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diff --git a/19959.txt b/19959.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..307a82c --- /dev/null +++ b/19959.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3371 @@ +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)*** + + + + + +Transcribed from the 1902 T. Fisher Unwin edition by David Price, email +ccx074@pglaf.org + + + + + +THE MABINOGION + + +TRANSLATED FROM THE RED BOOK OF HERGEST BY LADY CHARLOTTE GUEST +VOL. I. LONDON +T. FISHER UNWIN +11 PATERNOSTER +BUILDINGS. MXCII + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +More than half a century ago Lady Charlotte Guest gave _The Mabinogion_ +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. + +The Red Book of Hergest, from which _The Mabinogion_ 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 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +OWEN EDWARDS. + +LINCOLN COLLEGE, +OXFORD, 1_st_ _March_ 1902. + + + + +TO IVOR AND MERTHYR + + +MY DEAR CHILDREN, + +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. + +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. + +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. + +I am, +Your affectionate Mother, +C. E. GUEST. + +DOWLAIS, 29_th_ _August_ 1838. + + + + +THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAIN. + + +King Arthur {15} 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 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. {16} + +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. + +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 +thyself," quoth Owain, "with the best that thou knowest." "I will do +so," answered Kynon. + +"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, {17a} 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. + +"And a little way from them, I saw a man {17b} in the prime of life, with +his beard newly shorn, clad in a robe and a mantle of yellow satin; and +round the 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. {18a} 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 {18b} 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. {18c} 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 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. {19a} 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. + +"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, +{19b} I would shew thee that which thou seekest.' Upon this I became +anxious and sorrowful; and when the man 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, {20} and will point out the +road, by which thou shalt find that which thou art in quest of.' + +"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 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. {21a} 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. + +"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. {21b} 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.' + +"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 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. 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. + +"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." + +"Now," quoth Owain, "would it not be well to go and endeavour to discover +that place?" + +"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." + +"In very truth," said Gwenhwyvar, "it were better thou wert hanged, Kai, +than to use such uncourteous speech towards a man like Owain." + +"By the hand of my friend, good Lady," said Kai, "thy praise of Owain is +not greater than mine." + +With that Arthur awoke, and asked if he had not been sleeping a little. + +"Yes, Lord," answered Owain, "thou hast slept awhile." + +"Is it time for us to go to meat?" + +"It is, Lord," said Owain. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 to Kynon. However he described the whole to Owain, and they +retired to rest. + +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 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; {27} 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; 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." + +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. + +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 {28} in gold portrayed upon it. + +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 Nobleman who owns the Castle." And Owain went to sleep. + +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." + +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. {29a} 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 {29b} Baron. + +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 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. {30} No sooner had he beheld the lady, than he +became inflamed with her love, so that it took entire possession of him. + +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." + +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. + +When he had finished his repast, the maiden arranged his couch. "Come +here," said she, "and 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." {31} "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 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." + +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. + +"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." + +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 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." + +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. + +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." + +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." + +So they came to the determination, that it was 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. + +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. + +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. + +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 +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. + +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. + +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 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. {36} And Arthur and his host encamped for the night. + +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. +"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, {37a} 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. + +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. + +The next day they fought with strong lances; and neither of them could +obtain the mastery. + +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. +{37b} 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. + +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, {38} 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." + +And they all proceeded to the Castle of the Countess of the Fountain, and +the banquet which had been 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. + +* * * * * + +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." {39} And she turned her horse's head, and +departed. + +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 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. + +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." + +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, 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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +And she came to the Countess, and told her what Owain had said. And the +Countess laughed. "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." + +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." + +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. + +And Owain took his departure. And the Countess and all her subjects +besought him to remain, but Owain chose rather to wander through distant +lands and deserts. + +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. + +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. + +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 would come +to thy rescue?" "I am most certain of it," said she. + +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." + +Never did sentinel keep stricter watch over his lord, than the lion that +night over Owain. + +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. {45} 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. + +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. +{46a} He has the form of a man, but in stature he is no less than a +giant." + +"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. + +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. {46b} +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. + +"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. + +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 +{47} 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." + +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 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, {48} 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. + +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. + +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, Chieftain, is the cause +of our grief, and we are sorry that thou art come hither, lest harm +should befall thee." + +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. + +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. + +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 army of three hundred ravens which Kenverchyn had left him. And +wherever Owain went with these, he was victorious. + +And this is the tale of THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAIN. + + + + +PEREDUR THE SON OF EVRAWC. + + +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 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 {52} 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. + +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. 