Rhiannon and the White Horse

Long ago in Wales, there was a prince named Pwyll who lived in a castle at Arberth. Near his castle stood a round green hill with a strange secret. People said that whoever sat on top of it would see a wonder.

One evening, Pwyll climbed the hill and sat down on the grass. Soon he saw a lady riding along the road below. She wore a dress of shining gold, and she rode a tall horse as white as snow. The horse was walking slowly, step by step.

“Who is that lady?” asked Pwyll, but none of his friends knew. So he sent a young man to run after her and ask. The young man ran, but the faster he ran, the farther away the lady seemed to be. At last he came back, out of breath, and said, “Nobody could catch her!”

The next evening, the lady came riding by again. This time, Pwyll sent a rider on the fastest horse in his stables. The horse galloped and galloped, but the white horse still walked slowly, and it stayed just as far ahead.

On the third evening, Pwyll jumped onto his own horse and rode after her himself. He went faster and faster, but he came no closer to the lady at all. Then he had a new idea, and he called out to her. “Lady, please wait for me, for the sake of the one you love best!”

The lady stopped at once, and she turned around with a smile. “Of course I will wait,” she said, “and your poor horse would have thanked you for asking much sooner!” She lifted her veil, and Pwyll thought she was the loveliest person he had ever seen.

“My name is Rhiannon,” she said. “My family wants me to marry a man I do not like, but I came here to find you.” “There is nobody in the world I would rather marry,” said Pwyll happily.

So they made a promise. In a year and a day, there would be a great feast at her father’s hall, and they would be married. Then Rhiannon rode away on her white horse, slowly, step by step, and this time Pwyll did not need to chase her. He went home to his castle and counted the days until he would see her again.