figure of an eagle of gold upon it, and a precious stone on the
eagle's head. And coming out of the tent, they saw a youth with
thick yellow hair upon his head, fair and comely, and a scarf of blue
satin upon him, and a brooch of gold in the scarf upon his right
shoulder as large as a warrior's middle finger. And upon his feet
were hose of fine Totness, and shoes of parti-coloured leather,
clasped with gold, and the youth was of noble bearing, fair of face,
with ruddy cheeks and large hawk's eyes. In the hand of the youth
was a mighty lance, speckled yellow, with a newly-sharpened head; and
upon the lance a banner displayed.

Fiercely angry, and with rapid pace, came the youth to the place
where Arthur was playing at chess with Owain. And they perceived
that he was wroth. And thereupon he saluted Owain, and told him that
his Ravens had been killed, the chief part of them, and that such of
them as were not slain were so wounded and bruised that not one of
them could raise its wings a single fathom above the earth. "Lord,"
said Owain, "forbid thy men." "Play," said he, "if it please thee."
Then said Owain to the youth, "Go back, and wherever thou findest the
strife at the thickest, there lift up the banner, and let come what
pleases Heaven."

So the youth returned back to the place where the strife bore hardest
upon the Ravens, and he lifted up the banner; and as he did so they
all rose up in the air, wrathful and fierce and high of spirit,
clapping their wings in the wind, and shaking off the weariness that
was upon them. And recovering their energy and courage, furiously
and with exultation did they, with one sweep, descend upon the heads
of the men, who had erewhile caused them anger and pain and damage,
and they seized some by the heads and others by the eyes, and some by