The Story of King Arthur and Other Celtic Heroes

by Padraic Colum

  When they arose in the morning they perceived that the knight was near them, and that the signal of combat was upon his lance. Arthur armed himself to encounter the knight. “Oh, my Lord,” said Gwalchmai, “permit me to fight with him first.” Arthur permitted him. And Gwalchmai went forth to meet the knight, having over himself and his horse a robe of honour which had been given him by the daughter of an earl, and in this dress he was not known by any of the host. The two charged each other, and fought all that day until evening, and neither of them was able to unhorse the other.

  The next day they fought with strong lances, and neither of them could obtain the mastery.

  And the third day they fought with exceeding strong lances. They fought furiously, even until noon. And they gave each other such a shock that the girths of their horses were broken, so that they fell over their horses’ cruppers to the ground. They rose up speedily, and drew their swords, and resumed the combat; and the multitude that witnessed their encounter felt assured that they had never before seen two men so valiant and so powerful.

  The knight in black gave Gwalchmai a blow that turned his helmet from off his face, so that the knight saw him and knew that he was Gwalchmai. Then the knight said: “My Lord Gwalchmai, I did not know thee for my cousin, owing to the robe of honour that enveloped thee; take my sword and my arms.” Said Gwalchmai: “Thou, Owen, art the victor; take thou my sword.” With that Arthur saw that they were conversing, and advanced towards them. “My Lord Arthur,” said Gwalchmai, “here is Owen, who has vanquished me, and will not take my arms.” “My Lord,” said Owen, “it is he that has vanquished me, and he will not take my sword.” “Give me your swords,” said Arthur, “and then neither of you has vanquished the other.” Then Owen put his arms around Arthur’s neck, and they embraced.

  They retired that night, and the next day Arthur prepared to depart. “My Lord,” said Owen, “this is not well of thee; for I have been absent from thee these three years, and during all that time, up to this very day, I have been preparing a banquet for thee, knowing that thou wouldst come to seek me. Tarry with me, therefore, until thou and thy attendants have recovered the fatigues of the journey.”

  Then they all proceeded to the castle of the Lady of the Fountain, and the banquet which had been three years preparing was consumed in three months. Never had they a more delicious or agreeable banquet. Afterwards Arthur prepared to depart. And he begged the Lady of the Fountain to permit Owen to go with him for the space of three months, so that he might show him to the nobles and the fair ladies of the Island of Britain. At first the Lady of the Fountain would not let him go, for she saw that his going would bring sorrow to them both. But at last she gave her consent, although it was very painful to her. So Owen came with Arthur to the Island of Britain. But when he was once more with his friends and amongst his kindred, forgetfulness of the Lady of the Fountain came over him.

  III

  Now one day when Owen sat in his hall in the city of Caerleon, there came towards him a maiden upon a bay horse, with a curling mane and covered with foam, and the bridle and so much as was seen of the saddle were of gold. The maiden was arrayed in a dress of yellow satin. And she came up to Owen, and she took the ring from off his hand. “Thus,” said she, “shall be treated the deceiver, the traitor, the faithless, and the disgraced.”

  And when she said that and went her way, Owen remembered the Lady of the Fountain, and he was sorrowful; and having finished eating he went to his own abode and made preparations that night. And the next day he arose but did not go to Arthur’s Court; he wandered to the distant parts of the earth and to uncultivated mountains. He remained there until all his apparel was worn out, and his body was wasted away, and his hair was grown long. And he wandered about with the wild beasts and fed with them, until they became familiar with him.

  One day as he journeyed, he heard a loud yelling in a wood. It was repeated a second and a third time. And Owen went towards the spot, and beheld a huge, craggy mound in the middle of the wood, on the side of which was a grey rock. There was a cleft in the rock, and a serpent was within the cleft. Near the rock stood a black lion, and every time the lion sought to go thence, the serpent darted towards him to attack him. Owen unsheathed his sword and drew near to the rock, and as the serpent sprang out, he struck him with his sword, and cut him in two. Then he went on his way as before. But behold, the lion followed him, and played about him, as though he had been a greyhound that he had reared.

  He struck him with his sword.

