{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_60184/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_60184","id":"gutenberg_60184","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60184","summary":null,"tags":["Arthur, King -- Legends","Arthurian romances -- Adaptations","Category: Adventure","Category: British Literature","Category: Historical Novels","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Folklore -- England","Knights and knighthood -- Folklore"],"text":"King Arthur of Britain.\n\n [Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n [Illustration:\n\n _The Story of_\n KING ARTHVR\n and his _Knights_\n\n _Written and Illustrated\n by_\n HOWARD PYLE.\n\n\n NEW YORK:\n _CHARLES SCRIBNER\u2019S SONS_\n 1903.\n ]\n\n _Copyright, 1903,\n By CHARLES SCRIBNER\u2019S SONS._\n\n\n Published, November, 1903\n\n [Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nForeword.\n\n\n_After several years of contemplation and of thought upon the matter\nherein contained, it has at last come about, by the Grace of God, that I\nhave been able to write this work with such pleasure of spirit that, if\nit gives to you but a part of the joy that it hath afforded me, I shall\nbe very well content with what I have done._\n\n_For when, in pursuing this history, I have come to consider the high\nnobility of spirit that moved these excellent men to act as they did, I\nhave felt that they have afforded such a perfect example of courage and\nhumility that anyone might do exceedingly well to follow after their\nmanner of behavior in such measure as he is able to do._\n\n_For I believe that King Arthur was the most honorable, gentle Knight\nwho ever lived in all the world. And those who were his fellows of the\nRound Table--taking him as their looking-glass of chivalry--made,\naltogether, such a company of noble knights that it is hardly to be\nsupposed that their like will ever be seen again in this world.\nWherefore it is that I have had such extraordinary pleasure in beholding\nhow those famous knights behaved whenever circumstances called upon them\nto perform their endeavor.\n\nSo in the year of grace one thousand nine hundred and two I began to\nwrite this history of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table\nand, if I am able so to do, I shall endeavor, with love of that task, to\nfinish the same at some other time in another book and to the\nsatisfaction of whosoever may care to read the story thereof._\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nContents\n\n\nThe Book of King Arthur\n\n\nPART I\n\nTHE WINNING OF KINGHOOD\n\nChapter First\n\n_How Sir Kay did Combat in a Great Tournament at London Town\nand of How He Brake His Sword. Likewise, How Arthur Found a\nNew Sword For Him_ 9\n\nChapter Second\n\n_How Arthur Twice Performed the Miracle of the Sword Before Sir\nEctor and of How His Birthright Was Discovered Unto Him_ 21\n\nChapter Third\n\n_How Several Kings and High Dukes Assayed to Draw the Sword\nOut of the Anvil and How They Failed. Likewise How Arthur Made\nthe Assay and Succeeded Therein_ 29\n\n\nPART II\n\nTHE WINNING OF A SWORD\n\nChapter First\n\n_How There Came a Certain Wounded Knight Unto the Court of\nKing Arthur, How a Young Knight of the King\u2019s Court Sought To\nAvenge Him and Failed and How the King Thereupon Took That\nAssay Upon Himself_ 41\n\nChapter Second\n\n_How King Arthur Fought With the Sable Knight and How He\nWas Sorely Wounded. Likewise How Merlin Brought Him Safe\nAway From the Field of Battle_ 53\n\nChapter Third\n\n_How King Arthur Found a Noble Sword In a Very Wonderful\nManner. And How He Again Fought With It and Won That Battle_ 65\n\n\nPART III\n\nTHE WINNING OF A QUEEN\n\n\nChapter First\n\n_How King Arthur Went to Tintagalon with Four of His Court,\nand How He Disguised Himself for a Certain Purpose_ 79\n\n\nChapter Second\n\n_How King Ryence Came to Cameliard and How King Arthur\nFought With the Duke of North Umber_ 91\n\n\nChapter Third\n\n_How King Arthur Encountered Four Knights and of What\nBefell Thereby_ 101\n\n\nChapter Fourth\n\n_How the Four Knights Served the Lady Guinevere_ 113\n\n\nChapter Fifth\n\n_How King Arthur Overcame the Enemies of King Leodegrance, and\nHow His Royalty Was Proclaimed_ 125\n\n\nChapter Sixth\n\n_How King Arthur Was Wedded in Royal State and How the\nRound Table Was Established_ 139\n\n\n\nThe Book of Three Worthies\n\n\nPART I\n\nTHE STORY OF MERLIN\n\n\nChapter First\n\n_How Queen Morgana le Fay Meditated Evil Against King Arthur\nand How She Sent a Damsel to Beguile the Enchanter, Merlin_ 163\n\n\nChapter Second\n\n_How Merlin Journeyed With Vivien Unto the Valley of Joyousness\nand How He Builded for Her a Castle at That Place. Also, How\nHe Taught Her the Wisdom of Magic and of How She Compassed\nHis Downfall Thereby_ 173\n\n\nChapter Third\n\n_How Queen Morgana le Fay Returned to Camelot and to the Court\nWith Intent to Do Ill to King Arthur. Also How King Arthur and\nOthers Went a-Hunting and of What Befell Thereby_ 181\n\n\nChapter Fourth\n\n_What Befell Sir Accalon, and How King Arthur Fought an Affair-at-Arms\nWith Swords, and How He Came Nigh to Losing His Life Thereby_ 191\n\n\nPART II\n\nTHE STORY OF SIR PELLIAS\n\n\nChapter First\n\n_How Queen Guinevere Went a-Maying and of How Sir Pellias\nTook Upon Him a Quest in Her Behalf_ 205\n\n\nChapter Second\n\n_How Sir Pellias Overcame a Red Knight, Hight Sir Adresack,\nand of How He Liberated XXII Captives From That Knight\u2019s\nCastle_ 215\n\n\nChapter Third\n\n_How Sir Pellias Did Battle With Sir Engamore, Otherwise\nthe Knight of the Green Sleeves, and of What Befell the Lady\nEttard_ 227\n\n\nChapter Fourth\n\n_How Queen Guinevere Quarrelled With Sir Gawaine, and How\nSir Gawaine Left the Court of King Arthur For a While_ 241\n\n\nChapter Fifth\n\n_How Sir Gawaine Met Sir Pellias and How He Promised to\nAid Him With the Lady Ettard_ 255\n\n\nChapter Sixth\n\n_How the Lady of the Lake Took Back Her Necklace From Sir\nPellias_ 267\n\n\nPART III\n\nTHE STORY OF SIR GAWAINE\n\n\nChapter First\n\n_How a White Hart Appeared Before King Arthur, and How\nSir Gawaine and Gaheris, His Brother, Went in Pursuit Thereof,\nand of What Befell Them in That Quest_ 281\n\n\nChapter Second\n\n_How King Arthur Became Lost in the Forest, and How He\nFell Into a Very Singular Adventure in a Castle Unto Which He\nCame_ 295\n\n\nChapter Third\n\n_How King Arthur Overcame the Knight-Enchanter, and How Sir\nGawaine Manifested the High Nobility of His Knighthood_ 305\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nLIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS\n\n\n_Uther-Pendragon_ _Frontispiece_\n\n_Head Piece--Table of Contents_ vii\n\n_Tail Piece--Table of Contents_ xii\n\n_Head Piece--List of Illustrations_ xiii\n\n_Tail Piece--List of Illustrations_ xvi\n\n_Head Piece--Prologue_ 3\n\n_Tail Piece--Prologue_ 7\n\n_Sir Kay breaketh his sword at ye Tournament_ 8\n\n_Head Piece--Part I_ 9\n\n_Sir Kay showeth the mystic Sword unto Sir Ector_ 20\n\n_How Arthur drew forth ye Sword_ 28\n\n_In the Valley of Delight_ 40\n\n_Head Piece--Part II_ 41\n\n_The Battle with the Sable Knight_ 52\n\n_Excalibur the Sword_ 64\n\n_Tail Piece--Part II_ 76\n\n_The Lady Guinevere_ 78\n\n_Head Piece--Part III_ 79\n\n_Two Knights do battle before Cameliard_ 90\n\n_The White Champion meets two Knights at the Mill_ 100\n\n_Four Knights serve the Gardener Lad_ 112\n\n_The Gardener Lad takes off his Cap_ 124\n\n_King Arthur meets the Lady Guinevere_ 138\n\n_Tail Piece--Part III_ 146\n\n_Ornamented Title--The Book of Three Worthies_ 149\n\n_The Lady of ye Lake_ 150\n\n_Head Piece--Foreword_ 151\n\n_The Enchanter Merlin_ 154\n\n_Head Piece--Prologue_ 155\n\n_Tail Piece--Prologue_ 160\n\n_The Enchantress Vivien_ 162\n\n_Head Piece--The Story of Merlin_ 163\n\n_Vivien bewitches Merlin_ 172\n\n_Queen Morgana le Fay_ 180\n\n_Queen Morgana loses Excalibur his sheath_ 190\n\n_Tail Piece--The Story of Merlin_ 202\n\n_Sir Pellias, the Gentle Knight_ 204\n\n_Head Piece--The Story of Sir Pellias_ 205\n\n_Sir Pellias encounters the Sorrowful Lady in Arroy_ 214\n\n_Parcenet covers Sir Pellias with a cloak_ 226\n\n_The Lady of the Lake sits by the Fountain in Arroy_ 240\n\n_Sir Gawaine sups with ye Lady Ettard_ 254\n\n_The Lady of the Lake finds Sir Pellias wounded_ 266\n\n_Sir Gawaine the Son of Lot, King of Orkney_ 280\n\n_Head Piece--The Story of Sir Gawaine_ 281\n\n_King Arthur findeth ye old woman in ye hut_ 294\n\n_Sir Gawaine finds the beautiful Lady_ 304\n\n_Tail Piece--The Story of Sir Gawaine_ 312\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: The BOOK of KING ARTHUR]\n\n[Illustration: Uther-Pendragon.