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GERAINT
THE SON OF ERBIN
from The Mabinogion
Translated
by Charlotte Guest [1877]
Arthur
was accustomed to hold his Court at Caerlleon
upon Usk. And there he held it seven Easters and
five Christmases. And once upon a time he held
his Court there at Whitsuntide. For Caerlleon
was the place most easy of access in his dominions,
both by sea and by land. And there were assembled
nine crowned kings, who were his tributaries,
and likewise earls and barons. For they were his
invited guests at all the high festivals, unless
they were prevented by any great hindrance. And
when he was at Caerlleon, holding his Court, thirteen
churches were set apart for mass. And thus were
they appointed: one church for Arthur, and his
kings, and his guests; and the second for Gwenhwyvar
and her ladies; and the third for the Steward
of the Household and the suitors; and the fourth
for the Franks and the other officers; and the
other nine churches were for the nine Masters
of the Household and chiefly for Cwalchmai; for
he, from the eminence of his warlike fame, and
from the nobleness of his birth, was the most
exalted of the nine. And there was no other arrangement
respecting the churches than that which we have
mentioned above.
Glewlwyd Gavaelvawr was the chief porter; but
he did not himself perform the office, except
at one of the three high festivals, for he had
seven men to serve him, and they divided the year
amongst them. They were Grynn, and Pen Pighon,
and Llaes Cymyn, and Gogyfwlch, and Gwrdnei with
cat's eyes, who could see as well by night as
by day, and Drem the son of Dremhitid, and Clust
the son of Clustveinyd; and these were Arthur's
guards. And on Whit-Tuesday, as the King sat at
the banquet, lo! there entered a tall, fair-headed
youth, clad in a coat and a surcoat of diapered
satin, and a golden-hilted sword about his neck,
and low shoes of leather upon his feet. And he
came, and stood before Arthur. "Hail to thee,
Lord!" said he. "Heaven prosper thee,"
he answered, "and be thou welcome. Dost thou
bring any new tidings?" "I do, Lord,"
he said. "I know thee not," said Arthur.
"It is a marvel to me that thou dost not
know me. I am one of thy foresters, Lord, in the
Forest of Dean, and my name is Madawc, the son
of Twrgadarn." "Tell me thine errand,"
said Arthur. "I will do so, Lord," said
he. "In the Forest I saw a stag, the like
of which beheld I never yet." "What
is there about him," asked Arthur, "that
thou never yet didst see his like?" "He
is of pure white, Lord, and he does not herd with
any other animal through stateliness and pride,
so royal is his bearing. And I come to seek thy
counsel, Lord, and to know thy will concerning
him." "It seems best to me," said
Arthur, "to go and hunt him to-morrow at
break of day; and to cause general notice thereof
to be given to-night in all quarters of the Court."
And Arryfuerys was Arthur's chief huntsman, and
Arelivri was his chief page. And all received
notice; and thus it was arranged. And they sent
the youth before them. Then Gwenhwyvar said to
Arthur, "Wilt thou permit me, Lord,"
said she, "to go to-morrow to see and hear
the hunt of the stag of which the young man spoke?"
"I will gladly," said Arthur. "Then
will I go," said she. And Gwalchmai said
to Arthur, "Lord, if it seem well to thee,
permit that into whose hunt soever the stag shall
come, that one, be he a knight, or one on foot,
may cut off his head, and give it to whom he pleases,
whether to his own lady-love, or to the lady of
his friend." "I grant it gladly,"
said Arthur, "and let the Steward of the
Household be chastised, if all are not ready to-morrow
for the chase."
And they passed the night with songs, and diversions,
and discourse, and ample entertainment. And when
it was time for them all to go to sleep, they
went. And when the next day came, they arose;
and Arthur called the attendants, who guarded
his couch. And these were four pages, whose names
were Cadyrnerth the son of Porthawr Gandwy, and
Ambreu the son of Bedwor, and Amhar the son of
Arthur, and Goreu the son of Custennin. And these
men came to Arthur and saluted him, and arrayed
him in his garments. And Arthur wondered that
Gwenhwyvar did not awake, and did not move in
her bed; and the attendants wished to awaken her.
"Disturb her not," said Arthur, "for
she had rather sleep than go to see the hunting."
Then Arthur went forth, and he heard two horns
sounding, one from near the lodging of the chief
huntsman, and the other from near that of the
chief page. And the whole assembly of the multitudes
came to Arthur, and they took the road to the
Forest.
And after Arthur had gone forth from the palace,
Gwenhwyvar awoke, and called to her maidens, and
apparelled herself. "Maidens," said
she, "I had leave last night to go and see
the hunt. Go one of you to the stable, and order
hither a horse such as a woman may ride."
And one of them went, and she found but two horses
in the stable, and Gwenhwyvar and one of her maidens
mounted them, and went through the Usk, and followed
the track of the men and the horses. And as they
rode thus, they heard a loud and rushing sound;
and they looked behind them, and beheld a knight
upon a hunter foal of mighty size; and the rider
was a fair-haired youth, bare-legged, and of princely
mien, and a golden-hilted sword was at his side,
and a robe and a surcoat of satin were upon him,
and two low shoes of leather upon his feet; and
around him was a scarf of blue purple, at each
corner of which was a golden apple. And his horse
stepped stately, and swift, and proud; and he
overtook Gwenhwyvar, and saluted her. "Heaven
prosper thee, Geraint," said she, "I
knew thee when first I saw thee just now. And
the welcome of Heaven be unto thee. And why didst
thou not go with thy lord to hunt?" "Because
I knew not when he went," said he. "I
marvel, too," said she, "how he could
go unknown to me." "Indeed, lady,"
said he. "I was asleep, and knew not when
he went; but thou, O young man, art the most agreeable
companion I could have in the whole kingdom; and
it may be, that I shall be more amused with the
hunting than they; for we shall hear the horns
when they sound, and we shall hear the dogs when
they are let loose, and begin to cry." So
they went to the edge of the Forest, and there
they stood. "From this place," said
she, "we shall hear when the dogs are let
loose." And thereupon, they heard a loud
noise, and they looked towards the spot whence
it came, and they beheld a dwarf riding upon a
horse, stately, and foaming, and prancing, and
strong, and spirited. And in the hand of the dwarf
was a whip. And near the dwarf they saw a lady
upon a beautiful white horse, of steady and stately
pace; and she was clothed in a garment of gold
brocade. And near her was a knight upon a warhorse
of large size, with heavy and bright armour both
upon himself and upon his horse. And truly they
never before saw a knight, or a horse, or armour,
of such remarkable size. And they were all near
to each other.
"Geraint,"
said Gwenhwyvar, "knowest thou the name of
that tall knight yonder?" "I know him
not," said he, "and the strange armour
that he wears prevents my either seeing his face
or his features." "Go, maiden,"
said Gwenhwyvar, "and ask the dwarf who that
knight is." Then the maiden went up to the
dwarf; and the dwarf waited for the maiden, when
he saw her coming towards him. And the maiden
inquired of the dwarf who the knight was. "I
will not tell thee," he answered. "Since
thou art so churlish as not to tell me,"
said she, "I will ask him himself."
"Thou shalt not ask him, by my faith,"
said he. "Wherefore?" said she. "Because
thou art not of honour sufficient to befit thee
to speak to my Lord." Then the maiden turned
her horse's head towards the knight, upon which
the dwarf struck her with the whip that was in
his hand across the face and the eyes, until the
blood flowed forth. And the maiden, through the
hurt she received from the blow, returned to Gwenhwyvar,
complaining of the pain. "Very rudely has
the dwarf treated thee," said Geraint. "I
will go myself to know who the knight is."
"Go," said Gwenhwyvar. And Geraint went
up to the dwarf. "Who is yonder knight?"
said Geraint. "I will not tell thee,"
said the dwarf. "Then will I ask him himself,"
said he. "That wilt thou not, by my faith,"
said the dwarf, "thou art not honourable
enough to speak with my Lord." Said Geraint,
"I have spoken with men of equal rank with
him." And he turned his horse's head towards
the knight; but the dwarf overtook him, and struck
him as he had done the maiden, so that the blood
coloured the scarf that Geraint wore. Then Geraint
put his hand upon the hilt of his sword, but he
took counsel with himself, and considered that
it would be no vengeance for him to slay the dwarf,
and to be attacked unarmed by the armed knight,
so he returned to where Gwenhwyvar was.
"Thou
hast acted wisely and discreetly," said she.
"Lady," said he, "I will follow
him yet, with thy permission; and at last he will
come to some inhabited place, where I may have
arms either as a loan or for a pledge, so that
I may encounter the knight." "Go,"
said she, "and do not attack him until thou
hast good arms, and I shall be very anxious concerning
thee, until I hear tidings of thee." "If
I am alive," said he, "thou shalt hear
tidings of me by to-morrow afternoon;" and
with that he departed.
And the road they took was below the palace of
Caerlleon, and across the ford of the Usk; and
they went along a fair, and even, and lofty ridge
of ground, until they came to a town, and at the
extremity of the town they saw a Fortress and
a Castle. And they came to the extremity of the
town. And as the knight passed through it, all
the people arose, and saluted him, and bade him
welcome. And when Geraint came into the town,
he looked at every house, to see if he knew any
of those whom he saw. But he knew none, and none
knew him to do him the kindness to let him have
arms either as a loan or for a pledge. And every
house he saw was full of men, and arms, and horses.
And they were polishing shields, and burnishing
swords, and washing armour, and shoeing horses.
And the knight, and the lady, and the dwarf rode
up to the Castle that was in the town, and every
one was glad in the Castle. And from the battlements
and the gates they risked their necks, through
their eagerness to greet them, and to show their
joy.
Geraint stood there to see whether the knight
would remain in the Castle; and when he was certain
that he would do so, he looked around him; and
at a little distance from the town he saw an old
palace in ruins, wherein was a hall that was falling
to decay. And as he knew not any one in the town,
he went towards the old palace; and when he came
near to the palace, he saw but one chamber, and
a bridge of marble-stone leading to it. And upon
the bridge he saw sitting a hoary-headed man,
upon whom were tattered garments. And Geraint
gazed steadfastly upon him for a long time. Then
the hoary-headed man spoke to him. "Young
man," he said, "wherefore art thou thoughtful?"
