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diff --git a/19959-h/19959-h.htm b/19959-h/19959-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d8067d1 --- /dev/null +++ b/19959-h/19959-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4125 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>The Mabinogion Vol. 1 (of 3)</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4 { + text-align: left; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + TD { vertical-align: top; } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + color: gray;} + + .citation {vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">The Mabinogion Vol. 1 (of 3), by Owen M. Edwards</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Mabinogion Vol. 1 (of 3), Edited by Owen +M. Edwards, Translated by Charlotte Guest + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Mabinogion Vol. 1 (of 3) + + +Editor: Owen M. Edwards + +Release Date: November 28, 2006 [eBook #19959] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MABINOGION VOL. 1 (OF 3)*** +</pre> +<p><a name="startoftext"></a></p> +<p>Transcribed from the 1902 T. Fisher Unwin edition by David +Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org</p> +<h1>THE MABINOGION</h1> +<p style="text-align: center">TRANSLATED FROM THE RED BOOK OF +HERGEST BY LADY CHARLOTTE GUEST<br /> +VOL. I. LONDON<br /> +T. FISHER UNWIN<br /> +11 PATERNOSTER<br /> +BUILDINGS. MXCII</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p0b.jpg"> +<img alt="“Bearing a spear of mighty size, with three +streams of blood flowing from the point to the ground.”" +src="images/p0s.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<h2><!-- page 9--><a name="page9"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +9</span>INTRODUCTION.</h2> +<p>More than half a century ago Lady Charlotte Guest gave <i>The +Mabinogion</i> to English readers in the form which, probably, +will ever most delight them. Her transcript of the Red Book +of Hergest was not perfect, she found the meaning of many a Welsh +phrase obscure, but her rendering is generally very accurate; and +the Celtic tales retain in their new dress much of the charm, +which so often evades the translator, of a perfect style formed +by generations of narrating.</p> +<p>The Red Book of Hergest, from which <i>The Mabinogion</i> are +taken, is a collection of tales and poems written during the +fourteenth century. Some of the Mabinogion in it have been +reconstructed in Norman and Crusading times, but they contain +reminiscences of a more distant period, often but half understood +by the later story-teller. Among these are “The Dream +of Rhonabwy,” “The Lady of the Fountain,” and +“Peredur the son of Evrawc”—the three which +happen to come first in the Red Book. These are Christian, +but with distant glimpses of <!-- page 10--><a +name="page10"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 10</span>Celtic +heathenism. The adventures are all grouped around Arthur +and his knights; and a kind of connection is given to the three +tales by the presence of Owen and his mysterious ravens.</p> +<p>Others, especially the four Mabinogion properly so called and +the Tale of Lludd and Llevelys, are far older; they are older +than Christianity, and older than Arthur.</p> +<p>In this new edition of Lady Guest’s translation I have +put, in the form of footnotes, what appears to me to be a more +correct or a more literal rendering of some of the passages of +the Welsh. This course makes it unnecessary to tamper with +the charming translation that has become a classic of the English +language.</p> +<p>I am very grateful to the Principal and Fellows of Jesus +College for access to the Red Book, to Dr J. Gwenogvryn Evans for +permission to use his edition and to Lord Wimborne (the Ivor of +Lady Guest’s dedication) for information kindly given.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">OWEN EDWARDS.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Lincoln College</span>,<br /> +<span class="smcap">Oxford</span>, 1<i>st</i> <i>March</i> +1902.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p15.jpg"> +<img alt="Picture" src="images/p15.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<h2><!-- page 11--><a name="page11"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +11</span>TO IVOR AND MERTHYR</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">My Dear Children</span>,</p> +<p>Infants as you yet are, I feel that I cannot dedicate more +fitly than to you these venerable relics of ancient lore, and I +do so in the hope of inciting you to cultivate the Literature of +“Gwyllt Walia,” in whose beautiful language you are +being initiated, and amongst whose free mountains you were +born.</p> +<p>May you become early imbued with the chivalric and exalted +sense of honour, and the fervent patriotism for which its sons +have ever been celebrated.</p> +<p>May you learn to emulate the noble qualities of Ivor Hael, and +the firm attachment to your Native Country, which distinguished +that Ivor Bach, after whom the elder of you was named.</p> +<p>I am,<br /> +Your affectionate Mother,<br /> +C. E. GUEST.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Dowlais</span>, 29<i>th</i> <i>August</i> +1838.</p> +<h2><!-- page 15--><a name="page15"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +15</span>THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAIN.</h2> +<p>King Arthur <a name="citation15"></a><a href="#footnote15" +class="citation">[15]</a> was at Caerlleon upon Usk; and one day +he sat in his chamber; and with him were Owain the son of Urien, +and Kynon the son of Clydno, and Kai the son of Kyner; and +Gwenhwyvar and her hand-maidens at needlework by the +window. And if it should be said that there was a porter at +Arthur’s palace, there was none. Glewlwyd Gavaelvawr +was there, acting as porter, to welcome guests and strangers, and +to receive them with honour, and to inform them of <!-- page +16--><a name="page16"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 16</span>the +manners and customs of the Court; and to direct those who came to +the Hall or to the presence chamber, and those who came to take +up their lodging. <a name="citation16"></a><a href="#footnote16" +class="citation">[16]</a></p> +<p>In the centre of the chamber king Arthur sat, upon a seat of +green rushes, over which was spread a covering of flame-coloured +satin; and a cushion of red satin was under his elbow.</p> +<p>Then Arthur spoke, “If I thought you would not disparage +me,” said he, “I would sleep while I wait for my +repast; and you can entertain one another with relating tales, +and can obtain a flagon of mead and some meat from +Kai.” And the King went to sleep. And Kynon the +son of Clydno asked Kai for that which Arthur had promised +them. “I too will have the good tale which he +promised to me,” said Kai. “Nay,” +answered Kynon, “fairer will it be for thee to fulfil +Arthur’s behest in the first place, and then we will tell +thee the best tale that we know.” So Kai went to the +kitchen and to the mead-cellar, and returned, bearing a flagon of +mead, and a golden goblet, and a handful of skewers upon which +were broiled collops of meat. Then they ate the collops and +began to drink the mead. “Now” said Kai, +“it is time for you to give me my story.” +“Kynon,” said Owain, “do thou pay to Kai the +tale that is his due.” “Truly,” said +Kynon, “thou art older, and are a better teller of tales, +and hast seen more marvellous things than I; do thou therefore +pay Kai his tale.” “Begin <!-- page 17--><a +name="page17"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +17</span>thyself,” quoth Owain, “with the best that +thou knowest.” “I will do so,” answered +Kynon.</p> +<p>“I was the only son of my mother and father; and I was +exceedingly aspiring, and my daring was very great. I +thought there was no enterprise in the world too mighty for me, +and after I had achieved all the adventures that were in my own +country, <a name="citation17a"></a><a href="#footnote17a" +class="citation">[17a]</a> I equipped myself, and set forth to +journey through deserts, and distant regions. And at length +it chanced that I came to the fairest valley in the world, +wherein were trees of equal growth; and a river ran through the +valley, and a path was by the side of the river. And I +followed the path until mid-day, and continued my journey along +the remainder of the valley until the evening; and at the +extremity of a plain I came to a large and lustrous Castle, at +the foot of which was a torrent. And I approached the +Castle, and there I beheld two youths, with yellow curling hair, +each with a frontlet of gold upon his head, and clad in a garment +of yellow satin; and they had gold clasps upon their +insteps. In the hand of each of them was an ivory bow, +strung with the sinews of the stag; and their arrows had their +shafts of the bone of the whale, and were winged with +peacock’s feathers. The shafts also had golden +heads. And they had daggers with blades of gold, and with +hilts of the bone of the whale. And they were shooting +their daggers.</p> +<p>“And a little way from them, I saw a man <a +name="citation17b"></a><a href="#footnote17b" +class="citation">[17b]</a> in the prime of life, with his beard +newly shorn, clad in a robe and a mantle of yellow satin; and +round the <!-- page 18--><a name="page18"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 18</span>top of his mantle was a band of gold +lace. On his feet were shoes of variegated leather, +fastened by two bosses of gold. When I saw him, I went +towards him and saluted him; and such was his courtesy, that he +no sooner received my greeting than he returned it. <a +name="citation18a"></a><a href="#footnote18a" +class="citation">[18a]</a> And he went with me towards the +Castle. Now there were no dwellers in the Castle, except +those who were in one hall. And there I saw four and twenty +damsels, embroidering satin, at a window. And this I tell +thee, Kai, that <a name="citation18b"></a><a href="#footnote18b" +class="citation">[18b]</a> the least fair of them was fairer than +the fairest maid thou didst ever behold, in the Island of +Britain; and the least lovely of them was more lovely than +Gwenhwyvar, the wife of Arthur, when she appeared loveliest at +the Offering, on the day of the Nativity, or at the feast of +Easter. <a name="citation18c"></a><a href="#footnote18c" +class="citation">[18c]</a> They rose up at my coming, and +six of them took my horse, and divested me of my armour; and six +others took my arms, and washed them in a vessel, until they were +perfectly bright. And the third six spread cloths upon the +tables, and prepared meat. And the fourth six took off my +soiled garments, and placed others upon me; namely, an under vest +and a doublet of fine linen, and a robe, and a surcoat, and a +mantle of yellow satin, and a broad gold band upon the +mantle. And they placed cushions both beneath and around +me, with coverings of red linen. And I sat down. Now +the six maidens who had taken my horse, unharnessed him, as well +as if they had been the best Squires in the Island of +Britain. Then, behold, they <!-- page 19--><a +name="page19"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 19</span>brought bowls +of silver wherein was water to wash; and towels of linen, some +green and some white; and I washed. And in a little while +the man sat down to the table. <a name="citation19a"></a><a +href="#footnote19a" class="citation">[19a]</a> And I sat +next to him, and below me sat all the maidens, except those who +waited on us. And the table was of silver; and the cloths +upon the table were of linen. And no vessel was served upon +the table that was not either of gold, or of silver, or of +buffalo horn. And our meat was brought to us. And +verily, Kai, I saw there every sort of meat, and every sort of +liquor, that I ever saw elsewhere; but the meat and the liquors +were better served there, than I ever saw them in any other +place.</p> +<p>“Until the repast was half over, neither the man nor any +one of the damsels spoke a single word to me; but when the man +perceived that it would be more agreeable to me to converse than +to eat any more, he began to enquire of me who I was. I +said I was glad to find that there was some one who would +discourse with me, and that it was not considered so great a +crime at that Court, for people to hold converse together. +‘Chieftain,’ said the man, ‘we would have +talked to thee sooner, but we feared to disturb thee during thy +repast. Now, however, we will discourse.’ Then +I told the man who I was, and what was the cause of my +journey. And said that I was seeking whether any one was +superior to me, or whether I could gain the mastery over +all. The man looked upon me, and he smiled, and said, +‘If I did not fear to distress thee too much, <a +name="citation19b"></a><a href="#footnote19b" +class="citation">[19b]</a> I would shew thee that which thou +seekest.’ Upon this I became anxious and sorrowful; +and when the man <!-- page 20--><a name="page20"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 20</span>perceived it, he said, ‘If thou +wouldst rather that I should shew thee thy disadvantage, than +thine advantage, I will do so. Sleep here to-night, and in +the morning, arise early, and take the road upwards through the +valley, until thou reachest the wood, through which thou camest +hither. A little way within the wood, thou wilt meet with a +road, branching off to the right; by which thou must proceed, +until thou comest to a large sheltered glade, with a mound in the +centre. And thou wilt see a black man of great stature, on +the top of the mound; he is not smaller in size than two of the +men of this world. He has but one foot, and one eye, in the +middle of his forehead. And he has a club of iron, and it +is certain that there are no two men in the world, who would not +find their burden in that club. And he is not a comely man, +but on the contrary he is exceedingly ill favoured; and he is the +woodward of that wood. And thou wilt see a thousand wild +animals, grazing around him. Enquire of him the way out of +the glade, and he will reply to thee briefly, <a +name="citation20"></a><a href="#footnote20" +class="citation">[20]</a> and will point out the road, by which +thou shalt find that which thou art in quest of.’</p> +<p>“And long seemed the night to me. And the next +morning I arose, and equipped myself, and mounted my horse, and +proceeded straight through the valley, to the wood, and I +followed the crossroad which the man had pointed out to me, till +at length I arrived at the glade. And there was I three +times more astonished at the number of wild animals that I +beheld, than the man had said I should be. And the black +man was there, sitting upon the top of the mound. Huge of +stature as the <!-- page 21--><a name="page21"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 21</span>man had told me that he was, I found +him to exceed by far the description he had given me of +him. As for the iron club, which the man had told me was a +burden for two men, I am certain, Kai, that it would be a heavy +weight for four warriors to lift. And this was in the black +man’s hand. And he only spoke to me in answer to my +questions. <a name="citation21a"></a><a href="#footnote21a" +class="citation">[21a]</a> Then I asked him what power he +held over those animals. ‘I will shew thee, little +man,’ said he. And he took his club in his hand, and +with it he struck a stag a great blow, so that he brayed +vehemently, and at his braying, the animals came together, as +numerous as the stars in the sky, so that it was difficult for me +to find room in the glade, to stand among them. There were +serpents, and dragons, and divers sorts of animals. And he +looked at them, and bade them go and feed. And they bowed +their heads, and did him homage, as vassals to their lord.</p> +<p>“Then the black man said to me, ‘Seest thou now, +little man, what power I hold over these animals?’ +Then I enquired of him the way; and he became very rough in his +manner to me; however he asked me whither I would go. And +when I had told him who I was, and what I sought, he directed +me. ‘Take,’ said he, ‘that path that +leads towards the head of the glade, and ascend the wooded steep, +until thou comest to its summit; and there thou wilt find an open +space, like to a large valley, and in the midst of it a tall +tree, whose branches are greener than the greenest pine +trees. Under this tree is a fountain, and by the side of +the fountain, a marble slab, and on the marble slab a silver +bowl, attached by a chain of silver, so that it may not be +carried away. <a name="citation21b"></a><a href="#footnote21b" +class="citation">[21b]</a> <!-- page 22--><a +name="page22"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 22</span>Take the +bowl, and throw a bowlful of water upon the slab, and thou wilt +hear a mighty peal of thunder; so that thou wilt think that +heaven and earth are trembling with its fury. With the +thunder there will come a shower so severe, that it will be +scarcely possible for thee to endure it and live. And the +shower will be of hailstones. And after the shower, the +weather will become fair; but every leaf that was upon the tree +will have been carried away by the shower. Then a flight of +birds will come and alight upon the tree; and in thine own +country thou didst never hear a strain so sweet, as that which +they will sing. And at the moment thou art most delighted +with the song of the birds, thou wilt hear a murmuring and +complaining coming towards thee along the valley. And thou +wilt see a knight upon a coal black horse, clothed in black +velvet, and with a pennon of black linen upon his lance, and he +will ride unto thee to encounter thee, with the utmost +speed. If thou fleest from him he will overtake thee, and +if thou abidest there, as sure as thou art a mounted knight, he +will leave thee on foot. And if thou dost not find trouble +in that adventure, thou needst not seek it during the rest of thy +life.’</p> +<p>“So I journeyed on, until I reached the summit of the +steep. And there I found every thing, as the black man had +described it to me. And I went up to the tree, and beneath +it I saw the fountain, and by its side the marble slab; and the +silver bowl, fastened by the chain. Then I took the bowl, +and cast a bowlful of water upon the slab; and thereupon behold +the thunder came, much more violent than the black man had led me +to expect; and after the thunder came the shower; and of a truth +I tell thee, Kai, that there is neither man nor beast that could +<!-- page 23--><a name="page23"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +23</span>endure that shower and live. For not one of those +hailstones would be stopped either by the flesh, or by the skin, +until it had reached the bone. I turned my horse’s +flanks towards the shower, and placed the beak of my shield over +his head and neck, while I held the upper part of it over my own +head. And thus I withstood the shower. When I looked +on the tree, there was not a single leaf upon it, and then the +sky became clear; and with that, behold the birds lighted upon +the tree, and sang. And truly, Kai, I never heard any +melody equal to that, either before or since. And when I +was most charmed with listening to the birds, lo, a murmuring +voice was heard through the valley, approaching me, and saying, +‘Oh, Knight, what has brought thee hither? What evil +have I done to thee, that thou shouldest act towards me and my +possessions, as thou hast this day? Dost thou not know that +the shower to-day has left in my dominions neither man nor beast +alive, that was exposed to it?’ And thereupon, behold +a Knight on a black horse appeared, clothed in jet black velvet, +and with a tabard of black linen about him. And we charged +each other; and as the onset was furious, it was not long before +I was overthrown. Then the Knight passed the shaft of his +lance through the bridle rein of my horse, and rode off with the +two horses; leaving me where I was. And he did not even +bestow so much notice upon me, as to imprison me, nor did he +despoil me of my arms. So I returned along the road by +which I had come. And when I reached the glade where the +black man was, I confess to thee, Kai, it is a marvel that I did +not melt down into a liquid pool, through the shame that I felt +at the black man’s derision. And that night I came to +the same Castle, where I had spent the night preceding. +<!-- page 24--><a name="page24"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +24</span>And I was more agreeably entertained that night, than I +had been the night before; and I was better feasted, and I +conversed freely with the inmates of the Castle; and none of them +alluded to my expedition to the fountain, neither did I mention +it to any. And I remained there that night. When I +arose on the morrow, I found ready saddled a dark-bay palfrey, +with nostrils as red as scarlet. And after putting on my +armour, and leaving there my blessing, I returned to my own +Court. And that horse I still possess, and he is in the +stable yonder. And I declare that I would not part with him +for the best palfrey in the Island of Britain.</p> +<p>“Now of a truth, Kai, no man ever before confessed to an +adventure so much to his own discredit; and verily it seems +strange to me, that neither before nor since have I heard of any +person, besides myself, who knew of this adventure, and that the +subject of it should exist within King Arthur’s dominions, +without any other person lighting upon it.”</p> +<p>“Now,” quoth Owain, “would it not be well to +go and endeavour to discover that place?”</p> +<p>“By the hand of my friend,” said Kai, “often +dost thou utter that with thy tongue, which thou wouldest not +make good with thy deeds.”</p> +<p>“In very truth,” said Gwenhwyvar, “it were +better thou wert hanged, Kai, than to use such uncourteous speech +towards a man like Owain.”</p> +<p>“By the hand of my friend, good Lady,” said Kai, +“thy praise of Owain is not greater than mine.”</p> +<p>With that Arthur awoke, and asked if he had not been sleeping +a little.</p> +<p>“Yes, Lord,” answered Owain, “thou hast +slept awhile.”</p> +<p><!-- page 25--><a name="page25"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +25</span>“Is it time for us to go to meat?”</p> +<p>“It is, Lord,” said Owain.</p> +<p>Then the horn for washing was sounded, and the King and all +his household sat down to eat. And when the meal was ended, +Owain withdrew to his lodging, and made ready his horse and his +arms.</p> +<p>On the morrow, with the dawn of day, he put on his armour, and +mounted his charger, and travelled through distant lands, and +over desert mountains. And at length he arrived at the +valley which Kynon had described to him; and he was certain that +it was the same that he sought. And journeying along the +valley, by the side of the river, he followed its course till he +came to the plain, and within sight of the Castle. When he +approached the Castle, he saw the youths shooting their daggers, +in the place where Kynon had seen them; and the yellow man, to +whom the Castle belonged, standing hard by. And no sooner +had Owain saluted the yellow man, than he was saluted by him in +return.</p> +<p>And he went forward towards the Castle, and there he saw the +chamber; and when he had entered the chamber, he beheld the +maidens working at satin embroidery, in chairs of gold. And +their beauty, and their comeliness seemed to Owain far greater +than Kynon had represented to him. And they arose to wait +upon Owain, as they had done to Kynon. And the meal which +they set before him, gave more satisfaction to Owain than it had +done to Kynon.</p> +<p>About the middle of the repast the yellow man asked Owain the +object of his journey. And Owain made it known to him, and +said, “I am in quest of the Knight who guards the +fountain.” Upon this, the yellow man smiled, and said +that he was as loth to point out that adventure to Owain as he +had been <!-- page 26--><a name="page26"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 26</span>to Kynon. However he described +the whole to Owain, and they retired to rest.</p> +<p>The next morning Owain found his horse made ready for him by +the damsels, and he set forward and came to the glade where the +black man was. And the stature of the black man seemed more +wonderful to Owain, than it had done to Kynon, and Owain asked of +him his road, and he showed it to him. And Owain followed +the road, as Kynon had done, till he came to the green tree; and +he beheld the fountain, and the slab beside the fountain with the +bowl upon it. And Owain took the bowl, and threw a bowlful +of water upon the slab. And lo, the thunder was heard, and +after the thunder came the shower, much more violent than Kynon +had described, and after the shower, the sky became bright. +And when Owain looked at the tree, there was not one leaf upon +it. And immediately the birds came, and settled upon the +tree, and sang. And when their song was most pleasing to +Owain, he beheld a Knight coming towards him through the valley, +and he prepared to receive him; and encountered him +violently. Having broken both their lances, they drew their +swords, and fought blade to blade. Then Owain struck the +Knight a blow through his helmet, head piece and visor, and +through the skin, and the flesh, and the bone, until it wounded +the very brain. Then the black Knight felt that he had +received a mortal wound, upon which he turned his horse’s +head, and fled. And Owain pursued him, and followed close +upon him, although he was not near enough to strike him with his +sword. Thereupon Owain descried a vast and resplendent +Castle. And they came to the Castle gate. And the +black Knight was allowed to enter, and the portcullis was let +fall <!