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Prologue.\n\n\nIn ancient days there lived a very noble King, named Uther-Pendragon,\nand he became Overlord of all of Britain. This King was very greatly\naided unto the achievement of the Pendragonship of the realm by the help\nof two men, who rendered him great assistance in all that he did. The\none of these men was a certain very powerful enchanter and sometime\nprophet known to men as Merlin the Wise; and he gave very good counsel\nunto Uther-Pendragon. The other man was an excellent noble and renowned\nknight, hight Ulfius (who was thought by many to be the greatest leader\nin war of any man then alive); and he gave Uther-Pendragon aid and\nadvice in battle. So, with the help of Merlin and Sir Ulfius,\nUther-Pendragon was able to overcome all of his enemies and to become\nKing of the entire realm.\n\n[Sidenote: _Uther-Pendragon taketh to wife the Lady Igraine._]\n\nAfter Uther-Pendragon had ruled his kingdom for a number of years he\ntook to wife a certain beautiful and gentle lady, hight Igraine. This\nnoble dame was the widow of Gerlois, the Duke of Tintegal; by which\nprince she had two daughters--one of whom was named Margaise and the\nother Morgana le Fay. And Morgana le Fay was a famous sorceress. These\ndaughters the Queen brought with her to the Court of Uther-Pendragon\nafter she had married that puissant King, and there Margaise was wedded\nto King Urien of Gore, and Morgana le Fay was wedded to King Lot of\nOrkney.\n\n[Sidenote: _Concerning the birth and perils of the young child._]\n\nNow after awhile Uther-Pendragon and Queen Igraine had a son born\nunto them, and he was very beautiful and of great size and strength of\nbone. And whilst the child still lay wrapped in his swaddling clothes\nand lying in a cradle of gold and ultramarine, Merlin came to\nUther-Pendragon with a spirit of prophecy strong upon him (for such was\noften the case with him), and, speaking in that spirit of prophecy, he\nsaid, \u201cLord, it is given unto me to foresee that thou shalt shortly fall\nsick of a fever and that thou shalt maybe die of a violent sweat that\nwill follow thereon. Now, should such a dolorous thing befall us all,\nthis young child (who is, certes, the hope of all this realm) will be in\nvery great danger of his life; for many enemies will assuredly rise up\nwith design to seize upon him for the sake of his inheritance, and\neither he will be slain or else he will be held in captivity from which\nhe shall hardly hope to escape. Wherefore, I do beseech thee, Lord, that\nthou wilt permit Sir Ulfius and myself to presently convey the child\naway unto some place of safe refuge, where he may be hidden in secret\nuntil he groweth to manhood and is able to guard himself from such\ndangers as may threaten him.\u201d\n\nWhen Merlin had made an end of speaking thus, Uther-Pendragon made reply\nwith a very steadfast countenance in this wise: \u201cMerlin, so far as my\ndeath is concerned--when my time cometh to die I believe God will give\nme grace to meet my end with entire cheerfulness; for, certes, my lot is\nin that wise no different from that of any other man who hath been born\nof woman. But touching the matter of this young child, if thy prophecy\nbe true, then his danger is very great, and it would be well that he\nshould be conveyed hence to some place of safe harborage as thou dost\nadvise. Wherefore, I pray thee to perform thy will in this affair,\nbearing in thy heart the consideration that the child is the most\nprecious inheritance which I shall leave unto this land.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Uther dieth according to the prophecy of Merlin._]\n\nAll this, as was said, Uther-Pendragon spake with great calmness and\nequanimity of spirit. And Merlin did as he had advised, and he and Sir\nUlfius conveyed the child away by night, and no one but they wist\nwhither the babe had been taken. And shortly afterward Uther-Pendragon\nwas seized with the sickness as Merlin had foretold, and he died exactly\nas Merlin had feared that he would die; wherefore it was very well that\nthe child had been taken to a place of safety.\n\nAnd after Uther-Pendragon had departed from this life, it was likewise\nas Merlin had feared, for all the realm fell into great disorder. For\neach lesser king contended against his fellow for overlordship, and\nwicked knights and barons harried the highways as they listed and there\nlevied toll with great cruelty upon helpless wayfarers. For some such\ntravellers they took prisoners and held for ransom, whiles others they\nslew because they had no ransom to pay. So it was a very common sight to\nsee a dead man lying by the roadside, if you should venture to make a\njourney upon some business or other. Thus it befell that, after awhile,\nall that dolorous land groaned with the trouble that lay upon it.\n\n[Sidenote: The Archbishop of Canterbury advises with Merlin.]\n\nThus there passed nearly eighteen years in such great affliction, and\nthen one day the Archbishop of Canterbury summoned Merlin to him and\nbespake him in this wise: \u201cMerlin, men say that thou art the wisest man\nin all the world. Canst thou not find some means to heal the\ndistractions of this woeful realm? Bend thou thy wisdom to this matter\nand choose thou a king who shall be a fit overlord for us, so that we\nmay enjoy happiness of life once more as we did in the days of\nUther-Pendragon.\u201d\n\nThen Merlin lifted up his countenance upon the Archbishop, and spake in\nthis wise: \u201cMy lord, the spirit of prophecy that lieth upon me sometimes\nmoveth me now to say that I do perceive that this country is soon to\nhave a king who shall be wiser and greater and more worthy of praise\nthan was even Uther-Pendragon. And he shall bring order and peace where\nis now disorder and war. Moreover, I may tell you that this King shall\nbe of Uther-Pendragon\u2019s own full blood-royal.\u201d\n\nTo this the Archbishop said: \u201cWhat thou tellest me, Merlin, is a\nwonderfully strange thing. But in this spirit of prophecy canst thou not\nforetell when this King is to come? And canst thou tell how we shall\nknow him when he appeareth amongst us? For many lesser kings there are\nwho would fain be overlord of this land, and many such there are who\ndeem themselves fit to rule over all the others. How then shall we know\nthe real King from those who may proclaim themselves to be the rightful\nking?\u201d\n\n\u201cMy lord Archbishop,\u201d quoth Merlin, \u201cif I have thy leave for to exert my\nmagic I shall set an adventure which, if any man achieve it, all the\nworld shall straightway know that he is the rightful King and overlord\nof this realm.\u201d And to this the Archbishop said, \u201cMerlin, I bid thee do\nwhatsoever may seem to thee to be right in this affair.