Mythology, Celtic -- Wales; Tales -- Wales; Welsh literature -- 1100-1400 -- Translations into English
About the middle of the repast the yellow man asked Owain the object of
his journey. And Owain made it known to him, and said, "I am in quest of
the Knight who guards the fountain." Upon this, the yellow man smiled,
and said that he was as loth to point out that adventure to Owain as he
had been to Kynon. However he described the whole to Owain, and they
retired to rest.
The next morning Owain found his horse made ready for him by the damsels,
and he set forward and came to the glade where the black man was. And
the stature of the black man seemed more wonderful to Owain, than it had
done to Kynon, and Owain asked of him his road, and he showed it to him.
And Owain followed the road, as Kynon had done, till he came to the green
tree; and he beheld the fountain, and the slab beside the fountain with
the bowl upon it. And Owain took the bowl, and threw a bowlful of water
upon the slab. And lo, the thunder was heard, and after the thunder came
the shower, much more violent than Kynon had described, and after the
shower, the sky became bright. And when Owain looked at the tree, there
was not one leaf upon it. And immediately the birds came, and settled
upon the tree, and sang. And when their song was most pleasing to Owain,
he beheld a Knight coming towards him through the valley, and he prepared
to receive him; and encountered him violently. Having broken both their
lances, they drew their swords, and fought blade to blade. Then Owain
struck the Knight a blow through his helmet, head piece and visor, and
through the skin, and the flesh, and the bone, until it wounded the very
brain. Then the black Knight felt that he had received a mortal wound,
upon which he turned his horse's head, and fled. And Owain pursued him,
and followed close upon him, although he was not near enough to strike
him with his sword. Thereupon Owain descried a vast and resplendent
Castle. And they came to the Castle gate. And the black Knight was
allowed to enter, and the portcullis was let fall upon Owain; and it
struck his horse behind the saddle, and cut him in two, and carried away
the rowels of the spurs that were upon Owain's heels. And the portcullis
descended to the floor. And the rowels of the spurs and part of the
horse were without, and Owain, with the other part of the horse remained
between the two gates, and the inner gate was closed, so that Owain could
not go thence; and Owain was in a perplexing situation. And while he was
in this state, he could see through an aperture in the gate, a street
facing him, with a row of houses on each side. And he beheld a maiden,
with yellow curling hair, and a frontlet of gold upon her head; and she
was clad in a dress of yellow satin, and on her feet were shoes of
variegated leather. And she approached the gate, and desired that it
should be opened. "Heaven knows, Lady," said Owain, "it is no more
possible for me to open to thee from hence, than it is for thee to set me
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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