Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

340 Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race[395]We have here a Welsh reproduction of the Conte entitled“Le Chevalier au lion” of Chrestien de Troyes. The principalpersonage in the tale is Owain son of Urien, who appears in acharacter as foreign to the spirit of Celtic legend as it was familiaron the Continent, that of knight-errant.The Adventure of KymonWe are told in the introduction that Kymon, a knight ofArthur's Court, had a strange and unfortunate adventure. Ridingforth in search of some deed of chivalry to do, he came to asplendid castle, where he was hospitably received by four-andtwentydamsels, of whom “the least lovely was more lovelythan Gwenhwyvar, the wife of Arthur, when she has appearedloveliest at the Offering on the Day of the Nativity, or at thefeast of Easter.” With them was a noble lord, who, after Kymonhad eaten, asked of his business. Kymon explained that he wasseeking for his match in combat. The lord of the castle smiled,and bade him proceed as follows: He should take the road upthe valley and through a forest till he came to a glade with amound in the midst of it. On the mound he would see a blackman of huge stature with one foot and one eye, bearing a mightyiron club. He was wood-ward of that forest, and would havethousands of wild animals, stags, serpents, and what not, feedingaround him. He would show Kymon what he was in quest of.Kymon followed the instructions, and the black man directedhim to where he should find a fountain under a great tree; by theside of it would be a silver bowl on a slab of marble. Kymon wasto take the bowl and throw a bowlful of water on the slab, whena terrific storm of hail and thunder would follow—then therewould break forth an enchanting music of singing birds—thenwould appear a knight in black armour riding on a coal-blackhorse, with a black pennon upon his lance. “And if thou dost notfind trouble in that adventure, thou needst not seek it during therest of thy life.”The Character of Welsh Romance