One day after Peredur came to Arthur’s Court, as he walked in the city after his repast, behold there met him the lady who was called Angarrad of the Golden Hand. “By my faith, sister,” said Peredur to her, “thou art a beauteous and lovely maiden; and, were it pleasing to thee, I could love thee above all women.” “I pledge my faith,” said she, “that I do not love thee, nor will I ever do so.” “I also pledge my faith,” said Peredur, “that I will never speak a word to any Christian again, until thou come to love me above all men.”
The next day Peredur went forth by the high road, along a mountain ridge, and above him he beheld a castle, and thitherward he went. And he struck upon the gate with his lance, and then, behold, a comely auburn-haired youth opened the gate, and he had the stature of a warrior, and the years of a boy. And when Peredur came into the hall, there was a tall and stately lady sitting in a chair, and many maidens around her; and the lady rejoiced at his coming. When it was time they went to meat. And after the repast was finished the lady said, “It were well for thee, Chieftain, to go elsewhere to sleep. Nine sorceresses are here, of the witches of Gloucester, and unless we can make our escape before daybreak, we shall be slain; for already they have conquered and laid waste all the country, except this one dwelling.” Peredur said no word, but he showed them that he would stay. Then they all went to rest.
With the break of day Peredur heard a dreadful outcry. Hastily he arose, and went forth in his vest and his doublet, with his sword about his neck, and he saw a sorceress overtake one of the watch, who cried out violently. Peredur attacked the sorceress, and struck her upon the head with his sword, so that he flattened her helmet and her headpiece like a dish upon her head. “Thy mercy, goodly Peredur,” said the un-Christian sorceress. “How knowest thou, hag, that I am Peredur?” “By destiny, and the foreknowledge that I should suffer harm from thee. Thou shalt take a horse and armor of me; and with me thou shalt go to learn chivalry and the use of thy arms.” Said Peredur, “Thou shalt have mercy, if thou pledge thy faith thou wilt never more injure the dominions of the Lady of the Castle.” The sorceress pledged her faith, and Peredur took surety of her, and with the permission of the Lady of the Castle he went forth with the sorceress to the Palace of the Sorceresses. And there he remained for three weeks, and then he made choice of a horse and arms, and went his way.
And after he had left the Palace of the Sorceresses, Peredur came to that castle that he afterward called the Castle of Wonders. First he came to a vast desert wood, and at the further end of the wood was a meadow, and at the other side of the meadow he saw a great castle. Thitherward Peredur bent his way. On the border of a lake he saw a nobleman, sitting upon a velvet cushion, and having a garment of velvet upon him. His attendants were fishing in the lake. When the hoary-headed nobleman beheld Peredur approaching, he arose and went toward the castle. Peredur saw that he was old and lame.
Peredur rode to the castle, and the door was open, and he entered the hall. And there was the hoary-headed man sitting on a cushion, and a large blazing fire was burning before him. And the household and the company arose to meet Peredur, and disarrayed him.
They placed him beside the owner of the castle, and when it was time to eat, they caused him to sit beside him during the repast. Afterward he beheld two youths enter the hall, and proceed up to the chamber, bearing a spear of mighty size, with three streams of blood flowing from the point to the ground. And when all the company saw this, they began wailing and lamenting. But Peredur spoke no word and asked no question. And when the clamor had a little subsided, behold two maidens entered, with a large salver between them, in which was a man’s head, surrounded by a profusion of blood. Thereupon the company of the court made so great an outcry that it was irksome to be in the same hall with them. At length they were silent. And still Peredur said no word. When the time came that they should sleep, Peredur was brought into a fair chamber in that strange castle.
Peredur rode forward next day, and he traversed a vast tract of desert, in which no dwellings were. At length he came to a habitation, mean and small. And there he heard that there was a serpent that lay upon a gold ring, and suffered none to inhabit the country for seven miles around. Peredur came to the place where he heard the serpent was. And angrily, furiously, and desperately fought he with the serpent; and at last he killed it, and took away the ring.