-- page 27--><a name="page27"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +27</span>upon Owain; and it struck his horse behind the saddle, +and cut him in two, and carried away the rowels of the spurs that +were upon Owain’s heels. And the portcullis descended +to the floor. And the rowels of the spurs and part of the +horse were without, and Owain, with the other part of the horse +remained between the two gates, and the inner gate was closed, so +that Owain could not go thence; and Owain was in a perplexing +situation. And while he was in this state, he could see +through an aperture in the gate, a street facing him, with a row +of houses on each side. And he beheld a maiden, with yellow +curling hair, and a frontlet of gold upon her head; and she was +clad in a dress of yellow satin, and on her feet were shoes of +variegated leather. And she approached the gate, and +desired that it should be opened. “Heaven knows, +Lady,” said Owain, “it is no more possible for me to +open to thee from hence, than it is for thee to set me +free.” “Truly,” said the damsel, +“it is very sad that thou canst not be released, and every +woman ought to succour thee, for I never saw one more faithful in +the service of ladies than thou. As a friend thou art the +most sincere, and as a lover the most devoted. +Therefore,” quoth she, “whatever is in my power to do +for thy release, I will do it. Take this ring and put it on +thy finger, with the stone inside thy hand; and close thy hand +upon the stone. And as long as thou concealest it, it will +conceal thee. When they have consulted together, they will +come forth to fetch thee, in order to put thee to death; <a +name="citation27"></a><a href="#footnote27" +class="citation">[27]</a> and they will be much grieved that they +cannot find thee. And I will await thee on the horseblock +yonder; and thou wilt be able to see me, though I cannot see +thee; <!-- page 28--><a name="page28"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 28</span>therefore come and place thy hand +upon my shoulder, that I may know that thou art near me. +And by the way that I go hence, do thou accompany me.”</p> +<p>Then she went away from Owain, and he did all that the maiden +had told him. And the people of the Castle came to seek +Owain, to put him to death, and when they found nothing but the +half of his horse, they were sorely grieved.</p> +<p>And Owain vanished from among them, and went to the maiden, +and placed his hand upon her shoulder, whereupon she set off, and +Owain followed her, until they came to the door of a large and +beautiful chamber, and the maiden opened it, and they went in, +and closed the door. And Owain looked around the chamber, +and behold there was not even a single nail in it, that was not +painted with gorgeous colours; and there was not a single panel, +that had not sundry images <a name="citation28"></a><a +href="#footnote28" class="citation">[28]</a> in gold portrayed +upon it.</p> +<p>The maiden kindled a fire, and took water in a silver bowl, +and put a towel of white linen on her shoulder, and gave Owain +water to wash. Then she placed before him a silver table, +inlaid with gold; upon which was a cloth of yellow linen; and she +brought him food. And of a truth, Owain never saw any kind +of meat that was not there in abundance, but it was better cooked +there, than he ever found it in any other place. Nor did he +ever see so excellent a display of meat and drink as there. +And there was not one vessel from which he was served, that was +not of gold, or of silver. And Owain ate and drank, until +late in the afternoon, when lo, they heard a mighty clamour in +the Castle; and Owain asked the maiden what that outcry +was. “They are administering extreme unction,” +said she, “to the <!-- page 29--><a name="page29"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 29</span>Nobleman who owns the +Castle.” And Owain went to sleep.</p> +<p>The couch which the maiden had prepared for him was meet for +Arthur himself; it was of scarlet, and fur, and satin, and +sendall, and fine linen. In the middle of the night they +heard a woeful outcry. “What outcry again is +this?” said Owain. “The Nobleman who owned the +Castle is now dead,” said the maiden. And a little +after daybreak, they heard an exceeding loud clamour and +wailing. And Owain asked the maiden what was the cause of +it. “They are bearing to the church, the body of the +Nobleman who owned the Castle.”</p> +<p>And Owain rose up, and clothed himself, and opened a window of +the chamber, and looked towards the Castle; and he could see +neither the bounds, nor the extent of the hosts that filled the +streets. And they were fully armed; and a vast number of +women were with them, both on horseback, and on foot; and all the +ecclesiastics in the city, singing. And it seemed to Owain +that the sky resounded with the vehemence of their cries, and +with the noise of the trumpets, and with the singing of the +ecclesiastics. <a name="citation29a"></a><a href="#footnote29a" +class="citation">[29a]</a> In the midst of the throng, he +beheld the bier, over which was a veil of white linen; and wax +tapers were burning beside, and around it, and none that +supported the bier was lower in rank than a powerful <a +name="citation29b"></a><a href="#footnote29b" +class="citation">[29b]</a> Baron.</p> +<p>Never did Owain see an assemblage so gorgeous with satin, and +silk, and sendall. And following the train, he beheld a +lady with yellow hair falling over her shoulders, and stained +with blood; and about her a dress of yellow satin, which was +torn. Upon her feet were shoes of variegated leather. +And it was a <!-- page 30--><a name="page30"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 30</span>marvel that the ends of her fingers +were not bruised, from the violence with which she smote her +hands together. Truly she would have been the fairest lady +Owain ever saw, had she been in her usual guise. And her +cry was louder than the shout of the men, or the clamour of the +trumpets. <a name="citation30"></a><a href="#footnote30" +class="citation">[30]</a> No sooner had he beheld the lady, +than he became inflamed with her love, so that it took entire +possession of him.</p> +<p>Then he enquired of the maiden who the lady was. +“Heaven knows,” replied the maiden, “she may be +said to be the fairest, and the most chaste, and the most +liberal, and the wisest, and the most noble of women. And +she is my mistress; and she is called the Countess of the +Fountain, the wife of him whom thou didst slay +yesterday.” “Verily,” said Owain, +“she is the woman that I love best.” +“Verily,” said the maiden, “she shall also love +thee not a little.”</p> +<p>And with that the maid arose, and kindled a fire, and filled a +pot with water, and placed it to warm; and she brought a towel of +white linen, and placed it around Owain’s neck; and she +took a goblet of ivory, and a silver basin, and filled them with +warm water, wherewith she washed Owain’s head. Then +she opened a wooden casket, and drew forth a razor, whose haft +was of ivory, and upon which were two rivets of gold. And +she shaved his beard, and she dried his head, and his throat, +with the towel. Then she rose up from before Owain, and +brought him to eat. And truly Owain had never so good a +meal, nor was he ever so well served.</p> +<p>When he had finished his repast, the maiden arranged his +couch. “Come here,” said she, “and <!-- +page 31--><a name="page31"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +31</span>sleep, and I will go and woo for thee.” And +Owain went to sleep, and the maiden shut the door of the chamber +after her, and went towards the Castle. When she came +there, she found nothing but mourning, and sorrow; and the +Countess in her chamber could not bear the sight of any one +through grief. Luned came and saluted her, but the Countess +answered her not. And the maiden bent down towards her, and +said, “What aileth thee, that thou answerest no one +to-day?” “Luned,” said the Countess, +“what change hath befallen thee, that thou hast not come to +visit me in my grief? It was wrong in thee, and I having +made thee rich; it was wrong in thee that thou didst not come to +see me in my distress. That was wrong in thee.” +“Truly,” said Luned, “I thought thy good sense +was greater than I find it to be. Is it well for thee to +mourn after that good man, or for anything else, that thou canst +not have?” “I declare to heaven,” said +the Countess, “that in the whole world there is not a man +equal to him.” “Not so,” said Luned, +“for an ugly man would be as good as, or better than +he.” <a name="citation31"></a><a href="#footnote31" +class="citation">[31]</a> “I declare to +heaven,” said the Countess, “that were it not +repugnant to me to cause to be put to death one whom I have +brought up, I would have thee executed, for making such a +comparison to me. As it is, I will banish +thee.” “I am glad,” said Luned, +“that thou hast no other cause to do so, than that I would +have been of service to thee when <!-- page 32--><a +name="page32"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 32</span>thou didst +not know what was to thine advantage. And henceforth evil +betide whichever of us shall make the first advance towards +reconciliation to the other; whether I should seek an invitation +from thee, or thou of thine own accord shouldest seek to invite +me.”</p> +<p>With that Luned went forth; and the Countess arose and +followed her to the door of the chamber, and began coughing +loudly. And when Luned looked back, the Countess beckoned +to her; and she returned to the Countess. “In +truth,” said the Countess, “evil is thy disposition; +but if thou knowest what is to my advantage, declare it to +me.” “I will do so,” quoth she.</p> +<p>“Thou knowest that except by warfare and arms it is +impossible for thee to preserve thy possessions; delay not, +therefore, to seek some one who can defend them.” +“And how can I do that?” said the Countess. +“I will tell thee,” said Luned, “unless thou +canst defend the fountain, thou canst not maintain thy dominions; +and no one can defend the fountain, except it be a knight of +Arthur’s household; and I will go to Arthur’s court, +and ill betide me, if I return thence without a warrior who can +guard the fountain, as well as, or even better than, he who +defended it formerly.” “That will be hard to +perform,” said the Countess. “Go, however, and +make proof of that which thou hast promised.”</p> +<p>Luned set out, under the pretence of going to Arthur’s +court; but she went back to the chamber where she had left Owain; +and she tarried there with him as long as it might have taken her +to have travelled to the Court of King Arthur. And at the +end of that time, she apparelled herself, and went to visit the +Countess. And the Countess was much rejoiced when she saw +her, and enquired what news <!-- page 33--><a +name="page33"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 33</span>she brought +from the Court. “I bring thee the best of +news,” said Luned, “for I have compassed the object +of my mission. When wilt thou, that I should present to +thee the chieftain who has come with me hither?” +“Bring him here to visit me to-morrow, at mid-day,” +said the Countess, “and I will cause the town to be +assembled by that time.”</p> +<p>And Luned returned home. And the next day, at noon, +Owain arrayed himself in a coat, and a surcoat, and a mantle of +yellow satin, upon which was a broad band of gold lace; and on +his feet were high shoes of variegated leather, which were +fastened by golden clasps, in the form of lions. And they +proceeded to the chamber of the Countess.</p> +<p>Right glad was the Countess of their coming. And she +gazed steadfastly upon Owain, and said, “Luned, this knight +has not the look of a traveller.” “What harm is +there in that, Lady?” said Luned. “I am +certain,” said the Countess, “that no other man than +this, chased the soul from the body of my lord.” +“So much the better for thee, Lady,” said Luned, +“for had he not been stronger than thy lord, he could not +have deprived him of life. There is no remedy for that +which is past, be it as it may.” “Go back to +thine abode,” said the Countess, “and I will take +counsel.”</p> +<p>The next day, the Countess caused all her subjects to +assemble, and shewed them that her Earldom was left defenceless, +and that it could not be protected but with horse and arms, and +military skill. “Therefore,” said she, +“this is what I offer for your choice: either let one of +you take me, or give your consent for me to take a husband from +elsewhere, to defend my dominions.”</p> +<p>So they came to the determination, that it was <!-- page +34--><a name="page34"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +34</span>better that she should have permission to marry some one +from elsewhere; and thereupon she sent for the Bishops and +Archbishops, to celebrate her nuptials with Owain. And the +men of the Earldom did Owain homage.</p> +<p>And Owain defended the Fountain with lance and sword. +And this is the manner in which he defended it. Whensoever +a knight came there, he overthrew him, and sold him for his full +worth. And what he thus gained, he divided among his +Barons, and his Knights; and no man in the whole world could be +more beloved than he was by his subjects. And it was thus +for the space of three years.</p> +<p>It befell that as Gwalchmai went forth one day with King +Arthur, he perceived him to be very sad and sorrowful. And +Gwalchmai was much grieved to see Arthur in this state; and he +questioned him, saying, “Oh my Lord! what has befallen +thee?” “In sooth, Gwalchmai,” said +Arthur, “I am grieved concerning Owain, whom I have lost +these three years; and I shall certainly die, if the fourth year +passes without my seeing him. Now I am sure, that it is +through the tale which Kynon the son of Clydno related, that I +have lost Owain.” “There is no need for +thee,” said Gwalchmai, “to summon to arms thy whole +dominions, on that account; for thou thyself, and the men of thy +household, will be able to avenge Owain, if he be slain; or to +set him free, if he be in prison; and if alive, to bring him back +with thee.” And it was settled, according to what +Gwalchmai had said.</p> +<p>Then Arthur and the men of his household prepared to go and +seek Owain; and their number was three thousand, beside their +attendants. And Kynon <!-- page 35--><a +name="page35"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 35</span>the son of +Clydno acted as their guide. And Arthur came to the Castle, +where Kynon had been before. And when he came there the +youths were shooting in the same place, and the yellow man was +standing hard by. When the yellow man saw Arthur, he +greeted him, and invited him to the Castle. And Arthur +accepted his invitation, and they entered the Castle +together. And great as was the number of his retinue, their +presence was scarcely observed in the Castle, so vast was its +extent. And the maidens rose up to wait on them. And +the service of the maidens appeared to them all to excel any +attendance they had ever met with; and even the pages who had +charge of the horses, were no worse served, that night, than +Arthur himself would have been, in his own Palace.</p> +<p>The next morning, Arthur set out thence, with Kynon for his +guide, and came to the place where the black man was. And +the stature of the black man was more surprising to Arthur, than +it had been represented to him. And they came to the top of +the wooded steep, and traversed the valley, till they reached the +green tree; where they saw the fountain, and the bowl and the +slab. And upon that, Kai came to Arthur, and spoke to +him. “My Lord,” said he, “I know the +meaning of all this, and my request is, that thou wilt permit me +to throw the water on the slab, and to receive the first +advantage that may befall.” And Arthur gave him +leave.</p> +<p>Then Kai threw a bowlful of water upon the slab, and +immediately there came the thunder, and after the thunder the +shower. And such a thunderstorm they had never known +before. And many of the attendants who were in +Arthur’s train were killed by the shower. After the +shower had ceased, the sky <!-- page 36--><a +name="page36"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 36</span>became +clear. And on looking at the tree, they beheld it +completely leafless. Then the birds descended upon the +tree. And the song of the birds was far sweeter than any +strain they had ever heard before. Then they beheld a +Knight, on a coal-black horse, clothed in black satin, coming +rapidly towards them. And Kai met him and encountered him, +and it was not long before Kai was overthrown. And the +Knight withdrew. <a name="citation36"></a><a href="#footnote36" +class="citation">[36]</a> And Arthur and his host encamped +for the night.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p36.jpg"> +<img alt="Picture" src="images/p36.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>And when they arose in the morning, they perceived the signal +of combat upon the lance of the Knight; and Kai came to Arthur, +and spoke to him. <!-- page 37--><a name="page37"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 37</span>“My Lord,” said he, +“though I was overthrown yesterday, if it seem good to +thee, I would gladly meet the Knight again to-day.” +“Thou mayst do so,” said Arthur. And Kai went +towards the Knight. And on the spot he overthrew Kai, <a +name="citation37a"></a><a href="#footnote37a" +class="citation">[37a]</a> and struck him with the head of his +lance in the forehead, so that it broke his helmet and the +headpiece, and pierced the skin, and the flesh, the breadth of +the spearhead, even to the bone. And Kai returned to his +companions.</p> +<p>After this, all the household of Arthur went forth, one after +the other, to combat the Knight, until there was not one that was +not overthrown by him, except Arthur and Gwalchmai. And +Arthur armed himself to encounter the Knight. “Oh, my +lord,” said Gwalchmai, “permit me to fight with him +first.” And Arthur permitted him. And he went +forth to meet the Knight, having over himself and his horse, a +satin robe of honour which had been sent him by the daughter of +the Earl of Rhangyw, and in this dress he was not known by any of +the host. And they charged each other, and fought all that +day until the evening. And neither of them was able to +unhorse the other.</p> +<p>The next day they fought with strong lances; and neither of +them could obtain the mastery.</p> +<p>And the third day they fought with exceeding strong +lances. And they were increased with rage, and fought +furiously, even until noon. And they gave each other such a +shock, that the girths of their horses were broken, so that they +fell over their horses’ cruppers to the ground. And +they rose up speedily, and drew their swords, and resumed the +combat. <a name="citation37b"></a><a href="#footnote37b" +class="citation">[37b]</a> <!-- page 38--><a +name="page38"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 38</span>And the +multitude that witnessed the encounter felt assured that they had +never before seen two men so valiant, or so powerful. And +had it been midnight, it would have been light from the fire that +flashed from their weapons. And the Knight gave Gwalchmai a +blow that turned his helmet from off his face, so that the Knight +knew that it was Gwalchmai. Then Owain said, “My lord +Gwalchmai, I did not know thee for my cousin, owing to the robe +of honour, that enveloped thee; take my sword and my +arms.” Said Gwalchmai, “Thou, Owain, art the +victor; take thou my sword.” And with that Arthur saw +that they were conversing, and advanced towards them. +“My lord Arthur,” said Gwalchmai, “here is +Owain, who has vanquished me, and will not take my +arms.” “My lord,” said Owain, “it +is he that has vanquished me, and he will not take my +sword.” “Give me your swords,” said +Arthur, “and then neither of you has vanquished the +other.” Then Owain put his arms around Arthur’s +neck, and they embraced. And all the host hurried forward +to see Owain, and to embrace him. And there was nigh being +a loss of life, so great was the press.</p> +<p>And they retired that night, and the next day Arthur prepared +to depart. “My lord,” said Owain, “this +is not well of thee. For I have been absent from thee these +three years, <a name="citation38"></a><a href="#footnote38" +class="citation">[38]</a> and during all that time, up to this +very day, I have been preparing a banquet for thee, knowing that +thou wouldest come to seek me. Tarry with me therefore, +until thou and thy attendants have recovered the fatigues of the +journey, and have been anointed.”</p> +<p>And they all proceeded to the Castle of the Countess of the +Fountain, and the banquet which had been <!-- page 39--><a +name="page39"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 39</span>three years +preparing was consumed in three months. Never had they a +more delicious or agreeable banquet. And Arthur prepared to +depart. Then he sent an embassy to the Countess, to beseech +her to permit Owain to go with him, for the space of three +months, that he might shew him to the nobles, and the fair dames +of the Island of Britain. And the Countess gave her +consent, although it was very painful to her. So Owain came +with Arthur to the Island of Britain. And when he was once +more amongst his kindred and friends, he remained three years, +instead of three months, with them.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">* * * * *</p> +<p>And as Owain one day sat at meat, in the City of Caerlleon +upon Usk, behold a damsel entered, upon a bay horse, with a +curling mane, and covered with foam; and the bridle, and as much +as was seen of the saddle, were of gold. And the damsel was +arrayed in a dress of yellow satin. And she went up to +Owain, and took the ring from off his hand. +“Thus,” said she, “shall be treated the +deceiver, the traitor, the faithless, the disgraced, and the +beardless.” <a name="citation39"></a><a href="#footnote39" +class="citation">[39]</a> And she turned her horse’s +head, and departed.</p> +<p>Then his adventure came to Owain’s remembrance, and he +was sorrowful. And having finished eating, he went to his +own abode, and made preparations that night. And the next +day he arose, but did not go to the Court, but wandered to the +distant parts of the earth, and to uncultivated mountains. +And he remained there until all his apparel was worn out, and his +body was wasted away, and his hair was grown long. And he +went about with the wild beasts, and fed with them, until they +became familiar with him. But at length he grew so weak, +that he could no longer bear <!-- page 40--><a +name="page40"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 40</span>them +company. Then he descended from the mountains to the +valley, and came to a park, that was the fairest in the world, +and belonged to a widowed Countess.</p> +<p>One day the Countess and her maidens went forth to walk by a +lake, that was in the middle of the park. And they saw the +form of a man. And they were terrified. Nevertheless +they went near him, and touched him, and looked at him. And +they saw that there was life in him, though he was exhausted by +the heat of the sun. And the Countess returned to the +Castle, and took a flask full of precious ointment, and gave it +to one of her maidens. “Go with this,” said +she, “and take with thee yonder horse, and clothing, and +place them near the man we saw just now. And anoint him +with this balsam, near his heart; and if there is life in him, he +will arise, through the efficacy of this balsam. Then watch +what he will do.”</p> +<p>And the maiden departed from her, and poured the whole of the +balsam upon Owain, and left the horse and the garments hard by, +and went a little way off, and hid herself, to watch him. +In a short time she saw him begin to move his arms; and he arose +up, and looked at his person, and became ashamed of the +unseemliness of his appearance. Then he perceived the horse +and the garments, that were near him. And he crept forward +till he was able to draw the garments to him from off the +saddle. And he clothed himself, and with difficulty mounted +the horse. Then the damsel discovered herself to him, and +saluted him. And he was rejoiced when he saw her, and +enquired of her, what land and what territory that was. +“Truly,” said the maiden, “a widowed Countess +owns yonder Castle; at the death of her husband, <!-- page +41--><a name="page41"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 41</span>he +left her two Earldoms, but at this day she has but this one +dwelling that has not been wrested from her, by a young Earl, who +is her neighbour, because she refused to become his +wife.” “That is pity,” said Owain. +And he and the maiden proceeded to the Castle; and he alighted +there, and the maiden conducted him to a pleasant chamber, and +kindled a fire, and left him.</p> +<p>And the maiden came to the Countess, and gave the flask into +her hand. “Ha! maiden,” said the Countess, +“where is all the balsam?” “Have I not +used it all?” said she. “Oh, maiden,” +said the Countess, “I cannot easily forgive thee this; it +is sad for me to have wasted seven-score pounds’ worth of +precious ointment, upon a stranger whom I know not. +However, maiden, wait thou upon him, until he is quite +recovered.”</p> +<p>And the maiden did so, and furnished him with meat and drink, +and fire, and lodging, and medicaments, until he was well +again. And in three months he was restored to his former +guise, and became even more comely, than he had ever been +before.