\u201d And Merlin\nsaid, \u201cI will do so.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: Merlin prepares a test of Kinghood.]\n\nSo Merlin caused by magic that a huge marble stone, four square, should\nsuddenly appear in an open place before the cathedral door. And upon\nthis block of marble he caused it to be that there should stand an anvil\nand into the anvil he caused it that there should be thrust a great\nnaked sword midway deep of the blade. And this sword was the most\nwonderful that any man had ever seen, for the blade was of blue steel\nand extraordinarily bright and glistering. And the hilt was of gold,\nchased and carved with marvellous cunning, and inlaid with a great\nnumber of precious stones, so that it shone with wonderful brightness in\nthe sunlight. And about the sword were written these words in letters of\ngold:--\n\n =Whoso Pulleth Out this Sword from the Anvil\n That same is Rightwise King-Born of England.=\n\nSo a great many people came and gazed upon that sword and marvelled at\nit exceedingly, for its like had never before been beheld upon the\nearth.\n\nThen, when Merlin had accomplished this miracle, he bade the Archbishop\nto call together all the chief people of that land upon Christmastide;\nand he bade the Archbishop to command that every man should make assay\nto draw out the sword, for that he who should succeed in drawing it\nforth out of the anvil should be rightwise King of Britain.\n\nSo the Archbishop did according as Merlin said; and this was the marvel\nof the marble stone and the anvil, of which same anyone may easily read\nfor himself in that book written a very long while ago by Robert de\nBoron, which is called Le Roman de Merlin.\n\n * * * * *\n\nNow when the mandate of the Lord Archbishop went forth, summoning all\nthe chief people of the land to the assay of that miracle (for, indeed,\nit was a miracle to draw forth a sword-blade out of an anvil of solid\niron), all the realm became immediately cast into a great ferment, so\nthat each man asked his fellow, \u201cWho shall draw forth that sword, and\nwho shall be our King?\u201d Some thought it would be King Lot and others\nthought it would be King Urien of Gore (these being the sons-in-law unto\nUther-Pendragon); some thought that it would be King Leodegrance of\nCamiliard, and others that it would be King Ryence of North Wales; some\nthought it would be this king and others that it would be that king; for\nall the world was divided into different parties who thought according\nto their liking.\n\nThen, as Christmastide drew nigh, it presently appeared as though the\nentire world was wending its way to London Town, for the highways and\nthe by-ways became filled with wayfarers--kings and lords and knights\nand ladies and esquires and pages and men-at-arms--all betaking their\nway whither the assay was to be made of that adventure of the sword and\nthe anvil. Every inn and castle was filled so full of travellers that it\nwas a marvel how so many folk could be contained within their compass,\nand everywhere were tents and pavilions pitched along the wayside for\nthe accommodation of those who could not find shelter within doors.\n\nBut when the Archbishop beheld the multitudes that were assembling, he\nsaid to Merlin, \u201cIndeed, Merlin, it would be a very singular thing if\namong all these great kings and noble, honorable lords we should not\nfind some one worthy of being the King of this realm.\u201d\n\nUnto which the Merlin smiled and said, \u201cMarvel not, my lord, if among\nall those who appear to be so extraordinarily worthy there shall not be\nfound one who is worthy; and marvel not if, among all those who are\nunknown, there shall arise one who shall approve himself to be entirely\nworthy.\u201d\n\nAnd the Archbishop pondered Merlin\u2019s words, and so beginneth this story.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nPART I\n\nThe Winning of Kinghood\n\n\n_Here beginneth the story of the sword, the anvil, and the marble stone,\nand of how that sword was first achieved by an unknown youth, until then\nof no renown, whether in arms or of estate._\n\n_So hearken unto that which I have hereinafter written._\n\n[Illustration: Sir Kay breaketh his sword, at y\u1d49 Tournament.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter First.\n\n_How Sir Kay did Combat in a Great Tournament at London Town and of How\nHe Brake His Sword. Likewise, How Arthur Found a New Sword For Him._\n\n[Sidenote: _Of Sir Ector, the trustworthy Knight._]\n\n\nIt happened that among those worthies who were summoned unto London Town\nby the mandate of the Archbishop as above recounted, there was a certain\nknight, very honorable and of high estate, by name Sir Ector of\nBonmaison--surnamed the Trustworthy Knight, because of the fidelity with\nwhich he kept the counsel of those who confided in him, and because he\nalways performed unto all men, whether of high or low degree, that which\nhe promised to undertake, without defalcation as to the same. So this\nnoble and excellent knight was held in great regard by all those who\nknew him; for not only was he thus honorable in conduct but he was,\nbesides, of very high estate, being possessed of seven castles in Wales\nand in the adjoining country north thereof, and likewise of certain\nfruitful tracts of land with villages appertaining thereunto, and also\nof sundry forests of great extent, both in the north country and the\nwest. This very noble knight had two sons; the elder of these was Sir\nKay, a young knight of great valor and promise, and already well\nrenowned in the Courts of Chivalry because of several very honorable\ndeeds of worthy achievement in arms which he had performed; the other\nwas a young lad of eighteen years of age, by name Arthur, who at that\ntime was serving with good repute as Sir Kay\u2019s esquire-at-arms.\n\nNow when Sir Ector of Bonmaison received by messenger the mandate of the\nArchbishop, he immediately summoned these two sons unto him and bade\nthem to prepare straightway for to go with him to London Town, and they\ndid so. And in the same manner he bade a great number of retainers and\nesquires and pages for to make them ready, and they likewise did so.\nThus, with a very considerable array at arms and with great show of\ncircumstance, Sir Ector of Bonmaison betook his way unto London Town in\nobedience to the commands of the Archbishop.\n\nSo, when he had come thither he took up his inn in a certain field where\nmany other noble knights and puissant lords had already established\nthemselves, and there he set up a very fair pavilion of green silk, and\nerected his banner emblazoned with the device of his house; to wit, a\ngryphon, black, upon a field of green.\n\nAnd upon this field were a great multitude of other pavilions of many\ndifferent colors, and over above each pavilion was the pennant and the\nbanner of that puissant lord to whom the pavilion belonged. Wherefore,\nbecause of the multitude of these pennants and banners the sky was at\nplaces well-nigh hidden with the gaudy colors of the fluttering flags.\n\nAmong the great lords who had come thither in pursuance to the\nArchbishop\u2019s summons were many very famous kings and queens and noblemen\nof high degree. For there was King Lot of Orkney, who had taken to wife\na step-daughter of Uther-Pendragon, and there was King Uriens of Gore,\nwho had taken to wife another step-daughter of that great king, and\nthere was King Ban, and King Bors, and King Ryance, and King Leodegrance\nand many others of like degree, for there were no less than twelve kings\nand seven dukes, so that, what with their court of lords and ladies and\nesquires and pages in attendance, the town of London had hardly ever\nseen the like before that day.