  They proceeded thus throughout the day, until the evening. And when it was time for Owen to take his rest, he dismounted, and turned his horse loose in a flat and wooded meadow. He struck fire, and when the fire was kindled, the lion brought him fuel enough to last for three nights. Then the lion disappeared. And presently he returned, bearing a large roebuck. The lion threw it down before Owen.

  Then Owen took the roebuck, and skinned it, and placed collops of its flesh upon skewers, around the fire. The rest of the buck he gave to the lion to devour.

  Just as he was turning to rest in the wooded meadow he heard a deep sigh near him, and a second, and a third. Owen called out to know whether the sigh he heard came from a mortal, and he received answer that it did. “Who art thou?” said Owen. “Truly,” said the voice, “I am Luned, the handmaiden of the Lady of the Fountain.” “And what dost thou here?” said Owen. “I am imprisoned,” said she, “on account of the knight who came from Arthur’s Court, and wed the Lady of the Fountain. He afterwards departed from her, and has not returned since. They have imprisoned me in a stone vault, and they say that I shall be put to death, unless he comes himself to deliver me, by a certain day, and that is no further off than to-morrow. I have no one to send to seek him for me. His name is Owen, the son of Urien.” “And art thou certain that if that knight knew all this, he would come to thy rescue?” “I am most certain of it,” said she.

  The next morning he was awakened by his lion, and he saw that two men had come, and that they had taken the maiden Luned out of the stone vault, and were leading her away. Owen went to rescue her, and the men attacked him, and he was hard beset by them. The lion came to Owen’s assistance, and the man and beast got the better of the two men. “Chieftain,” said they, “it is harder for us to contend with yonder animal than with thee.” Owen put the lion in the place where the maiden had been imprisoned, and blocked up the door with stones, and he went to fight with the men, as before. But Owen had not his usual strength, and the men pressed hard upon him. The lion roared incessantly at seeing Owen in trouble, and he dashed at the wall until he found a way out, and he rushed upon the men, and instantly slew them. So Luned was saved.

  Then Owen revealed to her who he was, and the maiden guided him to the dominions of the Lady of the Fountain. He dwelt there greatly beloved until he went away with his followers. His followers were the army of three hundred ravens which Kenverchyn had left him. And wherever Owen went with these he was victorious.

  And this is the tale of “The Knight Owen and the Lady of the Fountain.”

  PEREDUR AND THE CASTLE OF WONDERS

  I

  There was once one who owned the Earldom of the North. And this earl supported himself, not so much by his own possessions, as by taking part in battles and tournaments by which he won much in prizes and spoils. He had seven sons. And, as often befalls those who join in encounters and wars, he was slain, and six of his sons were slain likewise.

  His seventh son was not of an age to go to wars and encounters, otherwise he might have been slain as were his father and his six brothers. Peredur was this boy’s name. Now his mother, who was a very thoughtful woman, to save the last of her sons, decided to leave the inhabited country with him, and to rear him in a place where he should know nothing of fighting and feats of arms. She went into the deserts and unfrequented wildernesses, and she permitted none to go with her son and herself except women and boys and spiritless old men who were unequal to wars and fighting. S
he permitted none to bring horses and arms near the place where her son was, lest he should set his mind upon them.

  Peredur, when he had grown up, used often to go into the forest and divert himself by flinging sticks and staves. One day he saw his mother’s flock of goats, and near the goats he saw two deer standing. He marvelled greatly that they should be without horns, while the goats had horns. He thought that these deer were goats that had run wild and had lost their horns. Peredur went after them, and by his activity and swiftness he drove the deer and the goats into the shed which was for the goats. Then he returned to his mother. “Ah, mother,” said he, “a marvellous thing have I seen in the wood; two of thy goats have run wild, and lost their horns through their having been so long missing in the wood. And no man had ever more trouble than I have had in driving them in.” All within the house rose to see what the youth had done. And when they beheld the deer in the same shelter as the goats they were greatly astonished.

  Some time after that Peredur saw three knights riding along the borders of the forest. “Mother,” said he, “what are those yonder?” And his mother, fearful lest he should want to join the knights, said, “They are angels, my son.” “By my faith,” said Peredur, “I will go and become an angel with them.”

