chessboard, which she would not have lost for all her empire. And
the way in which thou mayest recover the chessboard is, to repair to
the Castle of Ysbidinongyl, where is a black man, who lays waste the
dominions of the Empress; and if thou canst slay him, thou wilt
recover the chessboard. But if thou goest there, thou wilt not
return alive." "Wilt thou direct me thither?" said Peredur. "I will
show thee the way," she replied. So he went to the Castle of
Ysbidinongyl, and he fought with the black man. And the black man
besought mercy of Peredur. "Mercy will I grant thee," said he, "on
condition that thou cause the chessboard to be restored to the place
where it was when I entered the hall." Then the maiden came to him,
and said, "The malediction of Heaven attend thee for thy work, since
thou hast left that monster alive, who lays waste all the possessions
of the Empress." "I granted him his life," said Peredur, "that he
might cause the chessboard to be restored." "The chessboard is not
in the place where thou didst find it; go back, therefore, and slay
him," answered she. So Peredur went back, and slew the black man.
And when he returned to the palace, he found the black maiden there.
"Ah! maiden," said Peredur, "where is the Empress?" "I declare to
Heaven that thou wilt not see her now, unless thou dost slay the
monster that is in yonder forest." "What monster is there?" "It is
a stag that is as swift as the swiftest bird; and he has one horn in
his forehead, as long as the shaft of a spear, and as sharp as
whatever is sharpest. And he destroys the branches of the best trees
in the forest, and he kills every animal that he meets with therein;
and those that he doth not slay perish of hunger. And what is worse
than that, he comes every night, and drinks up the fish-pond, and
leaves the fishes exposed, so that for the most part they die before
the water returns again." "Maiden," said Peredur, "wilt thou come
and show me this animal?" "Not so," said the maiden, "for he has not