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Archbishop declares a tournament._]\n\nNow the Archbishop of Canterbury, having in mind the extraordinary state\nof the occasion that had brought so many kings and dukes and high lords\nunto that adventure of the sword and the anvil, had commanded that there\nshould be a very stately and noble tournament proclaimed. Like wise he\ncommanded that this contest at arms should be held in a certain field\nnigh to the great cathedral, three days before that assay should be made\nof the sword and the anvil (which same was to be undertaken, as\naforesaid, upon Christmas day). To this tournament were bidden all\nknights who were of sufficient birth, condition, and quality for to fit\nthem to take part therein. Accordingly, very many exalted knights made\napplication for admission, and that in such numbers that three heralds\nwere kept very busy looking into their pretensions unto the right of\nbattle. For these heralds examined the escutcheons and the rolls of\nlineage of all applicants with great care and circumspection.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Kay asks permission to attend the tournament._]\n\nNow when Sir Kay received news of this tournament he went to where his\nfather was, and when he stood before his face he spake in this wise:\n\u201cSire, being thy son and of such very high condition both as to birth\nand estate as I have inherited from thee, I find that I have an\nextraordinary desire to imperil my body in this tourney. Accordingly, if\nso be I may approve my quality as to knighthood before this college of\nheralds, it will maybe be to thy great honor and credit, and to the\nhonor and credit of our house if I should undertake this adventure.\nWherefore I do crave thy leave to do as I have a mind.\u201d\n\nUnto these Sir Ector made reply: \u201cMy son, thou hast my leave for to\nenter this honorable contest, and I do hope that God will give thee a\ngreat deal of strength, and likewise such grace of spirit that thou\nmayst achieve honor to thyself and credit to us who are of thy blood.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Kay departed with very great joy and immediately went to that\ncongress of heralds and submitted his pretensions unto them. And, after\nthey had duly examined into his claims to knighthood, they entered his\nname as a knight-contestant according to his desire; and at this Sir Kay\nwas filled with great content and joy of heart.\n\nSo, when his name had been enrolled upon the list of combatants, Sir Kay\nchose his young brother Arthur for to be his esquire-at-arms and to\ncarry his spear and pennant before him into the field of battle, and\nArthur was also made exceedingly glad because of the honor that had\nbefallen him and his brother.\n\nNow, the day having arrived when this tourney was to be held, a very\nhuge concourse of people gathered together to witness that noble and\ncourtly assault at arms. For at that time London was, as aforesaid,\nextraordinarily full of nobility and knighthood, wherefore it was\nreckoned that not less than twenty thousand lords and ladies (besides\nthose twelve kings and their courts and seven dukes and their courts)\nwere assembled in the lists circumadjacent to the field of battle for to\nwitness the performance of those chosen knights. And those noble people\nsat so close together, and so filled the seats and benches assigned to\nthem, that it appeared as though an entirely solid wall of human souls\nsurrounded that meadow where the battle was to be fought. And, indeed,\nany knight might well be moved to do his uttermost upon such a great\noccasion with the eyes of so many beautiful dames and noble lords gazing\nupon his performances. Wherefore the hearts of all the knights attendant\nwere greatly expanded with emulation to overturn their enemies into the\ndust.\n\nIn the centre of this wonderful court of lords and ladies there was\nerected the stall and the throne of the lord Archbishop himself. Above\nthe throne was a canopy of purple cloth emblazoned with silver lilies,\nand the throne itself was hung all about with purple cloth of velvet,\nembroidered, alternately, with the figure of St. George in gold, and\nwith silver crosses of St. George surrounded by golden halos. Here the\nlord Archbishop himself sat in great estate and pomp, being surrounded\nby a very exalted court of clerks of high degree and also of knights of\nhonorable estate, so that all that centre of the field glistered with\nthe splendor of gold and silver embroidery, and was made beautiful by\nvarious colors of rich apparel and bright with fine armor of excellent\nworkmanship. And, indeed, such was the stateliness of all these\ncircumstances that very few who were there had ever seen so noble a\npreparation for battle as that which they then beheld.\n\nNow, when all that great assembly were in their places and everything\nhad been prepared in due wise, an herald came and stood forth before the\nenstalled throne of the Archbishop and blew a very strong, loud blast\nupon a trumpet. At that signal the turnpikes of the lists were\nimmediately opened and two parties of knights-contestant entered\ntherein--the one party at the northern extremity of the meadow of battle\nand the other party at the southern extremity thereof. Then immediately\nall that lone field was a-glitter with the bright-shining splendor of\nthe sunlight upon polished armor and accoutrements. So these two parties\ntook up their station, each at such a place as had been assigned unto\nthem--the one to the north and the other to the south.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Kay takes hand in the lists._]\n\nNow the party with which Sir Kay had cast his lot was at the north of\nthe field, and that company was fourscore and thirteen in number; and\nthe other party stood at the south end of the field, and that company\nwas fourscore and sixteen in number. But though the party with whom Sir\nKay had attached himself numbered less by three than the other party,\nyet was it the stronger by some degree because that there were a number\nof knights of great strength and renown in that company. Indeed it may\nbe here mentioned that two of those knights afterward became companions\nin very good credit of the round table--to wit: Sir Mador de la Porte,\nand Sir Bedevere--which latter was the last who saw King Arthur alive\nupon this earth.\n\nSo, when all was prepared according to the ordination of the tournament,\nand when those knights-contestant had made themselves ready in all ways\nthat were necessary, and when they had dressed their spears and their\nshields in such a manner as befitted knights about to enter serious\nbattle, the herald set his trumpet to his lips a second time and blew\nupon it with might and main. Then, having sounded this blast, he waited\nfor a while and then he blew upon the trumpet again.\n\nAnd, upon that blast, each of those parties of knights quitted its\nstation and rushed forth in great tumult against the other party, and\nthat with such noise and fury that the whole earth groaned beneath the\nfeet of the war-horses, and trembled and shook as with an earthquake.\n\nSo those two companies met, the one against the other, in the midst of\nthe field, and the roar of breaking lances was so terrible that those\nwho heard it were astonished and appalled at the sound. For several fair\ndames swooned away with terror of the noise, and others shrieked aloud;\nfor not only was there that great uproar, but the air was altogether\nfilled with the splinters of ash wood that flew about.