Peredur came again to his mother, the Countess had recovered from her
swoon. "My son," said she, "desirest thou to ride forth?" "Yes,
with thy leave," said he. "Wait, then, that I may counsel thee
before thou goest." "Willingly," he answered; "speak quickly." "Go
forward, then," she said, "to the Court of Arthur, where there are
the best, and the boldest, and the most bountiful of men. And
wherever thou seest a church, repeat there thy Paternoster unto it.
And if thou see meat and drink, and have need of them, and none have
the kindness or the courtesy to give them to thee, take them thyself.
If thou hear an outcry, proceed towards it, especially if it be the
outcry of a woman. If thou see a fair jewel, possess thyself of it,
and give it to another, for thus thou shalt obtain praise. If thou
see a fair woman, pay thy court to her, whether she will or no; for
thus thou wilt render thyself a better and more esteemed man than
thou wast before."

After this discourse, Peredur mounted the horse, and taking a handful
of sharp-pointed forks in his hand, he rode forth. And he journeyed
two days and two nights in the woody wildernesses, and in desert
places, without food and without drink. And then he came to a vast
wild wood, and far within the wood he saw a fair even glade, and in
the glade he saw a tent, and the tent seeming to him to be a church,
he repeated his Paternoster to it. And he went towards it, and the
door of the tent was open. And a golden chair was near the door.
And on the chair sat a lovely auburn-haired maiden, with a golden
frontlet on her forehead, and sparkling stones in the frontlet, and
with a large gold ring on her hand. And Peredur dismounted, and
entered the tent. And the maiden was glad at his coming, and bade
him welcome. At the entrance of the tent he saw food, and two flasks
full of wine, and two loaves of fine wheaten flour, and collops of