ell me, youth, saw'st thou any coming after me from
the court?" "I am come myself," said Peredur. "Hold thy peace,"
answered the knight angrily, "and go back to the court and say
that, unless one comes in haste, I will not tarry, but will ride
away, holding them all shamed." "By my faith," said Peredur,
"willingly or unwillingly, thou shalt answer to me for thine
insolence; and I will have the goblet of thee, ay, and thy horse
and armour to boot." With that, in a rage, the knight struck
Peredur a violent blow between the neck and the shoulder with the
butt-end of his lance. "So!" cried Peredur, "not thus did my
mother's servants play with me; and thus will I play with thee";
and drove at him with his pointed stake that it entered the eye of
the knight, who forthwith fell dead from his horse. Then Peredur
dismounted and began wrenching at the fastenings of the dead man's
armour, for he saw in the adventure the means of equipping himself
as a knight should ride; but knowing not the trick of the
fastenings, his efforts were in vain. While he yet struggled, there
rode up Sir Owain who had followed in hot haste from the court; and
when he saw the fallen knight, he was amazed that a mere lad,
unarmed and unskilled in knightly exercises, should thus have
prevailed. "Fair youth," said he, "what would ye?" "I would have
this knight's iron coat, but I cannot stir it for all my efforts."
"Nay, young Sir," said Sir Owain, "leave the dead his arms, and
take mine and my horse, which I give you right gladly; and come
with me to the King to receive the order of knighthood, for, by my
faith, ye have shown yourself worthy of it." "I thank you, noble
Sir," answered Peredur, "and gladly I accept your gift; but I will
not go with you now. Rather will I seek other adventures and prove
me further first; nor will I seek the King's presence until I have
encountered with the tall knight that so misused the dwarf, and
have called him to account. Only, I pray you, take this goblet to
Queen Guenevere, and say to my lord, King Arthur, that, in all
places and at all times, I am his true vassal, and will render him
such service as I may." Then, with Sir Owain's help, Peredur put on
the armour, and mounting his horse, after due salutation, rode on
his way.

So, for many days, Peredur followed his adventures, and many a
knight he met and overthrew. To all he yielded grace, requiring
only that they should ride to Caerleon, there to give themselves up