Horace Walpole - "Letters of Horace Walpole, V4"

George Bernard Shaw - "How He Lied to Her Husband"

J. Henri Fabre - "More Hunting Wasps"

Herbert Jenkins - "The Life of George Borrow"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: The Mabinogion

U >> Unknown >> The Mabinogion




And they went forward to the Court of the Countess, and all they of
the Court were glad at their coming; and they were told it was not
through disrespect they were placed below the household, but that
such was the usage of the Court. For, whoever should overthrow the
three hundred men of her household, would sit next the Countess, and
she would love him above all men. And Peredur having overthrown the
three hundred men of her household, sat down beside her, and the
Countess said, "I thank Heaven that I have a youth so fair and so
valiant as thou, since I have not obtained the man whom best I love."
"Who is he whom best thou lovest?" "By my faith, Etlym Gleddyv Coch
is the man whom I love best, and I have never seen him." "Of a
truth, Etlym is my companion; and behold here he is, and for his sake
did I come to joust with thy household. And he could have done so
better than I, had it pleased him. And I do give thee unto him."
"Heaven reward thee, fair youth, and I will take the man whom I love
above all others." And the Countess became Etlym's bride from that
moment.

And the next day Peredur set forth towards the Mound of Mourning.
"By thy hand, lord, but I will go with thee," said Etlym. Then they
went forwards till they came in sight of the mound and the tents.
"Go unto yonder men," said Peredur to Etlym, "and desire them to come
and do me homage." So Etlym went unto them, and said unto them
thus,--"Come and do homage to my lord." "Who is thy lord?" said
they. "Peredur with the long lance is my lord," said Etlym. "Were
it permitted to slay a messenger, thou shouldest not go back to thy
lord alive, for making unto Kings, and Earls, and Barons so arrogant
a demand as to go and do him homage." Peredur desired him to go back
to them, and to give them their choice, either to do him homage, or
to do battle with him. And they chose rather to do battle. And that
day Peredur overthrew the owners of a hundred tents; and the next day
he overthrew the owners of a hundred more; and the third day the
remaining hundred took counsel to do homage to Peredur. And Peredur
inquired of them, wherefore they were there. And they told him they
were guarding the serpent until he should die. "For then should we
fight for the stone among ourselves, and whoever should be conqueror
among us would have the stone." "Await here," said Peredur, "and I
will go to encounter the serpent." "Not so, lord," said they; "we
will go altogether to encounter the serpent." "Verily," said
Peredur, "that will I not permit; for if the serpent be slain, I
shall derive no more fame therefrom than one of you." Then he went
to the place where the serpent was, and slew it, and came back to
them, and said, "Reckon up what you have spent since you have been
here, and I will repay you to the full." And he paid to each what he
said was his claim. And he required of them only that they should
acknowledge themselves his vassals. And he said to Etlym, "Go back
unto her whom thou lovest best, and I will go forwards, and I will
reward thee for having been my attendant." And he gave Etlym the
stone. "Heaven repay thee and prosper thee," said Etlym.

And Peredur rode thence, and he came to the fairest valley he had
ever seen, through which ran a river; and there he beheld many tents
of various colours. And he marvelled still more at the number of
water-mills and of wind-mills that he saw. And there rode up with
him a tall auburn-haired man, in workman's garb, and Peredur inquired
of him who he was. "I am the chief miller," said he, "of all the
mills yonder." "Wilt thou give me lodging?" said Peredur. "I will,
gladly," he answered. And Peredur came to the miller's house, and
the miller had a fair and pleasant dwelling. And Peredur asked money
as a loan from the miller, that he might buy meat and liquor for
himself and for the household, and he promised that he would pay him
again ere he went thence. And he inquired of the miller, wherefore
such a multitude was there assembled. Said the miller to Peredur,
"One thing is certain: either thou art a man from afar, or thou art
beside thyself. The Empress of Cristinobyl the Great is here; and
she will have no one but the man who is most valiant; for riches does
she not require. And it was impossible to bring food for so many
thousands as are here, therefore were all these mills constructed."
And that night they took their rest.

