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 drunk 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 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 forbore 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 inquired 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 shalt 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 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.”