Mythology, Celtic -- Wales; Tales -- Wales; Welsh literature -- 1100-1400 -- Translations into English
And one day they saw three knights coming along the horse-road on the
borders of the forest. And the three knights were Gwalchmai the son of
Gwyar, and Geneir Gwystyl, and Owain the son of Urien. And Owain kept on
the track of the knight who had divided the apples in Arthur’s Court,
whom they were in pursuit of. “Mother,” said Peredur, “what are those
yonder?” “They are angels, my son,” said she. “By my faith,” said
Peredur, “I will go and become an angel with them.” And Peredur went to
the road, and met them. “Tell me, good soul,” said Owain, “sawest thou a
knight pass this way, either to-day or yesterday?” “I know not,”
answered he, “what a knight is.” “Such an one as I am,” said Owain. “If
thou wilt tell me what I ask thee, I will tell thee that which thou
askest me.” “Gladly will I do so,” replied Owain. “What is this?”
demanded Peredur, concerning the saddle. “It is a saddle,” said Owain.
Then he asked about all the accoutrements which he saw upon the men, and
the horses, and the arms, and what they were for, and how they were used.
And Owain shewed him all these things fully, and told him what use was
made of them. “Go forward,” said Peredur, “for I saw such an one as thou
inquirest for, and I will follow thee.”
Then Peredur returned to his mother and her company, and he said to her,
“Mother, those were not angels, but honourable knights.” Then his mother
swooned away. And Peredur went to the place where they kept the horses
that carried firewood, and that brought meat and drink from the inhabited
country to the desert. And he took a bony piebald horse, which seemed to
him the strongest of them. And he pressed a pack into the form of a
saddle, and with twisted twigs he imitated the trappings which he had
seen upon the horses. And when Peredur came again to his mother, the
Countess had recovered from her swoon. “My son,” said she, “desirest
thou to ride forth?” “Yes, with thy leave,” said he. “Wait, then, that
I may counsel thee before thou goest.” “Willingly,” he answered; “speak
quickly.” “Go forward, then,” she said, “to the Court of Arthur, where
there are the best, and the boldest, and the most bountiful of men. And
wherever thou seest a church, repeat there thy Paternoster unto it. And
if thou see meat and drink, and have need of them, and none have the
kindness or the courtesy to give them to thee, take them thyself. If
thou hear an outcry, proceed towards it, especially if it be the outcry
of a woman. If thou see a fair jewel, possess thyself of it, and give it
to another, for thus thou shalt obtain praise. If thou see a fair woman,
pay thy court to her, whether she will or no; for thus thou wilt render
thyself a better and more esteemed man than thou wast before.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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