"Lord," she replied, "he is the knight whom thou hast imprisoned."
Then he went unto Peredur, and saluted him, and told him that he
would reward the service he had done him, in any way he might desire.
And when they went to meat, Peredur was placed beside the King, and
the maiden on the other side of Peredur. "I will give thee," said
the King, "my daughter in marriage, and half my kingdom with her, and
the two Earldoms as a gift." "Heaven reward thee, lord," said
Peredur, "but I came not here to woo." "What seekest thou then,
chieftain?" "I am seeking tidings of the Castle of Wonders." "Thy
enterprise is greater, chieftain, than thou wilt wish to pursue,"
said the maiden, "nevertheless, tidings shalt thou have of the
Castle, and thou shalt have a guide through my father's dominions,
and a sufficiency of provisions for thy journey, for thou art, O
chieftain, the man whom best I love." Then she said to him, "Go over
yonder mountain, and thou wilt find a lake, and in the middle of the
lake there is a Castle, and that is the Castle that is called the
Castle of Wonders; and we know not what wonders are therein, but thus
is it called."

And Peredur proceeded towards the Castle, and the gate of the Castle
was open. And when he came to the hall, the door was open, and he
entered. And he beheld a chessboard in the hall, and the chessmen
were playing against each other, by themselves. And the side that he
favoured lost the game, and thereupon the others set up a shout, as
though they had been living men. And Peredur was wroth, and took the
chessmen in his lap, and cast the chessboard into the lake. And when
he had done thus, behold the black maiden came in, and she said to
him, "The welcome of Heaven be not unto thee. Thou hadst rather do
evil than good." "What complaint hast thou against me, maiden?" said
Peredur. "That thou hast occasioned unto the Empress the loss of her