he third day, as he was in the same
place, gazing upon the maiden, he felt a hard blow between the neck and
the shoulder, from the edge of an axe. And when he looked behind him, he
saw that it was the miller; and the miller said to him, "Do one of two
things: either turn thy head from hence, or go to the tournament." And
Peredur smiled on the miller, and went to the tournament; and all that
encountered him that day, he overthrew. And as many as he vanquished, he
sent as a gift to the Empress, and their horses and arms he sent as a
gift to the wife of the miller, in payment of the borrowed money. Peredur
attended the tournament until all were overthrown, and he sent all the
men to the prison of the Empress, and the horses and arms to the wife of
the miller, in payment of the borrowed money. And the Empress sent to
the Knight of the Mill, to ask him to come and visit her. And Peredur
went not for the first nor for the second message. And the third time
she sent an hundred knights to bring him against his will, and they went
to him, and told him their mission from the Empress. And Peredur fought
well with them, and caused them to be bound like stags, and thrown into
the mill dyke. And the Empress sought advice of a wise man, who was in
her counsel; and he said to her, "With thy permission, I will go to him
myself." So he came to Peredur, and saluted him, and besought him, for
the sake of the lady of his love, to come and visit the Empress. And
they went, together with the miller. And Peredur went and sat down in
the outer chamber of the tent, and she came and placed herself by his
side. And there was but little discourse between them. And Peredur took
his leave, and went to his lodging. And the next day he came to visit
her, and when he came into the tent, there was no one chamber less
decorated than the others. And they knew not where he would sit. And
Peredur went and sat beside the Empress, and discoursed with her
courteously. And while they were thus, they beheld a black man enter
with a goblet full of wine in his hand. And he dropped upon his knee
before the Empress, and besought her to give it to no one who would not
fight with him for it. And she looked upon Peredur. "Lady," said he,
"bestow on me the goblet." And Peredur drank the wine, and gave the
goblet to the miller's wife. And while they were thus, behold there
entered a black man, of larger stature than the other, with a wild
beast's claw