"I am thoughtful," said he, "because
I know not where to go to-night." "Wilt
thou come forward this way, chieftain?" said
he, "and thou shalt have of the best that
can be procured for thee." So Geraint went
forward. And the hoary-headed man preceded him
into the hall. And in the hall he dismounted,
and he left there his horse. Then he went on to
the upper chamber with the hoary-headed man. And
in the chamber he beheld an old decrepit woman,
sitting on a cushion, with old, tattered garments
of satin upon her; and it seemed to him that he
had never seen a woman fairer than she must have
been, when in the fulness of youth. And beside
her was a maiden, upon whom were a vest and a
veil, that were old, and beginning to be worn
out. And truly, he never saw a maiden more full
of comeliness, and grace, and beauty than she.
And the hoary-headed man said to the maiden, "There
is no attendant for the horse of this youth but
thyself." "I will render the best service
I am able," said she, "both to him and
to his horse." And the maiden disarrayed
the youth, and then she furnished his horse with
straw and with corn. And she went to the hall
as before, and then she returned to the chamber.
And the hoary-headed man said to the maiden, "Go
to the town," said he, "and bring hither
the best that thou canst find both of food and
of liquor." "I will, gladly, Lord,"
said she. And to the town went the maiden. And
they conversed together while the maiden was at
the town. And, behold! the maiden came back, and
a youth with her, bearing on his back a costrel
full of good purchased mead, and a quarter of
a young bullock. And in the hands of the maiden
was a quantity of white bread, and she had some
manchet bread in her veil, and she came into the
chamber. "I could not obtain better than
this," said she, "nor with better should
I have been trusted." "It is good enough,"
said Geraint. And they caused the meat to be boiled;
and when their food was ready, they sat down.
And it was on this wise; Geraint sat between the
hoary-headed man and his wife, and the maiden
served them. And they ate and drank.
And when they had finished eating, Geraint talked
with the hoary- headed man, and he asked him in
the first place, to whom belonged the palace that
he was in. "Truly," said he, "it
was I that built it, and to me also belonged the
city and the castle which thou sawest." "Alas!"
said Geraint, "how is it that thou hast lost
them now?" "I lost a great Earldom as
well as these," said he; "and this is
how I lost them. I had a nephew, the son of my
brother, and I took his possessions to myself;
and when he came to his strength, he demanded
of me his property, but I withheld it from him.
So he made war upon me, and wrested from me all
that I possessed." "Good Sir,"
said Geraint, "wilt thou tell me wherefore
came the knight, and the lady, and the dwarf,
just now into the town, and what is the preparation
which I saw, and the putting of arms in order?"
"I will do so," said he. "The preparations
are for the game that is to be held to-morrow
by the young Earl, which will be on this wise.
In the midst of a meadow which is here, two forks
will be set up, and upon the two forks a silver
rod, and upon the silver rod a Sparrow-Hawk, and
for the Sparrow-Hawk there will be a tournament.
And to the tournament will go all the array thou
didst see in the city, of men, and of horses,
and of arms. And with each man will go the lady
he loves best; and no man can joust for the Sparrow-Hawk,
except the lady he loves best be with him. And
the knight that thou sawest has gained the Sparrow-Hawk
these two years; and if he gains it the third
year, they will, from that time, send it every
year to him, and he himself will come here no
more. And he will be called the Knight of the
Sparrow-Hawk from that time forth." "Sir,"
said Geraint, "what is thy counsel to me
concerning this knight, on account of the insult
which I received from the dwarf, and that which
was received by the maiden of Gwenhwyvar, the
wife of Arthur?" And Geraint told the hoary-headed
man what the insult was that he had received.
"It is not easy to counsel thee, inasmuch
as thou hast neither dame nor maiden belonging
to thee, for whom thou canst joust. Yet, I have
arms here, which thou couldest have; and there
is my horse also, if he seem to thee better than
thine own." "Ah! Sir," said he,
"Heaven reward thee. But my own horse, to
which I am accustomed, together with thy arms,
will suffice me. And if, when the appointed time
shall come to-morrow, thou wilt permit me, Sir,
to challenge for yonder maiden that is thy daughter,
I will engage, if I escape from the tournament,
to love the maiden as long as I live; and if I
do not escape, she will remain unsullied as before."
"Gladly will I permit thee," said the
hoary-headed man, "and since thou dost thus
resolve, it is necessary that thy horse and arms
should be ready to-morrow at break of day. For
then the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk will make
proclamation, and ask the lady he loves best to
take the Sparrow- Hawk. 'For,' will he say to
her, 'thou art the fairest of women, and thou
didst possess it last year, and the year previous;
and if any deny it thee to-day, by force will
I defend it for thee.' And therefore," said
the hoary-headed man, "it is needful for
thee to be there at daybreak; and we three will
be with thee." And thus was it settled.
And at night, lo! they went to sleep; and before
the dawn they arose, and arrayed themselves; and
by the time that it was day, they were all four
in the meadow. And there was the Knight of the
Sparrow-Hawk making the proclamation, and asking
his lady-love to fetch the Sparrow-Hawk. "Fetch
it not," said Geraint, "for there is
here a maiden, who is fairer, and more noble,
and more comely, and who has a better claim to
it than thou." "If thou maintainest
the Sparrow-Hawk to be due to her, come forward,
and do battle with me." And Geraint went
forward to the top of the meadow, having upon
himself and upon his horse armour which was heavy,
and rusty, and worthless, and of uncouth shape.
Then they encountered each other, and they broke
a set of lances, and they broke a second set,
and a third. And thus they did at every onset,
and they broke as many lances as were brought
to them. And when the Earl and his company saw
the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk gaining the mastery,
there was shouting, and joy, and mirth amongst
them. And the hoary-headed man, and his wife,
and his daughter were sorrowful. And the hoary-headed
man served Geraint lances as often as he broke
them, and the dwarf served the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk.
Then the hoary-headed man came to Geraint. "Oh!
chieftain," said he, "since no other
will hold with thee, behold, here is the lance
which was in my hand on the day when I received
the honour of knighthood; and from that time to
this I never broke it. And it has an excellent
point." Then Geraint took the lance, thanking
the hoary-headed man. And thereupon the dwarf
also brought a lance to his lord. "Behold,
here is a lance for thee, not less good than his,"
said the dwarf. "And bethink thee, that no
knight ever withstood thee before so long as this
one has done." "I declare to Heaven,"
said Geraint, "that unless death takes me
quickly hence, he shall fare never the better
for thy service." And Geraint pricked his
horse towards him from afar, and warning him,
he rushed upon him, and gave him a blow so severe,
and furious, and fierce, upon the face of his
shield, that he cleft it in two, and broke his
armour, and burst his girths, so that both he
and his saddle were borne to the ground over the
horse's crupper. And Geraint dismounted quickly.
And he was wroth, and he drew his sword, and rushed
fiercely upon him. Then the knight also arose,
and drew his sword against Geraint. And they fought
on foot with their swords until their arms struck
sparks of fire like stars from one another; and
thus they continued fighting until the blood and
sweat obscured the light from their eyes. And
when Geraint prevailed, the hoary-headed man,
and his wife, and his daughter were glad; and
when the knight prevailed, it rejoiced the Earl
and his party. Then the hoary-headed man saw Geraint
receive a severe stroke, and he went up to him
quickly, and said to him, "Oh, chieftain,
remember the treatment which thou hadst from the
dwarf; and wilt thou not seek vengeance for the
insult to thyself, and for the insult to Gwenhwyvar
the wife of Arthur!" And Geraint was roused
by what he said to him, and he called to him all
his strength, and lifted up his sword, and struck
the knight upon the crown of his head, so that
he broke all his head-armour, and cut through
all the flesh and the skin, even to the skull,
until he wounded the bone.
Then the knight fell upon his knees, and cast
his sword from his hand, and besought mercy of
Geraint. "Of a truth," said he, "I
relinquish my overdaring and my pride in craving
thy mercy; and unless I have time to commit myself
to Heaven for my sins, and to talk with a priest,
thy mercy will avail me little." "I
will grant thee grace upon this condition,"
said Geraint, "that thou wilt go to Gwenhwyvar
the wife of Arthur, to do her satisfaction for
the insult which her maiden received from thy
dwarf. As to myself, for the insult which I received
from thee and thy dwarf, I am content with that
which I have done unto thee. Dismount not from
the time thou goest hence until thou comest into
the presence of Gwenhwyvar, to make her what atonement
shall be adjudged at the Court of Arthur."
"This will I do gladly. And who art thou?"
said he. "I am Geraint the son of Erbin.
And declare thou also who thou art." "I
am Edeyrn the son of Nudd." Then he threw
himself upon his horse, and went forward to Arthur's
Court, and the lady he loved best went before
him and the dwarf, with much lamentation. And
thus far this story up to that time.Then came
the little Earl and his hosts to Geraint, and
saluted him, and bade him to his castle. "I
may not go," said Geraint, "but where
I was last night, there will I be to-night also."
"Since thou wilt none of my inviting, thou
shalt have abundance of all that I can command
for thee, in the place thou wast last night. And
I will order ointment for thee, to recover thee
from thy fatigues, and from the weariness that
is upon thee." "Heaven reward thee,"
said Geraint, "and I will go to my lodging."
And thus went Geraint, and Earl Ynywl, and his
wife, and his daughter. And when they reached
the chamber, the household servants and attendants
of the young Earl had arrived at the Court, and
they arranged all the houses, dressing them with
straw and with fire; and in a short time the ointment
was ready, and Geraint came there, and they washed
his head. Then came the young Earl, with forty
honourable knights from among his attendants,
and those who were bidden to the tournament. And
Geraint came from the anointing. And the Earl
asked him to go to the hall to eat. "Where
is the Earl Ynywl," said Geraint, "and
his wife, and his daughter?" "They are
in the chamber yonder," said the Earl's chamberlain,
"arraying themselves in garments which the
Earl has caused to be brought for them."
"Let not the damsel array herself,"
said he, "except in her vest and her veil,
until she come to the Court of Arthur, to be clad
by Gwenhwyvar in such garments as she may choose."
So the maiden did not array herself.
