They were greatly
harmed by the sharp hunger; and oaths they swore, that they would not
deceive; and they then gave hostages to the king, and all full soon
became the king's men. And then they gan depart; the folk there
separated, each man to the end, where he was dwelling, and Arthur
there set peace, good with the best.
Then said Arthur: "Where art thou, Howel, my relation, dearest of men
to me? Seest thou this great lake, where the Scots are harmed, seest
thou these high trees, and seest thou these eagles fly? In this fen is
fish innumerable. Seest thou these islands, that stand over this
water?" Marvellous it seemed to Howel, of such a sight, and he
wondered greatly by the water-flood, and thus there spake Howel, of
noble race: "Since I was born man of my mother's bosom, saw I in no
land things thus wonderful, as I here before me behold with eyes!" The
Britons wondered wondrously much. Then spake Arthur, noblest of kings:
"Howel, mine own relative, dearest to me of men, listen to my words,
of a much greater wonder that I will tell to thee in my sooth speech.
By this lake's end, where this water floweth, is a certain little
lake, to the wonder of men! It is in length four-and-sixty palms; it
is in measure in breadth five-and-twenty feet; five feet it is deep,
elves it dug! Four-cornered it is, and therein is fish of four kinds,
and each fish in his end where he findeth his kind, may there none go
to other, except all as belongeth to his kind.
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