The Birth of Taliesin
Caridwen’s Cauldron
In times past there lived in Penllyn a man of gentle lineage, named Tegid Voel, and his wife, Caridwen. And there was born to him of his wife a son the most ill-favoured man in the world, Avagddu. Now Caridwen thought that he was not likely to be admitted among men of noble birth, by reason of his ugliness, unless he had some exalted merits or knowledge.
So she resolved to boil a cauldron of Inspiration and Science for her son, that his reception might be honourable because of his knowledge of the mysteries of the future state of the world.
Then she began to boil the cauldron, which from the beginning of its boiling might not cease to boil for a year and a day, until three blessed drops were obtained of the grace of inspiration.