Then they all entered the hall, and they washed,
and went, and sat down to meat. And thus were
they seated. On one side of Geraint sat the young
Earl, and Earl Ynywl beyond him; and on the other
side of Geraint were the maiden and her mother.
And after these all sat according to their precedence
in honour. And they ate. And they were served
abundantly, and they received a profusion of divers
kind of gifts. Then they conversed together. And
the young Earl invited Geraint to visit him next
day. "I will not, by Heaven," said Geraint.
"To the Court of Arthur will I go with this
maiden to- morrow. And it is enough for me, as
long as Earl Ynywl is in poverty and trouble;
and I go chiefly to seek to add to his maintenance."
"Ah, chieftain," said the young Earl,
"it is not by my fault that Earl Ynywl is
without his possessions." "By my faith,"
said Geraint, "he shall not remain without
them, unless death quickly takes me hence."
"Oh, chieftain," said he, "with
regard to the disagreement between me and Ynywl,
I will gladly abide by thy counsel, and agree
to what thou mayest judge right between us."
"I but ask thee," said Geraint, "to
restore to him what is his, and what he should
have received from the time he lost his possessions,
even until this day." "That I will do
gladly, for thee," answered he. "Then,"
said Geraint, "whosoever is here who owes
homage to Ynywl, let him come forward, and perform
it on the spot." And all the men did so.
And by that treaty they abided. And his castle,
and his town, and all his possessions were restored
to Ynywl. And he received back all that he had
lost, even to the smallest jewel.
Then spoke Earl Ynywl to Geraint. "Chieftain,"
said he, "behold the maiden for whom thou
didst challenge at the tournament, I bestow her
upon thee." "She shall go with me,"
said Geraint, "to the Court of Arthur; and
Arthur and Gwenhwyvar they shall dispose of her
as they will." And the next day they proceeded
to Arthur's Court. So far concerning Geraint.Now,
this is how Arthur hunted the stag. The men and
the dogs were divided into hunting parties, and
the dogs were let loose upon the stag. And the
last dog that was let loose was the favourite
dog of Arthur. Cavall was his name. And he left
all the other dogs behind him, and turned the
stag. And at the second turn, the stag came towards
the hunting party of Arthur. And Arthur set upon
him. And before he could be slain by any other,
Arthur cut off his head. Then they sounded the
death horn for slaying, and they all gathered
round.
Then came Kadyrieith to Arthur, and spoke to him.
"Lord," said he, "behold, yonder
is Gwenhwyvar, and none with her save only one
maiden." "Command Gildas the son of
Caw, and all the scholars of the Court,"
said Arthur, "to attend Gwenhwyvar to the
palace." And they did so.
Then they all set forth, holding converse together
concerning the head of the stag, to whom it should
be given. One wished that it should be given to
the lady best beloved by him, and another to the
lady whom he loved best. And all they of the household,
and the knights, disputed sharply concerning the
head. And with that they came to the palace. And
when Arthur and Gwenhwyvar heard them disputing
about the head of the stag, Gwenhwyvar said to
Arthur, "My lord, this is my counsel concerning
the stag's head; let it not be given away until
Geraint the son of Erbin shall return from the
errand he is upon." And Gwenhwyvar told Arthur
what that errand was. "Right gladly shall
it be so," said Arthur. And thus it was settled.
And the next day Gwenhwyvar caused a watch to
be set upon the ramparts for Geraint's coming.
And after mid-day they beheld an unshapely little
man upon a horse, and after him, as they supposed,
a dame or a damsel, also on horseback, and after
her a knight of large stature, bowed down, and
hanging his head low and sorrowfully, and clad
in broken and worthless armour.
And before they came near to the gate, one of
the watch went to Gwenhwyvar, and told her what
kind of people they saw, and what aspect they
bore. "I know not who they are," said
he. "But I know," said Gwenhwyvar; "this
is the knight whom Geraint pursued, and methinks
that he comes not here by his own free will. But
Geraint has overtaken him, and avenged the insult
to the maiden to the uttermost." And thereupon,
behold a porter came to the spot where Gwenhwyvar
was. "Lady," said he, "at the gate
there is a knight, and I saw never a man of so
pitiful an aspect to look upon as he. Miserable
and broken is the armour that he wears, and the
hue of blood is more conspicuous upon it than
its own colour." "Knowest thou his name?"
said she. "I do," said he; "he
tells me that he is Edeyrn the son of Nudd."
Then she replied, "I know him not."
So Gwenhwyvar went to the gate to meet him, and
he entered. And Gwenhwyvar was sorry when she
saw the condition he was in, even though he was
accompanied by the churlish dwarf. Then Edeyrn
saluted Gwenhwyvar. "Heaven protect thee,"
said she. "Lady," said he, "Geraint
the son of Erbin, thy best and most valiant servant,
greets thee." "Did he meet thee?"
she asked. "Yes," said he, "and
it was not to my advantage; and that was not his
fault, but mine, Lady. And Geraint greets thee
well; and in greeting thee he compelled me to
come hither to do thy pleasure for the insult
which thy maiden received from the dwarf. He forgives
the insult to himself, in consideration of his
having put me in peril of my life. And he imposed
on me a condition, manly, and honourable, and
warrior-like, which was to do thee justice, Lady."
"Now, where did he overtake thee?" "At
the place where we were jousting, and contending
for the Sparrow-Hawk, in the town which is now
called Cardiff. And there were none with him save
three persons, of a mean and tattered condition.
And these were an aged, hoary-headed man, and
a woman advanced in years, and a fair young maiden,
clad in worn-out garments. And it was for the
avouchment of the love of that maiden that Geraint
jousted for the Sparrow-Hawk at the tournament,
for he said that that maiden was better entitled
to the Sparrow-Hawk than this maiden who was with
me. And thereupon we encountered each other, and
he left me, Lady, as thou seest." "Sir,"
said she, "when thinkest thou that Geraint
will be here?" "To-morrow, Lady, I think
he will be here with the maiden."
Then Arthur came to him, and he saluted Arthur;
and Arthur gazed a long time upon him, and was
amazed to see him thus. And thinking that he knew
him, he inquired of him, "Art thou Edeyrn
the son of Nudd?" "I am, Lord,"
said he, "and I have met with much trouble,
and received wounds unsupportable." Then
he told Arthur all his adventure. "Well,"
said Arthur, "from what I hear, it behoves
Gwenhwyvar to be merciful towards thee."
"The mercy which thou desirest, Lord,"
said she, "will I grant to him, since it
is as insulting to thee that an insult should
be offered to me as to thyself." "Thus
will it be best to do," said Arthur; "let
this man have medical care until it be known whether
he may live. And if he live, he shall do such
satisfaction as shall be judged best by the men
of the Court; and take thou sureties to that effect.
And if he die, too much will be the death of such
a youth as Edeyrn for an insult to a maiden."
"This pleases me," said Gwenhwyvar.
And Arthur became surety for Edeyrn, and Caradawc
the son of Llyr, Gwallawg the son of Llenawg,
and Owain the son of Nudd, and Gwalchmai, and
many others with them. And Arthur caused Morgan
Tud to be called to him. He was the chief physician.
"Take with thee Edeyrn the son of Nudd, and
cause a chamber to be prepared for him, and let
him have the aid of medicine as thou wouldst do
unto myself, if I were wounded, and let none into
his chamber to molest him, but thyself and thy
disciples, to administer to him remedies."
"I will do so gladly, Lord," said Morgan
Tud. Then said the steward of the household, "Whither
is it right, Lord, to order the maiden?"
"To Gwenhwyvar and her handmaidens,"
said he. And the steward of the household so ordered
her. Thus far concerning them.The next day came
Geraint towards the Court; and there was a watch
set on the ramparts by Gwenhwyvar, lest he should
arrive unawares. And one of the watch came to
the place where Gwenhwyvar was. "Lady,"
said he, "methinks that I see Geraint, and
the maiden with him. He is on horseback, but he
has his walking gear upon him, and the maiden
appears to be in white, seeming to be clad in
a garment of linen." "Assemble all the
women," said Gwenhwyvar, "and come to
meet Geraint, to welcome him, and wish him joy."
And Gwenhwyvar went to meet Geraint and the maiden.
And when Geraint came to the place where Gwenhwyvar
was, he saluted her. "Heaven prosper thee,"
said she, "and welcome to thee. And thy career
has been successful, and fortunate, and resistless,
and glorious. And Heaven reward thee, that thou
hast so proudly caused me to have retribution."
"Lady," said he, "I earnestly desired
to obtain thee satisfaction according to thy will;
and, behold, here is the maiden through whom thou
hadst thy revenge." "Verily," said
Gwenhwyvar, "the welcome of Heaven be unto
her; and it is fitting that we should receive
her joyfully." Then they went in, and dismounted.
And Geraint came to where Arthur was, and saluted
him. "Heaven protect thee," said Arthur,
"and the welcome of Heaven be unto thee.
And since Edeyrn the son of Nudd has received
his overthrow and wounds from thy hands, thou
hast had a prosperous career." "Not
upon me be the blame," said Geraint, "it
was through the arrogance of Edeyrn the son of
Nudd himself that we were not friends. I would
not quit him until I knew who he was, and until
the one had vanquished the other." "Now,"
said Arthur, "where is the maiden for whom
I heard thou didst give challenge?" "She
is gone with Gwenhwyvar to her chamber."
Then went Arthur to see the maiden. And Arthur,
and all his companions, and his whole Court, were
glad concerning the maiden. And certain were they
all, that had her array been suitable to her beauty,
they had never seen a maid fairer than she. And
Arthur gave away the maiden to Geraint. And the
usual bond made between two persons was made between
Geraint and the maiden, and the choicest of all
Gwenhwyvar's apparel was given to the maiden;
and thus arrayed, she appeared comely and graceful
to all who beheld her. And that day and that night
were spent in abundance of minstrelsy, and ample
gifts of liquor, and a multitude of games. And
when it was time for them to go to sleep, they
went. And in the chamber where the couch of Arthur
and Gwenhwyvar was, the couch of Geraint and Enid
was prepared. And from that time she became his
bride. And the next day Arthur satisfied all the
claimants upon Geraint with bountiful gifts. And
the maiden took up her abode in the palace; and
she had many companions, both men and women, and
there was no maiden more esteemed than she in
the Island of Britain.
