ind him on his horse, and that mighty host
moved forward, each troop in its order, towards Cevndigoll. And when
they came to the middle of the ford of the Severn, Iddawc turned his
horse's head, and Rhonabwy looked along the valley of the Severn. And he
beheld two fair troops coming towards the ford. One troop there came of
brilliant white, whereof every one of the men had a scarf of white satin
with jet black borders. And the knees and the tops of the shoulders of
their horses were jet black, though they were of a pure white in every
other part. And their banners were pure white, with black points to them
all.

"Iddawc," said Rhonabwy, "who are yonder pure white troop?" "They are
the men of Norway, and March the son of Meirchion is their prince. And
he is cousin unto Arthur." And further on he saw a troop, whereof each
man wore garments of jet black, with borders of pure white to every
scarf; and the tops of the shoulders and the knees of their horses were
pure white. And their banners were jet black with pure white at the
point of each.

"Iddawc," said Rhonabwy, "who are the jet black troop yonder?" "They are
the men of Denmark, and Edeyrn the son of Nudd is their prince."

And when they had overtaken the host, Arthur and his army of mighty ones
dismounted below Caer Badon, and he perceived that he and Iddawc
journeyed the same road as Arthur. And after they had dismounted he
heard a great tumult and confusion amongst the host, and such as were
then at the flanks, turned to the centre, and such as had been in the
centre moved to the flanks. And then, behold, he saw a knight coming,
clad, both he and his horse, in mail, of which the rings were whiter than
the whitest lily, and the rivets redder than the ruddies blood. And he
rode amongst the host.

"Iddawc," said Rhonabwy, "will yonder host flee?" "King Arthur never
fled, and if this discourse of thine were heard, thou wert a lost man.
But as to the knight whom thou seest yonder, it is Kai. The fairest
horseman is Kai in all Arthur's Court; and the men who are at the front
of the army hasten to the rear to see Kai ride, and the men who are in
the centre, flee to the side from the shock of his horse. {116a} And
this is the cause of the confusion of the host."

Thereupon they heard a call made for Kadwr, Earl of Cornwall, and behold
he arose with the sword of Arthur in his hand. And the similitude of two
serpents was upon the sword in gold. And whe