stag, to whom it ought to be given; and Gwenhwyvar advised that it should not be given to any until Geraint returned, telling the King of his errand. To this Arthur agreed, and Gwenhwyvar set a watch on the ramparts for Geraint's coming. And after mid-day they beheld a dwarf, a lady, and a knight coming sorrowfully and in piteous state, and Gwenhwyvar went down to meet the knight and was sorry for him; and he told his case, and said that he had come to atone for the insult which the dwarf had done to the maiden. And then he told of the tournament (which had taken place in the town which is now called Cardiff), and reported that Geraint would return on the morrow with the maiden. Arthur also came and recognized him as Edeyrn son of Nudd, and commended him to Gwenhwyvar's mercy, and then to the care of Morgan Tud, his chief physician. The next day came Geraint with the maiden clad in a garment of linen, and Gwenhwyvar greeted them well, and took the maiden to her chamber, and gave her the choicest of her apparel; and so they were wedded. Then the stag's head was given to Enid the daughter of Yniol, and she was loved by all.

Geraint abode at Court for three years, and after that there came ambassadors out of Cornwall from Erbin his father, delivering that he was advanced in years and the neighbouring chiefs attacked him, and desiring that Geraint his son might come to protect his boundaries; for it was better to spend the prime of his age in this manner than in tournaments. So Geraint returned, and, as before, he frequented tournaments and gained much fame; till at length there was no one worth his opposing and so he began to love ease and pleasure,

and shut himself up with his wife, and gave up hunting and the friendship of the nobles, so that they murmured against him. And Erbin told Enid of this, asking her whether it was she who caused Geraint to act thus; but she replied that nothing was more hateful to her than this. And one morning in the summer time Geraint lay upon his couch.

And Enid was without sleep in the apartment, which had windows of glass. And the sun shone upon the couch. And the clothes had slipped from off his arms and breast, and he was asleep. Then she gazed on the marvellous beauty of his appearance, and she said, 'Alas, and am I the cause that these arms and this breast have lost their glory and the warlike fame which they once so richly enjoyed!' And as she said this the tears dropped from her eyes, and they fell upon his breast. And the tears she shed and the words she had spoken awoke him.

And he thought that it was not in thinking of him that she spoke thus, but that it was because she loved some other man and that more than him; and Geraint was troubled in his mind, and he called his squire; and when he came he said, 'Go quickly and prepare my horse and my arms.'

'And do thou arise,' said he to Enid, 'and apparel thyself; and cause thy horse to be accoutred, and clothe thee in the worst riding-dress that thou hast in thy possession. And evil betide me,' said he, if thou return here until thou knowest whether I have lost my strength so completely as thou didst say. And if it be so, it will then be easy for thee to seek the society thou didst wish for of him of whom thou wast thinking.' So she arose, and clothed herself in her meanest garments. 'I know nothing, Lord,' said she, 'of thy meaning.' 'Neither wilt thou know at this time,' said he.

Then Geraint went to Erbin and said that he was going upon a quest, and asked him to take charge of his

dominions till his return. So he took his horse, and desired Enid to mount hers, and to ride forward and keep a long way before him, 'And whatever thou mayest see and whatever thou mayest hear concerning me,' said he, 'Do thou not turn back. And unless I speak unto thee, say not thou one word either.' And they set forward, choosing that road which was wildest and most beset by robbers. And they came to a forest and saw four horsemen come forth from it. Enid heard them propose to attack Geraint, and doubted what she should do, but decided that she ought to warn him. He was angry with her for speaking; and when the brigands attacked him he overthrew them all successively and took their arms and horses, giving Enid charge to drive them before her, and not to speak unless spoken to. Then they went forward through the forest; and when they left the forest they came to a vast plain, in the centre of which was a group of thickly-tangled copsewood; and from out thereof they beheld three horsemen coming towards them, well equipped with armour, both they and their horses. The same thing occurred again and Enid now had three more horses to drive before her, with another injunction to keep silence. Then on coming to a forest she saw five horsemen about to attack them again she warned, and again was rebuked, and again the horsemen were killed and their arms and horses delivered into Enid's charge. They passed the night in the forest, and next day they came to an open country, with meadows on one hand, and mowers mowing in the meadows. And there was a river before them, and the horses bent down and drank the water. And they went up out of the river by a lofty

steep; and there they met a slender stripling, with a satchel about his neck, a small blue pitcher in his hand, and a bowl on the mouth of the pitcher. And the youth saluted Geraint and asked whence they came, and being told that they had passed the night in the forest, invited them to eat the breakfast which he was carrying to the mowers, bread and meat and wine. I will,' said he, and Heaven reward thee for it.'

So they ate and drank, and the youth asked leave to go and get more for the mowers. Geraint bade him go first to the town and hire a lodging, and to take in payment for his service a gift, whichever horse and arms he chose. And to the town went the youth, and he took the best and most pleasant lodgings he knew, and then went and told the Earl what had chanced. And after they had disarrayed themselves, Geraint thus spoke to Enid, 'Go,' said he, 'to the other side of the chamber, and come not to this side of the house; and thou mayest call to thee the woman of the house, if thou wilt.' 'I will do, lord,' said she, 'as thou sayest.' And thereupon the man of the house came to Geraint and welcomed him. And the youth came and brought them drink, and they both slept while the youth went and reported of them to the Earl. The Earl sent to say that he would come in the evening, and Geraint woke and took food, and bade the man of the house invite whom he would of his friends to eat and drink at his cost; and so he did. Then came the Earl to visit Geraint, with twelve knights and the Earl conversed with him, and then cast his eyes upon Enid, and he thought her fairer than any he had seen, and set his affections upon her.

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Then he asked of Geraint, 'Have I thy permission to go and converse with yonder maiden, for I see that she is apart from thee?' 'Thou hast it gladly,' said he. So the Earl went and spake with Enid, and offered to share his earldom with her.

Enid refused, but alarmed by his threats she thought it better to bid him come and take her on the morrow. 'Come here to-morrow, and take me away as though I knew nothing thereof.' The Earl took his leave, and Enid told nothing of this to Geraint for fear of angering him and causing him uneasiness.

They went to sleep at the usual hour, and at midnight Enid arose and placed all Geraint's armour together, so that it might be ready to put on. Then she woke him, though fearful, and told him all that had passed. And although he was wroth with her, he took warning and clothed himself: and he bade her call the man of the house, of whom he asked a reckoning, and then before it was given, said, 'Take the eleven horses and the eleven suits of armour.' 'Heaven reward thee, lord,' said he; 'but I spent not the value of one suit of armour upon thee.' 'For that reason,' said he, 'thou wilt be the richer. And now, wilt thou come to guide me out of the town?' So they went forth, and he bade Enid go before him; and lo, as they went, at dawn of day, Enid looking behind her saw clouds of dust, and thought she beheld a knight appearing through the mist. She gave notice and was rebuked, as usual, and it proved to be the Earl with fourscore. horsemen, all of whom Geraint successively overthrew, and last of all he fought with the Earl (whose name was Dwrm), and overthrowing him, granted him his life.