Then spake Gwenhwyvar. "Rightly did I judge,"
said she, "concerning the head of the stag,
that it should not be given to any until Geraint's
return; and, behold, here is a fit occasion for
bestowing it. Let it be given to Enid the daughter
of Ynywl, the most illustrious maiden. And I do
not believe that any will begrudge it her, for
between her and every one here there exists nothing
but love and friendship." Much applauded
was this by them all, and by Arthur also. And
the head of the stag was given to Enid. And thereupon
her fame increased, and her friends thenceforward
became more in number than before. And Geraint
from that time forth loved the stag, and the tournament,
and hard encounters; and he came victorious from
them all. And a year, and a second, and a third,
he proceeded thus, until his fame had flown over
the face of the kingdom.And once upon a time Arthur
was holding his Court at Caerlleon upon Usk, at
Whitsuntide. And, behold, there came to him ambassadors,
wise and prudent, full of knowledge, and eloquent
of speech, and they saluted Arthur. "Heaven
prosper you," said Arthur, "and the
welcome of Heaven be unto you. And whence do you
come?" "We come, Lord," said they,
"from Cornwall; and we are ambassadors from
Erbin the son of Custennin, thy uncle, and our
mission is unto thee. And he greets thee well,
as an uncle should greet his nephew, and as a
vassal should greet his lord. And he represents
unto thee that he waxes heavy and feeble, and
is advancing in years. And the neighbouring chiefs,
knowing this, grow insolent towards him, and covet
his land and possessions. And he earnestly beseeches
thee, Lord, to permit Geraint his son to return
to him, to protect his possessions, and to become
acquainted with his boundaries. And unto him he
represents that it were better for him to spend
the flower of his youth and the prime of his age
in preserving his own boundaries, than in tournaments,
which are productive of no profit, although he
obtains glory in them."
"Well,"
said Arthur, "go, and divest yourselves of
your accoutrements, and take food, and refresh
yourselves after your fatigues; and before you
go forth hence you shall have an answer."
And they went to eat. And Arthur considered that
it would go hard with him to let Geraint depart
from him and from his Court; neither did he think
it fair that his cousin should be restrained from
going to protect his dominions and his boundaries,
seeing that his father was unable to do so. No
less was the grief and regret of Gwenhwyvar, and
all her women, and all her damsels, through fear
that the maiden would leave them. And that day
and that night were spent in abundance of feasting.
And Arthur showed Geraint the cause of the mission,
and of the coming of the ambassadors to him out
of Cornwall. "Truly," said Geraint,
"be it to my advantage or disadvantage, Lord,
I will do according to thy will concerning this
embassy." "Behold," said Arthur,
"though it grieves me to part with thee,
it is my counsel that thou go to dwell in thine
own dominions, and to defend thy boundaries, and
to take with thee to accompany thee as many as
thou wilt of those thou lovest best among my faithful
ones, and among thy friends, and among thy companions
in arms." "Heaven reward thee; and this
will I do," said Geraint. "What discourse,"
said Gwenhwyvar, "do I hear between you?
Is it of those who are to conduct Geraint to his
country?" "It is," said Arthur.
"Then it is needful for me to consider,"
said she, "concerning companions and a provision
for the lady that is with me?" "Thou
wilt do well," said Arthur.
And that night they went to sleep. And the next
day the ambassadors were permitted to depart,
and they were told that Geraint should follow
them. And on the third day Geraint set forth,
and many went with him. Gwalchmai the son of Gwyar,
and Riogonedd the son of the king of Ireland,
and Ondyaw the son of the duke of Burgundy, Gwilim
the son of the ruler of the Franks, Howel the
son of Emyr of Brittany, Elivry, and Nawkyrd,
Gwynn the son of Tringad, Goreu the son of Custennin,
Gweir Gwrhyd Vawr, Garannaw the son of Golithmer,
Peredur the son of Evrawc, Gwynnllogell, Gwyr
a judge in the Court of Arthur, Dyvyr the son
of Alun of Dyved, Gwrei Gwalstawd Ieithoedd, Bedwyr
the son of Bedrawd, Hadwry the son of Gwryon,
Kai the son of Kynyr, Odyar the Frank, the Steward
of Arthur's Court, and Edeyrn the son of Nudd.
Said Geraint, "I think that I shall have
enough of knighthood with me." "Yes,"
said Arthur, "but it will not be fitting
for thee to take Edeyrn with thee, although he
is well, until peace shall be made between him
and Gwenhwyvar." "Gwenhwyvar can permit
him to go with me, if he give sureties."
"If she please, she can let him go without
sureties, for enough of pain and affliction has
he suffered for the insult which the maiden received
from the dwarf." "Truly," said
Gwenhwyvar, "since it seems well to thee
and to Geraint, I will do this gladly, Lord."
Then she permitted Edeyrn freely to depart. And
many there were who accompanied Geraint, and they
set forth; and never was there seen a fairer host
journeying towards the Severn. And on the other
side of the Severn were the nobles of Erbin the
son of Custennin, and his foster-father at their
head, to welcome Geraint with gladness; and many
of the women of the Court, with his mother, came
to receive Enid the daughter of Ynywl, his wife.
And there was great rejoicing and gladness throughout
the whole Court, and throughout all the country,
concerning Geraint, because of the greatness of
their love towards him, and of the greatness of
the fame which he had gained since he went from
amongst them, and because he was come to take
possession of his dominions and to preserve his
boundaries. And they came to the Court. And in
the Court they had ample entertainment, and a
multitude of gifts and abundance of liquor, and
a sufficiency of service, and a variety of minstrelsy
and of games. And to do honour to Geraint, all
the chief men of the country were invited that
night to visit him. And they passed that day and
that night in the utmost enjoyment. And at dawn
next day Erbin arose, and summoned to him Geraint,
and the noble persons who had borne him company.
And he said to Geraint, "I am a feeble and
aged man, and whilst I was able to maintain the
dominion for thee and for myself, I did so. But
thou art young, and in the flower of thy vigour
and of thy youth; henceforth do thou preserve
thy possessions." "Truly," said
Geraint, "with my consent thou shalt not
give the power over thy dominions at this time
into my hands, and thou shalt not take me from
Arthur's Court." "Into thy hands will
I give them," said Erbin, "and this
day also shalt thou receive the homage of thy
subjects."
Then said Gwalchmai, "It were better for
thee to satisfy those who have boons to ask, to-day,
and to-morrow thou canst receive the homage of
thy dominions." So all that had boons to
ask were summoned into one place. And Kadyrieith
came to them, to know what were their requests.
And every one asked that which he desired. And
the followers of Arthur began to make gifts, and
immediately the men of Cornwall came, and gave
also. And they were not long in giving, so eager
was every one to bestow gifts. And of those who
came to ask gifts, none departed unsatisfied.
And that day and that night were spent in the
utmost enjoyment.
And the next day, at dawn, Erbin desired Geraint
to send messengers to the men, to ask them whether
it was displeasing to them that he should come
to receive their homage, and whether they had
anything to object to him. Then Geraint sent ambassadors
to the men of Cornwall, to ask them this. And
they all said that it would be the fulness of
joy and honour to them for Geraint to come and
receive their homage. So he received the homage
of such as were there. And they remained with
him till the third night. And the day after the
followers of Arthur intended to go away. "It
is too soon for you to go away yet," said
he, "stay with me until I have finished receiving
the homage of my chief men, who have agreed to
come to me." And they remained with him until
he had done so. Then they set forth towards the
Court of Arthur; and Geraint went to bear them
company, and Enid also, as far as Diganhwy: there
they parted. Then Ondyaw the son of the duke of
Burgundy said to Geraint, "Go first of all
and visit the uppermost parts of thy dominions,
and see well to the boundaries of thy territories;
and if thou hast any trouble respecting them,
send unto thy companions." "Heaven reward
thee," said Geraint, "and this will
I do." And Geraint journeyed to the uttermost
part of his dominions. And experienced guides,
and the chief men of his country, went with him.
And the furthermost point that they showed him
he kept possession of.
And, as he had been used to do when he was at
Arthur's Court, he frequented tournaments. And
he became acquainted with valiant and mighty men,
until he had gained as much fame there as he had
formerly done elsewhere. And he enriched his Court,
and his companions, and his nobles, with the best
horses and the best arms, and with the best and
most valuable jewels, and he ceased not until
his fame had flown over the face of the whole
kingdom. And when he knew that it was thus, he
began to love ease and pleasure, for there was
no one who was worth his opposing. And he loved
his wife, and liked to continue in the palace,
with minstrelsy and diversions. And for a long
time he abode at home. And after that he began
to shut himself up in the chamber of his wife,
and he took no delight in anything besides, insomuch
that he gave up the friendship of his nobles,
together with his hunting and his amusements,
and lost the hearts of all the host in his Court;
and there was murmuring and scoffing concerning
him among the inhabitants of the palace, on account
of his relinquishing so completely their companionship
for the love of his wife. And these tidings came
to Erbin. And when Erbin had heard these things,
he spoke unto Enid, and inquired of her whether
it was she that had caused Geraint to act thus,
and to forsake his people and his hosts. "Not
I, by my confession unto Heaven," said she,
"there is nothing more hateful to me than
this." And she knew not what she should do,
for, although it was hard for her to own this
to Geraint, yet was it not more easy for her to
listen to what she heard, without warning Geraint
concerning it. And she was very sorrowful.
And one morning in the summer time, they were
upon their couch, and Geraint lay upon the edge
of it. And Enid was without sleep in the apartment,
which had windows of glass. And the sun shone
upon the couch. And the clothes had slipped from
off his arms and his breast, and he was asleep.
Then she gazed upon the marvellous beauty of his
appearance, and she said, "Alas, and am I
the cause that these arms and this breast have
lost their glory and the warlike fame which they
once so richly enjoyed!" And as she said
this, the tears dropped from her eyes, and they
fell upon his breast. And the tears she shed,
and the words she had spoken, awoke him; and another
thing contributed to awaken him, and that was
the idea that it was not in thinking of him that
she spoke thus, but that it was because she loved
some other man more than him, and that she wished
for other society, and thereupon Geraint was troubled
in his mind, and he called his squire; and when
he came to him, "Go quickly," said he,
"and prepare my horse and my arms, and make
them ready. And do thou arise," said he to
Enid, "and apparel thyself; and cause thy
horse to be accoutred, and clothe thee in the
worst riding-dress that thou hast in thy possession.
