the fatigues of the journey, and have been anointed.”

And they all proceeded to the Castle of the Countess of the Fountain, and the banquet which had been

three years preparing was consumed in three months.  Never had they a more delicious or agreeable banquet.  And Arthur prepared to depart.  Then he sent an embassy to the Countess, to beseech her to permit Owain to go with him, for the space of three months, that he might shew him to the nobles, and the fair dames of the Island of Britain.  And the Countess gave her consent, although it was very painful to her.  So Owain came with Arthur to the Island of Britain.  And when he was once more amongst his kindred and friends, he remained three years, instead of three months, with them.

* * * * *

And as Owain one day sat at meat, in the City of Caerlleon upon Usk, behold a damsel entered, upon a bay horse, with a curling mane, and covered with foam; and the bridle, and as much as was seen of the saddle, were of gold.  And the damsel was arrayed in a dress of yellow satin.  And she went up to Owain, and took the ring from off his hand.  “Thus,” said she, “shall be treated the deceiver, the traitor, the faithless, the disgraced, and the beardless.” [39]  And she turned her horse’s head, and departed.

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, 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 grew 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 widowed Countess.

One day the Countess and her maidens went forth to walk by a lake, that was in the middle of the park.  And they saw the form of a man.  And they were terrified.  Nevertheless they went near him, and touched him, and looked at him.  And they saw that there was life in him, though he was exhausted by the heat of the sun.  And the Countess 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 arise, through the efficacy of this balsam.  Then watch what he will do.”

And the maiden departed from her, and poured the whole 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 his arms; and he arose 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 crept forward till he was able to draw the garments to him from off the saddle.  And he clothed himself, and with difficulty mounted the horse.  Then the damsel discovered herself to him, and saluted him.  And he was rejoiced when he saw her, and enquired of her, what land and what territory that was.  “Truly,” said the maiden, “a widowed Countess owns yonder Castle; at the death of her husband,

he left her two Earldoms, but at this day she has but this one dwelling that has not been wrested from her, by a young Earl, who is her neighbour, because she refused to become his wife.”  “That is pity,” said Owain.  And he and the maiden proceeded to the Castle; and he alighted there, and the maiden conducted him to a pleasant chamber, and kindled a fire, and left him.

And the maiden came to the Countess, and gave the flask into her hand.  “Ha! maiden,” said the Countess, “where is all the balsam?”  “Have I not used it all?” said she.  “Oh, maiden,” said the Countess, “I cannot easily forgive thee this; it is sad for me to have wasted seven-score pounds’ worth of precious ointment, upon a stranger whom I know not.  However, maiden, wait thou upon him, until he is quite recovered.”

And the maiden did so, and furnished him with meat and drink, and fire, and lodging, and medicaments, until he was well again.  And in three months he was restored to his former guise, and became even more comely, than he had ever been before.

One day Owain heard a great tumult, and a sound of arms in the Castle, and he enquired of the maiden the cause thereof.  “The Earl,” said she, “whom I mentioned to thee, has come before the Castle, with a numerous army, to subdue the Countess.”  And Owain enquired of her whether the Countess had a horse and arms, in her possession.  “She has the best in the world,” said the maiden.  “Wilt thou go and request the loan of a horse and arms for me,” said Owain, “that I may go and look at this army?”  “I will,” said the maiden.

And she came to the Countess, and told her what Owain had said.  And the Countess laughed. 

“Truly,” said she, “I will even give him a horse and arms, for ever; such a horse and such arms, had he never yet, and I am glad that they should be taken by him to-day, lest my enemies should have them against my will to-morrow.  Yet I know not what he would do with them.”

The Countess bade them bring out a beautiful black steed, upon which was a beechen saddle, and a suit of armour, for man and horse.  And Owain armed himself, and mounted the horse, and went forth, attended by two pages completely equipped, with horses and arms.  And when they came near to the Earl’s army, they could see neither its extent, nor its extremity.  And Owain asked the pages in which troop the Earl was.  “In yonder troop,” said they, “in which are four yellow standards.  Two of them are before, and two behind him.”  “Now,” said Owain, “do you return and await me near the portal of the Castle.”  So they returned, and Owain pressed forward, until he met the Earl.  And Owain drew him completely out of his saddle, and turned his horse’s head towards the Castle, and, though it was with difficulty, he brought the Earl to the portal, where the pages awaited him.  And in they came.  And Owain presented the Earl as a gift to the Countess.  And said to her, “Behold a requittal to thee for thy blessed balsam.”

The army encamped around the Castle.  And the Earl restored to the Countess the two Earldoms, he had taken from her, as a ransom for his life; and for his freedom, he gave her the half of his own dominions, and all his gold, and his silver, and his jewels, besides hostages.

And Owain took his departure.  And the Countess and all her subjects besought him to remain, but

Owain chose rather to wander through distant lands and deserts.

And as he journeyed, he heard a loud yelling in a wood.  And it was repeated a second and a third time.  And Owain went