Then I inquired of him my way , but he grew angry , and , as I perceived , would fain have hindered me ; but at the last , after I had told him who I was , his anger passed from him . ' `` Take that path , '' said he , `` that leads to the head of this grassy glade , and go up the wood till thou reachest the top . There thou wilt find an open space , and in the midst of it a tall tree . Under the tree is a fountain , and by the fountain a marble slab , and on the slab a bowl of silver , with a silver chain . Dip the bowl in the fountain , and throw the water on the slab , and thou wilt hear a might peal of thunder , till heaven and earth seem trembling with the noise . After the thunder will come hail , so fierce that scarcely canst thou endure it and live , for the hailstones are both large and thick . Then the sun will shine again , but every leaf of the tree will by lying on the ground . Next a flight of birds will come and alight on the tree , and never didst thou hear a strain so sweet as that which they will sing . And at the moment in which their song sounds sweetest thou wilt hear a murmuring and complaining coming towards thee along the valley , and thou wilt see a knight in black velvet bestriding a black horse , bearing a lance with a black pennon , and he will spur his steed so as to fight thee . If thou turnest to flee , he will overtake thee . And if thou abidest were thou art , he will unhorse thee . And if thou dost not find trouble in that adventure , thou needest not to seek it during the rest of thy life . '' ` So I bade the black man farewell , and took my way to the top of the wood , and there I found everything just as I had been told . I went up to the tree beneath which stood the fountain , and filling the silver bowl with water , emptied it on the marble slab . Thereupon the thunder came , louder by far than I had expected to hear it , and after the thunder came the shower , but heavier by far than I had expected to feel it , for , of a truth I tell thee , Kai , not one of those hailstones would be stopped by skin or by flesh till it had reached the bone . I turned my horse 's flank towards the shower , and , bending over his neck , held my shield so that it might cover his head and my own . When the hail had passed , I looked on the tree and not a single leaf was left on it , and the sky was blue and the sun shining , while on the branches were perched birds of very kind , who sang a song sweeter than any that has come to my ears , either before or since . ` Thus , Kai , I stood listening to the birds , when lo , a murmuring voice approached me , saying : ' `` O knight , what has brought thee hither ? What evil have I done to thee , that thou shouldest do so much to me , for in all my lands neither man nor beast that met that shower has escaped alive . '' Then from the valley appeared the knight on the black horse , grasping the lance with the black pennon .
Straightway we charged each other , and though I fought my best , he soon overcame me , and I was thrown to the ground , while the knight seized the bridle XXXXX my horse , and rode away with it , leaving me where I was , without even despoiling me of my armour .
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