Taliessin placedhimself in a quiet corner, waiting for the four and twenty bards to pass,and as each one passed by, Taliessin made an ugly face, and gave a soundwith his finger on his lips, thus, "Blerwm, Blerwm." Each bard went by andbowed himself before the king, but instead of beginning to chant hispraises, could only play "Blerwm, Blerwm" on the lips, as the boy haddone. The king was amazed and thought they must be intoxicated, so he sentone of his lords to them, telling them to behave themselves and rememberwhere they were. Twice and thrice he told them, but they could only repeatthe same foolishness, until at last the king ordered one of his squires togive a blow to the chief bard, and the squire struck him a blow with abroom, so that he fell back on his seat. Then he arose and knelt beforethe king, and said, "Oh, honorable king, be it known unto your grace thatit is not from too much drinking that we are dumb, but through theinfluence of a spirit which sits in the corner yonder in the form of achild." Then the king bade a squire to bring Taliessin before him, and heasked the boy who he was. He answered:-- "Primary chief bard I am to Elphin, And my original country is the region of the summer stars; I am a wonder whose origin is not known; I have been fostered in the land of the Deity, I have been teacher to all intelligences, I am able to instruct the whole universe.
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