</p> +<p>One day Owain heard a great tumult, and a sound of arms in the +Castle, and he enquired of the maiden the cause thereof. +“The Earl,” said she, “whom I mentioned to +thee, has come before the Castle, with a numerous army, to subdue +the Countess.” And Owain enquired of her whether the +Countess had a horse and arms, in her possession. +“She has the best in the world,” said the +maiden. “Wilt thou go and request the loan of a horse +and arms for me,” said Owain, “that I may go and look +at this army?” “I will,” said the +maiden.</p> +<p>And she came to the Countess, and told her what Owain had +said. And the Countess laughed. <!-- page 42--><a +name="page42"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +42</span>“Truly,” said she, “I will even give +him a horse and arms, for ever; such a horse and such arms, had +he never yet, and I am glad that they should be taken by him +to-day, lest my enemies should have them against my will +to-morrow. Yet I know not what he would do with +them.”</p> +<p>The Countess bade them bring out a beautiful black steed, upon +which was a beechen saddle, and a suit of armour, for man and +horse. And Owain armed himself, and mounted the horse, and +went forth, attended by two pages completely equipped, with +horses and arms. And when they came near to the +Earl’s army, they could see neither its extent, nor its +extremity. And Owain asked the pages in which troop the +Earl was. “In yonder troop,” said they, +“in which are four yellow standards. Two of them are +before, and two behind him.” “Now,” said +Owain, “do you return and await me near the portal of the +Castle.” So they returned, and Owain pressed forward, +until he met the Earl. And Owain drew him completely out of +his saddle, and turned his horse’s head towards the Castle, +and, though it was with difficulty, he brought the Earl to the +portal, where the pages awaited him. And in they +came. And Owain presented the Earl as a gift to the +Countess. And said to her, “Behold a requittal to +thee for thy blessed balsam.”</p> +<p>The army encamped around the Castle. And the Earl +restored to the Countess the two Earldoms, he had taken from her, +as a ransom for his life; and for his freedom, he gave her the +half of his own dominions, and all his gold, and his silver, and +his jewels, besides hostages.</p> +<p>And Owain took his departure. And the Countess and all +her subjects besought him to remain, but <!-- page 43--><a +name="page43"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 43</span>Owain chose +rather to wander through distant lands and deserts.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p43.jpg"> +<img alt="Picture" src="images/p43.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>And as he journeyed, he heard a loud yelling in a wood. +And it was repeated a second and a third time. And Owain +went towards the spot, and behold a huge craggy mound, in the +middle of the wood; on the side of which was a grey rock. +And there was a cleft in the rock, and a serpent was within the +cleft. And near the rock, stood a black lion, and every +time the lion sought to go thence, the serpent darted towards him +to attack him. And Owain unsheathed his sword, and drew +near to the rock; and as the serpent sprung out, he struck him +with his sword, and cut him in two. And he dried his sword, +and went on his way, as before. But behold the lion +followed him, and played about him, as though it had been a +greyhound, that he had reared.</p> +<p><!-- page 44--><a name="page44"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +44</span>They proceeded thus throughout the day, until the +evening. And when it was time for Owain to take his rest, +he dismounted, and turned his horse loose in a flat and wooded +meadow. And he struck fire, and when the fire was kindled, +the lion brought him fuel enough to last for three nights. +And the lion disappeared. And presently the lion returned, +bearing a fine large roebuck. And he threw it down before +Owain, who went towards the fire with it.</p> +<p>And Owain took the roebuck, and skinned it, and placed collops +of its flesh upon skewers, around the fire. The rest of the +buck he gave to the lion to devour. While he was doing +this, he heard a deep sigh near him, and a second, and a +third. And Owain called out to know whether the sigh he +heard proceeded from a mortal; and he received answer, that it +did. “Who art thou?” said Owain. +“Truly,” said the voice, “I am Luned, the +hand-maiden of the Countess of the Fountain.” +“And what dost thou here?” said Owain. “I +am imprisoned,” said she, “on account of the knight +who came from Arthur’s Court, and married the +Countess. And he staid a short time with her, but he +afterwards departed for the Court of Arthur, and he has not +returned since. And he was the friend I loved best in the +world. And two of the pages of the Countess’s +chamber, traduced him, and called him a deceiver. And I +told them that they two were not a match for him alone. So +they imprisoned me in the stone vault, and said that I should be +put to death, unless he came himself, to deliver me, by a certain +day; and that is no further off, than the day after +to-morrow. And I have no one to send to seek him for +me. And his name is Owain the son of Urien.” +“And art thou certain, that if that knight knew all this, +he <!-- page 45--><a name="page45"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +45</span>would come to thy rescue?” “I am most +certain of it,” said she.</p> +<p>When the collops were cooked, Owain divided them into two +parts, between himself and the maiden; and after they had eaten, +they talked together until the day dawned. And the next +morning Owain enquired of the damsel, if there was any place +where he could get food and entertainment for that night. +“There is, lord,” said she; “cross over yonder, +and go along the side of the river, and in a short time, thou +wilt see a great Castle, in which are many towers. And the +Earl who owns that Castle, is the most hospitable man in the +world. There thou mayest spend the night.”</p> +<p>Never did sentinel keep stricter watch over his lord, than the +lion that night over Owain.</p> +<p>And Owain accoutred his horse, and passed across by the ford, +and came in the sight of the Castle. And he entered it, and +was honourably received. And his horse was well cared for, +and plenty of fodder was placed before him. Then the lion +went and laid down in the horse’s manger; so that none of +the people of the Castle dared to approach him. The +treatment which Owain met with there, was such as he had never +known elsewhere, for every one was as sorrowful, as though death +had been upon him. <a name="citation45"></a><a href="#footnote45" +class="citation">[45]</a> And they went to meat. And +the Earl sat upon one side of Owain; and on the other side his +only daughter. And Owain had never seen any more lovely +than she. Then the lion came and placed himself between +Owain’s feet, and he fed him with every kind of food, that +he took himself. And he never saw any thing equal to the +sadness of the people.</p> +<p><!-- page 46--><a name="page46"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +46</span>In the middle of the repast, the Earl began to bid Owain +welcome. “Then,” said Owain, “behold it +is time for thee to be cheerful.” “Heaven +knows,” said the Earl, “that it is not thy coming +that makes us sorrowful, but we have cause enough for sadness and +care.” “What is that?” said Owain. +“I have two sons,” replied the Earl, “and +yesterday they went to the mountains to hunt. Now there is +on the mountain a monster, who kills men and devours them. +And he seized my sons. And to-morrow is the time he has +fixed to be here, and he threatens that he will then slay my sons +before my eyes, unless I will deliver into his hands this my +daughter. <a name="citation46a"></a><a href="#footnote46a" +class="citation">[46a]</a> He has the form of a man, but in +stature he is no less than a giant.”</p> +<p>“Truly,” said Owain, “that is +lamentable. And which wilt thou do?” +“Heaven knows,” said the Earl, “it will be +better that my sons should be slain, against my will, than I +should voluntarily give up my daughter to him to ill-treat and +destroy.” Then they talked about other things, and +Owain staid there that night.</p> +<p>The next morning, they heard an exceeding great clamour, which +was caused by the coming of the giant, with the two youths. +And the Earl was anxious both to protect his Castle, and to +release his two sons. <a name="citation46b"></a><a +href="#footnote46b" class="citation">[46b]</a> Then Owain +put on his armour, and went forth to encounter the giant; and the +lion followed him. And when the giant saw that Owain was +armed, he rushed towards him, and attacked him. And the +lion fought with the giant, much more fiercely than Owain +did.</p> +<p><!-- page 47--><a name="page47"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +47</span>“Truly,” said the giant, “I should +find no difficulty in fighting with thee, were it not for the +animal that is with thee.” Upon that Owain took the +lion back to the Castle, and shut the gate upon him. And +then he returned to fight the giant, as before. And the +lion roared very loud, for he heard that it went hard with +Owain. And he climbed up, till he reached the top of the +Earl’s Hall; and thence he got to the top of the Castle, +and he sprang down from the walls, and went and joined +Owain. And the lion gave the giant a stroke with his paw, +which tore him from his shoulder to his hip, and his heart was +laid bare. And the giant fell down dead. Then Owain +restored the two youths to their father.</p> +<p>The Earl besought Owain to remain with him, and he would not, +but set forward towards the meadow, where Luned was. And +when he came there, he saw a great fire kindled, and two youths +with beautiful curling auburn hair, were leading the maiden to +cast her into the fire. And Owain asked them what charge +they had against her. And they told him of the compact <a +name="citation47"></a><a href="#footnote47" +class="citation">[47]</a> that was between them; as the maiden +had done the night before. “And,” said they, +“Owain has failed her, therefore we are taking her to be +burnt.” “Truly,” said Owain, “he is +a good knight, and if he knew that the maiden was in such peril, +I marvel that he came not to her rescue. But if you will +accept me in his stead, I will do battle with you.” +“We will,” said the youths, “by him who made +us.”</p> +<p>And they attacked Owain, and he was hard beset by them. +And with that the lion came to Owain’s assistance; and they +two got the better of the young men. And they said to him, +“Chieftain, it was not <!-- page 48--><a +name="page48"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 48</span>agreed that +we should fight, save with thyself alone, and it is harder for us +to contend with yonder animal, than with thee.” And +Owain put the lion in the place where the maiden had been +imprisoned, and blocked up the door with stones. And he +went to fight with the young men as before. But Owain had +not his usual strength, <a name="citation48"></a><a +href="#footnote48" class="citation">[48]</a> and the two youths +pressed hard upon him. And the lion roared incessantly at +seeing Owain in trouble. And he burst through the wall, +until he found a way out, and rushed upon the young men, and +instantly slew them. So Luned was saved from being +burned.</p> +<p>Then Owain returned with Luned, to the dominions of the +Countess of the Fountain. And when he went thence, he took +the Countess with him to Arthur’s Court, and she was his +wife as long as she lived.</p> +<p>And they took the road that led to the Court of the savage +black man. And Owain fought with him, and the lion did not +quit Owain, until he had vanquished him. And when he +reached the Court of the savage black man, he entered the hall: +and beheld four and twenty ladies, the fairest that could be +seen. And the garments which they had on, were not worth +four and twenty pence. And they were as sorrowful as +death. And Owain asked them the cause of their +sadness. And they said, “We are the daughters of +Earls, and we all came here, with our husbands, whom we dearly +loved. And we were received with honour and +rejoicing. And we were thrown into a state of stupor, and +while we were thus, the demon who owns this Castle, slew all our +husbands, and took from us our horses, and our raiment, and our +gold, and our silver. And the corpses of our husbands are +still in this house, and many others with them. And this, +<!-- page 49--><a name="page49"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +49</span>Chieftain, is the cause of our grief, and we are sorry +that thou art come hither, lest harm should befall +thee.”</p> +<p>And Owain was grieved, when he heard this. And he went +forth from the Castle, and he beheld a Knight approaching him, +who saluted him, in a friendly and cheerful manner, as if he had +been a brother. And this was the savage black man. +“In very sooth,” said Owain, “it is not to seek +thy friendship that I am here.” “In +sooth,” said he, “thou shalt not find it +then.” And with that they charged each other, and +fought furiously. And Owain overcame him, and bound his +hands behind his back. Then the black savage besought Owain +to spare his life, and spoke thus, “My lord Owain,” +said he, “it was foretold, that thou shouldst come hither +and vanquish me, and thou hast done so. I was a robber +here, and my house was a house of spoil. But grant me my +life, and I will become the keeper of an Hospice, and I will +maintain this house as an Hospice for weak and for strong, as +long as I live, for the good of thy soul.” And Owain +accepted the proposal of him, and remained there that night.</p> +<p>And the next day he took the four and twenty ladies, and their +horses, and their raiment, and what they possessed of goods, and +jewels, and proceeded with them to Arthur’s Court. +And if Arthur was rejoiced when he saw him, after he had lost him +the first time, his joy was now much greater. And of those +ladies, such as wished to remain in Arthur’s Court, +remained there; and such as wished to depart, departed.</p> +<p>And thenceforward Owain dwelt at Arthur’s Court, greatly +beloved as the head of his household, until he went away with his +followers; and those were the <!-- page 50--><a +name="page50"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 50</span>army of three +hundred ravens which Kenverchyn had left him. And wherever +Owain went with these, he was victorious.</p> +<p>And this is the tale of <span class="smcap">The Lady of the +Fountain</span>.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p50.jpg"> +<img alt="Picture" src="images/p50.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<h2><!-- page 51--><a name="page51"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +51</span>PEREDUR THE SON OF EVRAWC.</h2> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p51.jpg"> +<img alt="Picture" src="images/p51.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>Earl Evrawc owned the Earldom of the North. And he had +seven sons. And Evrawc maintained himself not so much by +his own possessions as by attending tournaments, and wars, and +combats. And, as it often befalls those who join in +encounters and wars, he was slain, and six of his sons +likewise. Now the name of his seventh son was Peredur, and +he was the youngest of them. And he was not of an age to go +<!-- page 52--><a name="page52"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +52</span>to wars and encounters, otherwise he might have been +slain as his father and brothers. His mother was a scheming +and thoughtful woman, and she was very solicitous concerning this +her only son and his <a name="citation52"></a><a +href="#footnote52" class="citation">[52]</a> possessions. +So she took counsel with herself to leave the inhabited country, +and to flee to the deserts and unfrequented wildernesses. +And she permitted none to bear her company thither but women and +boys, and spiritless men, who were both unaccustomed and unequal +to war and fighting. And none dared to bring either horses +or arms where her son was, lest he should set his mind upon +them. And the youth went daily to divert himself in the +forest, by flinging sticks and staves. And one day he saw +his mother’s flock of goats, and near the goats two hinds +were standing. And he marvelled greatly that these two +should be without horns, while the others had them. And he +thought they had long run wild and on that account they had lost +their horns. And by activity and swiftness of foot, he +drove the hinds and the goats together into the house which there +was for the goats at the extremity of the forest. Then +Peredur returned to his mother. “Ah, mother,” +said he, “a marvellous thing have I seen in the wood; two +of thy goats have run wild, and lost their horns; through their +having been so long missing in the wood. And no man had +ever more trouble than I had to drive them in.” Then +they all arose and went to see. And when they beheld the +hinds, they were greatly astonished.</p> +<p>And one day they saw three knights coming along the horse-road +on the borders of the forest. And the three knights were +Gwalchmai the son of Gwyar, and Geneir Gwystyl, and Owain the son +of Urien. <!-- page 53--><a name="page53"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 53</span>And Owain kept on the track of the +knight who had divided the apples in Arthur’s Court, whom +they were in pursuit of. “Mother,” said +Peredur, “what are those yonder?” “They +are angels, my son,” said she. “By my +faith,” said Peredur, “I will go and become an angel +with them.” And Peredur went to the road, and met +them. “Tell me, good soul,” said Owain, +“sawest thou a knight pass this way, either to-day or +yesterday?” “I know not,” answered he, +“what a knight is.” “Such an one as I +am,” said Owain. “If thou wilt tell me what I +ask thee, I will tell thee that which thou askest +me.” “Gladly will I do so,” replied +Owain. “What is this?” demanded Peredur, +concerning the saddle. “It is a saddle,” said +Owain. Then he asked about all the accoutrements which he +saw upon the men, and the horses, and the arms, and what they +were for, and how they were used. And Owain shewed him all +these things fully, and told him what use was made of them. +“Go forward,” said Peredur, “for I saw such an +one as thou enquirest for, and I will follow thee.”</p> +<p>Then Peredur returned to his mother and her company, and he +said to her, “Mother, those were not angels, but honourable +knights.” Then his mother swooned away. And +Peredur went to the place where they kept the horses that carried +firewood, and that brought meat and drink from the inhabited +country to the desert. And he took a bony piebald horse, +which seemed to him the strongest of them. And he pressed a +pack into the form of a saddle, and with twisted twigs he +imitated the trappings which he had seen upon the horses. +And when Peredur came again to his mother, the Countess had +recovered from her swoon. “My son,” said she, +<!-- page 54--><a name="page54"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +54</span>“desirest thou to ride forth?” +“Yes, with thy leave,” said he. “Wait +then, that I may counsel thee before thou goest.” +“Willingly,” he answered, “speak +quickly.” “Go forward,” then she said, +“to the Court of Arthur, where there are the best, and the +boldest, and the most bountiful of men. And wherever thou +seest a church, repeat there thy Paternoster unto it. And +if thou see meat and drink, and hast need of them, and none have +the kindness or the courtesy to give them to thee, take them +thyself. If thou hear an outcry, proceed towards it, +especially if it be the outcry of a woman. If thou see a +fair jewel, possess thyself of it, and give it to another, for +thus thou shalt obtain praise. If thou see a fair woman, +pay thy court to her, whether she will or no; for thus thou wilt +render thyself a better and more esteemed man than thou wast +before.”</p> +<p>After this discourse, Peredur mounted the horse, and taking a +handful of sharp pointed forks in his hand, he rode forth. +And he journeyed two days and two nights in the woody +wildernesses, and in desert places, without food and without +drink. And then he came to a vast wild wood, and far within +the wood he saw a fair even glade, and in the glade he saw a +tent, and seeming to him to be a church, he repeated his +Paternoster to the tent. And he went towards it, and the +door of the tent was open. And a golden chair was near the +door. And on the chair sat a lovely auburn-haired maiden, +with a golden frontlet on her forehead, and sparkling stones in +the frontlet, and with a large gold ring on her hand. And +Peredur dismounted, and entered the tent. And the maiden +was glad at his coming, and bade him welcome. At the +entrance of the <!-- page 55--><a name="page55"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 55</span>tent he saw food, and two flasks full +of wine, and two loaves of fine wheaten flour, and collops of the +flesh of the wild boar. “My mother told me,” +said Peredur, “wheresoever I saw meat and drink, to take +it.” “Take the meat and welcome, +chieftain,” said she. So Peredur took half of the +meat and of the liquor himself, and left the rest to the +maiden. And when Peredur had finished eating, he bent upon +his knee before the maiden. “My mother,” said +he, “told me, wheresoever I saw a fair jewel, to take +it.” “Do so, my soul,” said she. So +Peredur took the ring. And he mounted his horse, and +proceeded on his journey.</p> +<p>After this, behold the knight came, to whom the tent belonged; +and he was the Lord of the Glade. And he saw the track of +the horse, and he said to the maiden, “Tell me who has been +here since I departed.” “A man,” said +she, “of wonderful demeanour.” And she +described to him what Peredur’s appearance and conduct had +been. “Tell me,” said he, “did he offer +thee any wrong?” “No,” answered the +maiden, “by my faith, he harmed me not.” +“By my faith, I do not believe thee; and until I can meet +with him, and revenge the insult he has done me, and wreak my +vengeance upon him, thou shalt not remain two nights in the same +house.” And the knight arose, and set forth to seek +Peredur.</p> +<p>Meanwhile Peredur journeyed on towards Arthur’s +Court. And before he reached it, another knight had been +there, who gave a ring of thick gold at the door of the gate for +holding his horse, and went into the Hall where Arthur and his +household, and Gwenhwyvar and her maidens, were assembled. +And the page of the chamber was serving Gwenhwyvar <!-- page +56--><a name="page56"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 56</span>with +a golden goblet. Then the knight dashed the liquor that was +therein upon her face, and upon her stomacher, and gave her a +violent blow on the face, and said, “If any have the +boldness to dispute this goblet with me, and to avenge the insult +to Gwenhwyvar, let him follow me to the meadow, and there I will +await him.” So the knight took his horse, and rode to +the meadow. And all the household hung down their heads, +lest any of them should be requested to go and avenge the insult +to Gwenhwyvar. For it seemed to them, that no one would +have ventured on so daring an outrage, unless he possessed such +powers, through magic or charms, that none could be able to take +vengeance upon him. Then, behold Peredur entered the Hall, +upon the bony piebald horse, with the uncouth trappings upon it; +and in this way he traversed the whole length of the Hall. <a +name="citation56"></a><a href="#footnote56" +class="citation">[56]</a> In the centre of the Hall stood +Kai. “Tell me, tall man,” said Peredur, +“is that Arthur, yonder?” “What wouldest +thou with Arthur?” asked Kai. “My mother told +me to go to Arthur, and receive the honour of +knighthood.” “By my faith,” said he, +“thou art all too meanly equipped with horse and with +arms.” Thereupon he was perceived by all the +household, and they threw sticks at him. Then, behold, a +dwarf came forward. He had already been a year at +Arthur’s Court, both he and a female dwarf. They had +craved harbourage of Arthur, and had obtained it; and during the +whole year, neither of them had spoken a single word to any +one. When the dwarf beheld Peredur, “Ha ha!” +said he, “the welcome of Heaven be unto thee, goodly +Peredur, son of Evrawc, the chief of warriors, and flower of +knighthood.” “Truly,” said Kai, +“thou <!-- page 57--><a name="page57"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 57</span>art ill-taught to remain a year mute +at Arthur’s Court, with choice of society; and now, before +the face of Arthur and all his household, to call out, and +declare such a man as this the chief of warriors, and the flower +of knighthood.” And he gave him such a box on the +ear, that he fell senseless to the ground. Then exclaimed +the female dwarf, “Ha ha! goodly Peredur, son of Evrawc; +the welcome of Heaven be unto thee, flower of knights, and light +of chivalry.” “Of a truth, maiden,” said +Kai, “thou art ill-bred to remain mute for a year at the +Court of Arthur and then to speak as thou dost of such a man as +this.” And Kai kicked her with his foot, so that she +fell to the ground senseless. “Tall man,” said +Peredur, “show me which is Arthur.” “Hold +thy peace,” said Kai, “and go after the knight who +went hence to the meadow, and take from him the goblet, and +overthrow him, and possess thyself of his horse and arms, and +then thou shalt receive the order of knighthood.” +“I will do so, tall man,” said Peredur. So he +turned his horse’s head towards the meadow. And when +he came there, the knight was riding up and down, proud of his +strength, and valour, and noble mien. “Tell +me,” said the knight, “didst thou see any one coming +after me from the Court?” “The tall man that +was there,” said he, “desired me to come, and +overthrow thee, and to take from thee the goblet, and thy horse +and thy armour for myself.” “Silence,” +said the knight; “go back to the Court, and tell Arthur, +from me, either to come himself, or to send some other to fight +with me; and unless he do so quickly, I will not wait for +him.” “By my faith,” said Peredur, +“choose thou whether it shall be willingly or unwillingly, +but I will have the horse, and the arms, and the +goblet.” And upon this the <!