And　since　the　proud　man　often　is　the　mean；
  He　sowed　a　slander　in　the　common　ear；
  Affirming　that　his　father　left　him　gold；
  And　in　my　charge；　which　was　not　rendered　to　him；
  Bribed　with　large　promises　the　men　who　served
  About　my　person；　the　more　easily
  Because　my　means　were　somewhat　broken　into
  Through　open　doors　and　hospitality；
  Raised　my　own　town　against　me　in　the　night
  Before　my　Enid's　birthday；　sacked　my　house；
  From　mine　own　earldom　foully　ousted　me；
  Built　that　new　fort　to　overawe　my　friends；
  For　truly　there　are　those　who　love　me　yet；
  And　keeps　me　in　this　ruinous　castle　here；
  Where　doubtless　he　would　put　me　soon　to　death；
  But　that　his　pride　too　much　despises　me：
  And　I　myself　sometimes　despise　myself；
  For　I　have　let　men　be；　and　have　their　way；
  Am　much　too　gentle；　have　not　used　my　power：
  Nor　know　I　whether　I　be　very　base
  Or　very　manful；　whether　very　wise
  Or　very　foolish；　only　this　I　know；
  That　whatsoever　evil　happen　to　me；
  I　seem　to　suffer　nothing　heart　or　limb；
  But　can　endure　it　all　most　patiently。'
  'Well　said；　true　heart；'　replied　Geraint；　'but　arms；
  That　if　the　sparrow…hawk；　this　nephew；　fight
  In　next　day's　tourney　I　may　break　his　pride。'
  And　Yniol　answered；　'Arms；　indeed；　but　old
  And　rusty；　old　and　rusty；　Prince　Geraint；
  Are　mine；　and　therefore　at　thy　asking；　thine。
  But　in　this　tournament　can　no　man　tilt；
  Except　the　lady　he　loves　best　be　there。
  Two　forks　are　fixt　into　the　meadow　ground；
  And　over　these　is　placed　a　silver　wand；
  And　over　that　a　golden　sparrow…hawk；
  The　prize　of　beauty　for　the　fairest　there。
  And　this；　what　knight　soever　be　in　field
  Lays　claim　to　for　the　lady　at　his　side；
  And　tilts　with　my　good　nephew　thereupon；
  Who　being　apt　at　arms　and　big　of　bone
  Has　ever　won　it　for　the　lady　with　him；
  And　toppling　over　all　antagonism
  Has　earned　himself　the　name　of　sparrow…hawk。'
  But　thou；　that　hast　no　lady；　canst　not　fight。'
  To　whom　Geraint　with　eyes　all　bright　replied；
  Leaning　a　little　toward　him；　'Thy　leave！
  Let　me　lay　lance　in　rest；　O　noble　host；
  For　this　dear　child；　because　I　never　saw；
  Though　having　seen　all　beauties　of　our　time；
  Nor　can　see　elsewhere；　anything　so　fair。
  And　if　I　fall　her　name　will　yet　remain
  Untarnished　as　before；　but　if　I　live；
  So　aid　me　Heaven　when　at　mine　uttermost；
  As　I　will　make　her　truly　my　true　wife。'
  Then；　howsoever　patient；　Yniol's　heart
  Danced　in　his　bosom；　seeing　better　days；
  And　looking　round　he　saw　not　Enid　there；
  （Who　hearing　her　own　name　had　stolen　away）
  But　that　old　dame；　to　whom　full　tenderly
  And　folding　all　her　hand　in　his　he　said；
  'Mother；　a　maiden　is　a　tender　thing；
  And　best　by　her　that　bore　her　understood。
  Go　thou　to　rest；　but　ere　thou　go　to　rest
  Tell　her；　and　prove　her　heart　toward　the　Prince。'
  So　spake　the　kindly…hearted　Earl；　and　she
  With　frequent　smile　and　nod　departing　found；
  Half　disarrayed　as　to　her　rest；　the　girl；
  Whom　first　she　kissed　on　either　cheek；　and　then
  On　either　shining　shoulder　laid　a　hand；
  And　kept　her　off　and　gazed　upon　her　face；
  And　told　them　all　their　converse　in　the　hall；
  Proving　her　heart：　　but　never　light　and　shade
