The Mabinogion Vol. 2 by Sir Owen Morgan Edwards and Lady Charlotte Schreiber (best thriller novels of all time txt) 📕

not attack him until thou hast good arms, and I shall be very anxious concerning thee, until I hear tidings of thee.”  “If I am alive,” said he, “thou shall hear tidings of me by to-morrow afternoon;” and with that he departed.

And the road they took was below the palace of Caerlleon, and across the ford of the Usk; and they went along a fair, and even, and lofty ridge of ground, until they came to a town, and at the extremity of the town they saw a Fortress and a Castle.  And they came to the extremity of the town.  And as the knight passed through it, all the people arose, and saluted him, and bade him welcome.  And when Geraint came into the town, he looked at every house, to see if he knew any of those whom he saw.  But he knew none, and none knew him to do him the kindness to let him have arms either as a loan or for a pledge.  And every house he saw was full of men, and arms, and horses.  And they were polishing shields, and burnishing swords, and washing armour, and shoeing horses.  And the knight, and the lady, and the dwarf, rode up to the Castle that was in the town, and every one was glad in the Castle.  And from the battlements and the gates they risked their necks, through their eagerness to greet them, and to show their joy.

Geraint stood there to see whether the knight p. 14would remain in the Castle; and when he was certain that he would do so, he looked around him; and at a little distance from the town he saw an old palace in ruins, wherein was a hall that was falling to decay.  And as he knew not any one in the town, he went towards the old palace; and when he came near to the palace, he saw but one chamber, and a bridge of marble-stone leading to it.  And upon the bridge he saw sitting a hoary-headed man, upon whom were tattered garments.  And Geraint gazed steadfastly upon him for a long time.  Then the hoary-headed man spoke to him.  “Young man,” he said, “wherefore art thou thoughtful?”  “I am thoughtful,” said he, “because I know not where to go to-night.”  “Wilt thou come forward this way, chieftain?” said he, “and thou shalt have of the best that can be procured for thee.”  So Geraint went forward.  And the hoary-headed man preceded him into the hall.  And in the hall he dismounted, and he left there his horse.  Then he went on to the upper chamber with the hoary-headed man.  And in the chamber he beheld an old decrepit woman, sitting on a cushion, with old tattered garments of satin upon her; and it seemed to him that he had never seen a woman fairer than she must have been when in the fulness of youth.  And beside her was a maiden, upon whom were a vest and a veil, that were old, and beginning to be worn out.  And truly he never saw a maiden more full of comeliness, and grace, and beauty, than she.  And the hoary-headed man said to the maiden, “There is no attendant for the horse of this youth but thyself.”  “I will render the best service I am able,” said she, “both to him and to his horse.”  And the maiden disarrayed the youth, and then she furnished his horse with straw and with corn.  And p. 15she went to the hall as before, and then she returned to the chamber.  And the hoary-headed man said to the maiden, “Go to the town,” said he, “and bring hither the best that thou canst find both of food and of liquor.”  “I will, gladly, Lord,” said she.  And to the town went the maiden.  And they conversed together, while the maiden was at the town.  And, behold! the maiden came back, and a youth with her, bearing on his back a costrel full of good purchased mead and a quarter of a young bullock.  And in the hands of the maiden was a quantity of white bread, and she had some manchet bread in her veil, and she came into the chamber.  “I could not obtain better than this,” said she, “nor with better should I have been trusted.”  “It is good enough,” said Geraint.  And they caused the meat to be boiled; and when their food was ready, they sat down.  And it was in this wise; Geraint sat between the hoary-headed man and his wife, and the maiden served them.  And they ate and drank.

