em that the Welshman had read the
French, but thought it waste of pains to translate it. In all, not to
speak of other defects, there are fifty-six whole chapters in the
present book, of which there is not a word in the Welsh.

In one matter, however, Mr Williams' English translation has stood me
in good stead. In Branch XXI., as I have said, the French manuscript
makes default of two Titles, but almost the whole of their substance is
supplied by the Welsh version. By an unlucky accident, before the
hiatus in the French is fully filled up, the Welsh version itself
becomes defective, though the gap thus left open can hardly extend
beyond a very few words. Without this supplement, incomplete as it is,
it would have been impossible to give the full drift of one of the
Romancer's best stories, which is equally unintelligible in both the
French and Welsh texts in their present state.

As the Welsh version gives a number of names both of persons and places
widely differing from those in the French, it may be useful here to
note the principal changes made. Perceval in the Welsh is called
Peredur, which is said to mean "steel suit". The Welshman, however,
adds that the name in French is "Peneffresvo Galief", which, unless it
be a misreading or miswriting for Perceval le Galois, is to me wholly
unintelligible. Perceval's father, Alain li Gros, is in the Welsh Earl
Evrawg, and his sister Dindrane, Danbrann. King Arthur is Emperor
Arthur, his Queen Guenievre, Gwenhwyvar, and their son Lohot, Lohawt or
Llacheu. Messire Gawain is Gwalchmei; Chaus, son of Ywain li Aoutres,
Gawns, son of Owein Vrych; Messire Kay or Kex is Kei the Long; Ahuret
the Bastard, Anores; Ygerne, wife of Uther Pendragon, Eigyr; Queen
Jandree, Landyr; and King Fisherman for the most part King Peleur. Of
places, Cardoil is Caerlleon on Usk, Pannenoisance, Penvoisins;
Tintagel, Tindagoyl; and Avalon, Avallach.

By a double stroke of ill-luck, the complete and wholly independent
Romance here translated has thus been printed by its two former editors
as if it were only a part of some other story. M. Potvin describes it
as the "First Part, the Romance in Prose," of his "Perceval le
Gallois", and Mr Williams accepts it as the "Second Portion" of his "Y
Seint Greal". This unhappy collocation has led not a few of M.
Potvin's readers to neglect his First Part, under the impression that
the story is retold in the other volumes containing the Romance in
verse