And the next day Peredur arose, and he equipped himself and his horse
for the tournament. And among the other tents he beheld one, which
was the fairest he had ever seen. And he saw a beauteous maiden
leaning her head out of a window of the tent, and he had never seen a
maiden more lovely than she. And upon her was a garment of satin.
And he gazed fixedly on the maiden, and began to love her greatly.
And he remained there, gazing upon the maiden from morning until mid-
day, and from mid-day until evening; and then the tournament was
ended and he went to his lodging and drew off his armour. Then he
asked money of the miller as a loan, and the miller's wife was wroth
with Peredur; nevertheless, the miller lent him the money. And the
next day he did in like manner as he had done the day before. And at
night he came to his lodging, and took money as a loan from the
miller. And the third day, as he was in the same place, gazing upon
the maiden, he felt a hard blow between the neck and the shoulder,
from the edge of an axe. And when he looked behind him, he saw that
it was the miller; and the miller said to him, "Do one of two things:
either turn thy head from hence, or go to the tournament." And
Peredur smiled on the miller, and went to the tournament; and all
that encountered him that day he overthrew. And as many as he
vanquished he sent as a gift to the Empress, and their horses and
arms he sent as a gift to the wife of the miller, in payment of the
borrowed money. Peredur attended the tournament until all were
overthrown, and he sent all the men to the prison of the Empress, and
the horses and arms to the wife of the miller, in payment of the
borrowed money. And the Empress sent to the Knight of the Mill, to
ask him to come and visit her. And Peredur went not for the first
nor for the second message. And the third time she sent a hundred
knights to bring him against his will, and they went to him and told
him their mission from the Empress. And Peredur fought well with
them, and caused them to be bound like stags, and thrown into the
mill-dyke. And the Empress sought advice of a wise man who was in
her counsel; and he said to her, "With thy permission, I will go to
him myself." So he came to Peredur, and saluted him, and besought
him, for the sake of the lady of his love, to come and visit the
Empress. And they went, together with the miller. And Peredur went
and sat down in the outer chamber of the tent, and she came and
placed herself by his side. And there was but little discourse
between them. And Peredur took his leave, and went to his lodging.

And the next day he came to visit her, and when he came into the tent
there was no one chamber less decorated than the others. And they
knew not where he would sit. And Peredur went and sat beside the
Empress, and discoursed with her courteously. And while they were
thus, they beheld a black man enter with a goblet full of wine in his
hand. And he dropped upon his knee before the Empress, and besought
her to give it to no one who would not fight with him for it. And
she looked upon Peredur. "Lady," said he, "bestow on me the goblet."
And Peredur drank the wine, and gave the goblet to the miller's wife.
And while they were thus, behold there entered a black man of larger
stature than the other, with a wild beast's claw in his hand, wrought
into the form of a goblet and filled with wine. And he presented it
to the Empress, and besought her to give it to no one but the man who
would fight with him. "Lady," said Peredur, "bestow it on me." And
she gave it to him. And Peredur drank the wine, and sent the goblet
to the wife of the miller. And while they were thus, behold a rough-
looking, crisp-haired man, taller than either of the others, came in
with a bowl in his hand full of wine; and he bent upon his knee, and
gave it into the hands of the Empress, and he besought her to give it
to none but him who would fight with him for it; and she gave it to
Peredur, and he sent it to the miller's wife. And that night Peredur
returned to his lodging; and the next day he accoutred himself and
his horse, and went to the meadow and slew the three men. Then
Peredur proceeded to the tent, and the Empress said to him, "Goodly
Peredur, remember the faith thou didst pledge me when I gave thee the
stone, and thou didst kill the Addanc." "Lady," answered he, "thou
sayest truth, I do remember it." And Peredur was entertained by the
Empress fourteen years, as the story relates.


