Alan Garner - Collected Folk Tales

But the goblin, meantime, had gone to Einion’s wife, in the disguise of a richly apparelled knight, and wooed her, pretending that her husband was dead. And the illusion fell upon her; and seeing that she should become a noble lady, higher than any in that country, she named a day for her marriage with him. And there was a great preparation of every elegant and sumptuous apparel, and of meats and drinks, and of every honourable guest, and every excellence of song and string, and every preparation of banquet and festive entertainment.

Now there was a beautiful harp in Angharad’s room, which the goblin knight desired should be played on; and the harpers present, the best of their day, tried to put it in tune, and were not able.

But Einion presented himself at the house, and offered to play it. Angharad, being under an illusion, saw him as an old, decrepit, withered, grey-haired man, stooping with age, and dressed in rags. Einion tuned the harp, and played on it the air which Angharad loved. And she marvelled exceedingly, and asked him who he was. And he answered in song:

“Einion the golden-hearted.”

“Where hast thou been?”

“In Kent, in Gwent, in the wood, in Monmouth,

“In Maenol, Gorwenydd;

“And in the valley of Gwyn, the son of Nudd;

“See, the bright gold is the token.”

And he gave her the ring.

“Look not on the whitened hue of my hair,

“Where once my aspect was spirited and bold;

“Now grey, without disguise, where once it was yellow.

“Never was Angharad out of my remembrace,

“But Einion was by thee forgotten.”

But Angharad could not bring him to her recollection. Then said he to the guests:

“If I have lost her whom I loved, the fair one of polished mind,

“The daughter of Ednyfed Fychan,

“Still get you out! I have not lost

“Either my bed, or my house, or my fire.”

And upon that he placed the white staff in Angharad’s hand, and instantly the goblin which she had hitherto seen as a handsome and honourable nobleman, appeared to her as a monster, inconceivably hideous; and she fainted from fear, and Einion supported her until she revived.

And when she opened her eyes, she saw there neither the goblin, nor any of the guests, nor of the minstrels, nor anything whatever except Einion, and her son, and the harp, and the house in its domestic arrangement, and the dinner on the table, casting its savoury odour around. And they sat down to eat, and exceeding great was their enjoyment. And they saw the illusion which the goblin had cast over them. And thus it ends.

Gently dippe: but not too deepe;

For feare you make the goulden beard to weepe.

Faire maiden white and redde,

Combe me smoothe, and stroke my head:

And thou shalt have some cockell bread.

Gently dippe, but not too deepe,

For feare thou make the goulden beard to weepe.

Faire maide, white, and redde,

Combe me smoothe, and stroke my head;

And every haire, a sheave shall be,

And every sheave a goulden tree.

George Peele

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