And on Whit-Tuesday, as the king sat at the banquet, lo, there entered a tall, fair-headed youth, clad in a coat and surcoat of satin, and a golden-hilted sword about his neck, and low shoes of leather upon his feet.  And he came and stood before Arthur.  “Hail to thee, lord,” said he.  “Heaven prosper thee,” he answered, “and be thou welcome.  Dost thou bring any new tidings?” “I do, lord,” he said.  “I am one of thy foresters, lord, in the forest of Dean, and my name is Madoc, son of Turgadarn.  In the forest I saw a stag, the like of which beheld I never yet.”  “What is there about him,” asked Arthur, “that thou never yet didst see his like?” “He is of pure white, lord, and he does not herd with any other animal, through stateliness and pride, so royal is his bearing.  And I come to seek thy counsel, lord, and to know thy will concerning him.”  “It seems best to me,” said Arthur, “to go and hunt him to-morrow at break of day, and to cause general notice thereof to be given to-night, in all quarters of the court.”

   “For Arthur on the Whitsuntide before
   Held court at old Caerleon upon Usk. 
   There on a day, he sitting high in hall,
   Before him came a forester of Dean,
   Wet from the woods, with notice of a hart

   Taller than all his fellows, milky-white,
   First seen that day:  these things he told the king. 
   Then the good king gave order to let blow
   His horns for hunting on the morrow morn.”

    —­Enid.

And Arryfuerys was Arthur’s chief huntsman, and Arelivri his chief page.  And all received notice; and thus it was arranged.

Then Guenever said to Arthur, “Wilt thou permit me, lord, to go to-morrow to see and hear the hunt of the stag of which the young man spoke?” “I will gladly,” said Arthur.  And Gawain said to Arthur, “Lord, if it seem well to thee, permit that into whose hunt soever the stag shall come, that one, be he a knight or one on foot, may cut off his head, and give it to whom he pleases, whether to his own lady-love, or to the lady of his friend.”  “I grant it gladly,” said Arthur, “and let the steward of the household be chastised, if all things are not ready to-morrow for the chase.”

And they passed the night with songs, and diversions, and discourse, and ample entertainment.  And when it was time for them all to go to sleep, they went.  And when the next day came, they arose.  And Arthur called the attendants who guarded his couch.  And there were four pages whose names were Cadyrnerth, the son of Gandwy, and Ambreu, the son of Bedwor and Amhar, the son of Arthur and Goreu, the son of Custennin.  And these men came to Arthur and saluted him, and arrayed him in his garments.  And Arthur wondered that Guenever did not awake, and the attendants wished to awaken her.  “Disturb her not,” said Arthur, “for she had rather sleep than go to see the hunting.”

Then Arthur went forth, and he heard two horns sounding, one from near the lodging of the chief huntsman, and the other from near that of the chief page.  And the whole assembly of the multitudes came to Arthur, and they took the road to the forest.