-- page 58--><a +name="page58"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 58</span>knight ran at +him furiously, and struck him a violent blow <a +name="citation58"></a><a href="#footnote58" +class="citation">[58]</a> with the shaft of his spear, between +the neck and the shoulder. “Ha ha! lad,” said +Peredur, “my mother’s servants were not used to play +with me in this wise; therefore, thus will I play with +thee.” And thereupon he struck him with a sharp +pointed fork, and it hit him in the eye, and came out at the back +of his neck, so that he instantly fell down lifeless.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p58.jpg"> +<img alt="Picture" src="images/p58.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>“Verily,” said Owain the son of Urien to Kai, +“thou wert ill advised, when thou didst send that madman +after the knight, for one of two things must befall him. He +must either be overthrown, or slain. If he is overthrown by +the knight, he will be counted by him to be an honourable person +of the Court, and an eternal disgrace will it be to Arthur and +his warriors. And if he is slain, the disgrace will be the +same, and moreover, his sin will be upon him; therefore will I go +to see what has befallen him.” So Owain went to the +meadow, and he found Peredur dragging the man about. +“What art thou <!-- page 59--><a name="page59"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 59</span>doing thus?” said Owain. +“This iron coat,” said Peredur, “will never +come from off him; not by my efforts, at any rate.” <a +name="citation59a"></a><a href="#footnote59a" +class="citation">[59a]</a> And Owain unfastened his armour +and his clothes. “Here, my good soul,” said he, +“is a horse and armour better than thine. Take them +joyfully, and come with me to Arthur, to receive the order of +knighthood, for thou dost merit it.” “May I +never shew my face again, if I go,” said Peredur, +“but take thou the goblet to Gwenhwyvar, and tell Arthur, +that wherever I am, I will be his vassal, and will do him what +profit and service I am able. And say that I will not come +to his Court, until I have encountered the tall man that is +there, to avenge the injury he did to the dwarf and +dwarfess.” And Owain went back to the Court, and +related all these things to Arthur and Gwenhwyvar, and to all the +household. <a name="citation59b"></a><a href="#footnote59b" +class="citation">[59b]</a></p> +<p>And Peredur rode forward. And as he proceeded, behold a +knight met him. “Whence comest thou?” said the +knight. “I come from Arthur’s Court,” +said Peredur. “Art thou one of his men?” asked +he. “Yes, by my faith,” he answered. +“A good service, truly, is that of Arthur.” +“Wherefore sayest thou so?” said Peredur. +“I will tell thee,” said he, “I have always +been Arthur’s enemy, and all such of his men as I have ever +encountered, I have slain.” And without further +parlance, they fought, and it was not long before Peredur brought +him to the ground, over his horse’s crupper. Then the +knight besought his mercy. “Mercy thou shalt +have,” said Peredur, “if thou wilt make oath to me, +that thou wilt go to Arthur’s Court, and tell him that it +was I that overthrew <!-- page 60--><a name="page60"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 60</span>thee, for the honour of his service; +and say that I will never come to the Court, until I have avenged +the insult offered to the dwarf and dwarfess.” The +knight pledged him his faith of this, and proceeded to the Court +of Arthur, and said as he had promised, and conveyed the threat +to Kai.</p> +<p>And Peredur rode forward. And within that week he +encountered sixteen knights, and overthrew them all +shamefully. And they all went to Arthur’s Court, +taking with them the same message which the first knight had +conveyed from Peredur, and the same threat which he had sent to +Kai. And thereupon Kai was reproved by Arthur; and Kai was +greatly grieved thereat.</p> +<p>And Peredur rode forward. And he came to a vast and +desert wood, on the confines of which was a lake. And on +the other side was a fair castle. And on the border of the +lake he saw a venerable hoary-headed man sitting upon a velvet +cushion, and having a garment of velvet upon him. And his +attendants were fishing in the lake. When the hoary-headed +man beheld Peredur approaching, he arose, and went towards the +castle. And the old man was lame. Peredur rode to the +palace, and the door was open, and he entered the hall. And +there was the hoary-headed man sitting on a cushion, and a large +blazing fire burning before him. And the household and the +company arose to meet Peredur, and disarrayed him. And the +man asked the youth to sit on the cushion; and they sat down, and +conversed together. When it was time, the tables were laid, +and they went to meat. And when they had finished their +meal, the man enquired of Peredur, if he knew well how to fight +with the sword. “I know not,” said Peredur, +“but were I to be taught, doubtless I <!-- page 61--><a +name="page61"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +61</span>should.” “Whoever can play well with +the cudgel and shield, will also be able to fight with a +sword.” And the man had two sons; the one had yellow +hair, and the other auburn. “Arise, youth,” +said he, “and play with the cudgel and the +shield.” And so did they. “Tell me, my +soul,” said the man, “which of the youths thinkest +thou plays best?” “I think,” said +Peredur, “that the yellow-haired youth could draw blood +from the other, if he chose.” “Arise thou, my +life, and take the cudgel and the shield from the hand of the +youth with the auburn hair, and draw blood from the yellow-haired +youth, if thou canst.” So Peredur arose, and went to +play with the yellow-haired youth; and he lifted up his arm, and +struck him such a mighty blow, that his brow fell over his eye, +and the blood flowed forth. “Ah, my life,” said +the man, “come now, and sit down, for thou wilt become the +best fighter with the sword of any in this island; and I am thy +uncle, thy mother’s brother. And with me shalt thou +remain a space, in order to learn the manners and customs of +different countries, and courtesy, and gentleness, and noble +bearing. Leave, then, the habits and the discourse of thy +mother, and I will be thy teacher; and I will raise thee to the +rank of knight from this time forward. And thus do +thou. If thou seest aught to cause thee wonder, ask not the +meaning of it; if no one has the courtesy to inform thee, the +reproach will not fall upon thee, but upon me that am thy +teacher.” And they had abundance of honour and +service. And when it was time, they went to sleep. At +the break of day, Peredur arose, and took his horse, and with his +uncle’s permission, he rode forth. And he came to a +vast desert wood, and at the further end of the wood was a +meadow, and on <!-- page 62--><a name="page62"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 62</span>the other side of the meadow he saw a +large castle. And thitherward Peredur bent his way, and he +found the gate open, and he proceeded to the hall. And he +beheld a stately hoary-headed man sitting on one side of the +hall, and many pages around him, who arose to receive and to +honour Peredur. And they placed him by the side of the +owner of the palace. Then they discoursed together; and +when it was time to eat, they caused Peredur to sit beside the +nobleman during the repast. And when they had eaten and +drank as much as they desired, the nobleman asked Peredur, +whether he could fight with a sword? “Were I to +receive instruction,” said Peredur, “I think I +could.” Now, there was on the floor of the hall a +huge staple, as large as a warrior could grasp. “Take +yonder sword,” said the man to Peredur, “and strike +the iron staple.” So Peredur arose, and struck the +staple, so that he cut it in two; and the sword broke into two +parts also. “Place the two parts together, and +reunite them,” and Peredur placed them together, and they +became entire as they were before. And a second time he +struck upon the staple, so that both it and the sword broke in +two, and as before they reunited. And the third time he +gave a like blow, and placed the broken parts together, and +neither the staple nor the sword would unite, as before. +“Youth,” said the nobleman, “come now, and sit +down, and my blessing be upon thee. Thou fightest best with +the sword of any man in the kingdom. Thou hast arrived at +two-thirds of thy strength, and the other third thou hast not yet +obtained; and when thou attainest to thy full power, none will be +able to contend with thee. I am thy uncle, thy +mother’s brother, and I am brother <a +name="citation62"></a><a href="#footnote62" +class="citation">[62]</a> to the man in whose house thou wast +<!-- page 63--><a name="page63"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +63</span>last night.” Then Peredur and his uncle +discoursed together, and he beheld two youths enter the hall, and +proceed up to the chamber, bearing a spear of mighty size, with +three streams of blood flowing from the point to the +ground. And when all the company saw this, they began +wailing and lamenting. But for all that, the man did not +break off his discourse with Peredur. And as he did not +tell Peredur the meaning of what he saw, he forebore to ask him +concerning <!-- page 64--><a name="page64"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 64</span>it. And when the clamour had a +little subsided, behold two maidens entered, with a large salver +between them, in which was a man’s head, surrounded by a +profusion of blood. And thereupon the company of the court +made so great an outcry, that it was irksome to be in the same +hall with them. But at length they were silent. And +when time was that they should sleep, Peredur was brought into a +fair chamber.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p63.jpg"> +<img alt="Picture" src="images/p63.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>And the next day, with his uncle’s permission, he rode +forth. And he came to a wood, and far within the wood he +heard a loud cry, and he saw a beautiful woman with auburn hair, +and a horse with a saddle upon it, standing near her, and a +corpse by her side. And as she strove to place the corpse +upon the horse, it fell to the ground, and thereupon she made a +great lamentation. “Tell me, sister,” said +Peredur, “wherefore art thou bewailing?” +“Oh! accursed Peredur, little pity has my ill fortune ever +met with from thee.” “Wherefore,” said +Peredur, “am I accursed?” “Because thou +wast the cause of thy mother’s death; for when thou didst +ride forth against her will, anguish seized upon her heart, so +that she died; and therefore art thou accursed. And the +dwarf and the dwarfess that thou sawest at Arthur’s Court, +were the dwarfs of thy father and mother; and I am thy +foster-sister, and this was my wedded husband, and he was slain +by the knight that is in the glade in the wood; and do not thou +go near him, lest thou shouldest be slain by him +likewise.” “My sister, thou dost reproach me +wrongfully; through my having so long remained amongst you, I +shall scarcely vanquish him; and had I continued longer it would, +indeed, be difficult for me to succeed. Cease, therefore, +thy lamenting, for it is of no avail, <!-- page 65--><a +name="page65"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 65</span>and I will +bury the body, and then I will go in quest of the knight, and see +if I can do vengeance upon him.” And when he had +buried the body, they went to the place where the knight was, and +found him riding proudly along the glade; and he enquired of +Peredur whence he came. “I come from Arthur’s +Court.” “And art thou one of Arthur’s +men?” “Yes, by my faith.” “A +profitable alliance, truly, is that of Arthur.” And +without further parlance, they encountered one another, and +immediately Peredur overthrew the knight, and he besought mercy +of Peredur. “Mercy shall thou have,” said he, +“upon these terms, that thou take this woman in marriage, +and do her all the honour and reverence in thy power, seeing thou +hast, without cause, slain her wedded husband; and that thou go +to Arthur’s Court, and shew him that it was I that +overthrew thee, to do him honour and service; and that thou tell +him that I will never come to his Court again until I have met +with the tall man that is there, to take vengeance upon him for +his insult to the dwarf and the dwarfess.” And he +took the knight’s assurance, that he would perform all +this. Then the knight provided the lady with a horse and +garments that were suitable for her, and took her with him to +Arthur’s Court. And he told Arthur all that had +occurred, and gave the defiance to Kai. And Arthur and all +his household reproved Kai, for having driven such a youth as +Peredur from his Court.</p> +<p>Said Owain the son of Urien, “This youth will never come +into the Court until Kai has gone forth from it.” +“By my faith,” said Arthur, “I will search all +the deserts in the island of Britain, until I find Peredur, and +then let him and his adversary do their utmost to each +other.”</p> +<p><!-- page 66--><a name="page66"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +66</span>Then Peredur rode forward. And he came to a desert +wood, where he saw not the track either of men or animals, and +where there was nothing but bushes and weeds. And at the +upper end of the wood he saw a vast castle, wherein were many +strong towers; and when he came near the gate, he found the weeds +taller than he had done elsewhere. And he struck the gate +with the shaft of his lance, and thereupon behold a lean +auburn-haired youth came to an opening in the battlements. +“Choose thou, chieftain,” said he. +“Whether shall I open the gate unto thee, or shall I +announce unto those that are chief, that thou art at the +gateway?” “Say that I am here,” said +Peredur, “and if it is desired that I should enter, I will +go in.” And the youth came back, and opened the gate +for Peredur. And when he went into the hall, he beheld +eighteen youths, lean and red-headed, of the same height and of +the same aspect, and of the same dress, and of the same age as +the one who had opened the gate for him. And they were well +skilled in courtesy and in service. And they disarrayed +him. Then they sat down to discourse. Thereupon, +behold five maidens came from the chamber into the hall. +And Peredur was certain that he had never seen another of so fair +an aspect as the chief of the maidens. And she had an old +garment of satin upon her, which had once been handsome, but was +then so tattered, that her skin could be seen through it. +And whiter was her skin than the bloom of crystal, and her hair +and her two eyebrows were blacker than jet, and on her cheeks +were two red spots, redder than whatever is reddest. And +the maiden welcomed Peredur, and put her arms about his neck, and +made him sit down beside her. Not long after this he saw +two nuns enter and a <!-- page 67--><a name="page67"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 67</span>flask full of wine was borne by one, +and six loaves of white bread by the other. +“Lady,” said they, “Heaven is witness, that +there is not so much of food and liquor as this left in yonder +Convent this night.” Then they went to meat, and +Peredur observed that the maiden wished to give more of the food +and of the liquor to him than to any of the others. +“My sister,” said Peredur, “I will share out +the food and the liquor.” “Not so, my +soul,” said she. “By my faith, but I +will.” So Peredur took the bread, and he gave an +equal portion of it to each alike, as well as a cup full of the +liquor. And when it was time for them to sleep, a chamber +was prepared for Peredur, and he went to rest.</p> +<p>“Behold, sister,” said the youths to the fairest +and most exalted of the maidens, “we have counsel for +thee.” “What may it be?” she +enquired. “Go to the youth that is in the upper +chamber, and offer to become his wife, or the lady of his love, +if it seem well to him.” “That were indeed +unfitting,” said she. “Hitherto I have not been +the lady love of any knight, and to make him such an offer before +I am wooed by him, that, truly, can I not do.” +“By our confession to Heaven, unless thou actest thus, we +will leave thee here to thy enemies, to do as they will with +thee.” And through fear of this, the maiden went +forth; and shedding tears, she proceeded to the chamber. +And with the noise of the door opening, Peredur awoke; and the +maiden was weeping and lamenting. “Tell me, my +sister,” said Peredur, “wherefore dost thou +weep?” “I will tell thee, lord,” said +she, “my father possessed these dominions as their chief, +and this palace was his, and with it he held the best earldom in +the kingdom; then the son of another earl sought me of my father, +and I <!-- page 68--><a name="page68"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 68</span>was not willing to be given unto him, +and my father would not give me against my will, either to him or +any earl in the world. And my father had no child except +myself. And after my father’s death, these dominions +came into my own hands, and then was I less willing to accept him +than before. So he made war upon me, and conquered all my +possessions except this one house. And through the valour +of the men whom thou hast seen, who are my foster brothers, and +the strength of the house, it can never be taken while food and +drink remain. And now our provisions are exhausted; but as +thou hast seen, we have been fed by the nuns, to whom the country +is free. And at length they also are without supply of food +or liquor. And at no later date than to-morrow, the earl +will come against this place with all his forces; and if I fall +into his power, my fate will be no better than to be given over +to the grooms of his horses. Therefore, lord, I am come to +offer to place myself in thy hands, that thou mayest succour me, +either by taking me hence, or by defending me here, whichever may +seem best unto thee.” “Go, my sister,” +said he, “and sleep; nor will I depart from thee until I do +that which thou requirest, or prove whether I can assist thee or +not.” The maiden went again to rest; and the next +morning she came to Peredur, and saluted him. “Heaven +prosper thee, my soul, and what tidings dost thou +bring?” “None other, than that the earl and all +his forces have alighted at the gate, and I never beheld any +place so covered with tents, and thronged with knights +challenging others to the combat.” +“Truly,” said Peredur, “let my horse be made +ready.” So his horse was accoutred, and he arose, and +sallied forth to the meadow. And there was <!-- page +69--><a name="page69"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 69</span>a +knight riding proudly along the meadow, having raised the signal +for battle. And they encountered, and Peredur threw the +knight over his horse’s crupper to the ground. And at +the close of the day, one of the chief knights came to fight with +him, and he overthrew him also, so that he besought his +mercy. “Who art thou?” said Peredur. +“Verily,” said he, “I am Master of the +Household to the earl.” “And how much of the +Countess’s possessions is there in thy power?” +“The third part, verily,” answered he. +“Then,” said Peredur, “restore to her the third +of her possessions in full, and all the profit thou hast made by +them, and bring meat and drink for a hundred men, with their +horses and arms, to her court this night. And thou shalt +remain her captive, unless she wish to take thy +life.” And this he did forthwith. And that +night the maiden was right joyful, and they fared +plenteously.</p> +<p>And the next day Peredur rode forth to the meadow; and that +day he vanquished a multitude of the host. And at the close +of the day, there came a proud and stately knight, and Peredur +overthrew him, and he besought his mercy. “Who art +thou?” said Peredur. “I am Steward of the +Palace,” said he. “And how much of the +maiden’s possessions are under thy control?” +“One third part,” answered he. +“Verily,” said Peredur, “thou shalt fully +restore to the maiden her possessions, and, moreover, thou shalt +give her meat and drink for two hundred men, and their horses and +their arms. And for thyself, thou shalt be her +captive.” And immediately it was so done.</p> +<p>And the third day Peredur rode forth to the meadow; and he +vanquished more that day than on either of the preceding. +And at the close of the <!-- page 70--><a name="page70"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 70</span>day, an earl came to encounter him, +and he overthrew him, and he besought his mercy. “Who +art thou?” said Peredur. “I am the earl,” +said he. “I will not conceal it from +thee.” “Verily,” said Peredur, +“thou shalt restore the whole of the maiden’s +earldom, and shalt give her thine own earldom in addition +thereto, and meat and drink for three hundred men, and their +horses and arms, and thou thyself shalt remain in her +power.” And thus it was fulfilled. And Peredur +tarried three weeks in the country, causing tribute and obedience +to be paid to the maiden, and the government to be placed in her +hands. “With thy leave,” said Peredur, “I +will go hence.” “Verily, my brother, desirest +thou this?” “Yes, by my faith; and had it not +been for love of thee, I should not have been here thus +long.” “My soul,” said she, “who +art thou?” “I am Peredur the son of Evrawc from +the North; and if ever thou art in trouble or in danger, acquaint +me therewith, and if I can, I will protect thee.”</p> +<p>So Peredur rode forth. And far thence there met him a +lady, mounted on a horse that was lean, and covered with sweat; +and she saluted the youth. “Whence comest thou, my +sister?” Then she told him the cause of her +journey. Now she was the wife of the Lord of the +Glade. “Behold,” said he, “I am the +knight through whom thou art in trouble, and he shall repent it, +who has treated thee thus.” Thereupon, behold a +knight rode up, and he enquired of Peredur, if he had seen a +knight such as he was seeking. “Hold thy +peace,” said Peredur, “I am he whom thou seekest; and +by my faith, thou deservest ill of thy household for thy +treatment of the maiden, for she is innocent concerning +me.” So <!-- page 71--><a name="page71"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 71</span>they encountered, and they were not +long in combat ere Peredur overthrew the knight, and he besought +his mercy. “Mercy thou shalt have,” said +Peredur, “so thou wilt return by the way thou camest, and +declare that thou holdest the maiden innocent, and so that thou +wilt acknowledge unto her the reverse thou hast sustained at my +hands.” And the knight plighted him his faith +thereto.</p> +<p>Then Peredur rode forward. And above him he beheld a +castle, and thitherward he went. And he struck upon the +gate with his lance, and then, behold a comely auburn-haired +youth opened the gate, and he had the stature of a warrior, and +the years of a boy. And when Peredur came into the hall, +there was a tall and stately lady sitting in a chair, and many +handmaidens around her; and the lady rejoiced at his +coming. And when it was time, they went to meat. And +after their repast was finished, “It were well for thee, +chieftain,” said she, “to go elsewhere to +sleep.” “Wherefore can I not sleep here?” +said Peredur. “Nine sorceresses are here, my soul, of +the sorceresses of Gloucester, and their father and their mother +are with them; and unless we can make our escape before daybreak, +we shall be slain; and already they have conquered and laid waste +all the country, except this one dwelling.” +“Behold,” said Peredur, “I will remain here +to-night, and if you are in trouble, I will do you what service I +can; but harm shall you not receive from me.” So they +went to rest. And with the break of day, Peredur heard a +dreadful outcry. And he hastily arose, and went forth in +his vest and his doublet, with his sword about his neck, and he +saw a sorceress overtake one of the watch, who cried out +violently. Peredur attacked the sorceress, and struck her +upon <!-- page 72--><a name="page72"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +72</span>the head with his sword, so that he flattened her helmet +and her headpiece like a dish upon her head. “Thy +mercy, goodly Peredur, son of Evrawc, and the mercy of +Heaven.” “How knowest thou, hag, that I am +Peredur?” “By destiny, and the foreknowledge +that I should suffer harm from thee. And thou shalt take a +horse and armour of me; and with me thou shalt go to learn +chivalry and the use of thy arms.” Said Peredur, +“Thou shalt have mercy, if thou pledge thy faith thou wilt +never more injure the dominions of the Countess.” And +Peredur took surety of this, and with permission of the Countess, +he set forth with the sorceress to the palace of the +sorceresses. And there he remained for three weeks, and +then he made choice of a horse and arms, and went his way.</p> +<p>And in the evening he entered a valley, and at the head of the +valley he came to a hermit’s cell, and the hermit welcomed +him gladly, and there he spent the night. And in the +morning he arose, and when he went forth, behold a shower of snow +had fallen the night before, and a hawk had killed a wild fowl in +front of the cell. And the noise of the horse scared the +hawk away, and a raven alighted upon the bird. And Peredur +stood, and compared the blackness of the raven, and whiteness of +the snow, and the redness of the blood, to the hair of the lady +that best he loved, which was blacker than jet, and to her skin +which was whiter than the snow, and to the two red spots upon her +cheeks, which were redder than the blood upon the snow appeared +to be.