Now Arthur and his household were in search of Peredur. "Know ye,"
said Arthur, "who is the knight with the long spear that stands by
the brook up yonder?" "Lord," said one of them, "I will go and learn
who he is." So the youth came to the place where Peredur was, and
asked him what he did thus, and who he was. And from the intensity
with which he thought upon the lady whom best he loved, he gave him
no answer. Then the youth thrust at Peredur with his lance, and
Peredur turned upon him, and struck him over his horse's crupper to
the ground. And after this, four-and-twenty youths came to him, and
he did not answer one more than another, but gave the same reception
to all, bringing them with one single thrust to the ground. And then
came Kai, and spoke to Peredur rudely and angrily; and Peredur took
him with his lance under the jaw, and cast him from him with a
thrust, so that he broke his arm and his shoulder-blade, and he rode
over him one-and-twenty times. And while he lay thus, stunned with
the violence of the pain that he had suffered, his horse returned
back at a wild and prancing pace. And when the household saw the
horse come back without his rider, they rode forth in haste to the
place where the encounter had been. And when they first came there,
they thought that Kai was slain; but they found that if he had a
skilful physician, he yet might live. And Peredur moved not from his
meditation, on seeing the concourse that was around Kai. And Kai was
brought to Arthur's tent, and Arthur caused skilful physicians to
come to him. And Arthur was grieved that Kai had met with this
reverse, for he loved him greatly.

"Then," said Gwalchmai, "it is not fitting that any should disturb an
honourable knight from his thought unadvisedly; for either he is
pondering some damage that he has sustained, or he is thinking of the
lady whom best he loves. And through such ill-advised proceeding,