fe, he
gave them limb, and their land to hold. He caused the trumpets to be
blown, and the Scots to be summoned; and they came out of the rocks to
the ships; on every side approached toward land. They were greatly
harmed by the sharp hunger; and oaths they swore, that they would not
deceive; and they then gave hostages to the king, and all full soon
became the king's men. And then they gan depart; the folk there
separated, each man to the end, where he was dwelling, and Arthur
there set peace, good with the best.

Then said Arthur: "Where art thou, Howel, my relation, dearest of men
to me? Seest thou this great lake, where the Scots are harmed, seest
thou these high trees, and seest thou these eagles fly? In this fen is
fish innumerable. Seest thou these islands, that stand over this
water?" Marvellous it seemed to Howel, of such a sight, and he
wondered greatly by the water-flood, and thus there spake Howel, of
noble race: "Since I was born man of my mother's bosom, saw I in no
land things thus wonderful, as I here before me behold with eyes!" The
Britons wondered wondrously much. Then spake Arthur, noblest of kings:
"Howel, mine own relative, dearest to me of men, listen to my words,
of a much greater wonder that I will tell to thee in my sooth speech.
By this lake's end, where this water floweth, is a certain little
lake, to the wonder of men! It is in length four-and-sixty palms; it
is in measure in breadth five-and-twenty feet; five feet it is deep,
elves it dug! Four-cornered it is, and therein is fish of four kinds,
and each fish in his end where he findeth his kind, may there none go
to other, except all as belongeth to his kind. Was never any man born,
nor of so wise craft chosen, live he ever so long, that may understand
it, what letteth (hindereth) the fish to swim to the others; for there
is nought between but water clean!" The yet spake Arthur, noblest of
kings: "Howel, in this land's end, nigh the sea-strand, is a lake
exceeding great--the water is evil--and when the sea floweth, as if it
would rage, and falleth in the lake exceeding quickly, the lake is
never the more increased in water. But when the sea falleth in (ebbs),
and the ground becomes fair, and in it is all in its old seat, then
swelleth the lake, and the waves darken; out the waves there leap,
exceeding great, flow out on the land, and the people soon terrify. If
any man cometh there, that knoweth nought thereof, to behold the
marvel by the s