</p> +<p>Now Arthur and his household were in search of Peredur. +“Know ye,” said Arthur, “who is the knight with +the long spear that stands by the brook <a +name="citation72"></a><a href="#footnote72" +class="citation">[72]</a> <!-- page 73--><a +name="page73"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 73</span>up +yonder?” “Lord,” said one of them, +“I will go and learn who he is.” So the youth +came to the place where Peredur was, and asked him what he did +thus, and who he was. And from the intensity with which he +thought upon the lady whom best he loved, he gave him no +answer. Then the youth thrust at Peredur with his lance, +and Peredur turned upon him, and struck him over his +horse’s crupper to the ground. And after this, four +and twenty youths came to him, and he did not answer one more +than another, but gave the same reception to all, bringing them +with one single thrust to the ground. And then came Kai, +and spoke to Peredur rudely and angrily; and Peredur took him +with his lance under the jaw, and cast him from him with a +thrust, so that he broke his arm and his shoulder blade, and he +rode over him one and twenty times. And while he lay thus, +stunned with the violence of the pain that he had suffered, his +horse returned back at a wild and prancing pace. And when +the household saw the horse come back without his rider, they +rode forth in haste to the place where the encounter had +been. And when they first came there, they thought that Kai +was slain; but they found that if he had a skilful physician, he +yet might live. And Peredur moved not from his meditation, +on seeing the concourse that was around Kai. And Kai was +brought to Arthur’s tent, and Arthur caused skilful +physicians to come to him. And Arthur was grieved that Kai +had met with this reverse, for he loved him greatly.</p> +<p>“Then,” said Gwalchmai, “it is not fitting +that any should disturb an honourable knight from his thought +unadvisedly; for either he is pondering some damage that he has +sustained, or he is thinking of the lady <!-- page 74--><a +name="page74"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 74</span>whom best he +loves. And through such ill-advised proceeding, perchance +this misadventure has befallen him who last met with him. +And if it seem well to thee, lord, I will go and see if this +knight has changed from his thought; and if he has, I will ask +him courteously to come and visit thee.” Then Kai was +wrath, and he spoke angry and spiteful words. +“Gwalchmai,” said he, “I know that thou wilt +bring him because he is fatigued. Little praise and honour, +nevertheless, wilt thou have from vanquishing a weary knight, who +is tired with fighting. Yet, thus hast thou gained the +advantage over many. And while thy speech and thy soft +words last, a coat of thin linen were armour sufficient for thee, +and thou wilt not need to break either lance or sword in fighting +with the knight in the state he is in.” Then said +Gwalchmai to Kai, “Thou mightest use more pleasant words, +wert thou so minded; and it behoves thee not upon me to wreak thy +wrath and thy displeasure. Methinks I shall bring the +knight hither with me without breaking either my arm or my +shoulder.” Then said Arthur to Gwalchmai, “Thou +speakest like a wise and a prudent man; go and take enough of +armour about thee, and choose thy horse.” And +Gwalchmai accoutred himself, and rode forward hastily to the +place where Peredur was.</p> +<p>And Peredur was resting on the shaft of his spear, pondering +the same thought, and Gwalchmai came to him without any signs of +hostility, and said to him, “If I thought that it would be +as agreeable to thee as it would be to me, I would converse with +thee. I have also a message from Arthur unto thee, to pray +thee to come and visit him. And two men have been before on +this errand.” “That is true,” said +Peredur, “and uncourteously they came. They attacked +<!-- page 75--><a name="page75"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +75</span>me, and I was annoyed thereat, for it was not pleasing +to me to be drawn from the thought that I was in, for I was +thinking of the lady whom best I love; and thus was she brought +to my mind,—I was looking upon the snow, and upon the +raven, and upon the drops of the blood of the bird that the hawk +had killed upon the snow. And I bethought me that her +whiteness was like that of the snow, and that the blackness of +her hair and her eyebrows was like that of the raven, and that +the two red spots upon her cheeks were like the two drops of +blood.” Said Gwalchmai, “This was not an +ungentle thought, and I should marvel if it were pleasant to thee +to be drawn from it.” “Tell me,” said +Peredur, “is Kai in Arthur’s Court?” +“He is,” said he, “and behold he is the knight +that fought with thee last; and it would have been better for him +had he not come, for his arm and his shoulder blade were broken +with the fall which he had from thy spear.” +“Verily,” said Peredur, “I am not sorry to have +thus begun to avenge the insult to the dwarf and +dwarfess.” Then Gwalchmai marvelled to hear him speak +of the dwarf and the dwarfess; and he approached him, and threw +his arms around his neck, and asked him what was his name. +“Peredur the son of Evrawc am I called,” said he, +“and thou? Who art thou?” “I am +called Gwalchmai,” he replied. “I am right glad +to meet with thee,” said Peredur, “for in every +country where I have been, I have heard of thy fame for prowess +and uprightness, and I solicit thy fellowship.” +“Thou shall have it, by my faith, and grant me +thine,” said he. “Gladly will I do so,” +answered Peredur.</p> +<p>So they rode forth together joyfully towards the place where +Arthur was; and when Kai saw them <!-- page 76--><a +name="page76"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 76</span>coming, he +said, “I knew that Gwalchmai needed not to fight the +knight. And it is no wonder that he should gain fame; more +can he do by his fair words, than I by the strength of my +arm.” And Peredur went with Gwalchmai to his tent, +and they took off their armour. And Peredur put on garments +like those that Gwalchmai wore; and they went together unto +Arthur, and saluted him. “Behold, lord,” said +Gwalchmai, “him whom thou hast sought so long.” +“Welcome unto thee, chieftain,” said Arthur. +“With me thou shalt remain; and had I known thy valour <a +name="citation76"></a><a href="#footnote76" +class="citation">[76]</a> had been such, thou shouldst not have +left me as thou didst. Nevertheless, this was predicted of +thee by the dwarf and the dwarfess, whom Kai ill treated, and +whom thou hast avenged.” And hereupon, behold there +came the Queen and her handmaidens, and Peredur saluted +them. And they were rejoiced to see him, and bade him +welcome. And Arthur did him great honour and respect, and +they returned towards Caerlleon.</p> +<p>And the first night, Peredur came to Caerlleon, to +Arthur’s Court, and as he walked in the city after his +repast, behold, there met him Angharad Law Eurawc. +“By my faith, sister,” said Peredur, “thou art +a beauteous and lovely maiden; and were it pleasing to thee, I +could love thee above all women.” “I pledge my +faith,” said she, “that I do not love thee, nor will +I ever do so.” “I also pledge my faith,” +said Peredur, “that I will never speak a word to any +Christian again, until thou come to love me above all +men.”</p> +<p>The next day, Peredur went forth by the high road, along a +mountain ridge, and he saw a valley of a circular form, the +confines of which were rocky and <!-- page 77--><a +name="page77"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 77</span>wooded. +And the flat part of the valley was in meadows, and there were +fields betwixt the meadows and the wood. And in the bosom +of the wood he saw large black houses, of uncouth +workmanship. And he dismounted, and led his horse towards +the wood. And a little way within the wood he saw a rocky +ledge, along which the road lay. And upon the ledge was a +lion bound by a chain, and sleeping. And beneath the lion +he saw a deep pit, of immense size, full of the bones of men and +animals. And Peredur drew his sword, and struck the lion, +so that he fell into the mouth of the pit, and hung there by the +chain; and with a second blow he struck the chain, and broke it, +and the lion fell into the pit, and Peredur led his horse over +the rocky ledge, until he came into the valley. And in the +centre of the valley he saw a fair castle, and he went towards +it. And in the meadow by the Castle he beheld a huge grey +man sitting, who was larger than any man he had ever before +seen. And two young pages were shooting the hilts of their +daggers, of the bone of the sea horse. And one of the pages +had red hair, and the other auburn. And they went before +him to the place where the grey man was. And Peredur +saluted him. And the grey man said, “Disgrace to the +beard of my porter.” Then Peredur understood that the +porter was the lion. And the grey man and the pages went +together into the Castle, and Peredur accompanied them; and he +found it a fair and noble place. And they proceeded to the +hall, and the tables were already laid, and upon them was +abundance of food and liquor. And thereupon he saw an aged +woman and a young woman come from the chamber; and they were the +most stately women he had ever seen. Then they washed, and +went to meat, and the grey <!-- page 78--><a +name="page78"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 78</span>man sat in +the upper seat at the head of the table, and the aged woman next +to him. And Peredur and the maiden were placed together; +and the two young pages served them. And the maiden gazed +sorrowfully upon Peredur, and Peredur asked the maiden wherefore +she was sad. “For thee, my soul; for, from when I +first beheld thee, I have loved thee above all men. And it +pains me to know that so gentle a youth as thou should have such +a doom as awaits thee to-morrow. Sawest thou the numerous +black houses in the bosom of the wood. All these belong to +the vassals of the grey man yonder, who is my father. And +they are all giants. And to-morrow they will rise up +against thee, and will slay thee. And the Round Valley is +this valley called.” “Listen, fair maiden, wilt +thou contrive that my horse and arms be in the same lodging with +me to-night.” “Gladly will I cause it so to be, +by Heaven, if I can.”</p> +<p>And when it was time for them to sleep rather than to carouse, +they went to rest. And the maiden caused Peredur’s +horse and arms to be in the same lodging with him. And the +next morning Peredur heard a great tumult of men and horses +around the Castle. And Peredur arose, and armed himself and +his horse, and went to the meadow. Then the aged woman and +the maiden came to the grey man, “Lord,” said they, +“take the word of the youth, that he will never disclose +what he has seen in this place, and we will be his sureties that +he keep it.” “I will not do so, by my +faith,” said the grey man. So Peredur fought with the +host; and towards evening, he had slain the one-third of them +without receiving any hurt himself. Then said the aged +woman, “Behold, many of thy host have been slain by the +youth. <!-- page 79--><a name="page79"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 79</span>Do thou, therefore, grant him +mercy.” “I will not grant it, by my +faith,” said he. And the aged woman and the fair +maiden were upon the battlements of the Castle, looking +forth. And at that juncture, Peredur encountered the +yellow-haired youth, and slew him. “Lord,” said +the maiden, “grant the young man mercy.” +“That will I not do, by Heaven,” he replied; and +thereupon Peredur attacked the auburn-haired youth, and slew him +likewise. “It were better thou hadst accorded mercy +to the youth, before he had slain thy two sons; for now scarcely +wilt thou thyself escape from him.” “Go, +maiden, and beseech the youth to grant mercy unto us, for we +yield ourselves into his hands.” So the maiden came +to the place where Peredur was, and besought mercy for her +father, and for all such of his vassals as had escaped +alive. “Thou shalt have it, on condition that thy +father, and all that are under him, go and render homage to +Arthur, and tell him that it was his vassal Peredur that did him +this service.” “This will we do willingly, by +Heaven.” “And you shall also receive baptism; +and I will send to Arthur, and beseech him to bestow this valley +upon thee, and upon thy heirs after thee for ever.” +Then they went in, and the grey man and the tall woman saluted +Peredur. And the grey man said unto him, “Since I +have possessed this valley, I have not seen any Christian depart +with his life, save thyself. And we will go to do homage to +Arthur, and to embrace the faith, and be baptized.” +Then said Peredur, “To Heaven I render thanks that I have +not broken my vow to the lady that best I love, which was, that I +would not speak one word unto any Christian.”</p> +<p>That night they tarried there. And the next day, in the +morning, the grey man, with his company, set <!-- page 80--><a +name="page80"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 80</span>forth to +Arthur’s Court; and they did homage unto Arthur, and he +caused them to be baptized. And the grey man told Arthur, +that it was Peredur that had vanquished them. And Arthur +gave the valley to the grey man and his company, to hold it of +him as Peredur had besought. And with Arthur’s +permission, the grey man went back to the Round Valley.</p> +<p>Peredur rode forward next day, and he traversed a vast tract +of desert, in which no dwellings were. And at length he +came to a habitation, mean and small. And there he heard +that there was a serpent that lay upon a gold ring, and suffered +none to inhabit the country for seven miles around. And +Peredur came to the place where he heard the serpent was. +And angrily, furiously, and desperately, fought he with the +serpent; and at the last he killed it, and took away the +ring. And thus he was for a long time without speaking a +word to any Christian. And therefrom he lost his colour and +his aspect, through extreme longing after the Court of Arthur, +and the society of the lady whom best he loved, and of his +companions. Then he proceeded forward to Arthur’s +Court, and on the road there met him Arthur’s household, +going on a particular errand, with Kai at their head. And +Peredur knew them all, but none of the household recognised +him. “Whence comest thou, chieftain?” said +Kai. And this he asked him twice, and three times, and he +answered him not. And Kai thrust him through the thigh with +his lance. And lest he should be compelled to speak, and to +break his vow, he went on without stopping. +“Then,” said Gwalchmai, “I declare to Heaven, +Kai, that thou hast acted ill in committing such an outrage on a +youth like this, who cannot speak.” And Gwalchmai +returned back <!-- page 81--><a name="page81"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 81</span>to Arthur’s Court. +“Lady,” said he to Gwenhwyvar, “seest thou how +wicked an outrage Kai has committed upon this youth who cannot +speak; for Heaven’s sake, and for mine, cause him to have +medical care before I come back, and I will repay thee the +charge.”</p> +<p>And before the men returned from their errand, a knight came +to the meadow beside Arthur’s Palace, to dare some one to +the encounter. And his challenge was accepted; and Peredur +fought with him, and overthrew him. And for a week he +overthrew one knight every day.</p> +<p>And one day, Arthur and his household were going to Church, +and they beheld a knight who had raised the signal for +combat. “Verily,” said Arthur, “by the +valour of men, I will not go hence until I have my horse and my +arms to overthrow yonder boor.” Then went the +attendants to fetch Arthur’s horse and arms. And +Peredur met the attendants as they were going back, and he took +the horse and arms from them, and proceeded to the meadow; and +all those who saw him arise and go to do battle with the knight, +went upon the tops of the houses, and the mounds, and the high +places, to behold the combat. And Peredur beckoned with his +hand to the knight to commence the fight. And the knight +thrust at him, but he was not thereby moved from where he +stood. And Peredur spurred his horse, and ran at him +wrathfully, furiously, fiercely, desperately, and with mighty +rage, and he gave him a thrust, deadly-wounding, severe, furious, +adroit and strong, under his jaw, and raised him out of his +saddle, and cast him a long way from him. And Peredur went +back, and left the horse and the arms with the attendant as +before, and he went on foot to the Palace.</p> +<p><!-- page 82--><a name="page82"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +82</span>Then Peredur went by the name of the Dumb Youth. +And behold, Angharad Law Eurawc met him. “I declare +to Heaven, chieftain,” said she, “woeful is it that +thou canst not speak; for couldst thou speak, I would love thee +best of all men; and, by my faith, although thou canst not, I do +love thee above all.” “Heaven reward thee, my +sister,” said Peredur, “by my faith, I also do love +thee.” Thereupon it was known that he was +Peredur. And then he held fellowship with Gwalchmai, and +Owain the son of Urien, and all the household, and he remained in +Arthur’s Court.</p> +<p>Arthur was in Caerlleon upon Usk; and he went to hunt, and +Peredur went with him. And Peredur let loose his dog upon a +hart, and the dog killed the hart in a desert place. And a +short space from him he saw signs of a dwelling, and towards the +dwelling he went, and he beheld a hall, and at the door of the +hall he found bald swarthy youths playing at chess. And +when he entered, he beheld three maidens sitting on a bench, and +they were all clothed alike, as became persons of high +rank. And he came, and sat by them upon the bench; and one +of the maidens looked steadfastly upon Peredur, and wept. +And Peredur asked her wherefore she was weeping. +“Through grief, that I should see so fair a youth as thou +art, slain.” “Who will slay me?” enquired +Peredur. “If thou art so daring as to remain here +to-night, I will tell thee.” “How great soever +my danger may be from remaining here, I will listen unto +thee.” “This Palace is owned by him who is my +father,” said the maiden, “and he slays every one who +comes hither without his leave.” “What sort of +a man is thy father, that he is able to slay every one +thus?”</p> +<p><!-- page 83--><a name="page83"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +83</span>“A man who does violence and wrong unto his +neighbours, and who renders justice unto none.” And +hereupon he saw the youths arise and clear the chessmen from the +board. And he heard a great tumult; and after the tumult +there came in a huge black one-eyed man, and the maidens arose to +meet him. And they disarrayed him, and he went and sat +down; and after he had rested and pondered awhile, he looked at +Peredur, and asked who the knight was. “Lord,” +said one of the maidens, “he is the fairest and gentlest +youth that ever thou didst see. And for the sake of Heaven, +and of thine own dignity, have patience with him.” +“For thy sake I will have patience, and I will grant him +his life this night.” Then Peredur came towards them +to the fire, and partook of food and liquor, and entered into +discourse with the ladies. And being elated with the +liquor, he said to the black man, “It is a marvel to me, so +mighty as thou sayest thou art, who could have put out thine +eye?” “It is one of my habits,” said the +black man, “that whosoever puts to me the question which +thou hast asked, shall not escape with his life, either as a free +gift, or for a price.” “Lord,” said the +maiden, “whatsoever he may say to thee in jest, and through +the excitement of liquor, make good that which thou saidest and +didst promise me just now.” “I will do so, +gladly, for thy sake,” said he. “Willingly will +I grant him his life this night.” And that night thus +they remained.</p> +<p>And the next day the black man got up, and put on his armour, +and said to Peredur, “Arise, man, and suffer +death.” And Peredur said unto him, “Do one of +two things, black man; if thou wilt fight with me, either throw +off thy own armour, or give arms to me, that I may encounter +thee.” “Ha! man,” said he, <!-- page +84--><a name="page84"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +84</span>“couldst thou fight, if thou hadst arms? +Take, then, what arms thou dost choose.” And +thereupon the maiden came to Peredur with such arms as pleased +him; and he fought with the black man, and forced him to crave +his mercy. “Black man, thou shalt have mercy, +provided thou tell me who thou art, and who put out thine +eye.” “Lord, I will tell thee, I lost it in +fighting with the Black Serpent of the Carn. There is a +mound, which is called the Mound of Mourning; and on the mound +there is a earn, and in the earn there is a serpent, and on the +tail of the serpent there is a stone, and the virtues of the +stone are such, that whosoever should hold it in one hand, in the +other he will have as much gold as he may desire. And in +fighting with this serpent was it that I lost my eye. And +the Black Oppressor am I called. And for this reason I am +called the Black Oppressor, that there is not a single man around +me whom I have not oppressed, and justice have I done unto +none.” “Tell me” said Peredur, “how +far is it hence?” “The same day that thou +settest forth, thou wilt come to the Palace of the Sons of the +King of the Tortures.” “Wherefore are they +called thus?” “The Addanc of the Lake slays +them once every day. When thou goest thence, thou wilt come +to the Court of the Countess of the Achievements.” +“What achievements are there?” asked Peredur. +“Three hundred men there are in her household, and unto +every stranger that comes to the Court, the achievements of her +household are related. And this is the manner of +it,—the three hundred men of the household sit next unto +the Lady; and that not through disrespect unto the guests, but +that they may relate the achievements of the household. And +the day that thou goest thence, thou wilt reach the Mound of +Mourning, and round <!-- page 85--><a name="page85"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 85</span>about the mound there are the owners +of three hundred tents guarding the serpent.” +“Since thou hast, indeed, been an oppressor so long,” +said Peredur, “I will cause that thou continue so no +longer.” So he slew him.</p> +<p>Then the maiden spoke, and began to converse with him. +“If thou wast poor when thou camest here, henceforth thou +wilt be rich through the treasure of the black man whom thou hast +slain. Thou seest the many lovely maidens that there are in +this Court, thou shalt have her whom thou best likest for the +lady of thy love.” “Lady, I came not hither +from my country to woo; but match yourselves as it liketh you +with the comely youths I see here; and none of your goods do I +desire, for I need them not.” Then Peredur rode +forward, and he came to the Palace of the Sons of the King of the +Tortures; and when he entered the Palace, he saw none but women; +and they rose up, and were joyful at his coming; and as they +began to discourse with him, he beheld a charger arrive, with a +saddle upon it, and a corpse in the saddle. And one of the +women arose, and took the corpse from the saddle, and anointed it +in a vessel of warm water, which was below the door, and placed +precious balsam upon it; and the man rose up alive, and came to +the place where Peredur was, and greeted him, and was joyful to +see him. And two other men came in upon their saddles, and +the maiden treated these two in the same manner as she had done +the first. Then Peredur asked the chieftain wherefore it +was thus. And they told him, that there was an Addanc in a +cave, which slew them once every day. And thus they +remained that night.</p> +<p>And next morning the youths arose to sally forth, and Peredur +besought them, for the sake of the ladies <!-- page 86--><a +name="page86"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 86</span>of their +love, to permit him to go with them; but they refused him, +saying, “If thou shouldst be slain there, thou hast none to +bring thee back to life again.” And they rode +forward, and Peredur followed after them; and after they had +disappeared out of his sight, he came to a mound, whereon sat the +fairest lady he had ever beheld. “I know thy +quest,” said she, “thou art going to encounter the +Addanc, and he will slay thee, and that not by courage, but by +craft. He has a cave, and at the entrance of the cave there +is a stone pillar, and he sees every one that enters, and none +see him; and from behind the pillar he slays every one with a +poisonous dart. And if thou wouldst pledge me thy faith, to +love me above all women, I would give thee a stone, by which thou +shouldst see him when thou goest in, and he should not see +thee.” “I will, by my troth,” said +Peredur, “for when first I beheld thee, I loved thee; and +where shall I seek thee?” “When thou seekest +me, seek towards India.” And the maiden vanished, +after placing the stone in Peredur’s hand.</p> +<p>And he came towards a valley, through which ran a river; and +the borders of the valley were wooded, and on each side of the +river were level meadows. And on one side of the river he +saw a flock of white sheep, and on the other a flock of black +sheep. And whenever one of the white sheep bleated, one of +the black sheep would cross over, and become white; and when one +of the black sheep bleated, one of the white sheep would cross +over, and become black. And he saw a tall tree by the side +of the river, one half of which was in flames from the root to +the top, and the other half was green and in full leaf. And +nigh thereto he saw a youth sitting upon a mound, and two +greyhounds, white-breasted, and spotted, in leashes, <!