And when they had finished eating, Geraint talked with the hoary-headed man, and he asked him in the first place, to whom belonged the Palace that he was in.  “Truly,” said he, “it was I that built it, and to me also belonged the city and the castle which thou sawest.”  “Alas!” said Geraint, “how is it that thou hast lost them now?”  “I lost a great Earldom as well as these,” said he, “and this is how I lost them.  I had a nephew, the son of my brother, and I took his possessions to myself; and when he came to his strength, he demanded of me his property, but I withheld it from him.  So he made war upon me, and wrested from me all that I possessed.”  “Good, Sir,” [15] said Geraint, “wilt thou tell me wherefore came p. 16the knight, and the lady, and the dwarf, just now into the town, and what is the preparation which I saw, and the putting of arms in order.”  “I will do so,” said he.  “The preparations are for the game that is to be held to-morrow by the young Earl, which will be on this wise.  In the midst of a meadow which is here, two forks will be set up, and upon the two forks a silver rod, and upon the silver rod a Sparrow-Hawk, and for the Sparrow-Hawk there will be a tournament.  And to the tournament will go all the array thou didst see in the city, of men, and of horses, and of arms.  And with each man will go the lady he loves best; and no man can joust for the Sparrow-Hawk, except the lady he loves best be with him.  And the knight that thou sawest has gained the Sparrow-Hawk these two years; and if he gains it the third year, they will, from that time, send it every year to him, and he himself will come here no more.  And he will be called the knight of the Sparrow-Hawk from that time forth.”  “Sir,” said Geraint, “what is thy counsel to me concerning this knight, on account of the insult which I received from the dwarf, and that which was received by the maiden of Gwenhwyvar, the wife of Arthur?”  And Geraint told the hoary-headed man what the insult was that he had received.  “It is not easy to counsel thee, inasmuch as thou hast neither dame nor maiden belonging to thee, for whom thou canst joust.  Yet, I have arms here, which thou couldest have; and there is my horse also, if he seem to thee better than thine own.”  “Ah!  Sir,” said he, “Heaven reward thee.  But my own horse, to which I am accustomed, together with thine arms, will suffice me.  And if, when the appointed time shall come to-morrow, thou wilt permit me, Sir, to challenge for yonder maiden that p. 17is thy daughter, I will engage, if I escape from the tournament, to love the maiden as long as I live, and if I do not escape, she will remain unsullied as before.”  “Gladly will I permit thee,” said the hoary-headed man, “and since thou dost thus resolve, it is necessary that thy horse and arms should be ready to-morrow at break of day.  For then, the knight of the Sparrow-Hawk will make proclamation, and ask the lady he loves best to take the Sparrow-Hawk.  ‘For,’ will he say to her, ‘thou art the fairest of women, and thou didst possess it last year, and the year previous; and if any deny it thee to-day, by force will I defend it for thee.’  And therefore,” said the hoary-headed man, “it is needful for thee to be there at daybreak; and we three will be with thee,” and thus was it settled.

And at night, lo! [17] they went to sleep; and before the dawn they arose, and arrayed themselves; and by the time that it was day, they were all four in the meadow.  And there was the knight of the Sparrow-Hawk making the proclamation, and asking his ladylove to fetch the Sparrow-Hawk.  “Fetch it not,” said Geraint, “for there is here a maiden, who is fairer, and more noble, and more comely, and who has a better claim to it than thou.”  “If thou maintainest the Sparrow-Hawk to be due to her, come forward, and do battle with me.”  And Geraint went forward to the top of the meadow, having upon himself and upon his horse armour which was heavy, and rusty, and worthless, and of uncouth shape.  Then they encountered each other, and they broke a set of lances, and they broke a second set, and a third.  And thus they did at every onset, and they broke as many lances as were brought to p. 18them.  And when the Earl and his company saw the knight of the Sparrow-Hawk gaining the mastery, there was shouting, and joy, and mirth amongst them.  And the hoary-headed man, and his wife, and his daughter, were sorrowful.  And the hoary-headed man served Geraint lances as often as he broke them, and the dwarf served the knight of the Sparrow-Hawk.  Then the hoary-headed man came to Geraint.  “Oh! chieftain,” said he, “since no other will hold with thee, behold, here is the lance which was in my hand on the day when I received the honour of knighthood; and from that time to this I never broke it.  And it has an excellent point.”  Then Geraint took the lance, thanking the hoary-headed p. 19man.  And thereupon the dwarf also brought a lance to his lord.  “Behold here is a lance for thee, not less good than his,” said the dwarf.  “And bethink thee, that no knight ever withstood thee before so long as this one has done.”  “I declare to Heaven,” said Geraint, “that unless death takes me quickly hence, he shall fare never the better for thy service.”  And Geraint pricked his horse towards him from afar, and warning him, he rushed upon him, and gave him a blow so severe, and furious, and fierce, upon the face of his shield, that he cleft it in two, and broke his armour, and burst his girths, so that both he and his saddle were borne to the ground over the horse’s crupper.  And Geraint dismounted quickly.  And he was wroth, and he drew his sword, and rushed fiercely upon him.  Then the knight also arose, and drew his sword against Geraint.  And they fought on foot with their swords until their aims struck sparks of fire like stars from one another; and thus they continued fighting until the blood and sweat obscured the light from their eyes.  And when Geraint prevailed, the hoary-headed man, and his wife, and his daughter were glad; and when the knight prevailed, it rejoiced the Earl and his party.  Then the hoary-headed man saw Geraint receive a severe stroke, and he went up to him quickly, and said to him, “Oh, chieftain, remember the treatment which thou hadst from the dwarf; and wilt thou not seek vengeance for the insult to thyself, and for the insult to Gwenhwyvar the wife of Arthur!”  And Geraint was roused by what he said to him, [19] and he called to him all his strength, and lifted up his sword, and struck the knight upon the crown of