Image of Jack the Giant-Killer from Cardiff Castle | Source
Let all persons know that Llywelyn ap Iorwerth was a Prince of Wales, and that he had the daughter of King John to wife. And he loved to dwell at Trefriw, and was much given to praise St. Mary of Trefriw. And as he was riding to London, there being six score horsemen with him, behold, there met him on Cefn Tegeingl a bare-legged man with rough red hair, who takes hold of his horse’s bridle and asks him what place he was going to. And Llywelyn told him that he was going to London. ‘I shall come with thee, if thou wilt give me leave,’ said the bare-legged. ‘Come thou and welcome,’ answered Llywelyn. And so they went to London. And Llywelyn dismounted in London, and the Rough-red-haired one said to him: ‘Should there be any feat whatsoever wanting to you, let me be warned of it.’
Llywelyn went to the King’s court, and the King welcomed him and placed him to sit at the Prince’s table. And the King’s wizard made play, none other than to bring the sea up to the tables, with ships of merchandise and silver hooks, and the finest ware of the whole world. And when that play was ended, he made yet another play, a dirty yard, with cattle and sheep and goats, and maids milking. And the goats ran along the table where was Llywelyn. And he bethought him of what the bare-legged had said, and sent to fetch him, and ordered clothes to be bought for him. When they went to buy clothes for him, ‘I shall have none of the clothes,’ said he, and he came to Llywelyn. And then he made play, and brought the sea into the house, and ships of silver, with hooks of gold. And he made another play, a great oak growing on the floor of the hall, full of acorns, and pigs eating of them, the while there were twenty-four servants who chased away the black sows with the drooping ears, and slaughtered them and made pottage of their flesh, which they drank and then swilled over the King’s table. And Llywelyn was pleased at this.
And he then struck with a wand the King’s wizard until he became a buck, with twenty-four hounds after him, and they killed and skinned him. And then he greeted Llywelyn. ‘What player art thou?’ asked Llywelyn. Then he struck the skin with his wand and the man was alive and well.
On that day Llywelyn was sent from his lodging in London, and the same man made for him the fairest palace in all the world, and Llywelyn dwelt there for three months and a fortnight. And when Llywelyn left, there were many of the men of London who sought to get that palace for rent. Then said the man of the rough red hair: ‘I shall take this palace away. My lord, mount your horse.’ And then he drew his wand along the wall. And the palace was no longer there.
And then he walked barefoot as before with Llywelyn until they came to Cefn Tegeingl. And there he bade farewell to Llywelyn, saying: ‘I am called Cynfrig Coch of Trefriw, and Mary of Trefriw sent me to help thee, lest thy enemy have the better of thee, and I am an angel. Pray thou to Mary and she will keep thee.’
And so Mary saved Llywelyn ap Iorwerth from shame.
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