-- page +87--><a name="page87"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 87</span>lying +by his side. And certain was he, that he had never seen a +youth of so royal a bearing as he. And in the wood opposite +he heard hounds raising a herd of deer. And Peredur saluted +the youth, and the youth greeted him in return. And there +were three roads leading from the mound; two of them were wide +roads, and the third was more narrow. And Peredur enquired +where the three roads went. “One of them goes to my +palace,” said the youth, “and one of two things I +counsel thee to do, either to proceed to my palace, which is +before thee, and where thou wilt find my wife, or else to remain +here to see the hounds chasing the roused deer from the wood to +the plain. And thou shall see the best greyhounds thou +didst ever behold, and the boldest in the chase, kill them by the +water beside us; and when it is time to go to meat, my page will +come with my horse to meet me, and thou shalt rest in my palace +to-night.” “Heaven reward thee; but I cannot +tarry, for onward must I go.” “The other road +leads to the town, which is near here, and wherein food and +liquor may be bought; and the road which is narrower than the +others goes towards the cave of the Addanc.” +“With thy permission, young man, I will go that +way.”</p> +<p>And Peredur went towards the cave. And he took the stone +in his left hand, and his lance in his right. And as he +went in, he perceived the Addanc, and he pierced him through with +his lance, and cut off his head. And as he came from the +cave, behold the three companions were at the entrance; and they +saluted Peredur, and told him that there was a prediction that he +should slay that monster. And Peredur gave the head to the +young men, and they offered him in marriage whichever of the +three sisters <!-- page 88--><a name="page88"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 88</span>he might choose, and half their +kingdom with her. “I came not hither to woo,” +said Peredur, “but if peradventure I took a wife, I should +prefer your sister to all others.” And Peredur rode +forward, and he heard a noise behind him. And he looked +back, and saw a man upon a red horse, with red armour upon him; +and the man rode up by his side, and saluted him, and wished him +the favour of Heaven and of man. And Peredur greeted the +youth kindly. “Lord, I come to make a request unto +thee.” “What wouldest thou?” +“That thou shouldest take me as thine +attendant.” “Who then should I take as my +attendant, if I did so?” “I will not conceal +from thee what kindred I am of. Etlym Gleddyv Coch am I +called, an Earl from the East Country.” “I +marvel that thou shouldest offer to become attendant to a man +whose possessions are no greater than thine own; for I have but +an earldom like thyself. But since thou desirest to be my +attendant, I will take thee joyfully.”</p> +<p>And they went forward to the Court of the Countess, and all +they of the Court were glad at their coming; and they were told +it was not through disrespect they were placed below the +household, but that such was the usage of the Court. For, +whoever should overthrow the three hundred men of her household, +would sit next the Countess, and she would love him above all +men. And Peredur having overthrown the three hundred men of +her household, sat down beside her, and the Countess said, +“I thank Heaven that I have a youth so fair and so valiant +as thou, since I have not obtained the man whom best I +love.” “Who is he whom best thou +lovest?” “By my faith, Etlym Gleddyv Coch is +the man whom I love best, and I have never seen him.” +“Of a truth, Etlym is my <!-- page 89--><a +name="page89"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 89</span>companion; +and behold here he is, and for his sake did I come to joust with +thy household. And he could have done so better than I, had +it pleased him. And I do give thee unto him.” +“Heaven reward thee, fair youth, and I will take the man +whom I love above all others.” And the Countess +became Etlym’s bride from that moment.</p> +<p>And the next day Peredur set forth towards the Mound of +Mourning. “By thy hand, lord, but I will go with +thee,” said Etlym. Then they went forwards till they +came in sight of the mound and the tents. “Go unto +yonder men,” said Peredur to Etlym, “and desire them +to come and do me homage.” So Etlym went unto them, +and said unto them thus—“Come and do homage to my +lord.” “Who is thy lord?” said +they. “Peredur with the long lance is my lord,” +said Etlym. “Were it permitted to slay a messenger, +thou shouldest not go back to thy lord alive, for making unto +Kings, and Earls, and Barons, so arrogant a demand as to go and +do him homage.” Peredur desired him to go back to +them, and to give them their choice, either to do him homage or +to do battle with him. And they chose rather to do +battle. And that day Peredur overthrew the owners of a +hundred tents. And the next day he overthrew the owners of +a hundred more; and the third day the remaining hundred took +counsel to do homage to Peredur. And Peredur enquired of +them, wherefore they were there. And they told him they +were guarding the serpent until he should die. “For +then should we fight for the stone among ourselves, and whoever +should be conqueror among us would have the stone.” +“Await here,” said Peredur, “and I will go to +encounter the serpent.” “Not so, lord,” +said they, “we will go altogether to encounter the +serpent.”</p> +<p><!-- page 90--><a name="page90"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +90</span>“Verily,” said Peredur, “that will I +not permit; for if the serpent be slain, I shall derive no more +fame therefrom than one of you.” Then he went to the +place where the serpent was, and slew it, and came back to them, +and said, “Reckon up what you have spent since you have +been here, and I will repay you to the full.” And he +paid to each what he said was his claim. And he required of +them only that they should acknowledge themselves his +vassals. And he said to Etlym, “Go back unto her whom +thou lovest best, and I will go forwards, and I will reward thee +for having been my attendant.” And he gave Etlym the +stone. “Heaven repay thee and prosper thee,” +said Etlym.</p> +<p>And Peredur rode thence, and he came to the fairest valley he +had ever seen, through which ran a river; and there he beheld +many tents of various colours. And he marvelled still more +at the number of water-mills and of wind-mills that he saw. +And there rode up with him a tall auburn-haired man, in a +workman’s garb, and Peredur enquired of him who he +was. “I am the chief miller,” said he, +“of all the mills yonder.” “Wilt thou +give me lodging?” said Peredur. “I will, +gladly,” he answered. And Peredur came to the +miller’s house, and the miller had a fair and pleasant +dwelling. And Peredur asked money as a loan from the +miller, that he might buy meat and liquor for himself, and for +the household, and he promised that he would pay him again ere he +went thence. And he enquired of the miller, wherefore such +a multitude were there assembled. Said the miller to +Peredur, “One thing is certain; either thou art a man from +afar, or thou art beside thyself. The Empress of +Cristinobyl the Great is here; and she will have no one but the +man who is most valiant; <!-- page 91--><a +name="page91"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 91</span>for riches +does she not require. And it was impossible to bring food +for so many thousands as are here, therefore were all these mills +constructed.” And that night they took their +rest.</p> +<p>And the next day Peredur arose, and he equipped himself and +his horse for the tournament. And among the other tents, he +beheld one, which was the fairest he had ever seen. And he +saw a beauteous maiden leaning her head out of a window of the +tent, and he had never seen a maiden more lovely than she. +And upon her was a garment of satin. And he gazed fixedly +on the maiden, and began to love her greatly. And he +remained there, gazing upon the maiden from morning until +mid-day, and from mid-day until evening; and then the tournament +was ended; and he went to his lodging, and drew off his +armour. Then he asked money of the miller as a loan, and +the miller’s wife was wroth with Peredur; nevertheless, the +miller lent him the money. And the next day he did in like +manner as he had done the day before. And at night he came +to his lodging, and took money as a loan from the miller. +And the third day, as he was in the same place, gazing upon the +maiden, he felt a hard blow between the neck and the shoulder, +from the edge of an axe. And when he looked behind him, he +saw that it was the miller; and the miller said to him, “Do +one of two things: either turn thy head from hence, or go to the +tournament.” And Peredur smiled on the miller, and +went to the tournament; and all that encountered him that day, he +overthrew. And as many as he vanquished, he sent as a gift +to the Empress, and their horses and arms he sent as a gift to +the wife of the miller, in payment of the borrowed money. +Peredur attended the tournament until all were overthrown, <!-- +page 92--><a name="page92"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +92</span>and he sent all the men to the prison of the Empress, +and the horses and arms to the wife of the miller, in payment of +the borrowed money. And the Empress sent to the Knight of +the Mill, to ask him to come and visit her. And Peredur +went not for the first nor for the second message. And the +third time she sent an hundred knights to bring him against his +will, and they went to him, and told him their mission from the +Empress. And Peredur fought well with them, and caused them +to be bound like stags, and thrown into the mill dyke. And +the Empress sought advice of a wise man, who was in her counsel; +and he said to her, “With thy permission, I will go to him +myself.” So he came to Peredur, and saluted him, and +besought him, for the sake of the lady of his love, to come and +visit the Empress. And they went, together with the +miller. And Peredur went and sat down in the outer chamber +of the tent, and she came and placed herself by his side. +And there was but little discourse between them. And +Peredur took his leave, and went to his lodging. And the +next day he came to visit her, and when he came into the tent, +there was no one chamber less decorated than the others. +And they knew not where he would sit. And Peredur went and +sat beside the Empress, and discoursed with her +courteously. And while they were thus, they beheld a black +man enter with a goblet full of wine in his hand. And he +dropped upon his knee before the Empress, and besought her to +give it to no one who would not fight with him for it. And +she looked upon Peredur. “Lady,” said he, +“bestow on me the goblet.” And Peredur drank +the wine, and gave the goblet to the miller’s wife. +And while they were thus, behold there entered a black man, of +larger stature than the <!-- page 93--><a name="page93"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 93</span>other, with a wild beast’s claw +in his hand, wrought into the form of a goblet, and filled with +wine. And he presented it to the Empress, and besought her +to give it to no one but the man who would fight with him. +“Lady,” said Peredur, “bestow it on +me.” And she gave it to him. And Peredur drank +the wine, and sent the goblet to the wife of the miller. +And while they were thus, behold a rough-looking crisp-haired +man, taller than either of the others, came in with a bowl in his +hand full of wine; and he bent upon his knee, and gave it into +the hands of the Empress, and he besought her to give it to none +but him who would fight with him for it; and she gave it to +Peredur, and he sent it to the miller’s wife. And +that night Peredur returned to his lodging; and the next day he +accoutred himself and his horse, and went to the meadow, and slew +the three men. Then Peredur proceeded to the tent, and the +Empress said to him, “Goodly Peredur, remember the faith +thou didst pledge me when I gave thee the stone, and thou didst +kill the Addanc.” “Lady,” answered he, +“thou sayest truth, I do remember it.” And +Peredur was entertained by the Empress fourteen years, as the +story relates.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">* * * * *</p> +<p>Arthur was at Caerlleon upon Usk, his principal palace; and in +the centre of the floor of the hall were four men sitting on a +carpet of velvet, Owain the son of Urien, and Gwalchmai the son +of Gwyar, and Howel the son of Emyr Llydaw, and Peredur of the +long lance. And thereupon they saw a black curly-headed +maiden enter, riding upon a yellow mule, with jagged thongs in +her hand, to urge it on; and having a rough and hideous +aspect. Blacker were her face and her two hands than the +blackest iron covered <!-- page 94--><a name="page94"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 94</span>with pitch; and her hue was not more +frightful than her form. High cheeks had she, and a face +lengthened downwards, and a short nose with distended +nostrils. And one eye was of a piercing mottled grey, and +the other was as black as jet, deep sunk in her head. And +her teeth were long and yellow, more yellow were they than the +flower of the broom. And her stomach rose from the breast +bone, higher than her chin. And her back was in the shape +of a crook, and her legs were large and bony. And her +figure was very thin and spare, except her feet and her legs, +which were of huge size. And she greeted Arthur and all his +household, except Peredur. And to Peredur she spoke harsh +and angry words. “Peredur, I greet thee not, seeing +that thou dost not merit it. Blind was fate in giving thee +fame and favour. When thou wast in the Court of the Lame +King, and didst see there the youth bearing the streaming spear, +from the points of which were drops of blood flowing in streams, +even to the hand of the youth, and many other wonders likewise, +thou didst not enquire their meaning nor their cause. Hadst +thou done so, the King would have been restored to health, and +his dominions to peace. Whereas, from henceforth, he will +have to endure battles and conflicts, and his knights will +perish, and wives will be widowed, and maidens will be left +portionless, and all this is because of thee.” Then +said she unto Arthur, “May it please thee, lord, my +dwelling is far hence, in the stately castle of which thou hast +heard, and therein are five hundred and sixty-six knights of the +order of Chivalry, and the lady whom best he loves with each; and +whoever would acquire fame in arms, and encounters, and +conflicts, he will gain it there, if he deserve it. And +whoso would reach the summit of fame and of honour, I <!-- page +95--><a name="page95"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 95</span>know +where he may find it. There is a Castle on a lofty +mountain, and there is a maiden therein, and she is detained a +prisoner there, and whoever shall set her free will attain the +summit of the fame of the world.” And thereupon she +rode away.</p> +<p>Said Gwalchmai, “By my faith, I will not rest tranquilly +until I have proved if I can release the maiden.” And +many of Arthur’s household joined themselves with +him. Then, likewise said Peredur, “By my faith, I +will not rest tranquilly until I know the story and meaning of +the lance whereof the black maiden spoke.” And while +they were equipping themselves, behold a knight came to the +gate. And he had the size and the strength of a warrior, +and was equipped with arms and habiliments. And he went +forward, and saluted Arthur and all his household, except +Gwalchmai. And the knight had upon his shoulder a shield, +ingrained with gold, with a fesse of azure blue upon it, and his +whole armour was of the same hue. And he said to Gwalchmai, +“Thou didst slay my lord, by thy treachery and deceit, and +that will I prove upon thee.” Then Gwalchmai rose +up. “Behold,” said he, “here is my gage +against thee, to maintain either in this place, or wherever else +thou wilt, that I am not a traitor or deceiver.” +“Before the King whom I obey, will I that my encounter with +thee take place,” said the knight. +“Willingly,” said Gwalchmai, “go forward, and I +will follow thee.” So the knight went forth, and +Gwalchmai accoutred himself, and there was offered unto him +abundance of armour, but he would take none but his own. +And when Gwalchmai and Peredur were equipped, they set forth to +follow him, by reason of their fellowship, and of the great +friendship that was between them. And they did not go after +him <!-- page 96--><a name="page96"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +96</span>in company together, but each went his own way.</p> +<p>At the dawn of day, Gwalchmai came to a valley, and in the +valley he saw a fortress, and within the fortress a vast palace, +and lofty towers around it. And he beheld a knight coming +out to hunt from the other side, mounted on a spirited black +snorting palfrey, that advanced at a prancing pace, proudly +stepping, and nimbly bounding, and sure of foot; and this was the +man to whom the palace belonged. And Gwalchmai saluted him, +“Heaven prosper thee, chieftain,” said he, “and +whence comest thou?” “I come,” answered +he, “from the Court of Arthur.” “And art +thou Arthur’s vassal?” “Yes, by my +faith,” said Gwalchmai. “I will give thee good +counsel,” said the knight. “I see that thou art +tired and weary, go unto my palace, if it may please thee, and +tarry there to-night.” “Willingly, lord,” +said he, “and Heaven reward thee.” “Take +this ring as a token to the porter, and go forward to yonder +tower, and therein thou wilt find my sister.” And +Gwalchmai went to the gate, and shewed the ring, and proceeded to +the tower. And on entering, he beheld a large blazing fire, +burning without smoke, and with a bright and lofty flame, and a +beauteous and stately maiden was sitting on a chair by the +fire. And the maiden was glad at his coming, and welcomed +him, and advanced to meet him. And he went and sat beside +the maiden, and they took their repast. And when their +repast was over, they discoursed pleasantly together. And +while they were thus, behold there entered a venerable +hoary-headed man. “Ah! base girl,” said he, +“if thou didst think that it was right for thee to +entertain and to sit by yonder man; thou wouldest not do +so.” And he withdrew his head, and went forth, +“Ha! <!-- page 97--><a name="page97"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 97</span>chieftain,” said the maiden, +“if thou wilt do as I counsel thee, thou wilt shut the +door, lest the man should have a plot against thee.” +Upon that Gwalchmai arose, and when he came near unto the door, +the man, with sixty others, fully armed, were ascending the +tower. And Gwalchmai defended the door with a chessboard, +that none might enter until the man should return from the +chase. And thereupon, behold the earl arrived. +“What is all this?” asked he. “It is a +sad thing,” said the hoary-headed man, “the young +girl yonder has been sitting and eating with him who slew your +father. He is Gwalchmai the son of Gwyar.” +“Hold thy peace, then,” said the earl, “I will +go in.” And the earl was joyful concerning +Gwalchmai. “Ha! chieftain,” said he, “it +was wrong of thee to come to my Court, when thou knewest that +thou didst slay my father; and though we cannot avenge him, +Heaven will avenge him upon thee.” “My +soul,” said Gwalchmai, “thus it is; I came not here +either to acknowledge or to deny having slain thy father; but I +am on a message from Arthur, and therefore do I crave the space +of a year until I shall return from my embassy, and then, upon my +faith, I will come back unto this palace, and do one of two +things, either acknowledge it, or deny it.” And the +time was granted him willingly; and he remained there that +night. And the next morning he rode forth. And the +story relates nothing further of Gwalchmai respecting this +adventure.</p> +<p>And Peredur rode forward. And he wandered over the whole +island, seeking tidings of the black maiden, and he could meet +with none. And he came to an unknown land, in the centre of +a valley, watered by a river. And as he traversed the +valley, he beheld a horseman coming towards him, and wearing the +<!-- page 98--><a name="page98"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +98</span>garments of a priest, and he besought his +blessing. “Wretched man,” said he, “thou +meritest no blessing, and thou wouldst not be profited by one, +seeing that thou art clad in armour on such a day as +this.” “And what day is to-day?” said +Peredur. “To-day is Good Friday,” he +answered. “Chide me not, that I knew not this, seeing +that it is a year to-day since I journeyed forth from my +country.” Then he dismounted, and led his horse in +his hand. And he had not proceeded far along the high road +before he came to a cross road, and the cross road traversed a +wood. And on the other side of the wood he saw an +unfortified castle, which appeared to be inhabited. And at +the gate of the castle there met him the priest whom he had seen +before, and he asked his blessing. “The blessing of +Heaven be unto thee,” said he, “it is more fitting to +travel in thy present guise, than as thou wast erewhile; and this +night thou shalt tarry with me.” So he remained there +that night.</p> +<p>And the next day Peredur sought to go forth. +“To-day may no one journey. Thou shalt remain with me +to-day and to-morrow, and the day following, and I will direct +thee as best I may to the place which thou art +seeking.” And the fourth day Peredur sought to go +forth, and he entreated the priest to tell him how he should find +the Castle of Wonders. “What I know thereof, I will +tell thee,” he replied. “Go over yonder +mountain, and on the other side of the mountain thou wilt come to +a river, and in the valley wherein the river runs is a +King’s Palace, wherein the King sojourned during +Easter. And if thou mayest have tidings anywhere of the +Castle of Wonders, thou wilt have them there.”</p> +<p>Then Peredur rode forward. And he came to the valley in +which was the river, and there met him a <!-- page 99--><a +name="page99"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 99</span>number of men +going to hunt, and in the midst of them was a man of exalted +rank, and Peredur saluted him. “Choose, +chieftain,” said the man, “whether thou wilt go with +me to the chase, or wilt proceed to my Palace, and I will +despatch one of my household to commend thee to my daughter, who +is there, and who will entertain thee with food and liquor until +I return from hunting; and whatever may be thine errand, such as +I can obtain for thee, thou shalt gladly have.” And +the King sent a little yellow page with him as an attendant; and +when they came to the palace, the lady had arisen, and was about +to wash before meat. Peredur went forward, and she saluted +him joyfully, and placed him by her side. And they took +their repast. And whatsoever Peredur said unto her, she +laughed loudly, so that all in the palace could hear. Then +spoke the yellow page to the lady. “By my +faith,” said he, “this youth is already thy husband; +or if he be not, thy mind and thy thoughts are set upon +him.” And the little yellow page went unto the King, +and told him that it seemed to him that the youth whom he had met +with was his daughter’s husband, or if he were not so +already, that he would shortly become so, unless he were +cautious. “What is thy counsel in this matter, +youth?” said the King. “My counsel is,” +he replied, “that thou set strong men upon him, to seize +him, until thou hast ascertained the truth respecting +this.” So he set strong men upon Peredur, who seized +him, and cast him into prison. And the maiden went before +her father, and asked him, wherefore he had caused the youth from +Arthur’s Court to be imprisoned. “In +truth,” he answered, “he shall not be free to-night, +nor to-morrow, nor the day following, and he shall not come from +where he is.” She replied not to what the king <!-- +page 100--><a name="page100"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +100</span>had said, but she went to the youth. “Is it +unpleasant to thee to be here?” said she. “I +should not care, if I were not,” he replied. +“Thy couch and thy treatment shall be in no wise inferior +to that of the King himself, and thou shalt have the best +entertainment that the palace affords. And if it were more +pleasing to thee that my couch should be here, that I might +discourse with thee, it should be so, cheerfully.” +“This can I not refuse,” said Peredur. And he +remained in prison that night. And the maiden provided all +that she had promised him.</p> +<p>And the next day Peredur heard a tumult in the town. +“Tell me, fair maiden, what is that tumult?” said +Peredur. “All the King’s hosts and his forces +have come to the town to-day.” “And what seek +they here?” he enquired. “There is an Earl near +this place, who possesses two Earldoms, and is as powerful as a +king; and an engagement will take place between them +to-day.” “I beseech thee,” said Peredur, +“to cause a horse and arms to be brought, that I may view +the encounter, and I promise to come back to my prison +again.” “Gladly,” said she, “will I +provide thee with horse and arms.” So she gave him a +horse and arms, and a bright scarlet robe of honour over his +armour, and a yellow shield upon his shoulder. And he went +to the combat; and as many of the Earl’s men as encountered +him that day, he overthrew; and he returned to his prison. +And the maiden asked tidings of Peredur, and he answered her not +a word. And she went and asked tidings of her father, and +enquired who had acquitted himself best of the household. +And he said that he knew not, but that it was a man with a +scarlet robe of honour over his armour, and a yellow shield upon +his shoulder. Then she smiled, and returned to where <!