  Coursed　one　another　more　on　open　ground
  Beneath　a　troubled　heaven；　than　red　and　pale
  Across　the　face　of　Enid　hearing　her；
  While　slowly　falling　as　a　scale　that　falls；
  When　weight　is　added　only　grain　by　grain；
  Sank　her　sweet　head　upon　her　gentle　breast；
  Nor　did　she　lift　an　eye　nor　speak　a　word；
  Rapt　in　the　fear　and　in　the　wonder　of　it；
  So　moving　without　answer　to　her　rest
  She　found　no　rest；　and　ever　failed　to　draw
  The　quiet　night　into　her　blood；　but　lay
  Contemplating　her　own　unworthiness；
  And　when　the　pale　and　bloodless　east　began
  To　quicken　to　the　sun；　arose；　and　raised
  Her　mother　too；　and　hand　in　hand　they　moved
  Down　to　the　meadow　where　the　jousts　were　held；
  And　waited　there　for　Yniol　and　Geraint。
  And　thither　came　the　twain；　and　when　Geraint
  Beheld　her　first　in　field；　awaiting　him；
  He　felt；　were　she　the　prize　of　bodily　force；
  Himself　beyond　the　rest　pushing　could　move
  The　chair　of　Idris。　　Yniol's　rusted　arms
  Were　on　his　princely　person；　but　through　these
  Princelike　his　bearing　shone；　and　errant　knights
  And　ladies　came；　and　by　and　by　the　town
  Flowed　in；　and　settling　circled　all　the　lists。
  And　there　they　fixt　the　forks　into　the　ground；
  And　over　these　they　placed　the　silver　wand；
  And　over　that　the　golden　sparrow…hawk。
  Then　Yniol's　nephew；　after　trumpet　blown；
  Spake　to　the　lady　with　him　and　proclaimed；
  'Advance　and　take；　as　fairest　of　the　fair；
  What　I　these　two　years　past　have　won　for　thee；
  The　prize　of　beauty。'　　Loudly　spake　the　Prince；
  'Forbear：　　there　is　a　worthier；'　and　the　knight
  With　some　surprise　and　thrice　as　much　disdain
  Turned；　and　beheld　the　four；　and　all　his　face
  Glowed　like　the　heart　of　a　great　fire　at　Yule；
  So　burnt　he　was　with　passion；　crying　out；
  'Do　battle　for　it　then；'　no　more；　and　thrice
  They　clashed　together；　and　thrice　they　brake　their　spears。
  Then　each；　dishorsed　and　drawing；　lashed　at　each
  So　often　and　with　such　blows；　that　all　the　crowd
  Wondered；　and　now　and　then　from　distant　walls
  There　came　a　clapping　as　of　phantom　hands。
  So　twice　they　fought；　and　twice　they　breathed；　and　still
  The　dew　of　their　great　labour；　and　the　blood
  Of　their　strong　bodies；　flowing；　drained　their　force。
  But　either's　force　was　matched　till　Yniol's　cry；
  'Remember　that　great　insult　done　the　Queen；'
  Increased　Geraint's；　who　heaved　his　blade　aloft；
  And　cracked　the　helmet　through；　and　bit　the　bone；
  And　felled　him；　and　set　foot　upon　his　breast；
  And　said；　'Thy　name？'　　To　whom　the　fallen　man
  Made　answer；　groaning；　'Edyrn；　son　of　Nudd！
  Ashamed　am　I　that　I　should　tell　it　thee。
  My　pride　is　broken：　　men　have　seen　my　fall。'
  'Then；　Edyrn；　son　of　Nudd；'　replied　Geraint；
  'These　two　things　shalt　thou　do；　or　else　thou　diest。
  First；　thou　thyself；　with　damsel　and　with　dwarf；
  Shalt　ride　to　Arthur's　court；　and　coming　there；
  Crave　pardon　for　that　insult　done　the　Queen；
  And　shalt　abide　her　judgment　on　it；　next；
  Thou　shalt　give　back　their　earldom　to　thy　kin。
  These　two　things　shalt　thou　do；　or　thou　shalt　die。'
  And　Edyrn　answered；　'These　things　will　I　do；
  For　I　have　never　yet　been　overthrown；
