the world was too mighty for me. None could hold me back,
and after I had won many adventures in my own land, I bade farewell to
my parents and set out to see the world. Over mountains, through
deserts, across rivers I went, till I reached a fair valley full of
trees, with a path running by the side of a stream. I walked along that
path all the day, and in the evening I came to a castle in front of
which stood two youths clothed in yellow, each grasping an ivory bow,
with arrows made of the bones of the whale, and winged with peacock's
feathers. By their sides hung golden daggers with hilts of the bones of
the whale.

'Near these young men was a man richly dressed, who turned and went with
me towards the castle, where all the dwellers were gathered in the hall.
In one window I beheld four and twenty damsels, and the least fair of
them was fairer than Guenevere at her fairest. Some took my horse, and
others unbuckled my armour, and washed it, with my sword and spear, till
it all shone like silver. Then I washed myself and put on a vest and
doublet which they brought me, and I and the man that entered with me
sat down before a table of silver, and a goodlier feast I never had.

'All this time neither the man nor the damsels had spoken one word, but
when our dinner was half over, and my hunger was stilled, the man began
to ask who I was. Then I told him my name and my father's name, and why
I came there, for indeed I had grown weary of gaining the mastery over
all men at home, and sought if perchance there was one who could gain
the mastery over me. And at this the man smiled and answered:

'"If I did not fear to distress thee too much, I would show thee what
thou seekest." His words made me sorrowful and fearful of myself, which
the man perceived, and added, "If thou meanest truly what thou sayest,
and desirest earnestly to prove thy valour, and not to boast vainly that
none can overcome thee, I have somewhat to show thee. But to-night thou
must sleep in this castle, and in the morning see that thou rise early
and follow the road upwards through the valley, until thou reachest a
wood. In the wood is a path branching to the right; go along this path
until thou comest to a space of grass with a mound in the middle of it.
On the top of the mound stands a black man, larger than any two white
men; his eye is in the centre of his forehead and he has only one foot.
He carries a club of iron, and two white men could hardly lift