I grant thee," said he, "on
condition that thou cause the chessboard to be restored to the place
where it was when I entered the hall." Then the maiden came to him and
said, "The malediction of Heaven attend thee for thy work, since thou
hast left that monster alive, who lays waste all the possessions of the
Empress." "I granted him his life," said Peredur, "that he might cause
the chessboard to be restored." "The chessboard is not in the place
where thou didst find it; go back, therefore, and slay him," answered
she. So Peredur went back, and slew the black man. And when he returned
to the palace, he found the black maiden there. "Ah! maiden," said
Peredur, "where is the Empress?" "I declare to Heaven that thou wilt not
see her now, unless thou dost slay the monster that is in yonder forest."
"What monster is there?" "It is a stag that is as swift as the swiftest
bird; and he has one horn in his forehead, as long as the shaft of a
spear and as sharp as whatever is sharpest. And he destroys the branches
of the best trees in the forest and he kills every animal that he meets
with therein; and those that he does not slay perish of hunger. And what
is worse than that, he comes every night, and drinks up the fish pond,
and leaves the fishes exposed, so that for the most part they die before
the water returns again." "Maiden," said Peredur, "wilt thou come and
show me this animal?" "Not so," said the maiden, "for he has not
permitted any mortal to enter the forest for above a twelvemonth. Behold,
here is a little dog belonging to the Empress, which will rouse the stag,
and will chase him towards thee, and the stag will attack thee." Then
the little dog went as a guide to Peredur, and roused the stag, and
brought him towards the place where Peredur was. And the stag attacked
Peredur, and he let him pass by him, and as he did so, he smote off his
head with his sword. And while he was looking at the head of the stag,
he saw a lady on horseback coming towards him. And she took the little
dog in the lappet of her cap, and the head and the body of the stag lay
before her. And around the stag's neck was a golden collar. "Ha!
chieftain," said she, "uncourteously hast thou acted in slaying the
fairest jewel that was in my dominions." "I was intreated so to do; and
is there any way by which I can obtain thy friendship?" "There is," she
replied. "Go thou forward unto yonder mountain, and there thou wilt find
a grov