Horn that Dispels the Mist

The Horn that Dispels the Mist is the instrument that brings an end to the enchanted mist and the game it conceals. Its use depends on a specific condition: only the knight who has vanquished the game’s keeper can sound it. When Geraint fulfills that condition, the mist disappears and the divided hosts are reconciled, turning a hard-won victory into a restoration of peace.

Appearance and Setting

The horn hangs from a branch of an apple tree outside a red-satin tent in a large orchard. Geraint finds it after entering the mist; inside the tent, he sits in an empty chair despite a maiden’s warning that its owner has never allowed another to occupy it. The horn is thus placed at the threshold of the challenge, near the tent and the contested seat that brings Geraint into conflict with its owner.

Condition and Use

After Geraint defeats the knight in combat, he asks for the game, the hedge of mist, and the magic and enchantment to cease. The defeated knight explains that the mist will disappear when the horn is sounded, but that only the knight who vanquished him can blow it. Geraint goes to the tree and sounds the horn himself, satisfying the stated condition and activating its power.

Consequences and Significance

At the first blast, the mist vanishes. The hosts then come together and are reconciled, so the horn’s effect reaches beyond clearing the landscape: it ends the separation imposed by the enchanted game. Geraint’s victory makes the release possible, while the horn provides the means by which that victory changes the condition of everyone gathered there. The next morning the company separates, and Geraint returns to his own dominions; he thereafter reigns prosperously, with his and Enid’s fame lasting in honour.