Arthur was at Caerlleon upon Usk, his principal palace; and in the
centre of the floor of the hall were four men sitting on a carpet of
velvet, Owain the son of Urien, and Gwalchmai the son of Gwyar, and
Howel the son of Emyr Llydaw, and Peredur of the long lance. And
thereupon they saw a black curly-headed maiden enter, riding upon a
yellow mule, with jagged thongs in her hand to urge it on; and having
a rough and hideous aspect. Blacker were her face and her two hands
than the blackest iron covered with pitch; and her hue was not more
frightful than her form. High cheeks had she, and a face lengthened
downwards, and a short nose with distended nostrils. And one eye was
of a piercing mottled grey, and the other was as black as jet, deep-
sunk in her head. And her teeth were long and yellow, more yellow
were they than the flower of the broom. And her stomach rose from
the breast-bone, higher than her chin. And her back was in the shape
of a crook, and her legs were large and bony. And her figure was
very thin and spare, except her feet and her legs, which were of huge
size. And she greeted Arthur and all his household except Peredur.
And to Peredur she spoke harsh and angry words. "Peredur, I greet
thee not, seeing that thou dost not merit it. Blind was fate in
giving thee fame and favour. When thou wast in the Court of the Lame
King, and didst see there the youth bearing the streaming spear, from
the points of which were drops of blood flowing in streams, even to
the hand of the youth, and many other wonders likewise, thou didst
not inquire their meaning nor their cause. Hadst thou done so, the
King would have been restored to health, and his dominions to peace.
Whereas from henceforth, he will have to endure battles and
conflicts, and his knights will perish, and wives will be widowed,
and maidens will be left portionless, and all this is because of
thee." Then said she unto Arthur, "May it please thee, lord, my
dwelling is far hence, in the stately castle of which thou hast
heard, and therein are five hundred and sixty-six knights of the
order of Chivalry, and the lady whom best he loves with each; and
whoever would acquire fame in arms, and encounters, and conflicts, he
will gain it there, if he deserve it. And whoso would reach the
summit of fame and of honour, I know where he may find it. There is
a castle on a lofty mountain, and there is a maiden therein, and she
is detained a prisoner there, and whoever shall set her free will
attain the summit of the fame of the world." And thereupon she rode
away.

Said Gwalchmai, "By my faith, I will not rest tranquilly until I have
proved if I can release the maiden." And many of Arthur's household
joined themselves with him. Then, likewise, said Peredur, "By my
faith, I will not rest tranquilly until I know the story and the
meaning of the lance whereof the black maiden spoke." And while they
were equipping themselves, behold a knight came to the gate. And he
had the size and the strength of a warrior, and was equipped with
arms and habiliments. And he went forward, and saluted Arthur and
all his household, except Gwalchmai. And the knight had upon his
shoulder a shield, ingrained with gold, with a fesse of azure blue
upon it, and his whole armour was of the same hue. And he said to
Gwalchmai, "Thou didst slay my lord by thy treachery and deceit, and
that will I prove upon thee." Then Gwalchmai rose up. "Behold,"
said he, "here is my gage against thee, to maintain, either in this
place or wherever else thou wilt, that I am not a traitor or
deceiver." "Before the King whom I obey, will I that my encounter
with thee take place," said the knight. "Willingly," said Gwalchmai;
"go forward, and I will follow thee." So the knight went forth, and
Gwalchmai accoutred himself, and there was offered unto him abundance
of armour, but he would take none but his own. And when Gwalchmai
and Peredur were equipped, they set forth to follow him, by reason of
their fellowship and of the great friendship that was between them.
And they did not go after him in company together, but each went his
own way.