\n\nIn that famous assault threescore and ten very noble and honorable\nknights were overthrown, many of them being trampled beneath the hoofs\nof the horses; wherefore, when the two companies withdrew in retreat\neach to his station the ground was beheld to be covered all over with\nbroken fragments of lances and with cantels of armor, and many knights\nwere seen to be wofully lying in the midst of all that wreck. And some\nof these champions strove to arise and could not, while others lay\naltogether quiet as though in death. To these ran divers esquires and\npages in great numbers, and lifted up the fallen men and bare them away\nto places of safe harborage. And likewise attendants ran and gathered up\nthe cantels of armor and the broken spears, and bare them away to the\nbarriers, so that, by and by, the field was altogether cleared once\nmore.\n\nThen all those who gazed down upon that meadow gave loud acclaim with\ngreat joyousness of heart, for such a noble and glorious contest at arms\nin friendly assay had hardly ever been beheld in all that realm before.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Kay bears himself well in the encounter._]\n\nNow turn we unto Sir Kay; for in this assault he had conducted himself\nwith such credit that no knight who was there had done better than he,\nand maybe no one had done so well as he. For, though two opponents at\nonce had directed their spears against him, yet he had successfully\nresisted their assault. And one of those two he smote so violently in\nthe midst of his defences that he had lifted that assailant entirely\nover the crupper of the horse which he rode, and had flung him down to\nthe distance of half a spear\u2019s length behind his steed, so that the\nfallen knight had rolled thrice over in the dust ere he ceased to fall.\n\nAnd when those of Sir Kay\u2019s party who were nigh to him beheld what he\ndid, they gave him loud and vehement acclaim, and that in such measure\nthat Sir Kay was wonderfully well satisfied and pleased at heart.\n\nAnd, indeed, it is to be said that at that time there was hardly any\nknight in all the world who was so excellent in deeds of arms as Sir\nKay. And though there afterward came knights of much greater renown and\nof more glorious achievement (as shall be hereinafter recorded in good\nseason), yet at that time Sir Kay was reckoned by many to be one of the\nmost wonderfully puissant knights (whether errant or in battle) in all\nof that realm.\n\nSo was that course of the combat run to the great pleasure and\nsatisfaction of all who beheld it, and more especially of Sir Kay and\nhis friends. And after it had been completed the two parties in array\nreturned each to its assigned station once more.\n\nAnd when they had come there, each knight delivered up his spear unto\nhis esquire. For the assault which was next to be made was to be\nundertaken with swords, wherefore all lances and other weapons were to\nbe put away; such being the order of that courteous and gentle bout at\narms.\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the contest with swords._]\n\nAccordingly, when the herald again blew upon his trumpet, each knight\ndrew his weapon with such readiness for battle that there was a great\nsplendor of blades all flashing in the air at once. And when the herald\nblew a second time each party pushed forward to the contest with great\nnobleness of heart and eagerness of spirit, every knight being moved\nwith intent to engage his oppugnant with all the might and main that lay\nin him.\n\nThen immediately began so fierce a battle that if those knights had been\nvery enemies of long standing instead of friendly contestants, the blows\nwhich they delivered the one upon the other could not have been more\nvehement as to strength or more astonishing to gaze upon.\n\nAnd in this affair likewise Sir Kay approved himself to be so\nextraordinary a champion that his like was nowhere to be seen in all\nthat field; for he violently smote down five knights, the one after the\nother, ere he was stayed in his advance.\n\nWherefore, beholding him to be doing work of such a sort, several of the\nknights of the other party endeavored to come at him with intent to meet\nhim in his advance.\n\nAmongst these was a certain knight, hight Sir Balamorgineas, who was so\nhuge of frame that he rode head and shoulders above any other knight.\nAnd he was possessed of such extraordinary strength that it was believed\nthat he could successfully withstand the assault of three ordinary\nknights at one time. Wherefore when this knight beheld the work that Sir\nKay did, he cried out to him, \u201cHo! ho! Sir Knight of the black gryphon,\nturn thou hitherward and do a battle with me!\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Kay contests with Sir Balamorgineas._]\n\nNow when Sir Kay beheld Sir Balamorgineas to be minded to come against\nhim in that wise--very threateningly and minded to do him battle--he\nturned him toward his enemy with great cheerfulness of spirit. For at\nthat time Sir Kay was very full of youthful fire and reckoned nothing of\nassaulting any enemy who might demand battle of him.\n\n(So it was at that time. But it after befell, when he became Seneschal,\nand when other and mightier knights appeared at the court of the King,\nthat he would sometimes avoid an encounter with such a knight as Sir\nLauncelot, or Sir Pellias, or Sir Marhaus, or Sir Gawaine, if he might\ndo so with credit to his honor.)\n\nSo, being very full of the spirit of youth, he turned him with great\nlustiness of heart, altogether inflamed with the eagerness and fury of\nbattle. And he cried out in a great voice, \u201cVery well, I will do battle\nwith thee, and I will cast thee down like thy fellows!\u201d And therewith he\nsmote with wonderful fierceness at Sir Balamorgineas, and that with all\nhis might. And Sir Balamorgineas received the stroke upon his helmet and\nwas altogether bewildered by the fury thereof, for he had never felt its\nlike before that time. Wherefore his brains swam so light that it was\nnecessary for him to hold to the horn of his saddle to save himself from\nfalling.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Kay breaketh his sword._]\n\nBut it was a great pity for Sir Kay that, with the fierceness of the\nblow, his sword-blade snapped short at the haft, flying so high in the\nair that it appeared to overtop the turrets of the cathedral in its\nflight. Yet so it happened, and thus it befell that Sir Kay was left\nwithout any weapon. Yet it was thought that, because of that stroke, he\nhad Sir Balamorgineas entirely at his mercy, and that if he could have\nstruck another blow with his sword he might easily have overcome him.\n\nBut as it was, Sir Balamorgineas presently so far recovered himself that\nhe perceived his enemy to be altogether at his mercy; wherefore, being\nfilled beyond measure with rage because of the blow he had received, he\npushed against Sir Kay with intent to smite him down in a violent\nassault.\n\nIn this pass it would maybe have gone very ill with Sir Kay but that\nthree of his companions in arms, perceiving the extreme peril in which\nhe lay, thrust in betwixt him and Sir Balamorgineas with intent to take\nupon themselves the assault of that knight and so to save Sir Kay from\noverthrow. This they did with such success that Sir Kay was able to push\nout from the press and to escape to the barriers without suffering any\nfurther harm at the hands of his enemies.