and cause his family to be friends when their wrath was at the highest, and this one was Nissyen; but the other would cause strife between his two brothers when they were most at peace.  And as they sat thus they beheld thirteen ships coming from the south of Ireland, and making towards them; and they came with a swift motion, the wind being behind them; and they neared them rapidly.  “I see ships afar,” said the king, “coming swiftly towards the land.  Command the men of the court that they equip themselves, and go and learn their intent.”  So the men equipped themselves, and went down towards them.  And when they saw the ships near, certain were they that they had never seen ships better furnished.  Beautiful flags of satin were upon them.  And, behold, one of the ships outstripped the others, and they saw a shield lifted up above the side of the ship, and the point of the shield was upwards, in token of peace.  And the men drew near, that they might hold converse.  Then they put out boats, and came toward the land.  And they saluted the king.  Now the king could hear them from the place where he was upon the rock above their heads.  “Heaven prosper you.” said he, “and be ye welcome!  To whom do these ships belong, and who is the chief amongst you?” “Lord,” said they, “Matholch, king of Ireland, is here, and these ships belong to him.”  “Wherefore comes he?” asked the king, “and will he come to the land?” “He is a suitor unto thee, lord,” said they, “and he will not land unless he have his boon.”  “And what may that be?” inquired the king.  “He desires to ally himself, lord, with thee,” said they, “and he comes to ask Branwen, the daughter of Llyr, that, if it seem well to thee, the Island of the Mighty [Footnote:  The Island of the Mighty is one of the many names bestowed upon Britain by the Welsh.] may be leagued with Ireland, and both become more powerful.”  “Verily,” said he, “let him come to land, and we will take counsel thereupon.”  And this answer was brought to Matholch.  “I will go willingly,” said he.  So he landed, and they received him joyfully; and great was the throng in the palace that night, between his hosts and those of the court; and next day they took counsel, and they resolved to bestow Branwen upon Matholch.  Now she was one of the three chief ladies of this island, and she was the fairest damsel in the world.

And they fixed upon Aberfraw as the place where she should become his bride.  And they went thence, and towards Aberfraw the hosts proceeded, Matholch and his host in their ships, Bendigeid Vran and his host by land, until they came to Aberfraw.  And at Aberfraw they began the feast, and sat down.  And thus sat they:  the king of the Island of the Mighty and Manawyddan, the son of Llyr, on one side, and Matholch on the other side, and Branwen, the daughter of Llyr, beside him.  And they were not within a house, but under tents.  No house could ever contain Bendigeid Vran.  And they began the banquet, and caroused and discoursed.  And when it was more pleasing to them to sleep than to carouse, they went to rest, and Branwen became Matholch’s bride.