And the maiden went before her father, and asked him wherefore he had caused the youth from Arthur’s Court to be imprisoned.

“In truth,” he answered, “he shall not be free to-night, nor to-morrow, nor the day following, and he shall not come from where he is.”

She replied not to what the King had said, but she went to the youth.

“Is it unpleasant to thee to be here?” said she.

“I should not care if I were not,” he replied.

“Thy couch and thy treatment shall be in no wise inferior to that of the King himself, and thou shalt have the best entertainment that the palace affords. And if it were more pleasing to thee that my couch should be here, that I might discourse with thee, it should be so, cheerfully.”

“This can I not refuse,” said Peredur. And he remained in prison that night. And the maiden provided all that she had promised him.

And the next day Peredur heard a tumult in the town. “Tell me, fair maiden, what is that tumult?” said Peredur.

“All the King’s hosts and his forces have come to the town to-day.”

“And what seek they here?” he inquired.

“There is an Earl near this place who possesses two Earldoms, and is as powerful as a King; and an engagement will take place between them to-day.”

“I beseech thee,” said Peredur, “to cause a horse and arms to be brought, that I may view the encounter, and I promise to come back to my prison again.”

“Gladly,” said she, “will I provide thee with horse and arms.” So she gave him a horse and arms, and a bright scarlet robe of honour over his armour, and a yellow shield upon his shoulder. And he went to the combat; and as many of the Earl’s men as encountered him that day he overthrew; and he returned to his prison.

And the maiden asked tidings of Peredur, and he answered her not a word. And she went and asked tidings of her father, and inquired who had acquitted himself best of the household. And he said that he knew not, but that it was a man with a scarlet robe of honour over his armour, and a yellow shield upon his shoulder.

Then she smiled, and returned to where Peredur was, and did him great honour that night.

And for three days did Peredur slay the Earl’s men; and before any one could know who he was, he returned to his prison.

And the fourth day Peredur slew the Earl himself. And the maiden went unto her father, and inquired of him the news.

“I have good news for thee,” said the King; “the Earl is slain, and I am the owner of his two Earldoms.”

“Knowest thou, lord, who slew him?”

“I do not know,” said the King. ”It was the knight with the scarlet robe of honour and the yellow shield.”

“Lord,” said she, “I know who that is.”

“By Heaven!” he exclaimed, “who is he?”

“Lord,” she replied, “he is the knight whom thou hast imprisoned.”

Then he went unto Peredur, and saluted him, and told him that he would reward the service he had done him, in any way he might desire. And when they went to meat, Peredur was placed beside the King, and the maiden on the other side of Peredur.

“I will give thee,” said the King, “my daughter in marriage, and half my kingdom with her, and the two Earldoms as a gift.”

“Heaven reward thee, lord,” said Peredur, “but I came not here to woo.”

“What seekest thou then, chieftain?” “I am seeking tidings of the Castle of Wonders.”

“Thy enterprise is greater, chieftain, than thou wilt wish to pursue,” said the maiden, “nevertheless, tidings shalt thou have of the Castle, and thou shalt have a guide through my father’s dominions, and a sufficiency of provisions for thy journey, for thou art, O chieftain, the man whom best I love.”

Then she said to him, “Go over yonder mountain, and thou wilt find a lake, and in the middle of the lake there is a Castle, and that is the Castle that is called the Castle of Wonders; and we know not what wonders are therein, but thus is it called.”

And Peredur proceeded towards the Castle, and the gate of the Castle was open. And when he came to the hall, the door was open, and he entered. And he beheld a chessboard in the hall, and the chessmen were playing against each other, by themselves. And the side that he favoured lost the game, and thereupon the others set up a shout, as though they had been living men. And Peredur was wroth, and took the chessmen in his lap, and cast the chessboard into the lake.

And when he had done thus, behold the black maiden came in, and she said to him, “The welcome of Heaven be not unto thee. Thou hadst rather do evil than good.”

“What complaint hast thou against me, maiden?” said Peredur.

“That thou hast occasioned unto the Empress the loss of her chessboard, which she would not have lost for all her empire. And the way in which thou mayest recover the chessboard is, to repair to the Castle of Ysbidinongyl, where is a black man, who lays waste the dominions of the Empress; and if thou canst slay him, thou wilt recover the chessboard. But if thou goest there, thou wilt not return alive.”

“Wilt thou direct me thither?” said Peredur.

“I will show thee the way,” she replied. So he went to the Castle of Ysbidinongyl, and he fought with the black man. And the black man besought mercy of Peredur.

“Mercy will I grant thee,” said he, “on condition that thou cause the chessboard to be restored to the place where it was when I entered the hall.”

Then the maiden came to him, and said, “The malediction of Heaven attend thee for thy work, since thou hast left that monster alive, who lays waste all the possessions of the Empress.”