t, "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 is 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 th