  And　thou　hast　overthrown　me；　and　my　pride
  Is　broken　down；　for　Enid　sees　my　fall！'
  And　rising　up；　he　rode　to　Arthur's　court；
  And　there　the　Queen　forgave　him　easily。
  And　being　young；　he　changed　and　came　to　loathe
  His　crime　of　traitor；　slowly　drew　himself
  Bright　from　his　old　dark　life；　and　fell　at　last
  In　the　great　battle　fighting　for　the　King。
  But　when　the　third　day　from　the　hunting…morn
  Made　a　low　splendour　in　the　world；　and　wings
  Moved　in　her　ivy；　Enid；　for　she　lay
  With　her　fair　head　in　the　dim…yellow　light；
  Among　the　dancing　shadows　of　the　birds；
  Woke　and　bethought　her　of　her　promise　given
  No　later　than　last　eve　to　Prince　Geraint
  So　bent　he　seemed　on　going　the　third　day；
  He　would　not　leave　her；　till　her　promise　given
  To　ride　with　him　this　morning　to　the　court；
  And　there　be　made　known　to　the　stately　Queen；
  And　there　be　wedded　with　all　ceremony。
  At　this　she　cast　her　eyes　upon　her　dress；
  And　thought　it　never　yet　had　looked　so　mean。
  For　as　a　leaf　in　mid…November　is
  To　what　it　is　in　mid…October；　seemed
  The　dress　that　now　she　looked　on　to　the　dress
  She　looked　on　ere　the　coming　of　Geraint。
  And　still　she　looked；　and　still　the　terror　grew
  Of　that　strange　bright　and　dreadful　thing；　a　court；
  All　staring　at　her　in　her　faded　silk：
  And　softly　to　her　own　sweet　heart　she　said：
  'This　noble　prince　who　won　our　earldom　back；
  So　splendid　in　his　acts　and　his　attire；
  Sweet　heaven；　how　much　I　shall　discredit　him！
  Would　he　could　tarry　with　us　here　awhile；
  But　being　so　beholden　to　the　Prince；
  It　were　but　little　grace　in　any　of　us；
  Bent　as　he　seemed　on　going　this　third　day；
  To　seek　a　second　favour　at　his　hands。
  Yet　if　he　could　but　tarry　a　day　or　two；
  Myself　would　work　eye　dim；　and　finger　lame；
  Far　liefer　than　so　much　discredit　him。'
  And　Enid　fell　in　longing　for　a　dress
  All　branched　and　flowered　with　gold；　a　costly　gift
  Of　her　good　mother；　given　her　on　the　night
  Before　her　birthday；　three　sad　years　ago；
  That　night　of　fire；　when　Edyrn　sacked　their　house；
  And　scattered　all　they　had　to　all　the　winds：
  For　while　the　mother　showed　it；　and　the　two
  Were　turning　and　admiring　it；　the　work
  To　both　appeared　so　costly；　rose　a　cry
  That　Edyrn's　men　were　on　them；　and　they　fled
  With　little　save　the　jewels　they　had　on；
  Which　being　sold　and　sold　had　bought　them　bread：
  And　Edyrn's　men　had　caught　them　in　their　flight；
  And　placed　them　in　this　ruin；　and　she　wished
  The　Prince　had　found　her　in　her　ancient　home；
  Then　let　her　fancy　flit　across　the　past；
  And　roam　the　goodly　places　that　she　knew；
  And　last　bethought　her　how　she　used　to　watch；
  Near　that　old　home；　a　pool　of　golden　carp；
  And　one　was　patched　and　blurred　and　lustreless
  Among　his　burnished　brethren　of　the　pool；
  And　half　asleep　she　made　comparison
  Of　that　and　these　to　her　own　faded　self
  And　the　gay　court；　and　fell　asleep　again；
  And　dreamt　herself　was　such　a　faded　form
  Among　her　burnished　sisters　of　the　pool；
  But　this　was　in　the　garden　of　a　king；
  And　though　she　lay　dark　in　the　pool；　she　knew
  That　all　was　bright；　that　all　about　were　birds
  Of　sunny　plume