At the dawn of day Gwalchmai came to a valley, and in the valley he
saw a fortress, and within the fortress a vast palace and lofty
towers around it. And he beheld a knight coming out to hunt from the
other side, mounted on a spirited black snorting palfrey, that
advanced at a prancing pace, proudly stepping, and nimbly bounding,
and sure of foot; and this was the man to whom the palace belonged.
And Gwalchmai saluted him. "Heaven prosper thee, chieftain," said
he, "and whence comest thou?" "I come," answered Gwalchmai, "from
the Court of Arthur." "And art thou Arthur's vassal?" "Yes, by my
faith," said Gwalchmai. "I will give thee good counsel," said the
knight. "I see that thou art tired and weary; go unto my palace, if
it may please thee, and tarry there to-night." "Willingly, lord,"
said he, "and Heaven reward thee." "Take this ring as a token to the
porter, and go forward to yonder tower, and therein thou wilt find my
sister." And Gwalchmai went to the gate, and showed the ring, and
proceeded to the tower. And on entering he beheld a large blazing
fire, burning without smoke and with a bright and lofty flame, and a
beauteous and stately maiden was sitting on a chair by the fire. And
the maiden was glad at his coming, and welcomed him, and advanced to
meet him. And he went and sat beside the maiden, and they took their
repast. And when their repast was over, they discoursed pleasantly
together. And while they were thus, behold there entered a venerable
hoary-headed man. "Ah! base girl," said he, "if thou didst think it
was right for thee to entertain and to sit by yonder man, thou
wouldest not do so." And he withdrew his head, and went forth. "Ah!
chieftain," said the maiden, "if thou wilt do as I counsel thee, thou
wilt shut the door, lest the man should have a plot against thee."
Upon that Gwalchmai arose, and when he came near unto the door, the
man, with sixty others, fully armed, were ascending the tower. And
Gwalchmai defended the door with a chessboard, that none might enter
until the man should return from the chase. And thereupon, behold
the Earl arrived. "What is all this?" asked he. "It is a sad
thing," said the hoary-headed man; "the young girl yonder has been
sitting and eating with him who slew your father. He is Gwalchmai,
the son of Gwyar." "Hold thy peace, then," said the Earl, "I will go
in." And the Earl was joyful concerning Gwalchmai. "Ha! chieftain,"
said he, "it was wrong of thee to come to my court, when thou knewest
that thou didst slay my father; and though we cannot avenge him,
Heaven will avenge him upon thee." "My soul," said Gwalchmai, "thus
it is: I came not here either to acknowledge or to deny having slain
thy father; but I am on a message from Arthur, and therefore do I
crave the space of a year until I shall return from my embassy, and
then, upon my faith, I will come back unto this palace, and do one of
two things, either acknowledge it, or deny it." And the time was
granted him willingly; and he remained there that night. And the
next morning he rode forth. And the story relates nothing further of
Gwalchmai respecting this adventure.

And Peredur rode forward. And he wandered over the whole island,
seeking tidings of the black maiden, and he could meet with none.
And he came to an unknown land, in the centre of a valley, watered by
a river. And as he traversed the valley he beheld a horseman coming
towards him, and wearing the garments of a priest; and he besought
his blessing. "Wretched man," said he, "thou meritest no blessing,
and thou wouldest not be profited by one, seeing that thou art clad
in armour on such a day as this." "And what day is to-day?" said
Peredur. "To-day is Good Friday," he answered. "Chide me not that I
knew not this, seeing that it is a year to-day since I journeyed
forth from my country." Then he dismounted, and led his horse in his
hand. And he had not proceeded far along the high road before he
came to a cross road, and the cross road traversed a wood. And on
the other side of the wood he saw an unfortified castle, which
appeared to be inhabited. And at the gate of the castle there met
him the priest whom he had seen before, and he asked his blessing.
"The blessing of Heaven be unto thee," said he, "it is more fitting
to travel in thy present guise than as thou wast erewhile; and this
night thou shalt tarry with me." So he remained there that night.

And the next day Peredur sought to go forth. "To-day may no one
journey. Thou shalt remain with me to-day and to-morrow, and the day
following, and I will direct thee as best I may to the place which
thou art seeking." And the fourth day Peredur sought to go forth,
and he entreated the priest to tell him how he should find the Castle
of Wonders. "What I know thereof I will tell thee," he replied. "Go
over yonder mountain, and on the other side of the mountain thou wilt
come to a river, and in the valley wherein the river runs is a King's
palace, wherein the King sojourned during Easter. And if thou mayest
have tidings anywhere of the Castle of Wonders, thou wilt have them
there."

