they
gave each other such hard and severe strokes, that their shields lost all
their colour. But it was very difficult for Geraint to fight with him on
account of his small size, for he was hardly able to get a full aim at
him with all the efforts he could make. {49} And they fought thus until
their horses were brought down upon their knees; and at length Geraint
threw the knight headlong to the ground; and then they fought on foot,
and they gave one another blows so boldly fierce, so frequent, and so
severely powerful, that their helmets were pierced, and their skullcaps
were broken, and their arms were shattered, and the light of their eyes
was darkened by sweat and blood. At the last Geraint became enraged, and
he called to him all his strength; and boldly angry, and swiftly
resolute, and furiously determined, he lifted up his sword, and struck
him on the crown of his head a blow so mortally painful, so violent, so
fierce, and so penetrating, that it cut through all his head armour, and
his skin, and his flesh, until it wounded the very bone, and the sword
flew out of the hand of the Little King to the furthest end of the plain,
and he besought Geraint that he would have mercy and compassion upon him.
"Though thou hast been neither courteous nor just," said Geraint, "thou
shalt have mercy, upon condition that thou wilt become my ally, and
engage never to fight against me again, but to come to my assistance
whenever thou hearest of my being in trouble." "This will I do, gladly,
Lord," said he. So he pledged him his faith thereof. "And now, Lord,
come with me," said he, "to my Court yonder, to recover from thy
weariness and fatigue." "That will I not, by Heaven," said he.

Then Gwiffert Petit beheld Enid where she stood, and it grieved him to
see one of her noble mien appear so deeply afflicted. And he said to
Geraint, "My Lord, thou doest wrong not to take repose, and refresh
thyself awhile; for, if thou meetest with any difficulty in thy present
condition, it will not be easy for thee to surmount it." But Geraint
would do no other than proceed on his journey, and he mounted his horse
in pain, and all covered with blood. And the maiden went on first, and
they proceeded towards the wood which they saw before them.

And the heat of the sun was very great, and through the blood and sweat,
Geraint's armour cleaved to his flesh; and when they came into the wood,
he stood under a tree, to avoid the sun's heat; and