agreed upon this decision. Elphin said, on the contrary, that it was he
himself who had the most beautiful wife and the wisest bard, and for this
he was thrown into prison. Taliessin learning this, set forth from home to
visit the palace and free his adoptive father, Elphin.

In those days it was the custom of kings to sit in the hall and dine in
royal state with lords and bards about them who should keep proclaiming
the greatness and glory of the king and his knights. Taliessin placed
himself in a quiet corner, waiting for the four and twenty bards to pass,
and as each one passed by, Taliessin made an ugly face, and gave a sound
with his finger on his lips, thus, "Blerwm, Blerwm." Each bard went by and
bowed himself before the king, but instead of beginning to chant his
praises, could only play "Blerwm, Blerwm" on the lips, as the boy had
done. The king was amazed and thought they must be intoxicated, so he sent
one of his lords to them, telling them to behave themselves and remember
where they were. Twice and thrice he told them, but they could only repeat
the same foolishness, until at last the king ordered one of his squires to
give a blow to the chief bard, and the squire struck him a blow with a
broom, so that he fell back on his seat. Then he arose and knelt before
the king, and said, "Oh, honorable king, be it known unto your grace that
it is not from too much drinking that we are dumb, but through the
influence of a spirit which sits in the corner yonder in the form of a
child." Then the king bade a squire to bring Taliessin before him, and he
asked the boy who he was. He answered:--

"Primary chief bard I am to Elphin,
And my original country is the region of the summer stars;
I am a wonder whose origin is not known;
I have been fostered in the land of the Deity,
I have been teacher to all intelligences,