  So he went through the ways of the forest until he came to a place where he met the three knights. “Tell me, good soul,” said Owen who was one of the knights, “sawest thou a knight pass this way?” “I know not,” said Peredur, “what a knight is.” “Such a one as I am,” said Owen. Then said Peredur, “What is this?” touching the saddle. “It is a saddle,” said Owen. Then the youth asked him about 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 Owen showed him all these things fully, and told him what use was made of each of them.

  Then Peredur returned to his mother and her company, and he said to her, “Mother, these were not angels, but honourable knights.” Then his mother swooned away, for she knew that, having spoken with the knights, he would be drawn away from her.

  Peredur then went to the place where they kept the old horses that carried firewood from the forest and brought provisions from the inhabited country, and he took a bony piebald horse, 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 he came before his mother again she had recovered from her swoon and she said to him, “My son, desirest thou to ride forth?” “Yes, with thy leave,” said he. “Wait, then, that I may counsel thee before thou goest.” “Willingly,” he answered. “Go forward, then,” said she, “to the Court of Arthur, where there are the best, and the boldest, and the most bountiful of men.”

  Peredur thanked his mother for her counsel; he bade good-bye to her, mounted the horse, and, taking a handful of sharp pointed forks in his hand, he rode forth. And he journeyed for two days and two nights in the woody wildernesses and in desert places, without food and without drink. Then he came to a vast, wild wood, and far within the wood he saw a fair, even glade. From that even glade he journeyed on until he came to Arthur’s Court.

  It happened that before Peredur reached the Court a stranger knight had arrived, and this knight had gone into the hall where Arthur and his household, with Gwenhuivar and her maidens, were assembled. The page of the chamber was serving the Queen with a golden goblet. As she was taking it, the stranger knight dashed the liquor that was in the goblet into Gwenhuivar’s face, saying aloud, “If any have the boldness to dispute this goblet with me, and to avenge the insult to Gwenhuivar, let him follow me to the meadow, and there I will await him.” And the knight had gone out of the hall.

  The household was standing, their heads down, lest any of them should be requested to go and avenge the insult to Gwenhuivar. For it seemed to them that no one would have ventured on so daring an outrage unless he possessed such powers, through magic or charms, that none would be able to take vengeance upon him. Then, behold, Peredur came in upon the bony piebald horse, with the uncouth trappings upon it. In the centre of the hall stood Kai. “Tell me, tall man,” said Peredur to him, “is that Arthur yonder?” “What wouldst thou with Arthur?” said Kai. “My mother told me to go to Arthur and receive from him the honour of knighthood.” “By my faith,” said Kai, “thou art all too meanly equipped with horse and arms to receive such honour.” As he said that a dwarf came forward into the middle of the hall.

  Now this dwarf had been a year at Arthur’s Court, both he and a female dwarf. They had craved harbourage of Arthur, and had obtained it; and during the whole year, neither of them had spoken a single word to anyone. But now that he beheld Peredur he cried out, “Haha! the welcome of Heaven be unto thee, goodly Peredur, the chief of warriors, and flower of knighthood.” “Truly,” said Kai, “thou art ill-taught to remain a year mute at Arthur’s Court, with choice of company, and now, before the face of Arthur and all his household, to call out, and declare such a man as this the chief of warriors, and the flower of knighthood.” And he gave him such a box on the ear that the dwarf fell senseless on the ground.

  Then exclaimed the female dwarf, “Haha! goodly Peredur; the welcome of Heaven be unto thee, flower of knights, and light of chivalry.” “Of a truth,” said Kai, “thou art ill-bred to remain mute at the Court of Arthur for a year, and then to speak as thou dost of such a man as this.” And Kai gave the female dwarf a box on the ear.

  “Tall man,” said Peredur, “show me which is Arthur.” “Hold thy peace,” said Kai to him, “and go after the knight who went hence to the meadow, and take from him the goblet, and overthrow him, and possess thyself of his horse and arms, and then thou shalt receive the honour of knighthood.” “I will do so, tall man,” said Peredur. And saying this he turned his horse’s head towards the meadow.

