side of the hall, with Gwalchmai beside him. And Peredur beheld his
horse, which the black man had taken, in the same stall with that of
Gwalchmai. And they were glad concerning Peredur. And he went and
seated himself on the other side of the hoary-headed man. Then,
behold a yellow-haired youth came, and bent upon the knee before
Peredur, and besought his friendship. "Lord," said the youth, "it
was I that came in the form of the black maiden to Arthur's Court,
and when thou didst throw down the chessboard, and when thou didst
slay the black man of Ysbidinongyl, and when thou didst slay the
stag, and when thou didst go to fight the black man of the cromlech.
And I came with the bloody head in the salver, and with the lance
that streamed with blood from the point to the hand, all along the
shaft; and the head was thy cousin's, and he was killed by the
sorceresses of Gloucester, who also lamed thine uncle; and I am thy
cousin. And there is a prediction that thou art to avenge these
things." Then Peredur and Gwalchmai took counsel, and sent to Arthur
and his household, to beseech them to come against the sorceresses.
And they began to fight with them; and one of the sorceresses slew
one of Arthur's men before Peredur's face, and Peredur bade her
forbear. And the sorceress slew a man before Peredur's face a second
time, and a second time he forbad her. And the third time the
sorceress slew a man before the face of Peredur; and then Peredur
drew his sword, and smote the sorceress on the helmet; and all her
head-armour was split in two parts. And she set up a cry, and
desired the other sorceresses to flee, and told them that this was
Peredur, the man who had learnt Chivalry with them, and by whom they
were destined to be slain. Then Arthur and his household fell upon
the sorceresses, and slew the sorceresses of Gloucester every one.
And thus is it related concerning the Castle of Wonders.