"And you shall also receive baptism. And I will send to Arthur, and beseech him to bestow this valley upon thee and upon thy heirs after thee forever."
Then they went in; and the gray man and the tall woman saluted Peredur. And the gray man said unto him, "Since I have possessed this valley, I have not seen any Christian depart with his life, save thyself. And we will go to do homage to Arthur, and to embrace the faith, and be baptized."
Then said Peredur, "To Heaven I render thanks that I have not broken my vow to the lady that best I love, which was, that I would not speak one word unto any Christian."
That night they tarried there. And the next day, in the morning, the gray man, with his company, set forth to Arthur's court. And they did homage unto Arthur, and he caused them to be baptized. And the gray man told Arthur that it was Peredur that had vanquished them. And Arthur gave the valley to the gray man and his company, to hold it of him as Peredur had besought. And with Arthur's permission the gray man went back to the Round Valley.
Peredur rode forward next day, and he traversed a vast tract of desert in which no dwellings were. And at length he came to a habitation mean and small. And there he heard that there was a serpent that lay upon a gold ring and suffered none to inhabit the country for seven miles around. And Peredur came to the place where he heard the serpent was. And angrily, furiously, and desperately fought he with the serpent; and at last he killed it, and took away the ring. And thus he was for a long time without speaking a word to any Christian. And therefrom he lost his color and his aspect, through extreme longing after the court of Arthur, and the society of the lady whom best he loved, and of his companions. Then he proceeded forward to Arthur's court; and on the road there met him Arthur's household going on a particular errand, with Kai at their head. And Peredur knew them all; but none of the household recognized him.
"Whence comest thou, chieftain?" said Kai. And this he asked him twice and three times, and he answered him not. And Kai thrust him through the thigh with his lance. And lest he should be compelled to speak, and to break his vow, he went on without stopping.
"Then," said Gwalchmai, "I declare to Heaven, Kai, that thou hast acted ill in committing such an outrage on a youth like this, who cannot speak."
And Gwalchmai returned back to Arthur's court. "Lady," said he to Gwenhwyvar, "seest thou how wicked an outrage Kai has committed upon this youth who cannot speak. For Heaven's sake and for mine, cause him to have medical care before I come back, and I will repay thee the charge."
And before the men returned from their errand, a knight came to the meadow beside Arthur's palace, to dare some one to the encounter. And his challenge was accepted; and Peredur fought with him, and overthrew him. And for a week he overthrew one knight every day.
And one day Arthur and his household were going to church, and they beheld a knight who had raised the signal for combat. "Verily," said Arthur, "by the valor of men I will not go hence until I have my horse and my arms to overthrow yonder boor." Then went the attendants to fetch Arthur's horse and arms. And Peredur met the attendants as they were going back, and he took the horse and arms from them, and proceeded to the meadow, and all those who saw him arise and go to do battle with the knight went upon the tops of the houses, and the mounds, and the high places, to behold the combat. And Peredur beckoned with his hand to the knight to commence the fight. And the knight thrust at him; but he was not thereby moved from where he stood. And Peredur spurred his horse, and ran at him wrathfully, furiously, fiercely, desperately, and with mighty rage, and he gave him a thrust, deadly-wounding, severe, furious, adroit, and strong under his jaw, and raised him out of his saddle, and cast him a long way from him. And Peredur went back, and left the horse and the arms with the attendant as before, and he went on foot to the palace.