he is." She replied not to what the king had said, but
she went to the youth. "Is it unpleasant to thee to be here?" said she.
"I should not care, if I were not," he replied. "Thy couch and thy
treatment shall be in no wise inferior to that of the King himself, and
thou shalt have the best entertainment that the palace affords. And if
it were more pleasing to thee that my couch should be here, that I might
discourse with thee, it should be so, cheerfully." "This can I not
refuse," said Peredur. And he remained in prison that night. And the
maiden provided all that she had promised him.

And the next day Peredur heard a tumult in the town. "Tell me, fair
maiden, what is that tumult?" said Peredur. "All the King's hosts and
his forces have come to the town to-day." "And what seek they here?" he
enquired. "There is an Earl near this place, who possesses two Earldoms,
and is as powerful as a king; and an engagement will take place between
them to-day." "I beseech thee," said Peredur, "to cause a horse and arms
to be brought, that I may view the encounter, and I promise to come back
to my prison again." "Gladly," said she, "will I provide thee with horse
and arms." So she gave him a horse and arms, and a bright scarlet robe
of honour over his armour, and a yellow shield upon his shoulder. And he
went to the combat; and as many of the Earl's men as encountered him that
day, he overthrew; and he returned to his prison. And the maiden asked
tidings of Peredur, and he answered her not a word. And she went and
asked tidings of her father, and enquired who had acquitted himself best
of the household. And he said that he knew not, but that it was a man
with a scarlet robe of honour over his armour, and a yellow shield upon
his shoulder. Then she smiled, and returned to where Peredur was, and
did him great honour that night. And for three days did Peredur slay the
Earl's men; and before any one could know who he was, he returned to his
prison. And the fourth day Peredur slew the Earl himself. And the
maiden went unto her father, and enquired of him the news. "I have good
news for thee," said the King, "the Earl is slain, and I am the owner of
his two Earldoms." "Knowest thou, lord, who slew him?" "I do not know,"
said the King. "It was the knight with the scarlet robe of honour, and
the yellow shield." "Lord," said she, "I know who that is." "By
Heaven," he exclaimed, "who is he?" "Lord," she replied, "he