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Kay bids Arthur get him a sword._]\n\nNow when he reached the barrier, his esquire, young Arthur, came running\nto him with a goblet of spiced wine. And Sir Kay opened the umbril of\nhis helmet for to drink, for he was athirst beyond measure. And, lo! his\nface was all covered over with blood and sweat, and he was so a-drought\nwith battle that his tongue clave to the roof of his mouth and he could\nnot speak. But when he had drunk of the draught that Arthur gave him,\nhis tongue was loosened and he cried out to the young man in a loud and\nviolent voice: \u201cHo! ho! Brother, get me another sword for to do battle,\nfor I am assuredly winning for our house much glory this day!\u201d And\nArthur said, \u201cWhere shall I get thee a sword?\u201d And Kay said, \u201cMake haste\nunto our father\u2019s pavilion and fetch me thence another sword, for this\nwhich I have is broken.\u201d And Arthur said, \u201cI will do so with all speed,\u201d\nand thereupon he set hand to the barrier and leaped over it into the\nalleyway beyond. And he ran down the alleyway with all the speed that he\nwas able with intent to fulfil that task which his brother had bidden\nhim to undertake; and with like speed he ran to that pavilion that his\nfather had set up in the meadows.\n\nBut when he came to the pavilion of Sir Ector he found no one there, for\nall the attendants had betaken themselves unto the tournament. And\nneither could he find any sword fit for his brother\u2019s handling,\nwherefore he was put to a great pass to know what to do in that matter.\n\n[Sidenote: _Arthur draweth the sword from the anvil._]\n\nIn this extremity he bethought him of that sword that stood thrust into\nthe anvil before the cathedral, and it appeared to him that such a sword\nas that would suit his brother\u2019s purposes very well. Wherefore he said\nto himself, \u201cI will go thither and get that sword if I am able to do so,\nfor it will assuredly do very well for my brother for to finish his\nbattle withal.\u201d Whereupon he ran with all speed to the cathedral. And\nwhen he had come there he discovered that no one was there upon guard at\nthe block of marble, as had heretofore been the case, for all who had\nbeen upon guard had betaken themselves unto the contest of arms that was\ntoward. And the anvil and the sword stood where he could reach them. So,\nthere being no one to stay young Arthur, he leaped up upon the block of\nmarble and laid his hands unto the hilt of the sword. And he bent his\nbody and drew upon the sword very strongly, and, lo! it came forth from\nthe anvil with wonderful smoothness and ease, and he held the sword in\nhis hand, and it was his.\n\nAnd when he had got the sword in that way, he wrapped it in his cloak so\nthat no one might see it (for it shone with an exceeding brightness and\nsplendor) and he leaped down from the block of marble stone and hastened\nwith it unto the field of battle.\n\nNow when Arthur had entered into that meadow once more, he found Sir Kay\nawaiting his coming with great impatience of spirit. And when Sir Kay\nsaw him he cried out, very vehemently, \u201cHast thou got a sword?\u201d And\nArthur said, \u201cYea, I have one here.\u201d Thereupon he opened his cloak and\nshowed Sir Kay what sword it was he had brought.\n\nNow when Sir Kay beheld the sword he immediately knew it, and he wist\nnot what to think or what to say, wherefore he stood for a while, like\none turned into a stone, looking upon that sword. Then in awhile he\nsaid, in a very strange voice \u201cWhere got ye that sword?\u201d And Arthur\nlooked upon his brother and he beheld that his countenance was greatly\ndisturbed, and that his face was altogether as white as wax. And he\nsaid, \u201cBrother, what ails thee that thou lookest so strangely. I will\ntell the entire truth. I could find no sword in our father\u2019s pavilion,\nwherefore I bethought me of that sword that stood in the anvil upon the\nmarble cube before the cathedral. So I went thither and made assay for\nto draw it forth, and it came forth with wonderful ease. So, when I had\ndrawn it out, I wrapped it in my cloak and brought it hither unto thee\nas thou beholdest.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Kay keepeth the sword for his own._]\n\nThen Sir Kay turned his thoughts inward and communed with himself in\nthis wise, \u201cLo! my brother Arthur is as yet hardly more than a child.\nAnd he is, moreover, exceedingly innocent. Therefore he knoweth not what\nhe hath done in this nor what the doing thereof signifieth. Now, since\nhe hath achieved this weapon, why should I not myself lay claim to that\nachievement, and so obtain the glory which it signifieth.\u201d Whereupon he\npresently aroused himself, and he said to Arthur, \u201cGive the sword and\nthe cloak to me,\u201d and Arthur did as his brother commanded. And when he\nhad done so Sir Kay said to him, \u201cTell no man of this but keep it privy\nin thine own heart. Meantime go thou to our father where he sits at the\nlists and bid come straightway unto the pavilion where we have taken up\nour inn.\u201d\n\nAnd Arthur did as Sir Kay commanded him, greatly possessed with wonder\nthat his brother should be so disturbed in spirit as he had appeared to\nbe. For he wist not what he had done in drawing out that sword from the\nanvil, nor did he know of what great things should arise from that\nlittle thing, for so it is in this world that a man sometimes approves\nhimself to be worthy of such a great trust as that, and yet, in\nlowliness of spirit, he is yet altogether unaware that he is worthy\nthereof. And so it was with young Arthur at that time.\n\n[Illustration: Sir Kay showeth the mystic Sword unto Sir Ector.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Second.\n\n_How Arthur Twice Performed the Miracle of the Sword Before Sir Ector\nand of How His Birthright Was Discovered Unto Him._\n\n\nSo Arthur made haste to that part of the lists where Sir Ector sat with\nthe people of his household. And he stood before his father and said,\n\u201cSire, my brother Kay hath sent me hitherward for to bid thee come\nstraightway unto the pavilion where we have taken up our inn. And,\ntruly, I think something very extraordinary hath befallen, for my\nbrother Kay hath such a countenance as I never saw him wear.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Ector marvelled very greatly what it was that should cause Sir\nKay to quit that battle and to summon him at such a time, wherefore he\narose from where he sat and went with Arthur. And they went to the\npavilion, and when he had come there, behold! Sir Kay was standing in\nthe midst of the pavilion. And Sir Ector saw that his face was as white\nas ashes of wood and that his eyes shone with a wonderful brightness.\nAnd Sir Ector said, \u201cMy son, what ails thee?\u201d whereunto Sir Kay made\nreply, \u201cSire, here is a very wonderful matter.\u201d Therewith he took his\nfather by the hand and brought him to the table that stood in the\npavilion. And upon the table there lay a cloak and there was something\nwithin the cloak. Then Sir Kay opened the cloak and, lo! there lay the\nsword of the anvil, and the hilt thereof and the blade thereof glistered\nwith exceeding splendor.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Ector beholdeth the sword._]\n\nAnd Sir Ector immediately knew that sword and whence it came. Wherefore\nhe was filled with such astonishment that he wist not what to do. And\nfor a while his tongue refused to speak, and after a while he found\nspeech and cried out aloud in a great voice, \u201cWhat is this that mine\neyes behold!\u201d\n\nTo this Sir Kay made reply, \u201cSire. I have that sword which stood a while\nsince embedded in the anvil that stands upon the cube of marble stone\nbefore the great cathedral. Wherefore I demand that thou tellest me what\nthis may foretend?\u201d\n\nThen Sir Ector said, \u201cHow came you by that sword?\u201d\n\nAnd for a while Sir Kay was silent, but after a while he said, \u201cSire, I\nbrake my sword in that battle which of late I fought, whereupon I found\nme this sword in its stead.