u settest
forth, thou wilt come to the Palace of the Sons of the King of the
Tortures." "Wherefore are they called thus?" "The Addanc of the Lake
slays them once every day. When thou goest thence, thou wilt come to the
Court of the Countess of the Achievements." "What achievements are
there?" asked Peredur. "Three hundred men there are in her household,
and unto every stranger that comes to the Court, the achievements of her
household are related. And this is the manner of it,--the three hundred
men of the household sit next unto the Lady; and that not through
disrespect unto the guests, but that they may relate the achievements of
the household. And the day that thou goest thence, thou wilt reach the
Mound of Mourning, and round about the mound there are the owners of
three hundred tents guarding the serpent." "Since thou hast, indeed,
been an oppressor so long," said Peredur, "I will cause that thou
continue so no longer." So he slew him.

Then the maiden spoke, and began to converse with him. "If thou wast
poor when thou camest here, henceforth thou wilt be rich through the
treasure of the black man whom thou hast slain. Thou seest the many
lovely maidens that there are in this Court, thou shalt have her whom
thou best likest for the lady of thy love." "Lady, I came not hither
from my country to woo; but match yourselves as it liketh you with the
comely youths I see here; and none of your goods do I desire, for I need
them not." Then Peredur rode forward, and he came to the Palace of the
Sons of the King of the Tortures; and when he entered the Palace, he saw
none but women; and they rose up, and were joyful at his coming; and as
they began to discourse with him, he beheld a charger arrive, with a
saddle upon it, and a corpse in the saddle. And one of the women arose,
and took the corpse from the saddle, and anointed it in a vessel of warm
water, which was below the door, and placed precious balsam upon it; and
the man rose up alive, and came to the place where Peredur was, and
greeted him, and was joyful to see him. And two other men came in upon
their saddles, and the maiden treated these two in the same manner as she
had done the first. Then Peredur asked the chieftain wherefore it was
thus. And they told him, that there was an Addanc in a cave, which slew
them once every day. And thus they remained that night.

And next morning the youths arose to sally forth, and Peredur besought
them, for the