“Get married, my son, and settle down,” said my mother softly.  “I may not bear to lose you again.”

So that other matter was easily settled, as may be supposed, though no doubt my good mother would have fain had somewhat more say in the choice of a wife for me.  But when my father and cousin heard of the way in which we two had met, and what we had gone through together, they said it was good that I had found no fair weather, fireside bride, and there was a great welcome ready for her as soon as we could bring her home.

Ten miles south of Selwood, on the forest’s edge, lies that hall which was my mother’s, and to which I had the right as her son, and there I was to live.  I think that I have spoken of it before as that which gave me the right to the rank of thane.  Now and then we had gone there and bided in the hall, seeing to the lands, and so forth, but mostly it had been left to the care of the steward.  So it was waiting for me, and thither I should bring Hilda as soon as all was ready.

And I need not tell of that time of preparation, which seemed long to me; but at last we sailed across the still sea from Worle to Caerleon—­my father, and my cousin, and half a dozen others of our friends—­for word had gone and come from Jefan by the fishers of the Parrett river, and he would welcome all whom we would bring with us.

“Make it as good a wedding as you may,” was his word to me.

I think that Offa once sent an embassy to Caerleon, and that they were the first of our race who had ever been within its old walls.  But I know that never before had a Saxon party been welcomed there as we were welcomed, nor had there been such a feast since Jefan himself was wedded.

It seems to me that I am leaving out a many things now; but who wants to hear of that wedding?  If any one does, he must even go to Caerleon and call the bards to him, if they will come, and ask them to sing the songs they made thereon.  Otherwise he may ask any man of Caerleon to tell him what he saw of it himself, for indeed I cannot say that I had thought or eyes for any but one figure in all the splendour of that ancient court.  I do mind that Jefan’s fair princess had clad Hilda in wondrous British array, which passes me to tell of, and that Kynan and Jefan and the men of their host had decked her with gold and pearl and mountain gems, such as lured the Roman hither.  They had a splendid sword and mail shirt and helm for me, too, better even than that which Carl gave me, because of the holding of the gate.

Now if one listens, as I have said, to the tales they tell over there, it will be heard how I was said to have kept that gate against all the host of Mercia, not to say Offa himself; for, like our own gleemen, the Welsh bards do not fail to make the most of a story.  But how much thereof to believe those who have read my own tale will know.  I suppose they are obliged to make too much of a matter, so that about the rights thereof may be believed.