uffer. Tell me
who art thou?'

'I am Sir Edern of the Needlands,' replied the other. 'And who art
thou, sir knight,' he asked, 'for never have I met so valiant and good
a knight of his hands as thou art.'

'I am Geraint of Cornwall,' said the young knight.

'It giveth comfort to me to know that I am overcome by so noble a
knight,' said the other. Then he got upon his horse, all wounded as he
was, and with his lady and the page beside him took his way sadly to
Arthur's court.

Then the young earl rose and came to Sir Geraint, and asked him to stay
with him at his castle, for he loved all knights of great prowess and
would have them to talk to him.

'Nay, I will not,' said Sir Geraint coldly; 'I will go where I was last
night.'

'Have your will, sir knight,' replied the young earl courteously. 'But
I will ask Earl Inewl to permit me to furnish his manor as it should be
furnished for your honour and ease.'

Sir Geraint went back to the manor, conversing with Earl Inewl and his
wife, and with the maiden Enid.

When they reached the house, they found it full of the servants of the
earl, who were sweeping the hall and laying straw therein, with tables
and benches as were suitable, and soon a great fire leaped and crackled
on the stone in the centre. Then when Sir Geraint's wound had been
washed and salved and bound, and he had placed upon himself his walking
attire, the chamberlain of the young earl came to him and asked him to
go into the hall to eat. Sir Geraint asked where was Earl Inewl and his
wife and daughter.

'They are in the bower putting on robes which my lord the earl hath
sent, more befitting their station and your honour,' said the earl's
chamberlain.

Sir Geraint liked it not that the maiden should be dressed in robes
given by the man who had stripped her father of all his wealth, and he
said coldly:

'I would that the damsel do not array herself, except in the vest and
veil she hath worn till now. And those she should wear,' he said,
'until she come to the court of Arthur, where the queen shall clothe
her in garments fitting for her.'

It was so done, and the maiden sat in her poor robes while the other
knights and ladies in the young earl's company glittered and shone in
satin and jewels. But she cared not for this, because Sir Geraint had
bidden her.

When meat was done and mead was served, they all began to talk, and the
young earl invited Sir Geraint to visit him next day.

'It may not