[Footnote:  The custom of riding into a hall while the lord and his guests sat at meat might be illustrated by numerous passages of ancient romance and history.  But a quotation from Chaucer’s beautiful and half-told tale of “Cambuscan” is sufficient: 

    “And so befell that after the thridde cours,
    While that this king sat thus in his nobley,
    Herking his minstralles thir thinges play,
    Beforne him at his bord deliciously,
    In at the halle door all sodenly
    Ther came a knight upon a stede of bras,
    And in his hond a brod mirrour of glas;
    Upon his thombe he had of gold a ring,
    And by his side a naked sword hanging;
    And up he rideth to the highe bord. 
    In all the halle ne was ther spoke a word,
    For meryaille of this knight; him to behold
    Full besily they waiten, young and old.”]

Then his adventure came to Owain’s remembrance, and he was sorrowful.  And having finished eating, he went to his own abode, and made preparations that night.  And the next day he arose, but did not go to the court, nor did he return to the Countess of the Fountain, but wandered to the distant parts of the earth and to uncultivated mountains.  And he remained there until all his apparel was worn out, and his body was wasted away, and his hair was grown long.  And he went about with the wild beasts, and fed with them, until they became familiar with him.  But at length he became so weak that he could no longer bear them company.  Then he descended from the mountains to the valley, and came to a park, that was the fairest in the world, and belonged to a charitable lady.

One day the lady and her attendants went forth to walk by a lake that was in the middle of the park.  And they saw the form of a man, lying as if dead.  And they were terrified.  Nevertheless they went near him, and touched him, and they saw that there was life in him.  And the lady returned to the castle, and took a flask full of precious ointment and gave it to one of her maidens.  “Go with this,” said she, “and take with thee yonder horse, and clothing, and place them near the man we saw just now; and anoint him with this balsam near his heart; and if there is life in him, he will revive, through the efficiency of this balsam.  Then watch what he will do.”

And the maiden departed from her, and went and poured of the balsam upon Owain, and left the horse and the garments hard by, and went a little way off and hid herself to watch him.  In a short time, she saw him begin to move; and he rose up, and looked at his person, and became ashamed of the unseemliness of his appearance.  Then he perceived the horse and the garments that were near him.  And he clothed himself, and with difficulty mounted the horse.  Then the damsel discovered herself to him, and saluted him.  And he and the maiden proceeded to the castle, and the maiden conducted him to a pleasant chamber, and kindled a fire, and left him.