-- +page 101--><a name="page101"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +101</span>Peredur was, and did him great honour that night. +And for three days did Peredur slay the Earl’s men; and +before any one could know who he was, he returned to his +prison. And the fourth day Peredur slew the Earl +himself. And the maiden went unto her father, and enquired +of him the news. “I have good news for thee,” +said the King, “the Earl is slain, and I am the owner of +his two Earldoms.” “Knowest thou, lord, who +slew him?” “I do not know,” said the +King. “It was the knight with the scarlet robe of +honour, and the yellow shield.” “Lord,” +said she, “I know who that is.” “By +Heaven,” he exclaimed, “who is he?” +“Lord,” she replied, “he is the knight whom +thou hast imprisoned.” Then he went unto Peredur, and +saluted him, and told him that he would reward the service he had +done him, in any way he might desire. And when they went to +meat, Peredur was placed beside the King, and the maiden on the +other side of Peredur, “I will give thee,” said the +King, “my daughter in marriage, and half my kingdom with +her, and the two Earldoms as a gift.” “Heaven +reward thee, lord,” said Peredur, “but I came not +here to woo.” “What seekest thou, then, +chieftain?” “I am seeking tidings of the Castle +of Wonders.” “Thy enterprise is greater, +chieftain, than thou wilt wish to pursue,” said the maiden, +“nevertheless, tidings shalt thou have of the Castle, and +thou shalt have a guide through my father’s dominions, and +a sufficiency of provisions for thy journey, for thou art, O +chieftain, the man whom best I love.” Then she said +to him, “Go over yonder mountain, and thou wilt find a +Lake, and in the middle of the Lake there is a Castle, and that +is the Castle that is called the Castle of Wonders; and we <!-- +page 102--><a name="page102"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +102</span>know not what wonders are therein, but thus is it +called.”</p> +<p>And Peredur proceeded towards the Castle, and the gate of the +Castle was open. And when he came to the hall, the door was +open, and he entered. And he beheld a chessboard in the +hall, and the chessmen were playing against each other, by +themselves. And the side that he favoured lost the game, <a +name="citation102"></a><a href="#footnote102" +class="citation">[102]</a> and thereupon the others set up a +shout, as though they had been living men. And Peredur was +wroth, and took the chessmen in his lap, and cast the chessboard +into the lake. And when he had done thus, behold the black +maiden came in, and she said to him, “The welcome of Heaven +be not unto thee. Thou hadst rather do evil than +good.” “What complaint hast thou against me, +maiden?” said Peredur. “That thou hast +occasioned unto the Empress the loss of her chessboard, which she +would not have lost for all her empire. And the way in +which thou mayest recover the chessboard is, to repair to the +Castle of Ysbidinongyl, where is a black man, who lays waste the +dominions of the Empress; and if thou canst slay him, thou wilt +recover the chessboard. But if thou goest there, thou wilt +not return alive.” “Wilt thou direct me +thither?” said Peredur. “I will show thee the +way,” she replied. So he went to the Castle of +Ysbidinongyl, and he fought with the black man. And the +black man besought mercy of Peredur. “Mercy will I +grant thee,” said he, “on condition that thou cause +the chessboard to be restored to the place where it was when I +entered the hall.” Then the maiden came to him and +said, “The malediction of Heaven attend thee for thy work, +since thou hast left that monster alive, who lays waste all the +possessions <!-- page 103--><a name="page103"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 103</span>of the Empress.” +“I granted him his life,” said Peredur, “that +he might cause the chessboard to be restored.” +“The chessboard is not in the place where thou didst find +it; go back, therefore, and slay him,” answered she. +So Peredur went back, and slew the black man. And when he +returned to the palace, he found the black maiden there. +“Ah! maiden,” said Peredur, “where is the +Empress?” “I declare to Heaven that thou wilt +not see her now, unless thou dost slay the monster that is in +yonder forest.” “What monster is +there?” “It is a stag that is as swift as the +swiftest bird; and he has one horn in his forehead, as long as +the shaft of a spear and as sharp as whatever is sharpest. +And he destroys the branches of the best trees in the forest and +he kills every animal that he meets with therein; and those that +he does not slay perish of hunger. And what is worse than +that, he comes every night, and drinks up the fish pond, and +leaves the fishes exposed, so that for the most part they die +before the water returns again.” +“Maiden,” said Peredur, “wilt thou come and +show me this animal?” “Not so,” said the +maiden, “for he has not permitted any mortal to enter the +forest for above a twelvemonth. Behold, here is a little +dog belonging to the Empress, which will rouse the stag, and will +chase him towards thee, and the stag will attack +thee.” Then the little dog went as a guide to +Peredur, and roused the stag, and brought him towards the place +where Peredur was. And the stag attacked Peredur, and he +let him pass by him, and as he did so, he smote off his head with +his sword. And while he was looking at the head of the +stag, he saw a lady on horseback coming towards him. And +she took the little dog in the lappet of her cap, and the head +and the body of the <!-- page 104--><a name="page104"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 104</span>stag lay before her. And +around the stag’s neck was a golden collar. +“Ha! chieftain,” said she, “uncourteously hast +thou acted in slaying the fairest jewel that was in my +dominions.” “I was intreated so to do; and is +there any way by which I can obtain thy friendship?” +“There is,” she replied. “Go thou forward +unto yonder mountain, and there thou wilt find a grove; and in +the grove there is a cromlech, do thou there challenge a man +three times to fight, and thou shalt have my +friendship.”</p> +<p>So Peredur proceeded onward, and came to the side of the +grove, and challenged any man to fight. And a black man +arose from beneath the cromlech, mounted upon a bony horse, and +both he and his horse were clad in huge rusty armour. And +they fought. And as often as Peredur cast the black man to +the earth, he would jump again into his saddle. And Peredur +dismounted, and drew his sword; and thereupon the black man +disappeared with Peredur’s horse and his own, so that he +could not gain sight of him a second time. And Peredur went +along the mountain, and on the other side of the mountain he +beheld a castle in the valley, wherein was a river. And he +went to the castle; and as he entered it, he saw a hall, and the +door of the hall was open, and he went in. And there he saw +a lame grey-headed man, sitting on one side of the hall, with +Gwalchmai beside him. And Peredur beheld his horse, which +the black man had taken, in the same stall with that of +Gwalchmai. And they were glad concerning Peredur. And +he went and seated himself on the other side of the hoary-headed +man. Then, behold a yellow-haired youth came, and bent upon +the knee before Peredur, and besought his friendship. +“Lord,” said the youth, “it was I that came in +the form of the black maiden <!-- page 105--><a +name="page105"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 105</span>to +Arthur’s Court, and when thou didst throw down the +chessboard, and when thou didst slay the black man of +Ysbidinongyl, and when thou didst slay the stag, and when thou +didst go to fight the black man of the cromlech. And I came +with the bloody head in the salver, and with the lance that +streamed with blood from the point to the hand, all along the +shaft; and the head was thy cousin’s, and he was killed by +the sorceresses of Gloucester, who also lamed thine uncle; and I +am thy cousin. And there is a prediction that thou art to +avenge these things.” Then Peredur and Gwalchmai took +counsel, and sent to Arthur and his household, to beseech them to +come against the sorceresses. And they began to fight with +them, and one of the sorceresses slew one of Arthur’s men +before Peredur’s face, and Peredur bade her forbear. +And the sorceress slew a man before Peredur’s face a second +time, and a second time he forbade her. And the third time +the sorceress slew a man before <!-- page 106--><a +name="page106"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 106</span>the face of +Peredur, and then Peredur drew his sword, and smote the sorceress +on the helmet, and all her head armour was split in two +parts. And she set up a cry, and desired the other +sorceresses to flee, and told them that this was Peredur, the man +who had learnt Chivalry with them, and by whom they were destined +to be slain. Then Arthur and his household fell upon the +sorceresses, and slew the sorceresses of Gloucester every one And +thus is it related concerning the Castle of Wonders.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p105.jpg"> +<img alt="Picture" src="images/p105.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<h2><!-- page 107--><a name="page107"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 107</span>THE DREAM OF RHONABWY.</h2> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p107.jpg"> +<img alt="Picture" src="images/p107.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>Madawc the son of Maredudd possessed Powys within its +boundaries, from Porfoed to Gwauan in the uplands of +Arwystli. And at that time he had a brother, Iorwerth the +son of Maredudd, in rank not equal to himself. And Iorwerth +had great sorrow and heaviness because of the honour and power +that his brother enjoyed, which he shared <!-- page 108--><a +name="page108"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 108</span>not. +And he sought his fellows and his foster-brothers, and took +counsel with them what he should do in this matter. And +they resolved to despatch some of their number to go and seek a +maintenance for him. Then Madawc offered him to become +Master of the Household and to have horses, and arms, and honour, +and to fare like as himself. But Iorwerth refused this.</p> +<p>And Iorwerth made an inroad into England, slaying the +inhabitants, and burning houses, and carrying away +prisoners. And Madawc took counsel with the men of Powys, +and they determined to place an hundred men in each of the three +Commots of Powys to seek for him. And thus did they in the +plains of Powys from Aber Ceirawc, and in Allictwn Ver, and in +Rhyd Wilure, on the Vyrnwy, the three best Commots of +Powys. So he was none the better, he nor his household, in +Powys, nor in the plains thereof. <a name="citation108"></a><a +href="#footnote108" class="citation">[108]</a> And they +spread these men over the plains as far as Nillystwn Trevan.</p> +<p>Now one of the men who was upon this quest was called +Rhonabwy. And Rhonabwy and Kynwrig Vrychgoch, a man of +Mawddwy, and Cadwgan Vras, a man of Moelvre in Kynlleith, came +together to the house of Heilyn Goch the son of Cadwgan the son +of Iddon. And when they near to the house, they saw an old +hall, very black and having an upright gable, whence issued a +great smoke; and on entering, they found the floor full of +puddles and mounds; and it was difficult to stand thereon, so +slippery was it <!-- page 109--><a name="page109"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 109</span>with the mire of cattle. And +where the puddles were a man might go up to his ankles in water +and dirt. And there were boughs of holly spread over the +floor whereof the cattle had browsed the sprigs. When they +came to the hall of the house, they beheld cells full of dust, +and very gloomy, <a name="citation109"></a><a href="#footnote109" +class="citation">[109]</a> and on one side an old hag making a +fire. And whenever she felt cold, she cast a lapful of +chaff upon the fire, and raised such a smoke, that it was +scarcely to be borne, as it rose up the nostrils. And on +the other side was a yellow calf skin on the floor, a main +privilege was it to any one who should get upon that hide.</p> +<p>And when they had sat down, they asked the hag where were the +people of the house. And the hag spoke not but +muttered. Thereupon behold the people of the house entered; +a ruddy, clownish curly-headed man, with a burthen of fagots on +his back, and a pale slender woman, also carrying a bundle under +her arm. And they barely welcomed the men, and kindled a +fire with the boughs. And the woman cooked something and +gave them to eat, barley bread, and cheese, and milk and +water.</p> +<p>And there arose a storm of wind and rain, so that it was +hardly possible to go forth with safety. And being weary +with their journey, they laid themselves down and sought to +sleep. And when they looked at the couch, it seemed to be +made but of a little coarse straw full of dust and vermin, with +the stems of boughs sticking up therethrough, for the cattle had +eaten all the straw that was placed at the head and the +foot. And upon it was stretched an old russet-coloured rug, +threadbare and ragged; and a coarse sheet, full of slits was upon +the rug, and an ill-stuffed pillow, and a worn-out cover upon the +sheet. And <!-- page 110--><a name="page110"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 110</span>after much suffering from the +vermin, and from the discomfort of their couch, a heavy sleep +fell on Rhonabwy’s companions. But Rhonabwy, not +being able either to sleep or to rest, thought he should suffer +less if he went to lie upon the yellow calfskin that was +stretched out on the floor. And there he slept.</p> +<p>As soon as sleep had come upon his eyes, it seemed to him that +he was journeying with his companions across the plain of +Argyngroeg, and he thought that he went towards Rhyd y Groes on +the Severn. As he journeyed, he heard a mighty noise, the +like whereof heard he never before; and looking behind him, he +beheld a youth with yellow curling hair, and with his beard newly +trimmed, mounted on a chesnut horse, whereof the legs were grey +from the top of the forelegs, and from the bend of the hindlegs +downwards. And the rider wore a coat of yellow satin sewn +with green silk, and on his thigh was a gold-hilted sword, with a +scabbard of new leather of Cordova, belted with the skin of the +deer, and clasped with gold. And over this was a scarf of +yellow satin wrought with green silk, the borders whereof were +likewise green. And the green of the caparison of the +horse, and of his rider, was as green as the leaves of the fir +tree, and the yellow was as yellow as the blossom of the +broom. So fierce was the aspect of the knight, that fear +seized upon them, and they began to flee. And the knight +pursued them. And when the horse breathed forth, the men +became distant from him, and when he drew in his breath, they +were drawn near to him, even to the horse’s chest. +And when he had overtaken them, they besought his mercy. +“You have it gladly!” said he, “fear +nought.” “Ha, chieftain, since thou hast <!-- +page 111--><a name="page111"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +111</span>mercy upon me, tell me also who thou art,” said +Rhonabwy. “I will not conceal my lineage from +thee. I am Iddawc the son of Mynyo, yet not by my name, but +by my nickname am I best known.” “And wilt thou +tell us what thy nickname is?” “I will tell +you; it is Iddawc Cordd Prydain.” “Ha, +chieftain,” said Rhonabwy, “why art thou called +thus?” “I will tell thee. I was one of +the messengers between Arthur and Medrawd his nephew, at the +battle of Camlan; and I was then a reckless youth, and through my +desire for battle, I kindled strife between them, and stirred up +wrath, when I was sent by Arthur the Emperor to reason with +Medrawd, and to shew him, that he was his foster-father and his +uncle, and to seek for peace, lest the sons of the Kings of the +Island of Britain, and of the nobles, should be slain. And +whereas Arthur charged me with the fairest sayings he could think +of, I uttered unto Medrawd the harshest I could devise. And +therefore am I called Iddawc Cordd Prydain, for from this did the +battle of Camlan ensue. And three nights before the end of +the battle of Camlan I left them, and went to the Llech Las in +North Britain to do penance. And there I remained doing +penance seven years, and after that I gained pardon.”</p> +<p>Then lo! they heard a mighty sound which was much louder than +that which they had heard before, and when they looked round +towards the sound; behold a ruddy youth, without beard or +whiskers, <a name="citation111"></a><a href="#footnote111" +class="citation">[111]</a> noble of mien, and mounted on a +stately courser. And from the shoulders and the front of +the knees downwards the horse was bay. And upon the man was +a dress of red satin wrought with yellow silk, and yellow were +the borders of his scarf. And such parts <!-- page 112--><a +name="page112"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 112</span>of his +apparel and of the trappings of his horse as were yellow, as +yellow were they as the blossom of the broom, and such as were +red, were as ruddy as the ruddiest blood in the world.</p> +<p>Then behold the horseman overtook them, and he asked of Iddawc +a share of the little men that were with him. “That +which is fitting for me to grant I will grant, and thou shalt be +a companion to them as I have been.” And the horseman +went away. “Iddawc,” enquired Rhonabwy, +“who was that horseman?” “Rhuvawn Pebyr, +the son of Prince Deorthach.”</p> +<p>And they journeyed over the plain of Argyngroeg as far as the +ford of Rhyd y Groes on the Severn. And for a mile around +the ford on both sides of the road, they saw tents and +encampments, and there was the clamour of a mighty host. +And they came to the edge of the ford, and there they beheld +Arthur sitting on a flat island below the ford, having Bedwini <a +name="citation112"></a><a href="#footnote112" +class="citation">[112]</a> the Bishop on one side of him, and +Gwarthegyd the son of Kaw on the other. And a tall +auburn-haired youth stood before him, with his sheathed sword in +his hand, and clad in a coat and a cap of jet black satin. +And his face was white as ivory, and his eyebrows black as jet, +and such part of his wrist as could be seen between his glove and +his sleeve was whiter than the lily, and thicker than a +warrior’s ankle.</p> +<p>Then came Iddawc and they that were with him, and stood before +Arthur, and saluted him. “Heaven grant thee +good,” said Arthur. “And where, Iddawc, didst +thou find these little men?” “I found them, +lord, up yonder on the road.” Then the Emperor +smiled. “Lord,” said Iddawc, “wherefore +dost thou laugh?” “Iddawc,” replied +Arthur, “I laugh nor; <!-- page 113--><a +name="page113"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 113</span>but it +pitieth me that men of such stature as these should have this +Island in their keeping, after the men that guarded it of +yore.” Then said Iddawc, “Rhonabwy, dost thou +see the ring with a stone set in it, that is upon the +Emperor’s hand?” “I see it,” he +answered. “It is one of the properties of that stone, +to enable thee to remember that thou seest here to-night, and +hadst thou not seen the stone, thou wouldest never have been able +to remember aught thereof.”</p> +<p>After this they saw a troop coming towards the ford. +“Iddawc,” enquired Rhonabwy, “to whom does +yonder troop belong?” “They are the fellows of +Rhuvawn Pebyr the son of Prince Deorthach. And these men +are honourably served with mead and bragget, and are freely +beloved by the daughters of the kings of the Island of +Britain. And this they merit, for they were ever in the +front and the rear in every peril.” And he saw but +one hue upon the men and the horses of this troop, for they were +all as red as blood. And when one of the knights rode forth +from the troop, he looked like a pillar of fire glancing athwart +the sky. And this troop encamped above the ford.</p> +<p>Then they beheld another troop coming towards the ford, and +these from their horses’ chests upwards were whiter than +the lily, and below blacker than jet. And they saw one of +these knights go before the rest, and spur his horse into the +ford in such a manner that the water dashed over Arthur and the +Bishop, and those holding counsel with them, so that they were as +wet as if they had been drenched in the river. And as he +turned the head of his horse, the youth who stood before Arthur +struck the horse over the nostrils with his sheathed sword, so +that had it been <!-- page 114--><a name="page114"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 114</span>with the bare blade it would have +been a marvel if the bone had not been wounded as well as the +flesh. And the knight drew his sword half out of the +scabbard, and asked of him, “Wherefore didst thou strike my +horse? Whether was it in insult or in counsel unto +me?” “Thou dost indeed lack counsel. What +madness caused thee to ride so furiously as to dash the water of +the ford over Arthur, and the consecrated Bishop, and their +counsellors, so that they were as wet as if they had been dragged +out of the river?” “As counsel then will I take +it.” So he turned his horse’s head round +towards his army.</p> +<p>“Iddawc,” said Rhonabwy, “who was yonder +knight?” “The most eloquent and the wisest +youth that is in this Island; Adaon the son of +Taliesin.” “Who was the man that struck his +horse?” “A youth of froward nature; Elphin the +son of Gwyddno.”</p> +<p>Then spake a tall and stately man, of noble and flowing +speech, saying that it was a marvel that so vast a host should be +assembled in so narrow a space, and that it was a still greater +marvel that those should be there at that time who had promised +to be by mid-day in the battle of Badon, fighting with Osla +Gyllellvawr. “Whether thou mayest choose to proceed +or not, I will proceed.” “Thou sayest +well,” said Arthur, “and we will go all +together.” “Iddawc,” said Rhonabwy, +“who was the man who spoke so marvellously unto Arthur +erewhile?” “A man who may speak as boldly as he +listeth, Caradawc Vreichvras, the son of Llyr Marini, his chief +counsellor and his cousin.”</p> +<p>Then Iddawc took Rhonabwy behind him on his horse, and that +mighty host moved forward, each troop in its order, towards +Cevndigoll. And when <!-- page 115--><a +name="page115"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 115</span>they came +to the middle of the ford of the Severn, Iddawc turned his +horse’s head, and Rhonabwy looked along the valley of the +Severn. And he beheld two fair troops coming towards the +ford. One troop there came of brilliant white, whereof +every one of the men had a scarf of white satin with jet black +borders. And the knees and the tops of the shoulders of +their horses were jet black, though they were of a pure white in +every other part. And their banners were pure white, with +black points to them all.</p> +<p>“Iddawc,” said Rhonabwy, “who are yonder +pure white troop?” “They are the men of Norway, +and March the son of Meirchion is their prince. And he is +cousin unto Arthur.” And further on he saw a troop, +whereof each man wore garments of jet black, with borders of pure +white to every scarf; and the tops of the shoulders and the knees +of their horses were pure white. And their banners were jet +black with pure white at the point of each.</p> +<p>“Iddawc,” said Rhonabwy, “who are the jet +black troop yonder?” “They are the men of +Denmark, and Edeyrn the son of Nudd is their prince.”</p> +<p>And when they had overtaken the host, Arthur and his army of +mighty ones dismounted below Caer Badon, and he perceived that he +and Iddawc journeyed the same road as Arthur. And after +they had dismounted he heard a great tumult and confusion amongst +the host, and such as were then at the flanks, turned to the +centre, and such as had been in the centre moved to the +flanks. And then, behold, he saw a knight coming, clad, +both he and his horse, in mail, of which the rings were whiter +than the whitest lily, and the rivets redder than the ruddies +blood. And he rode amongst the host.</p> +<p><!-- page 116--><a name="page116"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +116</span>“Iddawc,” said Rhonabwy, “will yonder +host flee?” “King Arthur never fled, and if +this discourse of thine were heard, thou wert a lost man. +But as to the knight whom thou seest yonder, it is Kai. The +fairest horseman is Kai in all Arthur’s Court; and the men +who are at the front of the army hasten to the rear to see Kai +ride, and the men who are in the centre, flee to the side from +the shock of his horse. <a name="citation116a"></a><a +href="#footnote116a" class="citation">[116a]</a> And this +is the cause of the confusion of the host.”</p> +<p>Thereupon they heard a call made for Kadwr, Earl of Cornwall, +and behold he arose with the sword of Arthur in his hand. +And the similitude of two serpents was upon the sword in +gold. And when the sword was drawn from its scabbard, it +seemed as if two flames of fire burst forth from the jaws of the +serpents, and then, so wonderful was the sword, that it was hard +for any one to look upon it. And the host became still, and +the tumult ceased, and the Earl returned to the tent.