whom once ye overthrew and spared.  At Arthur’s court, whither ye sent me, I was shown kindness and courtesy little deserved, and now am I knight of Arthur’s Round Table.  But how came ye in such a case?” Then Geraint told him of his encounter with the three caitiffs, and how he had afterwards been borne to the castle of Earl Limours.  “To do justice on that same felon is Arthur himself here even now,” cried Edeyrn.  “His camp is hard by.”  Then Geraint told Edeyrn how Limours lay dead in his own halls, justly punished for the many wrongs he had done, and how his people were scattered.  “Come then yourself to greet the King and tell him what has chanced.”  So he led the way to Arthur’s camp, where it lay in the forest hard by.  Then were they welcomed by the King himself and a tent assigned to them, where Geraint rested until his wounds were healed.

Never again, from that time forth, had Geraint a doubt of the love and truth of Enid; and never from that time had she to mourn that he seemed to set small store by his knightly fame.  For after he was cured, they returned to their own land, and there Geraint upheld the King’s justice, righting wrong and putting down robbery and oppression, so that the people blessed him and his gentle wife.  Year by year, his fame grew, till his name was known through all lands; and at last, when his time was come, he died a knightly death, as he had lived a knightly life, in the service of his lord, King Arthur.

BOOK VI

THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAIN

CHAPTER XXI

THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAIN

King Arthur was holding his court at Caerleon-upon-Usk, and it was the time of the evening banquet, when there entered the hall the good knight, Sir Kynon.  A brave warrior was he, and of good counsel, but he seemed in weary plight as, after due salutation to all, he took his place at the Round Table.  So it was that all were eager to hear of his adventure, yet none would question him until he had eaten and drunk.  But when he was refreshed, the King said to him:  “Whence come ye, Sir Kynon?  For it would seem that ye have met with hard adventure.”  “Sir King,” answered Kynon, “it has been with me as never before; for I have encountered with, and been overthrown by, a single knight.”  All were filled with wonder at his words, for never before had Sir Kynon been worsted in any meeting, man to man.  Then said the King:  “The stoutest of us must some time meet his match; yet did ye bear you valiantly, I doubt not.  Tell us now, I pray you, of your adventures.”  “Noble lord,” said Kynon, “I had determined to journey into other lands; for I would seek new and untried adventures.  So I passed into a far land, and it chanced, one day, that I found myself in the fairest valley I had ever seen.  Through it there flowed a mighty river, which I followed, until I came, as evening fell, to a castle, the largest and strongest