him to go with them; but they refused him, saying, "If thou shouldst
be slain there, thou hast none to bring thee back to life again."
And they rode forward, and Peredur followed after them; and, after
they had disappeared out of his sight, he came to a mound, whereon
sat the fairest lady he had ever beheld. "I know thy quest," said
she; "thou art going to encounter the Addanc, and he will slay thee,
and that not by courage, but by craft. He has a cave, and at the
entrance of the cave there is a stone pillar, and he sees every one
that enters, and none see him; and from behind the pillar he slays
every one with a poisonous dart. And if thou wouldst pledge me thy
faith to love me above all women, I would give thee a stone, by which
thou shouldst see him when thou goest in, and he should not see
thee." "I will, by my troth," said Peredur, "for when first I beheld
thee I loved thee; and where shall I seek thee?" "When thou seekest
me, seek towards India." And the maiden vanished, after placing the
stone in Peredur's hand.

And he came towards a valley, through which ran a river; and the
borders of the valley were wooded, and on each side of the river were
level meadows. And on one side of the river he saw a flock of white
sheep, and on the other a flock of black sheep. And whenever one of
the white sheep bleated, one of the black sheep would cross over and
become white; and when one of the black sheep bleated, one of the
white sheep would cross over and become black. And he saw a tall
tree by the side of the river, one half of which was in flames from
the root to the top, and the other half was green and in full leaf.
And nigh thereto he saw a youth sitting upon a mound, and two
greyhounds, white-breasted and spotted, in leashes, lying by his
side. And certain was he that he had never seen a youth of so royal
a bearing as he. And in the wood opposite he heard hounds raising a