So Guenever went to the gate to meet him and he entered.  And Guenever was sorry when she saw the condition he was in, even though he was accompanied by the churlish dwarf.  Then Edeyrn saluted Guenever.  “Heaven protect thee,” said she.  “Lady,” said he, “Geraint, the son of Erbin, thy best and most valiant servant, greets thee.”  “Did he meet with thee?” she asked.  “Yes,” said he, “and it was not to my advantage; and that was not his fault, but mine, lady.  And Geraint greets thee well; and in greeting thee he compelled me to come hither to do thy pleasure for the insult which thy maiden received from the dwarf.”  “Now where did he overtake thee?” “At the place where we were jousting and contending for the sparrow-hawk, in the town which is now called Cardiff.  And it was for the avouchment of the love of the maiden, the daughter of Earl Ynywl, that Geraint jousted at the tournament.  And thereupon we encountered each other, and he left me, lady, as thou seest.”  “Sir,” said she, “when thinkest thou that Geraint will be here?” “To-morrow, lady, I think he will be here with the maiden.”

Then Arthur came to them.  And he saluted Arthur, and Arthur gazed a long time upon him and was amazed to see him thus.  And thinking that he knew him, he inquired of him, “Art thou Edeyrn, the son of Nudd?” “I am, lord,” said he, “and I have met with much trouble and received wounds unsupportable.”  Then he told Arthur all his adventure.  “Well,” said Arthur, “from what I hear it behooves Guenever to be merciful towards thee.”  “The mercy which thou desirest, lord,” said she. “will I grant to him, since it is as insulting to thee that an insult should be offered to me as to thyself.”  “Thus will it be best to do,” said Arthur; “let this man have medical care until it be known whether he may live.  And if he live, he shall do such satisfaction as shall be judged best by the men of the court.  And if he die, too much will be the death of such a youth as Edeyrn for an insult to a maiden.”  “This pleases me,” said Guenever.  And Arthur caused Morgan Tud to be called to him.  He was the chief physician.  “Take with thee Edeyrn, the son of Nudd, and cause a chamber to be prepared for him, and let him have the aid of medicine as thou wouldst do unto myself, if I were wounded, and let none into his chamber to molest him, but thyself and thy disciples, to administer to him remedies.”  “I will do so, gladly, lord,” said Morgan Tud.  Then said the steward of the household, “Whither is it right, lord, to order the maiden?” “To Guenever and her handmaidens,” said he.  And the steward of the household so ordered her.

    “And rising up, he rode to Arthur’s court,
    And there the queen forgave him easily. 
    And being young, he changed himself, and grew
    To hate the sin that seem’d so like his own
    Of Modred, Arthur’s nephew, and fell at last
    In the great battle fighting for the king.”

    —­Enid.