Then Peredur rode forward. And he came to the valley in which was
the river, and there met him a number of men going to hunt, and in
the midst of them was a man of exalted rank, and Peredur saluted him.
"Choose, chieftain," said the man, "whether thou wilt go with me to
the chase, or wilt proceed to my palace, and I will dispatch one of
my household to commend thee to my daughter, who is there, and who
will entertain thee with food and liquor until I return from hunting;
and whatever may be thine errand, such as I can obtain for thee thou
shalt gladly have." And the King sent a little yellow page with him
as an attendant; and when they came to the palace the lady had
arisen, and was about to wash before meat. Peredur went forward, and
she saluted him joyfully, and placed him by her side. And they took
their repast. And whatsoever Peredur said unto her, she laughed
loudly, so that all in the palace could hear. Then spoke the yellow
page to the lady. "By my faith," said he, "this youth is already thy
husband; or if he be not, thy mind and thy thoughts are set upon
him." And the little yellow page went unto the King, and told him
that it seemed to him that the youth whom he had met with was his
daughter's husband, or if he were not so already that he would
shortly become so unless he were cautious. "What is thy counsel in
this matter, youth?" said the King. "My counsel is," he replied,
"that thou set strong men upon him, to seize him, until thou hast
ascertained the truth respecting this." So he set strong men upon
Peredur, who seized him and cast him into prison. And the maiden
went before her father, and asked him wherefore he had caused the
youth from Arthur's Court to be imprisoned. "In truth," he answered,
"he shall not be free to-night, nor to-morrow, nor the day following,
and he shall not come from where he is." She replied not to what the
King had said, but she went to the youth. "Is it unpleasant to thee
to be here?" said she. "I should not care if I were not," he
replied. "Thy couch and thy treatment shall be in no wise inferior
to that of the King himself, and thou shalt have the best
entertainment that the palace affords. And if it were more pleasing
to thee that my couch should be here, that I might discourse with
thee, it should be so, cheerfully." "This can I not refuse," said
Peredur. And he remained in prison that night. And the maiden
provided all that she had promised him.

And the next day Peredur heard a tumult in the town. "Tell me, fair
maiden, what is that tumult?" said Peredur. "All the King's hosts
and his forces have come to the town to-day." "And what seek they
here?" he inquired. "There is an Earl near this place who possesses
two Earldoms, and is as powerful as a King; and an engagement will
take place between them to-day." "I beseech thee," said Peredur, "to
cause a horse and arms to be brought, that I may view the encounter,
and I promise to come back to my prison again." "Gladly," said she,
"will I provide thee with horse and arms." So she gave him a horse
and arms, and a bright scarlet robe of honour over his armour, and a
yellow shield upon his shoulder. And he went to the combat; and as
many of the Earl's men as encountered him that day he overthrew; and
he returned to his prison. And the maiden asked tidings of Peredur,
and he answered her not a word. And she went and asked tidings of
her father, and inquired who had acquitted himself best of the
household. And he said that he knew not, but that it was a man with
a scarlet robe of honour over his armour, and a yellow shield upon
his shoulder. Then she smiled, and returned to where Peredur was,
and did him great honour that night. And for three days did Peredur
slay the Earl's men; and before any one could know who he was, he
returned to his prison. And the fourth day Peredur slew the Earl
himself. And the maiden went unto her father, and inquired of him
the news. "I have good news for thee," said the King; "the Earl is
slain, and I am the owner of his two Earldoms." "Knowest thou, lord,
who slew him?" "I do not know," said the King. "It was the knight
with the scarlet robe of honour and the yellow shield." "Lord," said
she, "I know who that is." "By Heaven!" he exclaimed, "who is he?"
"Lord," she replied, "he is the knight whom thou hast imprisoned."
Then he went unto Peredur, and saluted him, and told him that he
would reward the service he had done him, in any way he might desire.
And when they went to meat, Peredur was placed beside the King, and
the maiden on the other side of Peredur. "I will give thee," said
the King, "my daughter in marriage, and half my kingdom with her, and
the two Earldoms as a gift." "Heaven reward thee, lord," said
Peredur, "but I came not here to woo." "What seekest thou then,
chieftain?" "I am seeking tidings of the Castle of Wonders." "Thy
enterprise is greater, chieftain, than thou wilt wish to pursue,"
said the maiden, "nevertheless, tidings shalt thou have of the
Castle, and thou shalt have a guide through my father's dominions,
and a sufficiency of provisions for thy journey, for thou art, O
chieftain, the man whom best I love." Then she said to him, "Go over
yonder mountain, and thou wilt find a lake, and in the middle of the
lake there is a Castle, and that is the Castle that is called the
Castle of Wonders; and we know not what wonders are therein, but thus
is it called."

