And he took a horse and went forward.  And he came to an open, level plain, and put spurs to his horse; and the more he urged his horse, the further was she from him.  And he returned to the place where Pwyll was, and said, “Lord, it will avail nothing for any one to follow yonder lady.  I know of no horse in these realms swifter than this, and it availed me not to pursue her.”  “Of a truth,” said Pwyll, “there must be some illusion here; let us go towards the palace.”  So to the palace they went, and spent the day.

And the next day they amused themselves until it was time to go to meat.  And when meat was ended, Pwyll said, “Where are the hosts that went yesterday to the top of the mound?” “Behold, lord, we are here,” said they.  “Let us go,” said he, “to the mound, and sit there.  And do thou,” said he to the page who tended his horse, “saddle my horse well, and hasten with him to the road, and bring also my spurs with thee.”  And the youth did thus.  And they went and sat upon the mound; and ere they had been there but a short time, they beheld the lady coming by the same road, and in the same manner, and at the same pace.  “Young man,” said Pwyll, “I see the lady coming; give me my horse.”  And before he had mounted his horse she passed him.  And he turned after her and followed her.  And he let his horse go bounding playfully, and thought that he should soon come up with her.  But he came no nearer to her than at first.  Then he urged his horse to his utmost speed, yet he found that it availed not.  Then said Pwyll, “O maiden, for the sake of him whom thou best lovest, stay for me.”  “I will stay gladly,” said she; “and it were better for thy horse hadst thou asked it long since.”  So the maiden stopped; and she threw back that part of her head-dress which covered her face.  Then he thought that the beauty of all the maidens and all the ladies that he had ever seen was as nothing compared to her beauty.  “Lady,” he said, “wilt thou tell me aught concerning thy purpose?” “I will tell thee,” said she; “my chief quest was to see thee.”  “Truly,” said Pwyll, “this is to me the most pleasing quest on which thou couldst have come; and wilt thou tell me who thou art?” “I will tell thee, lord,” said she.  “I am Rhiannon, the daughter of Heveydd, and they sought to give me a husband against my will.  But no husband would I have, and that because of my love for thee; neither will I yet have one, unless thou reject me; and hither have I come to hear thy answer.”  “By Heaven,” said Pwyll, “behold this is my answer.  If I might choose among all the ladies and damsels in the world, thee would I choose.”  “Verily,” said she, “if thou art thus minded, make a pledge to meet me ere I am given to another.”  “The sooner I may do so, the more pleasing will it be to me,” said Pwyll; “and wheresoever thou wilt, there will I meet with thee.”  “I will that thou meet me this day twelvemonth at the palace of Heveydd.”  “Gladly,” said he, “will I keep this tryst.”  So they parted, and he went back to his hosts, and to them of his household.  And whatsoever questions they asked him respecting the damsel, he always turned the discourse upon other matters.