Bulfinch’s Mythology · Chapter
The Lady of the Fountain (Continued) explained
Arthur and his household, guided by Kynon, set out to find Owain.
What happens
Arthur and his household, guided by Kynon, set out to find Owain. At the fountain, Kay and then all of Arthur's knights except Gawain are overthrown by the Black Knight. Gawain fights the Black Knight for three days without either gaining the upper hand. Meanwhile, Owain rescues Luned from imprisonment and execution, aided by a lion he had saved from a serpent. He later revives after being found near death, is healed by a charitable lady, and eventually returns with the Countess to Arthur's court.
Themes in this chapter
Heroism and the Quest
Arthur's quest to find Owain, Gawain's prolonged combat, and Owain's rescue of Luned all exemplify heroic deeds and the chivalric quest.
Hospitality and Its Violation
The yellow man's generous hospitality at the castle contrasts with the imprisonment of Luned and the betrayal by the pages.
Love and Transformation
Owain's marriage to the Countess of the Fountain and his restoration from near death through the lady's care highlight love's transformative power.
Characters to notice
- King Arthur
Grieves over Owain's absence and leads the quest to find him, eventually witnessing the combats at the fountain.
- Sir Gawain
Comforts Arthur, suggests the search party, and fights the Black Knight to a standstill over three days.
- Sir Owain
The lost knight; rescues Luned with the lion's help, is healed by a lady, and later returns to Arthur's court with the Countess.
- Luned
Handmaiden of the Countess of the Fountain, imprisoned for defending Owain, and rescued by him.
- Sir Kay
First to attempt the adventure at the fountain, but is quickly overthrown by the Black Knight.
Key passages
“And it was settled according to what Gawain had said. Then Arthur and the men of his household prepared to go and seek Owain.”
Gawain's plan was adopted, and Arthur and his retinue readied themselves to search for Owain.
Arthur's decision to act on Gawain's advice sets the quest in motion.
“And they charged each other, and fought all that day until the evening. And neither of them was able to unhorse the other.”
They clashed and battled from morning until night, but neither could throw the other from his horse.
The stalemate between Gawain and the Black Knight underscores their equal prowess.
“And Owain put the lion in the place where Luned had been imprisoned, and blocked up the door with stones.”
Owain confined the lion in Luned's former cell and sealed the entrance with rocks.
Owain's strategic move ensures the lion does not interfere unfairly in the combat.
“And he dried his sword, and went on his way as before. But behold the lion followed him, and played about him, as though it had been a greyhound that he had reared.”
He cleaned his sword and continued his journey, and the lion followed him, frolicking like a pet dog he had raised.
The lion's grateful and playful behavior shows its bond with Owain after he saved it.