The curiosity of the visitors was excited by the sight of this magnificent tomb, and they learned, on inquiry, that therein lay one of the noblest and most valiant knights that had ever lived. He had been king of that country, and had been slain at Caerwent for the love of a lady, leaving a vacancy in the throne which had never been since filled, it being reserved, according to his last commands, for his son by that lady.
When the Dame heard this, she called aloud to her son,
"Fair son, you now have heard," she said,
"That God hath us to this place led.
It is your father here doth lie,
Whom this old man slew wrongfully."
She then gave him the sword she had kept so long, relating the whole story to him. At the conclusion she fainted on the tomb, and expired. Filled with rage and grief, Ywenec at one blow struck off the head of the old man, and avenged both his father and mother. The lady was buried in the coffin with him whom she had loved, and the people joyfully acknowledged Ywenec as king of the country.
Long time after maden they,
Who heard this ádventure, a Lay
Of the grief and the doloúr
That for love these did endure.
There are still to be seen in Brittany the rock, the cavern, the fountain, the hole, the valley, etc., of the Fées.
The forest of Brezeliande, near Quintin, was, in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, regarded as the chief seat of Breton wonders. It contained the tomb of Merlin. Robert de Wace, hearing of the wonders of this forest, visited it; but, by his own account, to little purpose.
La allai je merveilles querre (chercher),
Vis la forêt et vis la terre;
Merveilles quis (cherchai) mais ne trovai,
Fol m'en revins, fol y allai;
Fol y allai, fol m'en revins,
Folie quis, por fol me tins.[483]
There were also the Fountain of Berenton and the Pe (block, or steps) Merveilleux.
En Bretagne ce treuve-on
Une Fontaine et un Perron;
Quant on gette l'iaue (eau) dessus
Si vente et tonne et repluit jus (à bas).