Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race - Knowledge Rush

348 Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race[404]beyond which he found a great castle, the Castle of Wonders. Heentered it by the open door, and found a stately, hoary-headedman sitting in a great hall with many pages about him, whoreceived Peredur honourably. At meat Peredur sat beside the lordof the castle, who asked him, when they had done, if he couldfight with a sword. “Were I to receive instruction,” said Peredur,“I think I could.” The lord then gave Peredur a sword, and badehim strike at a great iron staple that was in the floor. Peredur didso, and cut the staple in two, but the sword also flew into twoparts. “Place the two parts together,” said the lord. Peredur didso, and they became one again, both sword and staple. A secondtime this was done with the same result. The third time neithersword nor staple would reunite.“Thou hast arrived,” said the lord, “at two-thirds of thystrength.” He then declared that he also wasPeredur's uncle, and brother to the fisher-lord with whomPeredur had lodged on the previous night. As they discoursed,two youths entered the hall bearing a spear of mighty size, fromthe point of which three streams of blood dropped upon theground, and all the company when they saw this began wailingand lamenting with a great outcry, but the lord took no notice anddid not break off his discourse with Peredur. Next there camein two maidens carrying between them a large salver, on which,amid a profusion of blood, lay a man's head. Thereupon thewailing and lamenting began even more loudly than before. Butat last they fell silent, and Peredur was led off to his chamber.Mindful of the injunction of the fisher-lord, he had shown nosurprise at what he saw, nor had he asked the meaning of it. Hethen rode forth again in quest of other adventures, which he hadin bewildering abundance, and which have no particular relationto the main theme. The mystery of the castle is not revealed tillthe last pages of the story. The head in the silver dish was that ofa cousin of Peredur's. The lance was the weapon with which hewas slain, and with which also the uncle of Peredur, the fisher-