'I am called Sir Slothful,' said Sir Geraint, 'and I deserve not your worship. But, hark ye, if other evil lords come upon these marches and seek to oppress thee, tell them that though Sir Geraint sleeps now, he will soon awake and they shall not stand before his vengeance.'
And so he rode on, leaving the poor folks marvelling but happy.
Then in a little while they came upon a highroad, and the lady went on first, and for all his anger, Geraint was sorry to see how much trouble Enid had in driving the four horses before her, yet how patient she was.
Soon they beheld a wide valley below them, the fairest and richest in homesteads and farms that they had yet seen. A river ran through the middle of it, and the road on which they passed ran down to a bridge over the river, beyond which was a castle and a walled town.
Sir Geraint took the road towards the bridge, and soon a knight came cantering towards them.
'Fair sir,' said Sir Geraint, 'canst thou tell me who is the owner of this fair valley and that walled city?'
'Of a truth,' said the other, 'these are the lands of King Griffith, whom men call the Little King. He holds them of King Erbin, whose son, that was so famous, men say has become a worthless court dandy.'
'I thank thee for thy words, fair sir,' said Geraint, and would pass on.
'I would counsel thee not to attempt to cross the bridge,' said the knight, 'unless thou dost intend to fight the little king. For armed strangers he will not suffer to pass, and I doubt me if thy arms are of much use to thee.'
And the knight smiled at the rusty arms and shield of Sir Geraint.