Kynon was the only son of his father and mother, and a very brave and
daring young knight. He thought there was nothing in the world too
mighty for him to do; and after he had achieved all the possible
adventures in his own country, he equipped himself with horse and
armour, and went forth to journey in desert and unknown lands.
One day it chanced that he came to the fairest valley in the world,
where all the trees grew to the same height; a river ran through the
valley, and a path was by the side of the river. He followed this
path till midday, and travelled along the remainder of the valley
till evening, and at length came to a large and shining castle, at
the foot of which was a rushing torrent. Before the gates stood two
youths with yellow, curling locks, wearing golden frontlets upon
their heads and garments of yellow satin, with gold clasps on their
insteps. Each of them held in his hand an ivory bow, and their
arrows were winged with peacock's feathers. Their daggers had blades
of gold and hilts of whalebone, and they played with them as they
stood, shooting them to and fro. They allowed Kynon to pass into the
courtyard, and there he saw a man, in the prime of life, also clad in
a robe of yellow satin, and round the top of his yellow mantle was a
band of gold lace. He received Kynon with great courtesy, and at
once conducted him into the hall of the castle. In the hall sat four
and twenty damsels embroidering satin at a window, and they were all
so very fair that the eyes of Kynon were almost dazzled at the sight
of so much beauty. They rose at his coming, and six of them took his
horse, and unbuckled his armour; six more took his weapons, and
washed them in a basin till they shone like the sun; another six
spread cloths on the table and prepared meat; and the last six took
off his soiled cloak and doublet, and put on garments of fine linen
and yellow satin, with a broad gold band round the mantle. Then they
gave him cushions of red linen on which to sit, and brought bowls of
silver full of water wherein to wash, and towels, some of green
linen, some of white. Presently, when all was ready, they sat down
to eat at a silver table, with cloths of the finest linen, and the
meats that were brought were of the most delicious flavour in the
world.
[Illustration: KYNON AND THE MAIDENS]
At length, when the stranger's hunger was appeased, the Man in Yellow
began to inquire who he was, and what was the cause of his journey.
And Kynon told him that he was trying to find out if anyone were his
superior, or whether he could gain the mastery over all. The Man in
Yellow smiled, saying: "If I did not fear that harm would come to
thee I would show thee that thou seekest."
Then Kynon implored him to make trial of him, and at length the man
agreed. "Sleep here to-night," said he, "and on the morning arise
early, and take the road upward through the valley till you come to
the wood by which you came. A little way within the wood you will
find a path branching off to the right. Follow this until you come
to a large, sheltered glade, with a mound in the centre. On the top
of the mound you will see a black man of great size, larger than two
men of this world. He has but one foot, and one eye in the middle of
his forehead. In his hand he holds a club which no two men could
lift. He is exceedingly ill-favoured to look at, and he is the
warden of that wood. And round about him you will see grazing a
thousand wild animals. Inquire of him the way out of the glade, and
he will point out the road which will lead you to that of which you
are in quest."
Next morning Kynon arose very early, and rode away. All came to pass
as the Man in Yellow had said, except that the black man was of huger
size and his club looked far heavier than Kynon had been led to
suppose. When Kynon saw the thousand animals browsing around the
mound and the black man sitting on the top of it, he asked what power
he held over those creatures.
"I will show thee, little man," said he; and, taking up his club, he
struck one of the stags a great blow. The stag brayed loudly, and at
the sound all the animals came together, as many as the stars in the
sky, so that Kynon scarcely found room to stand. Serpents were
there, and dragons, and every kind of beast. Then the black man
looked at them, and bade them go feed; and they all bowed their
heads, and did homage to him ere they departed.
Then Kynon asked the way out of the glade; and when the man knew his
reason he said to him: "Take the path that leads towards the head of
the glade, and ascend the woody steeps until you reach the summit;
there you will find an open space like a large valley, and in the
midst of it a tall tree, with branches greener than the greenest
pine-trees.
"Beneath this tree is a fountain, and by the fountain a marble slab,
and on the slab a silver bowl attached by a silver chain. Take the
bowl, and throw a bowlful of water on the slab, and you shall see
what will happen. And if you do not find trouble in that adventure
you need not seek it during the rest of your life."
So Kynon did as he had said, and found the fountain, and threw a
bowlful of water upon the slab. And immediately there came a mighty
peal of thunder, so that the earth shook. With the thunder came a
shower of hailstones, so heavy that each one pierced to the bone, and
Kynon could only endure it by placing his shield over his own and his
horse's head. After that the weather became fair; but when he looked
at the tree, behold! there was not a single leaf left upon it. Then
a flock of birds came, and alighted on the tree, and never was heard
such sweet strains as those they sang; and while he was listening to
the birds a murmuring voice rose through the valley, like a gust of
wind, which said:
"O knight, what has brought you hither? What evil have I done to you
that you should act towards me and my possessions as you have this
day? Do you not know that the shower to-day has left alive neither
beast nor man that was exposed to it?"
Scarcely had the voice died away when there appeared a knight clad in
black velvet, riding a coal-black horse, who made a rush at Kynon
then and there. And the onset was so furious, and Kynon so little
prepared, that he was overthrown. Then the Black Knight passed the
shaft of his lance through the bridle-rein of Kynon's horse, and,
without a glance at his fallen adversary, rode off the way he had
come. There was nothing left for the fallen knight but to make his
way back to the castle. The black man jeered aloud at him as he
passed through the glade, and, with much anger and mortification, the
knight hurried on to the castle of the Man in Yellow. There he was
received with the utmost hospitality; and no one alluded to his
adventure, nor did he mention it to any. On the next day he found,
ready saddled, a dark bay horse, with nostrils as red as scarlet,
and, mounted on this, he returned to Arthur's Court.