sake of the ladies of their love, to permit him to go with
them; but they refused him, saying, "If thou shouldst be slain there,
thou hast none to bring thee back to life again." And they rode forward,
and Peredur followed after them; and after they had disappeared out of
his sight, he came to a mound, whereon sat the fairest lady he had ever
beheld. "I know thy quest," said she, "thou art going to encounter the
Addanc, and he will slay thee, and that not by courage, but by craft. He
has a cave, and at the entrance of the cave there is a stone pillar, and
he sees every one that enters, and none see him; and from behind the
pillar he slays every one with a poisonous dart. And if thou wouldst
pledge me thy faith, to love me above all women, I would give thee a
stone, by which thou shouldst see him when thou goest in, and he should
not see thee." "I will, by my troth," said Peredur, "for when first I
beheld thee, I loved thee; and where shall I seek thee?" "When thou
seekest me, seek towards India." And the maiden vanished, after placing
the stone in Peredur's hand.

And he came towards a valley, through which ran a river; and the borders
of the valley were wooded, and on each side of the river were level
meadows. And on one side of the river he saw a flock of white sheep, and
on the other a flock of black sheep. And whenever one of the white sheep
bleated, one of the black sheep would cross over, and become white; and
when one of the black sheep bleated, one of the white sheep would cross
over, and become black. And he saw a tall tree by the side of the river,
one half of which was in flames from the root to the top, and the other
half was green and in full leaf. And nigh thereto he saw a youth sitting
upon a mound, and two greyhounds, white-breasted, and spotted, in
leashes, lying by his side. And certain was he, that he had never seen a
youth of so royal a bearing as he. And in the wood opposite he heard
hounds raising a herd of deer. And Peredur saluted the youth, and the
youth greeted him in return. And there were three roads leading from the
mound; two of them were wide roads, and the third was more narrow. And
Peredur enquired where the three roads went. "One of them goes to my
palace," said the youth, "and one of two things I counsel thee to do,
either to proceed to my palace, which is before thee, and where thou wilt
find my wife, or else to remain here to see the hounds chasing the roused
deer fr