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." + +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, "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." + +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 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. + +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. + +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 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. {56} +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 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 +knight ran at him furiously, and struck him a violent blow {58} 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. + +"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 doing thus?" said Owain. "This +iron coat," said Peredur, "will never come from off him; not by my +efforts, at any rate." {59a} 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. {59b} + +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 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. + +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. + +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 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 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 {62} to the man in whose house thou wast 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 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. + +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, 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. + +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." + +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 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. + +"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 +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 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. + +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. + +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 +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." + +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 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. + +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 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. + +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. + +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 +{72} 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. + +"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 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. + +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 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. + +So they rode forth together joyfully towards the place where Arthur was; +and when Kai saw them 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 {76} +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. + +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." + +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 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 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." + +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. 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." + +That night they tarried there. And the next day, in the morning, the +grey man, with his company, set 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. + +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 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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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?" + +"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. + +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, "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 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. + +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. + +And next morning the youths arose to sally forth, and Peredur besought +them, for the sake of the ladies 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. + +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, 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." + +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 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." + +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 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. + +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." + +"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. + +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; 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. + +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, 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 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. + +* * * * * + +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 +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 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. + +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 in company together, but each went his own way. + +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! 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. + +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 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. + +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." + +Then Peredur rode forward. And he came to the valley in which was the +river, and there met him a 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 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. + +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 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 know not +what wonders are therein, but thus is it called." + +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, {102} 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 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 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." + +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 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 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. + + + + +THE DREAM OF RHONABWY. + + +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 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. + +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. +{108} And they spread these men over the plains as far as Nillystwn +Trevan. + +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 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, {109} +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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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 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." + +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, {111} 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 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. + +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." + +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 +{112} 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. + +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; 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." + +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. + +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 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. + +"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." + +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." + +Then Iddawc took Rhonabwy behind him on his horse, and that mighty host +moved forward, each troop in its order, towards Cevndigoll. And when +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. + +"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. + +"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." + +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. + +"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. {116a} And +this is the cause of the confusion of the host." + +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. + +"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." + +And they heard a call made for Eirynwych Amheibyn, Arthur's servant, a +red, rough, ill-favoured man, having red whiskers {116b} 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, 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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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. + +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. 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. + +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 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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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 defend this +Island from henceforward for ever?" "Owain," said Arthur, "forbid thy +Ravens." "Play this game, Lord," said Owain. + +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. + +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 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. + +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, {124a} and Rhuvawn Pebyr the son of Prince +Deorthach, and Hyveidd Unllenn." + +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, {124b} 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, {124c} and Goreu Custennin, +and Mabon the son of Modron, and Peredur Paladyr Hir, and Hyveidd {125a} +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 +{125b} the son of Geraint, Trystan {125c} 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 {125d} the +son of Kasnar {125e} 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. + +"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." {125f} "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." + +Thereupon, behold, bards came and recited verses before Arthur, and no +man understood those verses, but Kadyriaith only, save that they were in +Arthur's praise. + +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. + +"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?" + +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 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. + +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. + + + + +Footnotes: + + +{15} "The Emperor Arthur" all through the tale. + +{16} 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. + +{17a} 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. + +{17b} Add "with fair curly hair." + +{18a} And such was his courtesy that he greeted me before I could greet +him. + +{18b} Add, "I ween that." + +{18c} When she was ever loveliest, at Christmas, or at Easter tide mass. + +{19a} And the man I had seen erstwhile sat down to the table. + +{19b} Did I not think that too much trouble would befall thee. + +{20} With querulous roughness. + +{21a} And he would but bandy words with me. + +{21b} So that they cannot be separated. + +{27} Add "On account of the knight." + +{28} An image of a different kind. + +{29a} Monks. + +{29b} Land-owning. + +{30} Louder was her cry than any trumpet blast that arose from among the +multitude. + +{31} "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 _that_ +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." + +{36} Encamped. + +{37a} Add "and looked at him." + +{37b} And belaboured each other. + +{38} Add "and this is my abode." + +{39} To the disgrace of thy beard. + +{45} Owen was certain he had never seen better service, but every one +was as sorrowful as if death had been upon him. + +{46a} 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. + +{46b} And the Earl determined to hold the castle against him, abandoning +his two sons to their fate. + +{47} And they told him their tale. + +{48} But Owen's strength had not yet returned. + +{52} Her. + +{56} And very unmeet for so honourable a Court. + +{58} Add "causing a grievous wound." + +{59a} "This iron coat will never come off him," said Peredur. "I doubt +whether it is not part of himself, born with him." + +{59b} Add "and the threat against Kai." + +{62} We are brother and sister. + +{72} In the dingle. + +{76} Progress. + +{102} And the side that he would favour would lose the game. + +{108} 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. + +{109} Scantly draped, poverty-stricken. + +{111} Moustache. + +{112} Bedwin. + +{116a} For fear of being crushed by his horse. + +{116b} A red moustache. + +{124a} Murheth. + +{124b} Bedwin. + +{124c} Oth. + +{125a} Heneidd. + +{125b} Adwy. + +{125c} Dyrstan. + +{125d} Llara. + +{125e} Kasnat. + +{125f} It is his privilege that everyone should come to have counsel +with him. + +Printed at +The Edinburgh Press +9 & 11 Young Street + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MABINOGION VOL. 1 (OF 3)*** + + +******* This file should be named 19959.txt or 19959.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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