And evil betide me," said he, "if thou
returnest here until thou knowest whether I have
lost my strength so completely as thou didst say.
And if it be so, it will then be easy for thee
to seek the society thou didst wish for of him
of whom thou wast thinking." So she arose,
and clothed herself in her meanest garments. "I
know nothing, Lord," said she, "of thy
meaning." "Neither wilt thou know at
this time," said he.
Then Geraint went to see Erbin. "Sir,"
said he, "I am going upon a quest, and I
am not certain when I may come back. Take heed,
therefore, unto thy possessions, until my return."
"I will do so," said he, "but it
is strange to me that thou shouldest go so suddenly.
And who will proceed with thee, since thou art
not strong enough to traverse the land of Lloegyr
alone?" "But one person only will go
with me." "Heaven counsel thee, my son,"
said Erbin, "and may many attach themselves
to thee in Lloegyr." Then went Geraint to
the place where his horse was, and it was equipped
with foreign armour, heavy and shining. And he
desired Enid to mount her horse, and to ride forward,
and to keep a long way before him. "And whatever
thou mayest see, and whatever thou mayest hear
concerning me," said he, "do thou not
turn back. And unless I speak unto thee, say not
thou one word either." And they set forward.
And he did not choose the pleasantest and most
frequented road, but that which was the wildest
and most beset by thieves, and robbers, and venomous
animals. And they came to a high road, which they
followed till they saw a vast forest, and they
went towards it, and they saw four armed horsemen
come forth from the forest. When the horsemen
had beheld them, one of them said to the others,
"Behold, here is a good occasion for us to
capture two horses and armour, and a lady likewise;
for this we shall have no difficulty in doing
against yonder single knight, who hangs his head
so pensively and heavily." And Enid heard
this discourse, and she knew not what she should
do through fear of Geraint, who had told her to
be silent. "The vengeance of Heaven be upon
me," she said, "if I would not rather
receive my death from his hand than from the hand
of any other; and though he should slay me yet
will I speak to him, lest I should have the misery
to witness his death." So she waited for
Geraint until he came near to her. "Lord,"
said she, "didst thou hear the words of those
men concerning thee?" Then he lifted up his
eyes, and looked at her angrily. "Thou hadst
only," said he, "to hold thy peace as
I bade thee. I wish but for silence, and not for
warning. And though thou shouldest desire to see
my defeat and my death by the hands of those men,
yet do I feel no dread." Then the foremost
of them couched his lance, and rushed upon Geraint.
And he received him, and that not feebly. But
he let the thrust go by him, while he struck the
horseman upon the centre of his shield in such
a manner that his shield was split, and his armour
broken, and so that a cubit's length of the shaft
of Geraint's lance passed through his body, and
sent him to the earth, the length of the lance
over his horse's crupper. Then the second horseman
attacked him furiously, being wroth at the death
of his companion. But with one thrust Geraint
overthrew him also, and killed him as he had done
the other. Then the third set upon him, and he
killed him in like manner. And thus also he slew
the fourth. Sad and sorrowful was the maiden as
she saw all this. Geraint dismounted from his
horse, and took the arms of the men he had slain,
and placed them upon their saddles, and tied together
the reins of their horses, and he mounted his
horse again. "Behold what thou must do,"
said he; "take the four horses, and drive
them before thee, and proceed forward, as I bade
thee just now. And say not one word unto me, unless
I speak first unto thee. And I declare unto Heaven,"
said he, "if thou doest not thus, it will
be to thy cost." "I will do, as far
as I can, Lord," said she, "according
to thy desire." Then they went forward through
the forest; and when they left the forest, they
came to a vast plain, in the centre of which was
a group of thickly tangled copse-wood; and from
out thereof they beheld three horsemen coming
towards them, well equipped with armour, both
they and their horses. Then the maiden looked
steadfastly upon them; and when they had come
near, she heard them say one to another, "Behold,
here is a good arrival for us; here are coming
for us four horses and four suits of armour. We
shall easily obtain them spite of yonder dolorous
knight, and the maiden also will fall into our
power." "This is but too true,"
said she to herself, "for my husband is tired
with his former combat. The vengeance of Heaven
will be upon me, unless I warn him of this."
So the maiden waited until Geraint came up to
her. "Lord," said she, "dust thou
not hear the discourse of yonder men concerning
thee?" "What was it?" asked he.
"They say to one another, that they will
easily obtain all this spoil." "I declare
to Heaven," he answered, "that their
words are less grievous to me than that thou wilt
not be silent, and abide by my counsel."
"My Lord," said she, "I feared
lest they should surprise thee unawares."
"Hold thy peace, then," said he, "do
not I desire silence?" And thereupon one
of the horsemen couched his lance, and attacked
Geraint. And he made a thrust at him, which he
thought would be very effective; but Geraint received
it carelessly, and struck it aside, and then he
rushed upon him, and aimed at the centre of his
person, and from the shock of man and horse, the
quantity of his armour did not avail him, and
the head of the lance and part of the shaft passed
through him, so that he was carried to the ground
an arm and a spear's length over the crupper of
his horse. And both the other horsemen came forward
in their turn, but their onset was not more successful
than that of their companion. And the maiden stood
by, looking at all this; and on the one hand she
was in trouble lest Geraint should be wounded
in his encounter with the men, and on the other
hand she was joyful to see him victorious. Then
Geraint dismounted, and bound the three suits
of armour upon the three saddles, and he fastened
the reins of all the horses together, so that
he had seven horses with him. And he mounted his
own horse, and commanded the maiden to drive forward
the others. "It is no more use for me to
speak to thee than to refrain, for thou wilt not
attend to my advice." "I will do so,
as far as I am able, Lord," said she; "but
I cannot conceal from thee the fierce and threatening
words which I may hear against thee, Lord, from
such strange people as those that haunt this wilderness."
"I declare to Heaven," said he, "that
I desire nought but silence; therefore, hold thy
peace." "I will, Lord, while I can."
And the maiden went on with the horses before
her, and she pursued her way straight onwards.
And from the copse-wood already mentioned, they
journeyed over a vast and dreary open plain. And
at a great distance from them they beheld a wood,
and they could see neither end nor boundary to
the wood, except on that side that was nearest
to them, and they went towards it. Then there
came from out the wood five horsemen, eager, and
bold, and mighty, and strong, mounted upon chargers
that were powerful, and large of bone, and high-mettled,
and proudly snorting, and both the men and the
horses were well equipped with arms. And when
they drew near to them, Enid heard them say, "Behold,
here is a fine booty coming to us, which we shall
obtain easily and without labour, for we shall
have no trouble in taking all those horses and
arms, and the lady also, from yonder single knight,
so doleful and sad."
Sorely grieved was the maiden upon hearing this
discourse, so that she knew not in the world what
she should do. At last, however, she determined
to warn Geraint; so she turned her horse's head
towards him. "Lord," said she, "if
thou hadst heard as I did what yonder horsemen
said concerning thee, thy heaviness would be greater
than it is." Angrily and bitterly did Geraint
smile upon her, and he said, "Thee do I hear
doing everything that I forbade thee; but it may
be that thou will repent this yet." And immediately,
behold, the men met them, and victoriously and
gallantly did Geraint overcome them all five.
And he placed the five suits of armour upon the
five saddles, and tied together the reins of the
twelve horses, and gave them in charge to Enid.
"I know not," said he, "what good
it is for me to order thee; but this time I charge
thee in an especial manner." So the maiden
went forward towards the wood, keeping in advance
of Geraint, as he had desired her; and it grieved
him as much as his wrath would permit, to see
a maiden so illustrious as she having so much
trouble with the care of the horses. Then they
reached the wood, and it was both deep and vast;
and in the wood night overtook them. "Ah,
maiden," said he, "it is vain to attempt
proceeding forward!" "Well, Lord,"
said she, "whatsoever thou wishest, we will
do." "It will be best for us,"
he answered, "to turn out of the wood, and
to rest, and wait for the day, in order to pursue
our journey." "That will we, gladly,"
said she. And they did so. Having dismounted himself,
he took her down from her horse. "I cannot,
by any means, refrain from sleep, through weariness,"
said he. "Do thou, therefore, watch the horses,
and sleep not." "I will, Lord,"
said she. Then he went to sleep in his armour,
and thus passed the night, which was not long
at that season. And when she saw the dawn of day
appear, she looked around her, to see if he were
waking, and thereupon he woke. "My Lord,"
she said, "I have desired to awake thee for
some time." But he spake nothing to her about
fatigue, as he had desired her to be silent. Then
he arose, and said unto her, "Take the horses,
and ride on; and keep straight on before thee
as thou didst yesterday." And early in the
day they left the wood, and they came to an open
country, with meadows on one hand, and mowers
mowing the meadows. And there was a river before
them, and the horses bent down, and drank the
water. And they went up out of the river by a
lofty steep; and there they met a slender stripling,
with a satchel about his neck, and they saw that
there was something in the satchel, but they knew
not what it was. And he had a small blue pitcher
in his hand, and a bowl on the mouth of the pitcher.
And the youth saluted Geraint. "Heaven prosper
thee," said Geraint, "and whence dost
thou come?" "I come," said he,
"from the city that lies before thee. My
Lord," he added, "will it be displeasing
to thee if I ask whence thou comest also?"
"By no means--through yonder wood did I come."
"Thou camest not through the wood to-day."
"No," he replied, "we were in the
wood last night." "I warrant,"
said the youth, "that thy condition there
last night was not the most pleasant, and that
thou hadst neither meat nor drink." "No,
by my faith," said he. "Wilt thou follow
my counsel," said the youth, "and take
thy meal from me?" "What sort of meal?"
he inquired. "The breakfast which is sent
for yonder mowers, nothing less than bread and
meat and wine; and if thou wilt, Sir, they shall
have none of it." "I will," said
he, "and Heaven reward thee for it."
