command it. Then the king hastily ordered that Elphin should be brought
from his dungeon and placed before Taliessin, and the chains came loose
from his feet, and he was set free.

As they rode away from the court, the king and his courtiers rode with
them, and Taliessin bade Elphin propose a race with the king's horses.
Four and twenty horses were chosen, and Taliessin got four and twenty
twigs of holly which he had burnt black, and he ordered the youth who was
to ride Elphin's horse to let all the others set off before him, and bade
him as he overtook each horse to strike him with a holly twig and throw it
down. Then he had him watch where his own horse should stumble and throw
down his cap at the place. The race being won, Taliessin brought his
master to the spot where the cap lay; and put workmen to dig a hole there.
When they had dug deeply enough they found a caldron full of gold, and
Taliessin said, "Elphin, this is my payment to thee for having taken me
from the water and reared me until now." And on this spot stands a pool of
water until this day.



III

THE SWAN-CHILDREN OF LIR


King Lir of Erin had four young children who were cared for tenderly at
first by their stepmother, the new queen; but there came a time when she
grew jealous of the love their father bore them, and resolved that she
would endure it no longer. Sometimes there was murder in her heart, but
she could not bear the thought of that wickedness, and she resolved at