The Echo Stone
Few of the rough stones
behave in the same way as this false jagged stone,
the nasty shrieking witch,
4 clumsy troublesome bitch.
Its ceaseless chatter on valley's edge
after rain is greater
than that of noisy quarrelsome Merddin
8 son of Saith Gudyn, the angry man.
It was close to me, and there to frustrate me
as I lay in wait by it
expecting a girl down below
12 beneath a welcoming shady grove,
she looking for me courteously,
and me looking for the dear jewel
like the two mighty old Horned Oxen.
16 'What are you seeking?'
each of us called to the other.
We found each other - what joy!
We were in a dark secluded green hazel grove,
20 well did we know how to hide,
the girl and I, my desire,
in the shade of the menacing rocky crag.
Clever buffoon, however quietly
24 we conversed, sure enough,
it answered again and again
in its own hollow language.
The girl turned pale, slim bright form,
28 took fright because of the wailing,
rosy cheek, then off she fled.
And who wouldn't have chosen to flee?
A threefold cold torture, indeed,
32 upon the throat of the hoarse rocky stream,
pile of stones which bellows like a bugler,
bald cairn like a great hewn fortress.
There is either a demon inside it,
36 the ugly old wardrobe,
or dogs in the hollow stone
yelping, or the clanging of bowls;
a screech like a bony old goose being slaughtered,
40 the barking of a strong bitch under a round chest;
a raucous witch shouting hoarsely
to cause terror from the rock.
Most frustrating journey depriving me of favour,
44 it hindered me where the girl was.
It prevented an invitation to a lad,
a curse on it for its hindrance!