So Geraint alighted, and the youth took the maiden
from off her horse. Then they washed, and took
their repast. And the youth cut the bread in slices,
and gave them drink, and served them withal. And
when they had finished, the youth arose, and said
to Geraint, "My Lord, with thy permission,
I will now go and fetch some food for the mowers."
"Go, first, to the town," said Geraint,
"and take a lodging for me in the best place
that thou knowest, and the most commodious one
for the horses, and take thou whichever horse
and arms thou choosest in payment for thy service
and thy gift." "Heaven reward thee,
Lord," said the youth, "and this would
be ample to repay services much greater than those
I have rendered unto thee." And to the town
went the youth, and he took the best and the most
pleasant lodgings that he knew; and after that
he went to the palace, having the horse and armour
with him, and proceeded to the place where the
Earl was, and told him all his adventure. "I
go now, Lord," said he, "to meet the
young man, and to conduct him to his lodging."
"Go, gladly," said the Earl, "and
right joyfully shall he be received here, if he
so come." And the youth went to meet Geraint,
and told him that he would be received gladly
by the Earl in his own palace; but he would go
only to his lodgings. And he had a goodly chamber,
in which was plenty of straw, and drapery, and
a spacious and commodious place he had for the
horses; and the youth prepared for them plenty
of provender. And after they had disarrayed themselves,
Geraint spoke thus to Enid: "Go," said
he, "to the other side of the chamber, and
come not to this side of the house; and thou mayest
call to thee the woman of the house, if thou wilt."
"I will do, Lord," said she, "as
thou sayest." And thereupon the man of the
house came to Geraint, and welcomed him. "Oh,
chieftain," he said, "hast thou taken
thy meal?" "I have," said he. Then
the youth spoke to him, and inquired if he would
not drink something before he met the Earl. "Truly
I will," said he. So the youth went into
the town, and brought them drink. And they drank.
"I must needs sleep," said Geraint.
"Well," said the youth; "and whilst
thou sleepest, I will go to see the Earl."
"Go, gladly," he said, "and come
here again when I require thee." And Geraint
went to sleep; and so did Enid also.
And the youth came to the place where the Earl
was, and the Earl asked him where the lodgings
of the knight were, and he told him. "I must
go," said the youth, "to wait on him
in the evening." "Go," answered
the Earl, "and greet him well from me, and
tell him that in the evening I will go to see
him." "This will I do," said the
youth. So he came when it was time for them to
awake. And they arose, and went forth. And when
it was time for them to take their food, they
took it. And the youth served them. And Geraint
inquired of the man of the house, whether there
were any of his companions that he wished to invite
to him, and he said that there were. "Bring
them hither, and entertain them at my cost with
the best thou canst buy in the town."
And the man of the house brought there those whom
he chose, and feasted them at Geraint's expense.
Thereupon, behold, the Earl came to visit Geraint,
and his twelve honourable knights with him. And
Geraint rose up, and welcomed him. "Heaven
preserve thee," said the Earl. Then they
all sat down according to their precedence in
honour. And the Earl conversed with Geraint, and
inquired of him the object of his journey. "I
have none," he replied, "but to seek
adventures, and to follow my own inclination."
Then the Earl cast his eye upon Enid, and he looked
at her steadfastly. And he thought he had never
seen a maiden fairer or more comely than she.
And he set all his thoughts and his affections
upon her. Then he asked of Geraint, "Have
I thy permission to go and converse with yonder
maiden, for I see that she is apart from thee?"
"Thou hast it gladly," said he. So the
Earl went to the place where the maiden was, and
spake with her. "Ah, maiden," said he,
"it cannot be pleasant to thee to journey
thus with yonder man!" "It is not unpleasant
to me," said she, "to journey the same
road that he journeys." "Thou hast neither
youths nor maidens to serve thee," said he.
"Truly," she replied, "it is more
pleasant for me to follow yonder man, than to
be served by youths and maidens." "I
will give thee good counsel," said he. "All
my Earldom will I place in thy possession, if
thou wilt dwell with me." "That will
I not, by Heaven," she said; "yonder
man was the first to whom my faith was ever pledged;
and shall I prove inconstant to him!" "Thou
art in the wrong," said the Earl; "if
I slay the man yonder, I can keep thee with me
as long as I choose; and when thou no longer pleasest
me I can turn thee away. But if thou goest with
me by thine own good will, I protest that our
union shall continue eternal and undivided as
long as I remain alive." Then she pondered
these words of his, and she considered that it
was advisable to encourage him in his request.
"Behold, then, chieftain, this is most expedient
for thee to do to save me any needless imputation;
come here to-morrow, and take me away as though
I knew nothing thereof." "I will do
so," said he. So he arose, and took his leave,
and went forth with his attendants. And she told
not then to Geraint any of the conversation which
she had had with the Earl, lest it should rouse
his anger, and cause him uneasiness and care.
And at the usual hour they went to sleep. And
at the beginning of the night Enid slept a little;
and at midnight she arose, and placed all Geraint's
armour together, so that it might be ready to
put on. And although fearful of her errand, she
came to the side of Geraint's bed; and she spoke
to him softly and gently, saying, "My Lord,
arise, and clothe thyself, for these were the
words of the Earl to me, and his intention concerning
me." So she told Geraint all that had passed.
And although he was wroth with her, he took warning,
and clothed himself. And she lighted a candle,
that he might have light to do so. "Leave
there the candle," said he, "and desire
the man of the house to come here." Then
she went, and the man of the house came to him.
"Dost thou know how much I owe thee?"
asked Geraint. "I think thou owest but little."
"Take the eleven horses and the eleven suits
of armour." "Heaven reward thee, lord,"
said he, "but I spent not the value of one
suit of armour upon thee." "For that
reason," said he, "thou wilt be the
richer. And now, wilt thou come to guide me out
of the town?" "I will, gladly,"
said he, "and in which direction dost thou
intend to go?" "I wish to leave the
town by a different way from that by which I entered
it." So the man of the lodgings accompanied
him as far as he desired. Then he bade the maiden
to go on before him; and she did so, and went
straight forward, and his host returned home.
And he had only just reached his house, when,
behold, the greatest tumult approached that was
ever heard. And when he looked out, he saw fourscore
knights in complete armour around the house, with
the Earl Dwnn at their head. "Where is the
knight that was here?" said the Earl. "By
thy hand," said he, "he went hence some
time ago." "Wherefore, villain,"
said he, "didst thou let him go without informing
me?" "My Lord, thou didst not command
me to do so, else would I not have allowed him
to depart." "What way dost thou think
that he took?" "I know not, except that
he went along the high road." And they turned
their horses' heads that way, and seeing the tracks
of the horses upon the high road, they followed.
And when the maiden beheld the dawning of the
day, she looked behind her, and saw vast clouds
of dust coming nearer and nearer to her. And thereupon
she became uneasy, and she thought that it was
the Earl and his host coming after them. And thereupon
she beheld a knight appearing through the mist.
"By my faith," said she, "though
he should slay me, it were better for me to receive
my death at his hands, than to see him killed
without warning him. My Lord," she said to
him, "seest thou yonder man hastening after
thee, and many others with him?" "I
do see him," said he; "and in despite
of all my orders, I see that thou wilt never keep
silence." Then he turned upon the knight,
and with the first thrust he threw him down under
his horse's feet. And as long as there remained
one of the fourscore knights, he overthrew every
one of them at the first onset. And from the weakest
to the strongest, they all attacked him one after
the other, except the Earl: and last of all the
Earl came against him also. And he broke his lance,
and then he broke a second. But Geraint turned
upon him, and struck him with his lance upon the
centre of his shield, so that by that single thrust
the shield was split, and all his armour broken,
and he himself was brought over his horse's crupper
to the ground, and was in peril of his life. And
Geraint drew near to him; and at the noise of
the trampling of his horse the Earl revived. "Mercy,
Lord," said he to Geraint. And Geraint granted
him mercy. But through the hardness of the ground
where they had fallen, and the violence of the
stroke which they had received, there was not
a single knight amongst them that escaped without
receiving a fall, mortally severe, and grievously
painful, and desperately wounding, from the hand
of Geraint.
And Geraint journeyed along the high road that
was before him, and the maiden went on first;
and near them they beheld a valley which was the
fairest ever seen, and which had a large river
running through it; and there was a bridge over
the river, and the high road led to the bridge.
And above the bridge upon the opposite side of
the river, they beheld a fortified town, the fairest
ever seen. And as they approached the bridge,
Geraint saw coming towards him from a thick copse
a man mounted upon a large and lofty steed, even
of pace and spirited though tractable. "Ah,
knight," said Geraint, "whence comest
thou?" "I come," said he, "from
the valley below us." "Canst thou tell
me," said Geraint, "who is the owner
of this fair valley and yonder walled town?"
"I will tell thee, willingly," said
he. "Gwiffert Petit he is called by the Franks,
but the Cymry call him the Little King."
"Can I go by yonder bridge," said Geraint,
"and by the lower highway that is beneath
the town?" Said the knight, "Thou canst
not go by his tower on the other side of the bridge,
unless thou dost intend to combat him; because
it is his custom to encounter every knight that
comes upon his lands." "I declare to
Heaven," said Geraint, "that I will,
nevertheless, pursue my journey that way."
"If thou dost so," said the knight,
"thou wilt probably meet with shame and disgrace
in reward for thy daring." Then Geraint proceeded
along the road that led to the town, and the road
brought him to a ground that was hard, and rugged,
and high, and ridgy. And as he journeyed thus,
he beheld a knight following him upon a warhorse,
strong, and large, and proudly-stepping, and wide-hoofed,
and broad- chested. And he never saw a man of
smaller stature than he who was upon the horse.
And both he and his horse were completely armed.
When he had overtaken Geraint, he said to him,
"Tell me, chieftain, whether it is through
ignorance or through presumption that thou seekest
to insult my dignity, and to infringe my rules."
"Nay," answered Geraint, "I knew
not this road was forbid to any." "Thou
didst know it," said the other; "come
with me to my Court, to give me satisfaction."
"That will I not, by my faith," said
Geraint; "I would not go even to thy Lord's
Court, excepting Arthur were thy Lord." "By
the hand of Arthur himself," said the knight,
"I will have satisfaction of thee, or receive
my overthrow at thy hands." And immediately
they charged one another. And a squire of his
came to serve him with lances as he broke them.
