“Then I journeyed on until I reached the summit of the steep, and there I found everything as the guardian had described it to me. And I went up to the tree, and beneath it I saw the fountain, and by its side the marble slab, and the silver bowl fastened by the chain. Then I took the bowl, and cast a bowlful of water upon the slab; and thereupon, behold, the thunder came, much more violent than the guardian had led me to expect; and after the thunder came the shower; and of a truth I tell thee, Kai, that there is neither man nor beast that can endure that shower and live. For not one of those hailstones would be stopped, either by the flesh or by the skin, until it had reached the bone. I turned my horse’s flank toward the shower, and placed the beak of my shield over his head and neck, while I held the upper part of it over my own head. And thus I withstood the shower. When I looked on the tree there was not a single leaf upon it, and then the sky became clear, and with that, behold, the birds lighted upon the tree, and sang. And truly, Kai, I never heard any melody equal to that, either before or since.

“Then, when I was most charmed with listening to the birds, lo, a murmuring voice was heard through the valley, approaching me and saying, ‘O Knight, what has brought thee hither? What evil have I done to thee, that thou shouldst act toward me and my possessions as thou hast this day? Dost thou not know that the shower to-day has left in my dominions neither man nor beast alive that was exposed to it?’ And thereupon, behold, a knight on a black horse appeared, clothed in jet-black velvet, and with a tabard of black linen about him. We charged each other, and, as the onset was furious, it was not long before I was overthrown. Then the knight passed the shaft of his lance through the bridle rein of my horse, and rode off with the two horses, leaving me where I was. And he did not even bestow so much notice upon me as either to take me prisoner or to despoil me of my arms.

“So I returned along the road by which I had come. And when I reached the glade where the guardian of the wood was, I confess to thee, Kai, it is a marvel that I did not melt down into a liquid pool, through the shame that I felt at his derision. I returned to the castle where I had spent the night preceding. And I was more agreeably entertained that night than I had been the night before; and I was better feasted, and I conversed freely with the inmates of the castle, and none of them alluded to my expedition to the fountain, neither did I mention it to any; and I remained there that night. When I arose in the morning, I found, ready saddled, a dark bay horse, with nostrils as red as scarlet; and after putting on my armor, and leaving there my blessing, I returned to my own court. And that horse I still possess, and he is in the stable yonder, and I declare that I would not part with him for the best horse in the Island of Britain.

“Now of a truth, Kai, no man ever before confessed to an adventure so much to his own discredit, and verily it seems strange to me, that neither before nor since have I heard of any person besides myself who knew of this adventure, and that the place of its happening should be within King Arthur’s dominions, without any other person lighting upon it.”

“Now,” said Owen, “would it not be well to go and endeavor to discover that place?”

“By the hand of my friend,” said Kai, “often dost thou utter things with thy tongue which thou wouldst not make good with thy deeds.”

“In very truth,” said Gwenhuivar, “it were better thou wert hanged, Kai, than to use such uncourteous speech toward a man like Owen.”

“By the hand of my friend, good lady,” said Kai, “thy praise of Owen is not greater than mine.”

With that Arthur awoke, and asked if he had not been sleeping a little.

“Yes, Lord,” said Owen, “thou hast slept awhile.”

“Is it time for us to go to meat?”

“It is, Lord,” said Owen.

Then the horn for washing was sounded, and the King and all his household washed, and then sat down to eat. And when the meal was finished Owen withdrew to his lodging, and there he made ready his horse and his arms.