This is the English translation of the Arthurian poem Pa Gur yw y Porthawr (What Man is the Gate-keeper?) from the the Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin (Black Book of Carmarthen). It is rendered as close as possible to the original using my font, Mabinogi Celtic which is free for anyone to download and install. This is one of the earliest surviving Arthurian poems.

What man is the gate-keeper

What man is the gate-keeper
Glewlwyd Mighty-grasp
What man asks this?
Arthur and Fair Cei
What [company] is with you?
The best men in the world
Into my house you will not come
unless you deliver them [unto me]
I will deliver them
and you will will see them:
The Hounds of Elei;
wise men all three:
Mabon son of Modron
the servant of Uther Pendragon
Cysceint son of Banon
and Gwyn [son of] Goddybrion
Fierce were my servants
in defending their claims:
Manawyddan son of Llŷr
profound was his counsel
(indeed) Manawyd[dan] brought
broken shields from Tryfrwydd
and Mabon son of Mellt
stained blood on the greensward
and Angwas the Winged
and Lluch the Bladed
they were defenders
of Eiddin (Edinburgh) on the border
a lord would shelter them
my nephew will recompense me
Cei entreated them
as he slew them by threes.
When Celli was lost
[men] endured cruelty.
Cei mocked them
even as he cut them down
Arthur was laughing
even as the blood flowed
in the hall of Awrnach
as he battled with a hag.
He smote 'Cudgel Head'
in the settlements of Dissethach.
On the mountain of Eiddin
he fought with Cinben (Dog-heads)
They fell by the hundred
By the hundred they fell
before Peredur of the Perfect Sinew
on the banks of Tryfrwyd,
fighting with Garwlwyd (Rough Grey)
Furious was his nature
with sword and shield.
A battle-host was useless
against Cei in battle.
He was a sword in battle
from his hand came no pledge
He was a steadfast leader
of a legion for the good of a country.
Bedwyr and Bridlaw[[*]
nine hundred to listen
six hundred to scatter
his onslaught would be worthy.
Servants I posessed,
it was better when they lived.
Before the lords of Emrys[[**]
I saw him, Cei, in haste,
lord of the spoils
the 'long man' was hostile
heavy was his vengeance
fierce was his anger
When his spear drank [blood]
it drank from four.
When to battle he came,
he slew for a hundred.
Unless god willed it
Cei's fate was not for death
Cei the fair and Llacheu
they revelled in slaughter
before the biting of blue spears.
On the uplands of Ystafingwyn
Cei killed[[§] three witches
n to destroy lions[[§]
His shield was fractured
against the Cath Palug
When people enquire:
'Who killed the Cath Palug?'
Nine-score warriors
would fall as her food
nine-score champions
and ...

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Follow these links for the original version of the poem and the modern Welsh version of the poem.




The poem given above are transcribed directly from the Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin (Black Book of Carmarthen), with reference to Blodeugerdd Barddas o'r Bedwaredd Ganrif ar Ddeg edited by Dafydd Johnston and to AHO Jarman's diplomatic edition of the text. Letters or words obviously missing from the text are enclosed in square brackets [ ] and letters or words that are either superfluous to the metre or which are erroniously copied in the original are indicated in italic text.