And they gave each other such hard and severe
strokes that their shields lost all their colour.
But it was very difficult for Geraint to fight
with him on account of his small size, for he
was hardly able to get a full aim at him with
all the efforts he could make. And they fought
thus until their horses were brought down upon
their knees; and at length Geraint threw the knight
headlong to the ground; and then they fought on
foot, and they gave one another blows so boldly
fierce, so frequent, and so severely powerful,
that their helmets were pierced, and their skullcaps
were broken, and their arms were shattered, and
the light of their eyes was darkened by sweat
and blood. At the last Geraint became enraged,
and he called to him all his strength; and boldly
angry, and swiftly resolute, and furiously determined,
he lifted up his sword, and struck him on the
crown of his head a blow so mortally painful,
so violent, so fierce, and so penetrating, that
it cut through all his head armour, and his skin,
and his flesh, until it wounded the very bone,
and the sword flew out of the hand of the Little
King to the furthest end of the plain, and he
besought Geraint that he would have mercy and
compassion upon him. "Though thou hast been
neither courteous nor just," said Geraint,
"thou shalt have mercy, upon condition that
thou wilt become my ally, and engage never to
fight against me again, but to come to my assistance
whenever thou hearest of my being in trouble."
"This will I do, gladly, Lord," said
he. So he pledged him his faith thereof. "And
now, Lord, come with me," said he, "to
my Court yonder, to recover from thy weariness
and fatigue." "That will I not, by Heaven,"
said he.
Then Gwiffert Petit beheld Enid where she stood,
and it grieved him to see one of her noble mien
appear so deeply afflicted. And he said to Geraint,
"My Lord, thou doest wrong not to take repose,
and refresh thyself awhile; for, if thou meetest
with any difficulty in thy present condition,
it will not be easy for thee to surmount it."
But Geraint would do no other than proceed on
his journey, and he mounted his horse in pain,
and all covered with blood. And the maiden went
on first, and they proceeded towards the wood
which they saw before them.
And the heat of the sun was very great, and through
the blood and sweat, Geraint's armour cleaved
to his flesh; and when they came into the wood,
he stood under a tree, to avoid the sun's heat;
and his wounds pained him more than they had done
at the time when he received them. And the maiden
stood under another tree. And lo! they heard the
sound of horns, and a tumultuous noise; and the
occasion of it was, that Arthur and his company
had come down to the wood. And while Geraint was
considering which way he should go to avoid them,
behold, he was espied by a foot-page, who was
an attendant on the Steward of the Household;
and he went to the Steward, and told him what
kind of man he had seen in the wood. Then the
Steward caused his horse to be saddled, and he
took his lance and his shield, and went to the
place where Geraint was. "Ah, knight!"
said he, "what dost thou here?" "I
am standing under a shady tree, to avoid the heat
and the rays of the sun." "Wherefore
is thy journey, and who art thou?" "I
seek adventures, and go where I list." "Indeed,"
said Kai; "then come with me to see Arthur,
who is here hard by." "That will I not,
by Heaven," said Geraint. "Thou must
needs come," said Kai. Then Geraint knew
who he was, but Kai did not know Geraint. And
Kai attacked Geraint as best he could. And Geraint
became wroth, and he struck him with the shaft
of his lance, so that he rolled headlong to the
ground. But chastisement worse than this would
he not inflict on him.
Scared and wildly Kai arose, and he mounted his
horse, and went back to his lodging. And thence
he proceeded to Gwalchmai's tent. "Oh, Sir,"
said he to Gwalchmai, "I was told by one
of the attendants, that he saw in the wood above
a wounded knight, having on battered armour; and
if thou dost right, thou wilt go and see if this
be true." "I care not if I do so,"
said Gwalchmai. "Take, then, thy horse, and
some of thy armour," said Kai; "for
I hear that he is not over courteous to those
who approach him." So Gwalchmai took his
spear and his shield, and mounted his horse, and
came to the spot where Geraint was. "Sir
Knight," said he, "wherefore is thy
journey?" "I journey for my own pleasure,
and to seek the adventures of the world."
"Wilt thou tell me who thou art; or wilt
thou come and visit Arthur, who is near at hand?"
"I will make no alliance with thee, nor will
I go and visit Arthur," said he. And he knew
that it was Gwalchmai, but Gwalchmai knew him
not. "I purpose not to leave thee,"
said Gwalchmai, "till I know who thou art."
And he charged him with his lance, and struck
him on his shield, so that the shaft was shivered
into splinters, and their horses were front to
front. Then Gwalchmai gazed fixedly upon him,
and he knew him. "Ah, Geraint," said
he, "is it thou that art here?" "I
am not Geraint," said he. "Geraint thou
art, by Heaven," he replied, "and a
wretched and insane expedition is this."
Then he looked around, and beheld Enid, and he
welcomed her gladly. "Geraint," said
Gwalchmai, "come thou and see Arthur; he
is thy lord and thy cousin." "I will
not," said he, "for I am not in a fit
state to go and see any one." Thereupon,
behold, one of the pages came after Gwalchmai
to speak to him. So he sent him to apprise Arthur
that Geraint was there wounded, and that he would
not go to visit him, and that it was pitiable
to see the plight that he was in. And this he
did without Geraint's knowledge, inasmuch as he
spoke in a whisper to the page. "Entreat
Arthur," said he, "to have his tent
brought near to the road, for he will not meet
him willingly, and it is not easy to compel him
in the mood he is in." So the page came to
Arthur, and told him this. And he caused his tent
to be removed unto the side of the road. And the
maiden rejoiced in her heart. And Gwalchmai led
Geraint onwards along the road, till they came
to the place where Arthur was encamped, and the
pages were pitching his tent by the roadside.
"Lord," said Geraint, "all hail
unto thee." "Heaven prosper thee; and
who art thou?" said Arthur. "It is Geraint,"
said Gwalchmai, "and of his own free will
would he not come to meet thee." "Verily,"
said Arthur, "he is bereft of his reason."
Then came Enid, and saluted Arthur. "Heaven
protect thee," said he. And thereupon he
caused one of the pages to take her from her horse.
"Alas! Enid," said Arthur, "what
expedition is this?" "I know not, Lord,"
said she, "save that it behoves me to journey
by the same road that he journeys." "My
Lord," said Geraint, "with thy permission
we will depart." "Whither wilt thou
go?" said Arthur. "Thou canst not proceed
now, unless it be unto thy death." "He
will not suffer himself to be invited by me,"
said Gwalchmai. "But by me he will,"
said Arthur; "and, moreover, he does not
go from here until he is healed." "I
had rather, Lord," said Geraint, "that
thou wouldest let me go forth." "That
will I not, I declare to Heaven," said he.
Then he caused a maiden to be sent for to conduct
Enid to the tent where Gwenhwyvar's chamber was.
And Gwenhwyvar and all her women were joyful at
her coming; and they took off her riding-dress,
and placed other garments upon her. Arthur also
called Kadyrieith, and ordered him to pitch a
tent for Geraint and the physicians; and he enjoined
him to provide him with abundance of all that
might be requisite for him. And Kadyrieith did
as he had commanded him. And Morgan Tud and his
disciples were brought to Geraint.
And Arthur and his hosts remained there nearly
a month, whilst Geraint was being healed. And
when he was fully recovered, Geraint came to Arthur,
and asked his permission to depart. "I know
not if thou art quite well." "In truth
I am, Lord," said Geraint. "I shall
not believe thee concerning that, but the physicians
that were with thee." So Arthur caused the
physicians to be summoned to him, and asked them
if it were true. "It is true, Lord,"
said Morgan Tud. So the next day Arthur permitted
him to go forth, and he pursued his journey. And
on the same day Arthur removed thence. And Geraint
desired Enid to go on, and to keep before him,
as she had formerly done. And she went forward
along the high road. And as they journeyed thus,
they heard an exceeding loud wailing near to them.
"Stay thou here," said he, "and
I will go and see what is the cause of this wailing."
"I will," said she. Then he went forward
unto an open glade that was near the road. And
in the glade he saw two horses, one having a man's
saddle, and the other a woman's saddle upon it.
And, behold, there was a knight lying dead in
his armour, and a young damsel in a riding-dress
standing over him, lamenting. "Ah! Lady,"
said Geraint, "what hath befallen thee?"
"Behold," she answered, "I journeyed
here with my beloved husband, when, lo! three
giants came upon us, and without any cause in
the world, they slew him." "Which way
went they hence?" said Geraint. "Yonder
by the high road," she replied. So he returned
to Enid. "Go," said he, "to the
lady that is below yonder, and await me there
till I come." She was sad when he ordered
her to do thus, but nevertheless she went to the
damsel, whom it was ruth to hear, and she felt
certain that Geraint would never return. Meanwhile
Geraint followed the giants, and overtook them.
And each of them was greater of stature than three
other men, and a huge club was on the shoulder
of each. Then he rushed upon one of them, and
thrust his lance through his body. And having
drawn it forth again, he pierced another of them
through likewise. But the third turned upon him,
and struck him with his club, so that he split
his shield, and crushed his shoulder, and opened
his wounds anew, and all his blood began to flow
from him. But Geraint drew his sword, and attacked
the giant, and gave him a blow on the crown of
his head so severe, and fierce, and violent, that
his head and his neck were split down to his shoulders,
and he fell dead. So Geraint left him thus, and
returned to Enid. And when he saw her, he fell
down lifeless from his horse. Piercing, and loud,
and thrilling was the cry that Enid uttered. And
she came and stood over him where he had fallen.
And at the sound of her cries came the Earl of
Limours, and the host that journeyed with him,
whom her lamentations brought out of their road.
And the Earl said to Enid, "Alas, Lady, what
hath befallen thee?" "Ah! good Sir,"
said she, "the only man I have loved, or
ever shall love, is slain." Then he said
to the other, "And what is the cause of thy
grief?" "They have slain my beloved
husband also," said she. "And who was
it that slew them?" "Some giants,"
she answered, "slew my best-beloved, and
the other knight went in pursuit of them, and
came back in the state thou seest, his blood flowing
excessively; but it appears to me that he did
not leave the giants without killing some of them,
if not all." The Earl caused the knight that
was dead to be buried, but he thought that there
still remained some life in Geraint; and to see
if he yet would live, he had him carried with
him in the hollow of his shield, and upon a bier.
