{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart029.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart029.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart029.htm","text":"CHAPTER III\nHow the Lady of the Lake demanded the knight's head that\nhad won the sword, or the maiden's head.\nTHE meanwhile, that this knight was making him ready to depart,\nthere came into the court a lady that hight the Lady of the Lake.\nAnd she came on horseback, richly beseen, and saluted King\nArthur, and there asked him a gift that he promised her when she\ngave him the sword. That is sooth, said Arthur, a gift I\npromised you, but I have forgotten the name of my sword that ye\ngave me. The name of it, said the lady, is Excalibur, that is as\nmuch to say as Cut-steel. Ye say well, said the king; ask what\nye will and ye shall have it, an it lie in my power to give it.\nWell, said the lady, I ask the head of the knight that hath won\nthe sword, or else the damosel's head that brought it; I take no\nforce though I have both their heads, for he slew my brother, a\ngood knight and a true, and that gentlewoman was causer of my\nfather's death. Truly, said King Arthur, I may not grant neither\nof their heads with my worship, therefore ask what ye will else,\nand I shall fulfil your desire. I will ask none other thing,\nsaid the lady. When Balin was ready to depart, he saw the Lady\nof the Lake, that by her means had slain Balin's mother, and he\nhad sought her three years; and when it was told him that she\nasked his head of King Arthur, he went to her straight and said,\nEvil be you found; ye would have my head, and therefore ye shall\nlose yours, and with his sword lightly he smote off her head\nbefore King Arthur. Alas, for shame! said Arthur, why have ye\ndone so? ye have shamed me and all my court, for this was a lady\nthat I was beholden to, and hither she came under my safe-\nconduct; I shall never forgive you that <54>trespass. Sir, said\nBalin, me forthinketh of your displeasure, for this same lady was\nthe untruest lady living, and by enchantment and sorcery she hath\nbeen the destroyer of many good knights, and she was causer that\nmy mother was burnt, through her falsehood and treachery. What\ncause soever ye had, said Arthur, ye should have forborne her in\nmy presence; therefore, think not the contrary, ye shall repent\nit, for such another despite had I never in my court; therefore\nwithdraw you out of my court in all haste ye may.\nThen Balin took up the head of the lady, and bare it with him to\nhis hostelry, and there he met with his squire, that was sorry he\nhad displeased King Arthur and so they rode forth out of the\ntown. Now, said Balin, we must depart, take thou this head and\nbear it to my friends, and tell them how I have sped, and tell my\nfriends in Northumberland that my most foe is dead. Also tell\nthem how I am out of prison, and what adventure befell me at the\ngetting of this sword. Alas! said the squire, ye are greatly to\nblame for to displease King Arthur. As for that, said Balin, I\nwill hie me, in all the haste that I may, to meet with King\nRience and destroy him, either else to die therefore; and if it\nmay hap me to win him, then will King Arthur be my good and\ngracious lord. Where shall I meet with you? said the squire. In\nKing Arthur's court, said Balin. So his squire and he departed\nat that time. Then King Arthur and all the court made great dole\nand had shame of the death of the Lady of the Lake. Then the\nking buried her richly.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK II CHAPTER III","type":"page"}