that day. At last he found it, and he despatched 13 messengers to trace the river to its source among the mountains. To announce the peacefulness of their mission, each man wore 1 sleeve pinned to the front of his cape.

After many months the travellers returned to Rome. Joyfully, they told the Emperor: "We have discovered the castle and lady of your dreams, and we will guide you to her over mountain and plain, sea and land".

In wonder Macsen followed them on a journey which was exactly as in his dream. Finally, he reached the Island of Britain (which was, as you know, the finest and fairest in all the world) and made for the rocky land of Arfon in the west.

From the high mountain of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon some men call it) a river ran down to the sea, and at the river-mouth the gate of the Castle of Aber Seint opened wide to welcome him in.

In the hall he saw two boys playing gwyddbwyll, and on an ivory throne sat their father, carving pieces for the game. Beside him was his daughter, glorious in garments of white and gold. Altogether, she was the most beautiful girl that he had ever seen.

Of course, just as he was taking her in his arms – but this time Macsen didn't need to wake up! And for seven years the Emperor lived with his Celtic wife Elen on the Island of Britain.

After that time a stranger squatted on the throne of Rome, and Macsen and Elen left Britain to take back the Empire. For one year they stayed outside the city-walls and could not get in. Then Elen's brothers arrived, and with them a small host of brave warriors.

The brothers had an idea, and they made ladders from the wood of nearby trees. They knew that both sides stopped fighting at noon so they ate early and quaffed alcohol until full of high spirits. Then they scaled the ramparts and entered the city whilst the two Emperors fed.