And the two damsels went to the Court; and when
they arrived there, Geraint was placed upon a
litter-couch in front of the table that was in
the hall. Then they all took off their travelling
gear, and the Earl besought Enid to do the same,
and to clothe herself in other garments. "I
will not, by Heaven," said she. "Ah!
Lady," said he, "be not so sorrowful
for this matter." "It were hard to persuade
me to be otherwise," said she. "I will
act towards thee in such wise, that thou needest
not be sorrowful, whether yonder knight live or
die. Behold, a good Earldom, together with myself,
will I bestow on thee; be, therefore, happy and
joyful." "I declare to Heaven,"
said she, "that henceforth I shall never
be joyful while I live." "Come, then,"
said he, "and eat." "No, by Heaven,
I will not," she answered. "But, by
Heaven, thou shalt," said he. So he took
her with him to the table against her will, and
many times desired her to eat. "I call Heaven
to witness," said she, "that I will
not eat until the man that is upon yonder bier
shall eat likewise." "Thou canst not
fulfil that," said the Earl, "yonder
man is dead already." "I will prove
that I can," said she. Then he offered her
a goblet of liquor. "Drink this goblet,"
he said, "and it will cause thee to change
thy mind." "Evil betide me," she
answered, "if I drink aught until he drink
also." "Truly," said the Earl,
"it is of no more avail for me to be gentle
with thee than ungentle." And he gave her
a box on the ear. Thereupon she raised a loud
and piercing shriek, and her lamentations were
much greater than they had been before, for she
considered in her mind that had Geraint been alive,
he durst not have struck her thus. But, behold,
at the sound of her cry, Geraint revived from
his swoon, and he sat up on the bier, and finding
his sword in the hollow of his shield, he rushed
to the place where the Earl was, and struck him
a fiercely- wounding, severely-venomous, and sternly-smiting
blow upon the crown of his head, so that he clove
him in twain, until his sword was stayed by the
table. Then all left the board, and fled away.
And this was not so much through fear of the living
as through the dread they felt at seeing the dead
man rise up to slay them. And Geraint looked upon
Enid, and he was grieved for two causes; one was,
to see that Enid had lost her colour and her wonted
aspect, and the other, to know that she was in
the right. "Lady," said he, "knowest
thou where our horses are?" "I know,
Lord, where thy horse is," she replied, "but
I know not where is the other. Thy horse is in
the house yonder." So he went to the house,
and brought forth his horse, and mounted him,
and took up Enid from the ground, and placed her
upon the horse with him. And he rode forward.
And their road lay between two hedges. And the
night was gaining on the day. And lo! they saw
behind them the shafts of spears betwixt them
and the sky, and they heard the trampling of horses,
and the noise of a host approaching. "I hear
something following us," said he, "and
I will put thee on the other side of the hedge."
And thus he did. And thereupon, behold, a knight
pricked towards him, and couched his lance. When
Enid saw this, she cried out, saying, "Oh!
chieftain, whoever thou art, what renown wilt
thou gain by slaying a dead man?" "Oh!
Heaven," said he, "is it Geraint?"
"Yes, in truth," said she. "And
who art thou?" "I am the Little King,"
he answered, "coming to thy assistance, for
I heard that thou wast in trouble. And if thou
hadst followed my advice, none of these hardships
would have befallen thee." "Nothing
can happen," said Geraint, "without
the will of Heaven, though much good results from
counsel." "Yes," said the Little
King, "and I know good counsel for thee now.
Come with me to the court of a son-in-law of my
sister, which is near here, and thou shalt have
the best medical assistance in the kingdom."
"I will do so gladly," said Geraint.
And Enid was placed upon the horse of one of the
Little King's squires, and they went forward to
the Baron's palace. And they were received there
with gladness, and they met with hospitality and
attention. And the next morning they went to seek
physicians; and it was not long before they came,
and they attended Geraint until he was perfectly
well. And while Geraint was under medical care,
the Little King caused his armour to be repaired,
until it was as good as it had ever been. And
they remained there a fortnight and a month.
Then the Little King said to Geraint, "Now
will we go towards my own Court, to take rest,
and amuse ourselves." "Not so,"
said Geraint, "we will first journey for
one day more, and return again." "With
all my heart," said the Little King, "do
thou go then." And early in the day they
set forth. And more gladly and more joyfully did
Enid journey with them that day than she had ever
done. And they came to the main road. And when
they reached a place where the road divided in
two, they beheld a man on foot coming towards
them along one of these roads, and Gwiffert asked
the man whence he came. "I come," said
he, "from an errand in the country."
"Tell me," said Geraint, "which
is the best for me to follow of these two roads?"
"That is the best for thee to follow,"
answered he, "for if thou goest by this one,
thou wilt never return. Below us," said he,
"there is a hedge of mist, and within it
are enchanted games, and no one who has gone there
has ever returned. And the Court of the Earl Owain
is there, and he permits no one to go to lodge
in the town, except he will go to his Court."
"I declare to Heaven," said Geraint,
"that we will take the lower road."
And they went along it until they came to the
town. And they took the fairest and pleasantest
place in the town for their lodging. And while
they were thus, behold, a young man came to them,
and greeted them. "Heaven be propitious to
thee," said they. "Good Sirs,"
said he, "what preparations are you making
here?" "We are taking up our lodging,"
said they, "to pass the night." "It
is not the custom with him who owns the town,"
he answered, "to permit any of gentle birth,
unless they come to stay in his Court, to abide
here; therefore, come ye to the Court." "We
will come, gladly," said Geraint. And they
went with the page, and they were joyfully received.
And the Earl came to the hall to meet them, and
he commanded the tables to be laid. And they washed,
and sat down. And this is the order in which they
sat: Geraint on one side of the Earl, and Enid
on the other side, and next to Enid the Little
King, and then the Countess next to Geraint; and
all after that as became their rank. Then Geraint
recollected the games, and thought that he should
not go to them; and on that account he did not
eat. Then the Earl looked upon Geraint, and considered,
and he bethought him that his not eating was because
of the games, and it grieved him that he had ever
established those games, were it only on account
of losing such a youth as Geraint. And if Geraint
had asked him to abolish the games, he would gladly
have done so. Then the Earl said to Geraint, "What
thought occupies thy mind, that thou dost not
eat? If thou hesitatest about going to the games,
thou shalt not go, and no other of thy rank shall
ever go either." "Heaven reward thee,"
said Geraint, "but I wish nothing better
than to go to the games, and to be shown the way
thither." "If that is what thou dost
prefer, thou shalt obtain it willingly."
"I do prefer it, indeed," said he. Then
they ate, and they were amply served, and they
had a variety of gifts, and abundance of liquor.
And when they had finished eating they arose.
And Geraint called for his horse and his armour,
and he accoutred both himself and his horse. And
all the hosts went forth until they came to the
side of the hedge, and the hedge was so lofty,
that it reached as high as they could see in the
air, and upon every stake in the hedge, except
two, there was the head of a man, and the number
of stakes throughout the hedge was very great.
Then said the Little King, "May no one go
in with the chieftain?" "No one may,"
said Earl Owain. "Which way can I enter?"
inquired Geraint. "I know not," said
Owain, "but enter by the way that thou wilt,
and that seemeth easiest to thee."
Then fearlessly and unhesitatingly Geraint dashed
forward into the mist. And on leaving the mist,
he came to a large orchard; and in the orchard
he saw an open space, wherein was a tent of red
satin; and the door of the tent was open, and
an apple-tree stood in front of the door of the
tent; and on a branch of the apple-tree hung a
huge hunting-horn. Then he dismounted, and went
into the tent; and there was no one in the tent
save one maiden sitting in a golden chair, and
another chair was opposite to her, empty. And
Geraint went to the empty chair, and sat down
therein. "Ah! chieftain," said the maiden,
"I would not counsel thee to sit in that
chair." "Wherefore?" said Geraint.
"The man to whom that chair belongs has never
suffered another to sit in it." "I care
not," said Geraint, "though it displease
him that I sit in the chair." And thereupon
they heard a mighty tumult around the tent. And
Geraint looked to see what was the cause of the
tumult. And he beheld without a knight mounted
upon a warhorse, proudly snorting, high-mettled,
and large of bone; and a robe of honour in two
parts was upon him and upon his horse, and beneath
it was plenty of armour. "Tell me, chieftain,"
said he to Geraint, "who it was that bade
thee sit there?" "Myself," answered
he. "It was wrong of thee to do me this shame
and disgrace. Arise, and do me satisfaction for
thine insolence." Then Geraint arose; and
they encountered immediately; and they broke a
set of lances, and a second set, and a third;
and they gave each other fierce and frequent strokes;
and at last Geraint became enraged, and he urged
on his horse, and rushed upon him, and gave him
a thrust on the centre of his shield, so that
it was split, and so that the head of his lance
went through his armour, and his girths were broken,
and he himself was borne headlong to the ground
the length of Geraint's lance and arm, over his
horse's crupper. "Oh, my Lord!" said
he, "thy mercy, and thou shalt have what
thou wilt." "I only desire," said
Geraint, "that this game shall no longer
exist here, nor the hedge of mist, nor magic,
nor enchantment." "Thou shalt have this
gladly, Lord," he replied. "Cause, then,
the mist to disappear from this place," said
Geraint. "Sound yonder horn," said he,
"and when thou soundest it, the mist will
vanish; but it will not go hence unless the horn
be blown by the knight by whom I am vanquished."
And sad and sorrowful was Enid where she remained,
through anxiety concerning Geraint. Then Geraint
went and sounded the horn. And at the first blast
he gave, the mist vanished. And all the hosts
came together, and they all became reconciled
to each other. And the Earl invited Geraint and
the Little King to stay with him that night. And
the next morning they separated. And Geraint went
towards his own dominions; and thenceforth he
reigned prosperously, and his warlike fame and
splendour lasted with renown and honour both to
him and to Enid from that time forth.
*
*
*
GERAINT
THE SON OF ERBIN
Translated by Charlotte Guest [1877]
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