grew light again, they looked around them and found that all dwellings and
animals had vanished; there was no smoke or fire anywhere or work of human
hands; all their household had disappeared, and there were left only
Pryderi and Manawydan with their wives. Wandering from place to place,
they found no human beings; but they lived by hunting, fishing, and
gathering wild honey. After visiting foreign lands, they returned to their
island home. One day when they were out hunting, a wild boar of pure white
color sprang from a bush, and as they saw him they retreated, and they saw
also the Turning Castle. The boar, watching his opportunity, sprang into
it, and the dogs followed, and Pryderi said, "I will go into this castle
and get tidings of the dogs." "Go not," said Manawydan; "whoever has cast
a spell over this land and deprived us of our dwelling has placed this
castle here." But Pryderi replied, "Of a truth I cannot give up my dogs."
So he watched for the opportunity and went in. He saw neither boar nor
dogs, neither man nor beast; but on the centre of the castle floor he saw
a fountain with marble work around it, and on the margin of the fountain a
golden bowl upon a marble slab, and in the air hung chains, of which he
could see no end. He was much delighted with the beauty of the gold and
the rich workmanship of the bowl and went up to lay hold of it. The moment
he touched it, his fingers clung to the bowl, and his feet to the slab;
and all his joyousness forsook him so that he could not utter a word. And
thus he stood.

Manawydan waited for him until evening, but hearing nothing either of him
or of the dogs, he returned home. When he entered, Rhiannon, who was his
wife and who was also Pryderi's mother, looked at him. "Where," she said,
"are Pryderi and the dogs?" "This is what has happened to me," he said;
and he told her. "An evil companion hast thou been," she said, "and a good
companion hast thou lost." With these words she went out and proceeded
towards the Castle of the Active Door. Getting in, she saw Pryderi taking