</p> +<p>“Iddawc,” said Rhonabwy, “who is the man who +bore the sword of Arthur?” “Kadwr, the Earl of +Cornwall, whose duty is to arm the King on the days of battle and +warfare.”</p> +<p>And they heard a call made for Eirynwych Amheibyn, +Arthur’s servant, a red, rough, ill-favoured man, having +red whiskers <a name="citation116b"></a><a href="#footnote116b" +class="citation">[116b]</a> with bristly hairs. And behold +he came upon a tall red horse, with the mane parted on each side, +and he brought with him a large and beautiful sumpter pack. +And the huge red youth dismounted before Arthur, and he drew a +golden chair out of the pack, and a carpet of diapered +satin. And he spread the carpet before Arthur, and there +was an apple of ruddy gold at each corner thereof, <!-- page +117--><a name="page117"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +117</span>and he placed the chair upon the carpet. And so +large was the chair that three armed warriors might have sat +therein. Gwenn was the name of the carpet, and it was one +of its properties, that whoever was upon it no one could see him, +and he could see every one. And it would retain no colour +but its own.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p117.jpg"> +<img alt="Picture" src="images/p117.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>And Arthur sat within the carpet, and Owain the son of Urien +was standing before him. “Owain,” said Arthur, +“wilt thou play chess?” “I will, +Lord,” said Owain. And the red youth brought the +chess for Arthur and Owain; golden pieces and a board of +silver. And they began to play.</p> +<p>And while they were thus, and when they were best amused with +their game, behold they saw a white tent with a red canopy, and +the figure of a jet black <!-- page 118--><a +name="page118"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 118</span>serpent on +the top of the tent, and red glaring venomous eyes in the head of +the serpent, and a red flaming tongue. And there came a +young page with yellow curling hair, and blue eyes, and a newly +springing beard, wearing a coat and a surcoat of yellow satin, +and hose of thin greenish yellow cloth upon his feet, and over +his hose shoes of parti-coloured leather, fastened at the insteps +with golden clasps. And he bore a heavy three-edged sword +with a golden hilt, in a scabbard of black leather tipped with +fine gold. And he came to the place where the Emperor and +Owain were playing at chess.</p> +<p>And the youth saluted Owain. And Owain marvelled that +the youth should salute him and should not have saluted the +Emperor Arthur. And Arthur knew what was in Owain’s +thought. And he said to Owain, “Marvel not that the +youth salutes thee now, for he saluted me erewhile; and it is +unto thee that his errand is.” Then said the youth +unto Owain, “Lord, is it with thy leave that the young +pages and attendants of the Emperor harass and torment and worry +the Ravens? And if it be not with thy leave, cause the +Emperor to forbid them.” “Lord,” said +Owain, “thou hearest what the youth says; if it seem good +to thee, forbid them from my Ravens.” “Play thy +game,” said he. Then the youth returned to the +tent.</p> +<p>That game did they finish, and another they began, and when +they were in the midst of the game, behold, a ruddy young man +with auburn curling hair, and large eyes, well grown, and having +his beard new shorn, came forth from a bright yellow tent, upon +the summit of which was the figure of a bright red lion. +And he was clad in a coat of yellow satin, falling as low as the +small of his leg, and embroidered with threads of red <!-- page +119--><a name="page119"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +119</span>silk. And on his feet were hose of fine white +buckram, and buskins of black leather were over his hose, whereon +were golden clasps. And in his hand a huge, heavy, +three-edged sword, with a scabbard of red-deer hide, tipped with +gold. And he came to the place where Arthur and Owain were +playing at chess. And he saluted him. And Owain was +troubled at his salutation, but Arthur minded it no more than +before. And the youth said unto Owain, “Is it not +against thy will that the attendants of the Emperor harass thy +Ravens, killing some and worrying others? If against thy +will it be, beseech him to forbid them.” +“Lord,” said Owain, “forbid thy men if it seem +good to thee.” “Play thy game,” said the +Emperor. And the youth returned to the tent.</p> +<p>And that game was ended, and another begun. And as they +were beginning the first move of the game, they beheld at a small +distance from them a tent speckled yellow, the largest ever seen, +and the figure of an eagle of gold upon it, and a precious stone +on the eagle’s head. And coming out of the tent, they +saw a youth with thick yellow hair upon his head, fair and +comely, and a scarf of blue satin upon him, and a brooch of gold +in the scarf upon his right shoulder as large as a +warrior’s middle finger. And upon his feet were hose +of fine Totness, and shoes of parti-coloured leather, clasped +with gold, and the youth was of noble bearing, fair of face, with +ruddy cheeks and large hawk’s eyes. In the hand of +the youth was a mighty lance, speckled yellow, with a newly +sharpened head; and upon the lance a banner displayed.</p> +<p>Fiercely angry, and with rapid pace, came the youth to the +place where Arthur was playing at chess with Owain. And +they perceived that he was wroth. <!-- page 120--><a +name="page120"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 120</span>And +thereupon he saluted Owain, and told him that his Ravens had been +killed, the chief part of them, and that such of them as were not +slain were so wounded and bruised that not one of them could +raise its wings a single fathom above the earth. +“Lord,” said Owain, “forbid thy +men.” “Play,” said he “if it please +thee.” Then said Owain to the youth, “Go back, +and wherever thou findest the strife at the thickest, there lift +up the banner, and let come what pleases Heaven.” So +the youth returned back to the place where the strife bore +hardest upon the Ravens, and he lifted up the banner; and as he +did so they all rose up in the air, wrathful and fierce and high +of spirit, clapping their wings in the wind, and shaking off the +weariness that was upon them. And recovering their energy +and courage, furiously and with exultation did they, with one +sweep, descend upon the heads of the men, who had erewhile caused +them anger and pain and damage, and they seized some by the heads +and others by the eyes, and some by the ears, and others by the +arms, and carried them up into the air; and in the air there was +a mighty tumult with the flapping of the wings of the triumphant +Ravens, and with their croaking; and there was another mighty +tumult with the groaning of the men, that were being torn and +wounded, and some of whom were slain.</p> +<p>And Arthur and Owain marvelled at the tumult as they played at +chess; and, looking, they perceived a knight upon a dun-coloured +horse coming towards them. And marvellous was the hue of +the dun horse. Bright red was his right shoulder, and from +the top of his legs to the centre of his hoof was bright +yellow. Both the knight and his horse were fully equipped +with heavy foreign armour. The clothing of the horse <!-- +page 121--><a name="page121"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +121</span>from the front opening upwards was of bright red +sendal, and from thence opening downwards was of bright yellow +sendal. A large gold-hilted one-edged sword had the youth +upon his thigh, in a scabbard of light blue, and tipped with +Spanish laton. The belt of the sword was of dark green +leather with golden slides and a clasp of ivory upon it, and a +buckle of jet black upon the clasp. A helmet of gold was on +the head of the knight, set with precious stones of great virtue, +and at the top of the helmet was the image of a flame-coloured +leopard with two ruby-red stones in its head, so that it was +astounding for a warrior, however stout his heart, to look at the +face of the leopard, much more at the face of the knight. +He had in his hand a blue-shafted lance, but from the haft to the +point it was stained crimson-red, with the blood of the Ravens +and their plumage.</p> +<p>The knight came to the place where Arthur and Owain were +seated at chess. And they perceived that he was harassed +and vexed and weary as he came towards them. And the youth +saluted Arthur, and told him, that the Ravens of Owain were +slaying his young men and attendants. And Arthur looked at +Owain and said, “Forbid thy Ravens.” +“Lord,” answered Owain, “play thy +game.” And they played. And the knight returned +back towards the strife, and the Ravens were not forbade any more +than before.</p> +<p>And when they had played awhile, they heard a mighty tumult, +and a wailing of men, and a croaking of Ravens, as they carried +the men in their strength into the air, and, tearing them betwixt +them, let them fall piecemeal to the earth. And during the +tumult they saw a knight coming towards them on a light grey +horse, and the left foreleg of the horse was jet black to the +centre of his hoof. And the knight and <!-- page 122--><a +name="page122"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 122</span>the horse +were fully accoutred with huge heavy blue armour. And a +robe of honour of yellow diapered satin was upon the knight, and +the borders of the robe were blue. And the housings of the +horse were jet black, with borders of bright yellow. And on +the thigh of the youth was a sword, long, and three-edged, and +heavy. And the scabbard was of red cut leather, and the +belt of new red deerskin, having upon it many golden slides and a +buckle of the bone of the sea horse, the tongue of which was jet +black. A golden helmet was upon the head of the knight, +wherein were set sapphire stones of great virtue. And at +the top of the helmet was the figure of a flame-coloured lion, +with a fiery-red tongue, issuing above a foot from his mouth, and +with venomous eyes, crimson-red, in his head. And the +knight came, bearing in his hand a thick ashen lance, the head +whereof, which had been newly steeped in blood, was overlaid with +silver.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p122.jpg"> +<img alt="Picture" src="images/p122.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>And the youth saluted the Emperor: “Lord,” said +he, “carest thou not for the slaying of thy pages, and thy +young men, and the sons of the nobles of the Island of Britain, +whereby it will be difficult to <!-- page 123--><a +name="page123"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 123</span>defend this +Island from henceforward for ever?” +“Owain,” said Arthur, “forbid thy +Ravens.” “Play this game, Lord,” said +Owain.</p> +<p>So they finished the game, and began another; and as they were +finishing that game, lo, they heard a great tumult and a clamour +of armed men, and a croaking of Ravens, and a flapping of wings +in the air, as they flung down the armour entire to the ground, +and the men and the horses piecemeal. Then they saw coming +a knight on a lofty-headed piebald horse. And the left +shoulder of the horse was of bright red, and its right leg from +the chest to the hollow of the hoof was pure white. And the +knight and horse were equipped with arms of speckled yellow, +variegated with Spanish laton. And there was a robe of +honour upon him, and upon his horse, divided in two parts, white +and black, and the borders of the robe of honour were of golden +purple. And above the robe he wore a sword three-edged and +bright, with a golden hilt. And the belt of the sword was +of yellow goldwork, having a clasp upon it of the eyelid of a +black sea horse, and a tongue of yellow gold to the clasp. +Upon the head of the knight was a bright helmet of yellow laton, +with sparkling stones of crystal in it, and at the crest of the +helmet was the figure of a griffin, with a stone of many virtues +in its head. And he had an ashen spear in his hand, with a +round shaft, coloured with azure blue. And the head of the +spear was newly stained with blood, and was overlaid with fine +silver.</p> +<p>Wrathfully came the knight to the place where Arthur was, and +he told him that the Ravens had slain his household and the sons +of the chief men of this Island, and he besought him to cause +Owain to forbid his Ravens. And Arthur besought Owain <!-- +page 124--><a name="page124"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +124</span>to forbid them. Then Arthur took the golden +chessmen that were upon the board, and crushed them until they +became as dust. Then Owain ordered Gwres the son of Rheged +to lower his banner. So it was lowered, and all was +peace.</p> +<p>Then Rhonabwy enquired of Iddawc, who were the first three men +that came to Owain, to tell him his Ravens were being +slain. Said Iddawc, “They were men who grieved that +Owain should suffer loss, his fellow-chieftains and companions, +Selyv the son of Kynan Garwyn of Powys, and Gwgawn Gleddyvrudd, +and Gwres the son of Rheged, he who bears the banner in the day +of battle and strife.” “Who,” said +Rhonabwy, “were the last three men who came to Arthur, and +told him that the Ravens were slaughtering his men?” +“The best of men,” said Iddawc, “and the +bravest, and who would grieve exceedingly that Arthur should have +damage in aught; Blathaon, the son of Mawrheth, <a +name="citation124a"></a><a href="#footnote124a" +class="citation">[124a]</a> and Rhuvawn Pebyr the son of Prince +Deorthach, and Hyveidd Unllenn.”</p> +<p>And with that behold four and twenty knights came from Osla +Gyllellvawr, to crave a truce of Arthur for a fortnight and a +month. And Arthur arose and went to take counsel. And +he came to where a tall auburn curly-headed man was a little way +off, and there he assembled his counsellors. Bedwini, <a +name="citation124b"></a><a href="#footnote124b" +class="citation">[124b]</a> the Bishop, and Gwarthegyd the son of +Kaw, and March the son of Meirchawn, and Caradawc Vreichvras, and +Gwalchmai the son of Gwyar, and Edeyrn the son of Nudd, and +Rhuvawn Pebyr the son of Prince Deorthach, and Rhiogan the son of +the King of Ireland, and Gwenwynwyn the son of Nav, Howel the son +of Emyr Llydaw, Gwilym the son of Rhwyf Freinc, and Daned the son +of Ath, <a name="citation124c"></a><a href="#footnote124c" +class="citation">[124c]</a> and Goreu Custennin, and <!-- page +125--><a name="page125"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +125</span>Mabon the son of Modron, and Peredur Paladyr Hir, and +Hyveidd <a name="citation125a"></a><a href="#footnote125a" +class="citation">[125a]</a> Unllenn, and Twrch the son of Perif, +and Nerth the son of Kadarn, and Gobrwy the son of Echel +Vorddwyttwll, Gwair the son of Gwestyl, and Gadwy <a +name="citation125b"></a><a href="#footnote125b" +class="citation">[125b]</a> the son of Geraint, Trystan <a +name="citation125c"></a><a href="#footnote125c" +class="citation">[125c]</a> the son of Tallwch, Moryen Manawc, +Granwen the son of Llyr, and Llacheu the son of Arthur, and +Llawvrodedd Varvawc, and Kadwr Earl of Cornwall, Morvran the son +of Tegid, and Rhyawd the son of Morgant, and Dyvyr the son of +Alun Dyved, Gwrhyr Gwalstawd Ieithoedd, Adaon the son of +Taliesin, Llary <a name="citation125d"></a><a +href="#footnote125d" class="citation">[125d]</a> the son of +Kasnar <a name="citation125e"></a><a href="#footnote125e" +class="citation">[125e]</a> Wledig, and Fflewddur Fflam, and +Greidawl Galldovydd, Gilbert the son of Kadgyffro, Menw the son +of Teirgwaedd, Gwrthmwl Wledig, Cawrdav the son of Caradawc +Vreichvras, Gildas the son of Kaw, Kadyriaith the son of Saidi, +and many of the men of Norway, and Denmark, and many of the men +of Greece, and a crowd of the men of the host came to that +counsel.</p> +<p>“Iddawc,” said Rhonabwy, “who was the auburn +haired man to whom they came just now?” “Rhun +the son of Maelgwn Gwynedd, a man of whose prerogative it is, +that he may join in counsel with all.” <a +name="citation125f"></a><a href="#footnote125f" +class="citation">[125f]</a> “And wherefore did they +admit into counsel with men of such dignity as are yonder a +stripling so young as Kadyriaith the son of Saidi?” +“Because there is not throughout Britain a man better +skilled in counsel than he.”</p> +<p>Thereupon, behold, bards came and recited verses before +Arthur, and no man understood those verses, <!-- page 126--><a +name="page126"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 126</span>but +Kadyriaith only, save that they were in Arthur’s +praise.</p> +<p>And, lo, there came four and twenty asses with their burdens +of gold and of silver, and a tired wayworn man with each of them, +bringing tribute to Arthur from the Islands of Greece. Then +Kadyriaith the son of Saidi besought that a truce might be +granted to Osla Gyllellvawr for the space of a fortnight and a +month, and that the asses and the burdens they carried might be +given to the bards, to be to them as the reward for their stay +and that their verse might be recompensed, during the time of the +truce. And thus it was settled.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/p126.jpg"> +<img alt="Picture" src="images/p126.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p>“Rhonabwy,” said Iddawc, “would it not be +wrong to forbid a youth who can give counsel so liberal as this +from coming to the councils of his Lord?”</p> +<p>Then Kai arose, and he said, “Whosoever will follow +Arthur, let him be with him to-night in Cornwall, and whosoever +will not, let him be opposed to Arthur even during the +truce.” And through the <!-- page 127--><a +name="page127"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 127</span>greatness +of the tumult that ensued, Rhonabwy awoke. And when he +awoke he was upon the yellow calfskin, having slept three nights +and three days.</p> +<p>And this tale is called The Dream of Rhonabwy. And this +is the reason that no one knows the dream without a book, neither +bard nor gifted seer; because of the various colours that were +upon the horses, and the many wondrous colours of the arms and of +the panoply, and of the precious scarfs, and of the +virtue-bearing stones.</p> +<h2>Footnotes:</h2> +<p><a name="footnote15"></a><a href="#citation15" +class="footnote">[15]</a> “The Emperor Arthur” +all through the tale.</p> +<p><a name="footnote16"></a><a href="#citation16" +class="footnote">[16]</a> To begin to honour them, to +inform them of the manners and the customs of the Court, those he +was told were to go to the hall or the presence chamber, and +those he was told were to get lodging.</p> +<p><a name="footnote17a"></a><a href="#citation17a" +class="footnote">[17a]</a> And I did not think there was in +the world a wrong too mighty for me to set right. And when +I had set right all the wrongs that were in my own country.</p> +<p><a name="footnote17b"></a><a href="#citation17b" +class="footnote">[17b]</a> Add “with fair curly +hair.”</p> +<p><a name="footnote18a"></a><a href="#citation18a" +class="footnote">[18a]</a> And such was his courtesy that +he greeted me before I could greet him.</p> +<p><a name="footnote18b"></a><a href="#citation18b" +class="footnote">[18b]</a> Add, “I ween +that.”</p> +<p><a name="footnote18c"></a><a href="#citation18c" +class="footnote">[18c]</a> When she was ever loveliest, at +Christmas, or at Easter tide mass.</p> +<p><a name="footnote19a"></a><a href="#citation19a" +class="footnote">[19a]</a> And the man I had seen erstwhile +sat down to the table.</p> +<p><a name="footnote19b"></a><a href="#citation19b" +class="footnote">[19b]</a> Did I not think that too much +trouble would befall thee.</p> +<p><a name="footnote20"></a><a href="#citation20" +class="footnote">[20]</a> With querulous roughness.</p> +<p><a name="footnote21a"></a><a href="#citation21a" +class="footnote">[21a]</a> And he would but bandy words +with me.</p> +<p><a name="footnote21b"></a><a href="#citation21b" +class="footnote">[21b]</a> So that they cannot be +separated.</p> +<p><a name="footnote27"></a><a href="#citation27" +class="footnote">[27]</a> Add “On account of the +knight.”</p> +<p><a name="footnote28"></a><a href="#citation28" +class="footnote">[28]</a> An image of a different kind.</p> +<p><a name="footnote29a"></a><a href="#citation29a" +class="footnote">[29a]</a> Monks.</p> +<p><a name="footnote29b"></a><a href="#citation29b" +class="footnote">[29b]</a> Land-owning.</p> +<p><a name="footnote30"></a><a href="#citation30" +class="footnote">[30]</a> Louder was her cry than any +trumpet blast that arose from among the multitude.</p> +<p><a name="footnote31"></a><a href="#citation31" +class="footnote">[31]</a> “Truly,” said Luned, +“I thought thy good sense was greater than I find it to +be. Is it better to grieve because thou canst not get +<i>that</i> good man, than it is to grieve for anything else thou +canst never get?” “I declare to heaven,” +said the Countess, “that I could never get my lord in any +other man, be he the best in the world.” “Oh +yes,” said Luned, “thou couldst marry a husband that +would be as good as he, or better than he.”</p> +<p><a name="footnote36"></a><a href="#citation36" +class="footnote">[36]</a> Encamped.</p> +<p><a name="footnote37a"></a><a href="#citation37a" +class="footnote">[37a]</a> Add “and looked at +him.”</p> +<p><a name="footnote37b"></a><a href="#citation37b" +class="footnote">[37b]</a> And belaboured each other.</p> +<p><a name="footnote38"></a><a href="#citation38" +class="footnote">[38]</a> Add “and this is my +abode.”</p> +<p><a name="footnote39"></a><a href="#citation39" +class="footnote">[39]</a> To the disgrace of thy beard.</p> +<p><a name="footnote45"></a><a href="#citation45" +class="footnote">[45]</a> Owen was certain he had never +seen better service, but every one was as sorrowful as if death +had been upon him.</p> +<p><a name="footnote46a"></a><a href="#citation46a" +class="footnote">[46a]</a> And to-morrow is the appointed +day for me to meet him, to deliver to him yonder maiden, +otherwise he will kill my sons before my eyes.</p> +<p><a name="footnote46b"></a><a href="#citation46b" +class="footnote">[46b]</a> And the Earl determined to hold +the castle against him, abandoning his two sons to their +fate.</p> +<p><a name="footnote47"></a><a href="#citation47" +class="footnote">[47]</a> And they told him their tale.</p> +<p><a name="footnote48"></a><a href="#citation48" +class="footnote">[48]</a> But Owen’s strength had not +yet returned.</p> +<p><a name="footnote52"></a><a href="#citation52" +class="footnote">[52]</a> Her.</p> +<p><a name="footnote56"></a><a href="#citation56" +class="footnote">[56]</a> And very unmeet for so honourable +a Court.</p> +<p><a name="footnote58"></a><a href="#citation58" +class="footnote">[58]</a> Add “causing a grievous +wound.”</p> +<p><a name="footnote59a"></a><a href="#citation59a" +class="footnote">[59a]</a> “This iron coat will never +come off him,” said Peredur. “I doubt whether +it is not part of himself, born with him.”</p> +<p><a name="footnote59b"></a><a href="#citation59b" +class="footnote">[59b]</a> Add “and the threat +against Kai.”</p> +<p><a name="footnote62"></a><a href="#citation62" +class="footnote">[62]</a> We are brother and sister.</p> +<p><a name="footnote72"></a><a href="#citation72" +class="footnote">[72]</a> In the dingle.</p> +<p><a name="footnote76"></a><a href="#citation76" +class="footnote">[76]</a> Progress.</p> +<p><a name="footnote102"></a><a href="#citation102" +class="footnote">[102]</a> And the side that he would +favour would lose the game.</p> +<p><a name="footnote108"></a><a href="#citation108" +class="footnote">[108]</a> And they reckoned that the corn +land of Powys, from Aber Ceirawc in Allictun Ver to Rhyd Wilure +on the Vyrnwy, was as good as the three best commots in Powys; +and that, if there was not sustenance for him and his followers +in that corn land, there would be none in Powys.</p> +<p><a name="footnote109"></a><a href="#citation109" +class="footnote">[109]</a> Scantly draped, +poverty-stricken.</p> +<p><a name="footnote111"></a><a href="#citation111" +class="footnote">[111]</a> Moustache.</p> +<p><a name="footnote112"></a><a href="#citation112" +class="footnote">[112]</a> Bedwin.</p> +<p><a name="footnote116a"></a><a href="#citation116a" +class="footnote">[116a]</a> For fear of being crushed by +his horse.</p> +<p><a name="footnote116b"></a><a href="#citation116b" +class="footnote">[116b]</a> A red moustache.</p> +<p><a name="footnote124a"></a><a href="#citation124a" +class="footnote">[124a]</a> Murheth.</p> +<p><a name="footnote124b"></a><a href="#citation124b" +class="footnote">[124b]</a> Bedwin.</p> +<p><a name="footnote124c"></a><a href="#citation124c" +class="footnote">[124c]</a> Oth.</p> +<p><a name="footnote125a"></a><a href="#citation125a" +class="footnote">[125a]</a> Heneidd.</p> +<p><a name="footnote125b"></a><a href="#citation125b" +class="footnote">[125b]</a> Adwy.</p> +<p><a name="footnote125c"></a><a href="#citation125c" +class="footnote">[125c]</a> Dyrstan.</p> +<p><a name="footnote125d"></a><a href="#citation125d" +class="footnote">[125d]</a> Llara.</p> +<p><a name="footnote125e"></a><a href="#citation125e" +class="footnote">[125e]</a> Kasnat.</p> +<p><a name="footnote125f"></a><a href="#citation125f" +class="footnote">[125f]</a> It is his privilege that +everyone should come to have counsel with him.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">Printed at<br /> +The Edinburgh Press<br /> +9 & 11 Young Street</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MABINOGION VOL. 1 (OF 3)***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 19959-h.htm or 19959-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/9/9/5/19959 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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