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Ector was altogether bemazed and knew not whether to believe\nwhat his ears heard. And after awhile he said, \u201cIf so be that thou didst\ndraw forth this sword from the anvil, then it must also be that thou art\nrightwise King of Britain, for so the saying of the sword proclaimeth.\nBut if thou didst indeed draw it forth from the anvil, then it will be\nthat thou shalt as easily be able for to thrust it back again into that\nplace from whence thou didst take it.\u201d\n\nAt this a great trouble of spirit fell upon Sir Kay, and he cried out in\na very loud voice, \u201cWho may do such a thing as that, and who could\nperform so great a miracle as to thrust a sword into solid iron.\u201d\nWhereunto Sir Ector made reply, \u201cSuch a miracle is no greater than the\nmiracle that thou hast performed in drawing it out from its embedment.\nFor who ever heard that a man could draw forth a sword from a place and\nyet would not thrust it back whence he drew it?\u201d\n\nThen Sir Kay wist not what to say to his father, and he greatly feared\nthat he should not be able to perform that miracle. But, nevertheless,\nhe took what comfort to himself he was able, saying, \u201cIf my young\nbrother Arthur was able to perform this miracle why should I not do a\nmiracle of a like sort, for, assuredly, I am not less worthy than he.\nWherefore if he drew the sword forth with such ease, it may be that I\nwith equal ease shall be able to thrust it back into its place again.\u201d\nAccordingly he took such comfort to himself in these thoughts as he was\nable.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Kay assays to put back the sword but faileth._]\n\nSo he wrapped the sword in the cloak again, and when he had done so he\nand Sir Ector went forth from the pavilion and betook their way unto\nwhere was the marble stone and the anvil before the cathedral. And\nArthur went with his father and his brother and they forebade him not.\nAnd when they had come to that place where the sword had been, Sir Kay\nmounted upon the cube of marble stone and beheld the face of the anvil.\nAnd lo! the face of the anvil was altogether smooth and without a\nscratch or scar of any sort. And Sir Kay said to himself, \u201cWhat is this\nmy father would have me do! What man is there in life who could thrust a\nsword-blade into a solid anvil of iron?\u201d But, ne\u2019theless, he could not\nwithdraw from that impossible undertaking, but was constrained to assay\nthat miracle, wherefore he set the point of the sword to the iron and\nbore upon it with all his strength. But it was impossible for him to\naccomplish that thing, and though he endeavored with all his might with\nthe sword against the face of the anvil, yet did he not pierce the iron\neven to the breadth of a hair.\n\nSo, after he had thus assayed for a great while, he at last ceased what\nhe did and came down from where he stood. And he said to his father,\n\u201cSire, no man in life may perform that miracle.\u201d\n\nUnto this Sir Ector made reply, \u201cHow is it possible then that thou\ncouldst have drawn out that sword as thou sayst and yet cannot put it\nback again?\u201d\n\nThen young Arthur lifted up his voice and said, \u201cMy father, have I thy\nleave to speak?\u201d And Sir Ector said, \u201cSpeak, my son.\u201d And Arthur said,\n\u201cI would that I might assay to handle that sword?\u201d Whereunto Sir Ector\nreplied, \u201cBy what authority wouldst thou handle that sword?\u201d And Arthur\nsaid, \u201cBecause it was I who drew that sword forth from the anvil for my\nbrother. Wherefore, as thou sayest, to draw it forth is not more\ndifficult than to thrust it back again. So I believe that I shall be\nable to set it back into the iron whence I drew it.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Ector gazed upon young Arthur in such a strange manner that\nArthur wist not why he looked at him in that wise. Wherefore he cried\nout, \u201cSire, why dost thou gaze so strangely upon me? Has thou anger\nagainst me?\u201d Whereunto Sir Ector made reply, \u201cIn the sight of God, my\nson, I have no anger against thee.\u201d Then he said, \u201cIf thou hast a desire\nto handle the sword, thou mayst assuredly make assay of that miracle.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Arthur performeth the miracle of the sword and the anvil._]\n\nSo Arthur took the sword from his brother Kay and he leaped up upon the\nmarble stone. And he set the point of the sword upon the anvil and bare\nvery strongly upon it and lo! the sword penetrated very smoothly into\nthe centre of the anvil until it stood midway deep therein, and there it\nstood fast. And after he had performed that miracle he drew the sword\nforth again very swiftly and easily, and then thrust it back again once\nmore as he had done before.\n\nBut when Sir Ector beheld what Arthur did, he cried out in a voice of\nexceeding loudness, \u201cLord! Lord! what is the miracle mine eyes behold!\u201d\nAnd when Arthur came down from the cube of marble stone, Sir Ector\nkneeled down before him and set his hands together, palm to palm.\n\nBut when Arthur beheld what his father did, he cried out aloud like one\nin a great measure of pain; and he said, \u201cMy father! my father! why dost\nthou kneel down to me?\u201d\n\nTo him Sir Ector made reply, \u201cI am not thy father, and now it is made\nmanifest that thou art assuredly of very exalted race and that the blood\nof kings flows in thy veins, else thou couldst not have handled that\nsword as thou hast done.\u201d\n\nThen Arthur fell a-weeping beyond all measure and he cried out as with\ngreat agony of spirit, \u201cFather! father! what is this thou sayst? I\nbeseech thee to arise and not to kneel unto me.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Ector arose from his knees and stood before the face of Arthur,\nand he said, \u201cArthur, why dost thou weep?\u201d And Arthur said, \u201cBecause I\nam afeard.\u201d\n\nNow all this while Sir Kay had stood near by and he could neither move\nnor speak, but stood like one entranced, and he said to himself, \u201cWhat\nis this? Is my brother a King?\u201d\n\nThen Sir Ector spake, saying, \u201cArthur, the time hath come for thee to\nknow thyself, for the true circumstances of thy life have, heretofore,\nbeen altogether hidden from thee.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Ector telleth Arthur the circumstances of his infancy._]\n\n\u201cNow I do confess everything to thee in this wise: that eighteen year\nago there came to me a certain man very wise and high in favor with\nUther-Pendragon and that man was the Enchanter Merlin. And Merlin showed\nme the signet ring of Uther-Pendragon and he commanded me by virtue of\nthat ring that I should be at a certain assigned place at a particular\ntime which he nominated; and the place which he assigned was the postern\ngate of Uther-Pendragon\u2019s castle; and the time which he named was\nmidnight of that very day.\n\n\u201cAnd he bade me tell no man aught concerning those things which he\ncommunicated to me, and so I kept his counsel as he desired me to do.\n\n\u201cSo I went to that postern gate at midnight as Merlin had commanded, and\nat that place there came unto me Merlin and another man, and the other\nman was Sir Ulfius, who was the chief knight of Uther-Pendragon\u2019s\nhousehold. And I tell thee that these two worthies stood nigher unto\nUther-Pendragon than any other men in all of the world.