ed forth upon a dapple grey horse of four years old,
with a bridle of linked gold, and gold upon his saddle. In his hand he
bore two spears of silver with heads of steel; a war-horn of ivory was
slung round his shoulder, and by his side hung a golden sword. Before
him were two brindled white-breasted greyhounds with collars of rubies
round their necks, and the one that was on the left side bounded across
to the right side, and the one on the right to the left, and like two
sea-swallows sported round him. And his horse cast up four sods with his
four hoofs, like four swallows in the air about his head, now above, now
below. About him was a robe of purple, and an apple of gold was at each
corner, and every one of the apples was of the value of a hundred cows.
And the blades of grass bent not beneath him, so light were his horse's
feet as he journeyed toward the gate of Arthur's palace.

'Is there a porter?' cried Kilweh, looking round for someone to open the
gate.

'There is; and I am Arthur's porter every first day of January,'
answered a man coming out to him. 'The rest of the year there are other
porters, and among them Pennpingyon, who goes upon his head to save his
feet.'

'Well, open the portal, I say.'

'No, that I may not do, for none can enter save the son of a king or a
pedlar who has goods to sell. But elsewhere there will be food for thy
dogs and hay for thy horse, and for thee collops cooked and peppered,
and sweet wine shall be served in the guest chamber.'

'That will not do for me,' answered Kilweh. 'If thou wilt not open the
gate I will send up three shouts that shall be heard from Cornwall unto
the north, and yet again to Ireland.'

'Whatsoever clamour thou mayest make,' spake Glewlwyd the porter, 'thou
shalt not enter until I first go and speak with Arthur.'

Then Glewlwyd went into the hall, and Arthur said to him:

'Hast thou news from the gate?' and the porter answered:

'Far have I travelled, both in this island and elsewhere, and many
kingly men have I seen; but never yet have I beheld one equal in majesty
to him who now stands at the door.'

'If walking thou didst enter here, return thou running,' replied Arthur,
'and let everyone that opens and shuts the eye show him respect and
serve him, for it is not meet to keep such a man in the wind and rain.'
So Glewlwyd unbarred the gate and Kilweh rode in upon his charger.

'Greeting unto thee, O ruler of this land,' cried he, 'and greeting n