When Tristan had come back to Orri’s hut, and had loosened his heavy
pilgrim’s cape, he saw clearly in his heart that it was time to keep
his oath to King Mark and to fly the land.
Three days yet he tarried, because he could not drag himself away from
that earth, but on the fourth day he thanked the woodman, and said to
Gorvenal:
“Master, the hour is come.”
And he went into Wales, into the land of the great Duke Gilain, who
was young, powerful, and frank in spirit, and welcomed him nobly as a
God-sent guest.
And he did everything to give him honour and joy; but he found that
neither adventure, nor feast could soothe what Tristan suffered.
One day, as he sat by the young Duke’s side, his spirit weighed upon
him, so that not knowing it he groaned, and the Duke, to soothe him,
ordered into his private room a fairy thing, which pleased his eyes
when he was sad and relieved his own heart; it was a dog, and the
varlets brought it in to him, and they put it upon a table there. Now
this dog was a fairy dog, and came from the Duke of Avalon; for a
fairy had given it him as a love-gift, and no one can well describe
its kind or beauty. And it bore at its neck, hung to a little chain of
gold, a little bell; and that tinkled so gaily, and so clear and so
soft, that as Tristan heard it, he was soothed, and his anguish melted
away, and he forgot all that he had suffered for the Queen; for such
was the virtue of the bell and such its property: that whosoever heard
it, he lost all pain. And as Tristan stroked the little fairy thing,
the dog that took away his sorrow, he saw how delicate it was and
fine, and how it had soft hair like samite, and he thought how good a
gift it would make for the Queen. But he dared not ask for it right
out since he knew that the Duke loved this dog beyond everything in
the world, and would yield it to no prayers, nor to wealth, nor to
wile; so one day Tristan having made a plan in his mind said this:
“Lord, what would you give to the man who could rid your land of the
hairy giant Urgan, that levies such a toll?”
“Truly, the victor might choose what he would, but none will dare.”
Then said Tristan:
“Those are strange words, for good comes to no land save by risk and
daring, and not for all the gold of Milan would I renounce my desire
to find him in his wood and bring him down.”
Then Tristan went out to find Urgan in his lair, and they fought hard
and long, till courage conquered strength, and Tristan, having cut off
the giant’s hand, bore it back to the Duke.
And “Sire,” said he, “since I may choose a reward according to your
word, give me the little fairy dog. It was for that I conquered Urgan,
and your promise stands.”
“Friend,” said the Duke, “take it, then, but in taking it you take
away also all my joy.”
Then Tristan took the little fairy dog and gave it in ward to a Welsh
harper, who was cunning and who bore it to Cornwall till he came to
Tintagel, and having come there put it secretly into Brangien’s hands,
and the Queen was so pleased that she gave ten marks of gold to the
harper, but she put it about that the Queen of Ireland, her mother,
had sent the beast. And she had a goldsmith work a little kennel for
him, all jewelled, and incrusted with gold and enamel inlaid; and
wherever she went she carried the dog with her in memory of her
friend, and as she watched it sadness and anguish and regrets melted
out of her heart.
At first she did not guess the marvel, but thought her consolation was
because the gift was Tristan’s, till one day she found that it was
fairy, and that it was the little bell that charmed her soul; then she
thought: “What have I to do with comfort since he is sorrowing? He
could have kept it too and have forgotten his sorrow; but with high
courtesy he sent it to me to give me his joy and to take up his pain
again. Friend, while you suffer, so long will I suffer also.”
And she took the magic bell and shook it just a little, and then by
the open window she threw it into the sea.