e art thou accursed. And the dwarf and the dwarfess
that thou sawest at Arthur's Court, were the dwarfs of thy father and
mother; and I am thy foster-sister, and this was my wedded husband, and
he was slain by the knight that is in the glade in the wood; and do not
thou go near him, lest thou shouldest be slain by him likewise." "My
sister, thou dost reproach me wrongfully; through my having so long
remained amongst you, I shall scarcely vanquish him; and had I continued
longer it would, indeed, be difficult for me to succeed. Cease,
therefore, thy lamenting, for it is of no avail, and I will bury the
body, and then I will go in quest of the knight, and see if I can do
vengeance upon him." And when he had buried the body, they went to the
place where the knight was, and found him riding proudly along the glade;
and he enquired of Peredur whence he came. "I come from Arthur's Court."
"And art thou one of Arthur's men?" "Yes, by my faith." "A profitable
alliance, truly, is that of Arthur." And without further parlance, they
encountered one another, and immediately Peredur overthrew the knight,
and he besought mercy of Peredur. "Mercy shall thou have," said he,
"upon these terms, that thou take this woman in marriage, and do her all
the honour and reverence in thy power, seeing thou hast, without cause,
slain her wedded husband; and that thou go to Arthur's Court, and shew
him that it was I that overthrew thee, to do him honour and service; and
that thou tell him that I will never come to his Court again until I have
met with the tall man that is there, to take vengeance upon him for his
insult to the dwarf and the dwarfess." And he took the knight's
assurance, that he would perform all this. Then the knight provided the
lady with a horse and garments that were suitable for her, and took her
with him to Arthur's Court. And he told Arthur all that had occurred,
and gave the defiance to Kai. And Arthur and all his household reproved
Kai, for having driven such a youth as Peredur from his Court.

Said Owain the son of Urien, "This youth will never come into the Court
until Kai has gone forth from it." "By my faith," said Arthur, "I will
search all the deserts in the island of Britain, until I find Peredur,
and then let him and his adversary do their utmost to each other."

Then Peredur rode forward. And he came to a desert wood, where he saw
not the track either of men or animals, and where there was nothing but