  When he came to the meadow he found the knight riding up and down, proud of his strength, and valour, and noble mien. “Tell me,” said the knight, “didst thou see anyone coming after me from the Court?” “The tall man desired me to come, and overthrow thee, and to take from thee the goblet, and thy horse and thy armour for myself,” said Peredur. “Silence!” said the knight. “Go back to the Court, and tell Arthur, from me, either to come himself, or to send some other to fight with me, and unless he do so quickly, I will not wait for him.” “By my faith,” said Peredur, “choose thou whether it shall be willingly or unwillingly, but I will have the horse, and the arms, and the goblet.”

  When he said this the knight ran at him furiously, and struck him a violent blow with the shaft of his lance between the neck and the shoulder. “Haha! lad,” said Peredur, “my mother’s servants were not used to play with me in this wise; therefore, thus will I play with thee.” And thereupon he struck him with a sharp pointed fork; it went through him, and the knight fell down lifeless.

  Just at that time Owen was speaking to Kai. “Verily,” said he, “thou wert ill-advised, Kai, when thou didst send that madman after the knight. He must be either overthrown or slain. If he is overthrown by the knight, an eternal disgrace will it be to Arthur and his warriors. And if he is slain, the disgrace will be the same, and moreover, his sin will be upon him; therefore will I go to see what has befallen him.” So Owen went to the meadow, and he found Peredur dragging a man about. “What art thou doing?” said Owen. “This iron coat,” said Peredur, “will never come off him; not by my efforts at any rate.” Then Owen unfastened the knight’s armour, and he saw that the knight was dead. “Here,” said he to Peredur, “here, my good soul, is a horse and armour better than thine. Take them joyfully, and come with me to Arthur, to receive the order of knighthood, for thou dost merit it.” “May I never show my face again if I go,” said Peredur, “but take thou the goblet to the Queen, and tell Arthur that, wherever I am, I will be his vassal, and will do him what profit and service I am able. And say that I will not come to his Court until I have encountered the tall man who is there, to avenge the injury he did to the dwarf and dwarfe
ss.” And Owen went back to the Court, and related all these things to Arthur and Gwenhuivar, and to all the household.

  Peredur struck him with a sharp pointed fork.

  Then Peredur rode forward. He was mounted on the knight’s horse and he had on the knight’s armour. As he proceeded, behold a knight met him. “Whence comest thou?” said the knight. “I come from Arthur’s Court,” said Peredur. “I have always been Arthur’s enemy,” said the knight, “and all such of his men as I have ever encountered I have slain.” Then, without further parlance they fought, and it was not long before Peredur brought him to the ground, over his horse’s crupper. Then the knight besought his mercy. “Mercy thou shalt have,” said Peredur, “if thou wilt take oath to me that thou wilt go to Arthur’s Court, and tell him that it was I who overthrew thee, for the honour of his service; and say that I will never come to the court until I have avenged the insult offered to the dwarf and dwarfess.” The knight pledged him his faith of this, and proceeded to the Court of Arthur, and said as he had promised, and conveyed the threat to Kai.

  And Peredur rode forward. And within that week he encountered sixteen knights, and he overthrew them all. And they all went to Arthur’s Court, taking with them the same message which the first knight had conveyed from Peredur, and the same threat which he had sent to Kai. And thereupon Kai was reproved by Arthur; and Kai was greatly grieved thereat.

  Still Peredur rode forward. And he came to a vast and desert wood, on the confines of which was a lake. And on the other side was a fair castle. Peredur rode to the castle, and the door was open, and he entered the hall. And there was a hoary-headed man sitting on a cushion, and a large blazing fire burning before him. The household and the company arose to meet Peredur, and helped him to doff his armour. The man asked him to sit on the cushion; he sat with him, and they conversed together. When it was time, the tables were laid, and they went to meat. And when they had finished their meal, the man inquired of Peredur if he knew well how to fight with the sword. “I know not,” said Peredur, “but were I to be taught, doubtless I should.” “Whoever can play well with cudgel and shield, will also be able to fight with a sword.” The man had two sons; the one had yellow hair, and the other auburn hair. “Arise, youths,” said he, “and play with the cudgel and the shield.” And so they did.