“Mal,” properly speaking, seems to have been a certain tribute, as above. Thus we read in Welsh legends;—
“He gave his domain of Clynog to God and to Beuno for ever, without either contribution or tax (heb na mal nac ardreth.”) (Buch. Beuno.)
Again,—
“There is neither contribution nor tax, (na mal na threth) which we ought to pay.” (H. Car. Mag. Mabinogion.)
The word in the text may signify gifts or presents; or it may mean meal, (mâl, what is ground) in allusion to the more substantial portion of the feast.
[163a] Lit. “I am being ruined.”
[163b] Mynyddawg himself.
[163c] Al. “From amongst.”
[163d] That is, free and precipitate in his course, as a ball flies through the air. This simile seems to have been borrowed from a popular game among the Britons called pelre, which consisted in the beating of a ball backwards and forwards, and is alluded to by Taliesin in the following lines;
“Ceiniadon moch clywid eu govalon:
Marchawglu mor daer am Gaer Llion;
A dial Idwal ar Aranwynion
A gware pelre a phen Saeson.” (Myv. Arch. i. p. 73.)Songsters, soon would their cares be heard;
An army of horsemen so harassing round Caer Llion;
And the revenge of Idwal on the Aranwynians;
And the playing of ball-buffetting with Saxon heads.