they came near to the Earl's army, they could see neither its extent
nor its extremity. And Owain asked the pages in which troop the Earl
was. "In yonder troop," said they, "in which are four yellow
standards. Two of them are before, and two behind him." "Now," said
Owain, "do you return and await me near the portal of the Castle."
So they returned, and Owain pressed forward until he met the Earl.
And Owain drew him completely out of his saddle, and turned his
horse's head towards the Castle, and though it was with difficulty,
he brought the Earl to the portal, where the pages awaited him. And
in they came. And Owain presented the Earl as a gift to the
Countess. And said to her, "Behold a requital to thee for thy
blessed balsam."

The army encamped around the Castle. And the Earl restored to the
Countess the two Earldoms he had taken from her, as a ransom for his
life; and for his freedom he gave her the half of his own dominions,
and all his gold, and his silver, and his jewels, besides hostages.

And Owain took his departure. And the Countess and all her subjects
besought him to remain, but Owain chose rather to wander through
distant lands and deserts.

And as he journeyed, he heard a loud yelling in a wood. And it was
repeated a second and a third time. And Owain went towards the spot,
and beheld a huge craggy mound, in the middle of the wood; on the
side of which was a grey rock. And there was a cleft in the rock,
and a serpent was within the cleft. And near the rock stood a black
lion, and every time the lion sought to go thence, the serpent darted
towards him to attack him. And Owain unsheathed his sword, and drew
near to the rock; and as the serpent sprang out, he struck him with