broke it, and the lion fell into the pit; and Peredur led his horse
over the rocky ledge, until he came into the valley. And in the
centre of the valley he saw a fair castle, and he went towards it.
And in the meadow by the castle he beheld a huge grey man sitting,
who was larger than any man he had ever before seen. And two young
pages were shooting the hilts of their daggers, of the bone of the
sea-horse. And one of the pages had red hair, and the other auburn.
And they went before him to the place where the grey man was, and
Peredur saluted him. And the grey man said, "Disgrace to the beard
of my porter." Then Peredur understood that the porter was the
lion.--And the grey man and the pages went together into the castle,
and Peredur accompanied them; and he found it a fair and noble place.
And they proceeded to the hall, and the tables were already laid, and
upon them was abundance of food and liquor. And thereupon he saw an
aged woman and a young woman come from the chamber; and they were the
most stately women he had ever seen. Then they washed and went to
meat, and the grey man sat in the upper seat at the head of the
table, and the aged woman next to him. And Peredur and the maiden
were placed together, and the two young pages served them. And the
maiden gazed sorrowfully upon Peredur, and Peredur asked the maiden
wherefore she was sad. "For thee, my soul; for, from when I first
beheld thee, I have loved thee above all men. And it pains me to
know that so gentle a youth as thou should have such a doom as awaits
thee to-morrow. Sawest thou the numerous black houses in the bosom
of the wood? All these belong to the vassals of the grey man yonder,
who is my father. And they are all giants. And to-morrow they will
rise up against thee, and will slay thee. And the Round Valley is
this valley called." "Listen, fair maiden, wilt thou contrive that
my horse and arms be in the same lodging with me to-night?" "Gladly
will I cause it so to be, by Heaven, if I can."