Chapter 31

CHAPTER XXXI.
PEREDUR, THE SON OF EVRAWC. ARTHUR was in Caerleon upon the Usk; and he went to hunt, and
Peredur* went with him. And Peredur let loose his dog upon a hart, and
the dog killed the hart in a desert place. And a short space from
him he saw signs of a dwelling, and towards the dwelling he went,
and he beheld a hall, and at the door of the hall he found bold
swarthy youths playing at chess. And when he entered he beheld three
maidens sitting on a bench, and they were all clothed alike, as became
persons of high rank. And he came and sat by them on the bench; and
one of the maidens looked steadfastly at Peredur and wept. And Peredur
asked her wherefore she was weeping. "Through grief that I shall see
so fair a youth as thou art slain." "Who will slay me?" inquired
Peredur. "If thou art so daring as to remain here to-night I will tell
thee." "How great soever my danger may be from remaining here I will
listen unto thee." "This palace is owned by him who is my father,"
said the maiden, "and he slays every one who comes hither without
his leave." "What sort of a man is thy father that he is able to
slay every one thus?" "A man who does violence and wrong unto his
neighbors, and who renders justice unto none." And hereupon he saw the
youths arise and clear the chessmen from the board. And he heard a
great tumult; and after the tumult there came in a huge black one-eyed
man, and the maidens arose to meet him. And they disarrayed him, and
he went and sat down; and after he had rested and pondered awhile,
he looked at Peredur, and asked who the knight was. "Lord," said one
of the maidens, "he is the fairest and gentlest youth that ever thou
didst see. And for the sake of Heaven, and thine own dignity, have
patience with him." "For thy sake I will have patience, and I will
grant him his life this night." Then Peredur came towards them to
the fire, and partook of food and liquor, and entered into discourse
with the ladies. And being elated with the liquor, he said to the
black man, "It is a marvel to me, so mighty as thou sayest thou art,
who could have put out thine eye?" "It is one of my habits," said
the black man, "that whosoever puts to me the question which thou hast
asked shall not escape with his life, either as a free gift, or for
a price." "Lord," said the maiden, "whatsoever he may say to thee in
jest, and through the excitement of liquor, make good that which
thou saidest and didst promise me just now." "I will do so, gladly,
for thy sake," said he. "Willingly will I grant him his life this
night." And that night thus they remained. * Peredur, the son of Evrawc, is the Welsh for Perceval, a part of
whose story in the preceding pages is taken from the Mabinogeon. And the next day the black man got up