And Peredur proceeded towards the Castle, and the gate of the Castle
was open. And when he came to the hall, the door was open, and he
entered. And he beheld a chessboard in the hall, and the chessmen
were playing against each other, by themselves. And the side that he
favoured lost the game, and thereupon the others set up a shout, as
though they had been living men. And Peredur was wroth, and took the
chessmen in his lap, and cast the chessboard into the lake. And when
he had done thus, behold the black maiden came in, and she said to
him, "The welcome of Heaven be not unto thee. Thou hadst rather do
evil than good." "What complaint hast thou against me, maiden?" said
Peredur. "That thou hast occasioned unto the Empress the loss of her
chessboard, which she would not have lost for all her empire. And
the way in which thou mayest recover the chessboard is, to repair to
the Castle of Ysbidinongyl, where is a black man, who lays waste the
dominions of the Empress; and if thou canst slay him, thou wilt
recover the chessboard. But if thou goest there, thou wilt not
return alive." "Wilt thou direct me thither?" said Peredur. "I will
show thee the way," she replied. So he went to the Castle of
Ysbidinongyl, and he fought with the black man. And the black man
besought mercy of Peredur. "Mercy will I grant thee," said he, "on
condition that thou cause the chessboard to be restored to the place
where it was when I entered the hall." Then the maiden came to him,
and said, "The malediction of Heaven attend thee for thy work, since
thou hast left that monster alive, who lays waste all the possessions
of the Empress." "I granted him his life," said Peredur, "that he
might cause the chessboard to be restored." "The chessboard is not
in the place where thou didst find it; go back, therefore, and slay
him," answered she. So Peredur went back, and slew the black man.
And when he returned to the palace, he found the black maiden there.
"Ah! maiden," said Peredur, "where is the Empress?" "I declare to
Heaven that thou wilt not see her now, unless thou dost slay the
monster that is in yonder forest." "What monster is there?" "It is
a stag that is as swift as the swiftest bird; and he has one horn in
his forehead, as long as the shaft of a spear, and as sharp as
whatever is sharpest. And he destroys the branches of the best trees
in the forest, and he kills every animal that he meets with therein;
and those that he doth not slay perish of hunger. And what is worse
than that, he comes every night, and drinks up the fish-pond, and
leaves the fishes exposed, so that for the most part they die before
the water returns again." "Maiden," said Peredur, "wilt thou come
and show me this animal?" "Not so," said the maiden, "for he has not
permitted any mortal to enter the forest for above a twelvemonth.
Behold, here is a little dog belonging to the Empress, which will
rouse the stag, and will chase him towards thee, and the stag will
attack thee." Then the little dog went as a guide to Peredur, and
roused the stag, and brought him towards the place where Peredur was.
And the stag attacked Peredur, and he let him pass by him, and as he
did so, he smote off his head with his sword. And while he was
looking at the head of the stag, he saw a lady on horseback coming
towards him. And she took the little dog in the lappet of her cap,
and the head and the body of the stag lay before her. And around the
stag's neck was a golden collar. "Ha! chieftain," said she,
"uncourteously hast thou acted in slaying the fairest jewel that was
in my dominions." "I was entreated so to do; and is there any way by
which I can obtain thy friendship?" "There is," she replied. "Go
thou forward unto yonder mountain, and there thou wilt find a grove;
and in the grove there is a cromlech; do thou there challenge a man
three times to fight, and thou shalt have my friendship."