\n\n\u201cNow when those two came unto me, I perceived that Merlin bare in his\narms a certain thing wrapped in a scarlet mantle of fine texture. And he\nopened the folds of the mantle and, lo! I beheld a child not long born\nand wrapped in swaddling clothes. And I saw the child in the light of a\nlanthorn which Sir Ulfius bare, and I perceived that he was very fair of\nface and large of bone--and thou wert that child.\n\n\u201cThen Merlin commanded me in this wise: that I was to take that child\nand that I should rear him as mine own; and he said that the child was\nto be called by the name of Arthur; and he said that no one in all the\nworld was to know otherwise than that the child was mine own. And I\ntold Merlin that I would do as he would have me, whereupon I took the\nchild and bare it away with me. And I proclaimed that the child was mine\nown, and all over the world believed my words, wherefore no one ever\nknew otherwise than that thou wert mine own son. And that lady who was\nmy wife, when she died she took that secret with her unto Paradise, and\nsince then until now no one in all the world knew aught of this matter\nbut I and those two aforementioned worthies.\n\n\u201cNor have I until now ever known aught of who was thy father; but now I\ndo suspect who he was and that thou hast in thy veins very high and\nkingly blood. And I do have in mind that perhaps thy father was\nUther-Pendragon himself. For who but the son of Uther-Pendragon could\nhave drawn forth that sword from out of the anvil as thou hast done?\u201d\n\nThen, when Arthur heard that saying of his father\u2019s, he cried out in a\nvery loud and vehement voice, \u201cWoe! Woe! Woe!\u201d--saying that word three\ntimes. And Sir Ector said, \u201cArthur, why art thou woful?\u201d And Arthur\nsaid, \u201cBecause I have lost my father, for I would rather have my father\nthan be a King!\u201d\n\n[Sidenote:\n\n_Merlin and Sir Ulfius appear to the three._]\n\nNow as these things passed, there came unto that place two men, very\ntall and of a wonderfully noble and haughty appearance. And when these\ntwo men had come nigh to where they were, Arthur and Sir Ector and Sir\nKay preceived that one of them was the Enchanter Merlin and that the\nother was Sir Ulfius--for those two men were very famous and well known\nunto all the world. And when those two had come to where were the three,\nMerlin spake, saying, \u201cWhat cheer?\u201d And Sir Ector made answer, \u201cHere is\ncheer of a very wonderful sort; for, behold, Merlin! this is that child\nthat thou didst bring unto me eighteen years ago, and, lo! thou seest he\nhath grown unto manhood.\u201d\n\nThen Merlin said, \u201cSir Ector, I know very well who is this youth, for I\nhave kept diligent watch over him for all this time. And I know that in\nhim lieth the hope of Britain. Moreover, I tell thee that even to-day\nwithin the surface of an enchanted looking-glass I have beheld all that\nhe hath done since the morning; and I know how he drew forth the sword\nfrom the anvil, and how he thrust it back again; and I know how he drew\nit forth and thrust it back a second time. And I know all that thou hast\nbeen saying unto him this while; wherefore I also do now avouch that\nthou hast told him the very truth. And, lo! the spirit of prophecy is\nupon me and I do foresee into the future that thou, Arthur, shall become\nthe greatest and most famous King that ever lived in Britain; and I do\nforesee that many knights of extraordinary excellence shall gather about\nthee and that men shall tell of their marvellous deeds as long as this\nland shall continue, and I do foresee that through these knights thy\nreign shall be full of splendor and glory; and I do foresee that the\nmost marvellous adventure of the Holy Grail shall be achieved by three\nof the knights of thy Court, and that to thy lasting renown, who shall\nbe the King under whose reign the holy cup shall be achieved. All these\nthings I foresee; and, lo! the time is now at hand when the glory of thy\nHouse shall again be made manifest unto the world, and all the people of\nthis land shall rejoice in thee and thy kinghood. Wherefore, Sir Ector,\nfor these three days to come, I do charge it upon thee that thou do\nguard this young man as the apple of thine eye, for in him doth lie the\nhope and salvation of all this realm.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Ector craveth a boon of Arthur._]\n\nThen Sir Ector lifted up his voice and cried unto Arthur, \u201cA boon! a\nboon!\u201d And Arthur said, \u201cAlas! how is this? Dost thou, my father, ask a\nboon of me who may have all in the world that is mine to give? Ask what\nthou wilt and it is thine!\u201d Then Sir Ector said, \u201cI do beseech this of\nthee: that when thou art King thy brother Kay may be Seneschal of all\nthis realm.\u201d And Arthur said, \u201cIt shall be as thou dost ask.\u201d And he\nsaid, \u201cAs for thee, it shall be still better with thee, for thou shalt\nbe my father unto the end!\u201d Whereupon so saying, he took Sir Ector\u2019s\nhead into his hands and he kissed Sir Ector upon the forehead and upon\nthe cheeks, and so sealed his plighted word.\n\nBut all this while Sir Kay had stood like unto one struck by thunder,\nand he wist not whether to be uplifted unto the skies or to be cast down\ninto the depths, that his young brother should thus have been passed by\nhim and exalted unto that extraordinary altitude of fortune. Wherefore\nhe stood like to one bereft of life and motion.\n\nAnd let it here be said that Arthur fulfilled all that he had thus\npromised to his father--for, in after times, he made Sir Kay his\nSeneschal, and Sir Ector was to him a father until the day of his death,\nwhich same befell five years from that time.\n\n * * * * *\n\nThus I have told you how the royalty of Arthur was first discovered. And\nnow, if you will listen, ye shall hear how it was confirmed before all\nthe world.\n\n[Illustration: How Arthur drew forth y\u1d49 Sword.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Third.\n\n_How Several Kings and High Dukes Assayed to Draw the Sword Out of the\nAnvil and How They Failed. Likewise How Arthur Made the Assay and\nSucceeded Therein._\n\n\nSo when the morning of Christmas day had come, many thousands of folk of\nall qualities, both gentle and simple, gathered together in front of the\ncathedral for to behold the assay of that sword.\n\nNow there had been a canopy of embroidered cloth of divers colors spread\nabove the sword and the anvil, and a platform had been built around\nabout the cube of marble stone. And nigh unto that place there had been\na throne for the Archbishop established; for the Archbishop was to\noverlook that assay and to see that every circumstance was fulfilled\nwith due equity and circumspection.\n\nSo, when the morning was half gone by, the Archbishop himself came with\ngreat pomp of estate and took his seat upon the high throne that had\nbeen placed for him, and all his court of clerks and knights gathered\nabout him, so that he presented a very proud and excellent appearance of\ncourtliness.\n\nNow unto that assay there had gathered nineteen kings and sixteen dukes,\nand each of these was of such noble and exalted estate that he\nentertained high hopes that he would that day be approved before the\nworld to be the right king and overlord of all Britain. Wherefore after\nthe Archbishop had established himself upon his throne, there came\nseveral of these and made demand that he should straightway put that\nmatter to the test. So the Archbishop commanded his herald for to sound\na trumpet, and to bid all who had the right to make assay of the sword\nto come unto that adventure, and the herald did according as the\nArchbishop ordered.\n\n[Sidenote: King Lot of Orkney maketh assay of the sword and faileth.]\n\nAnd when the herald had sounded his trumpet there immediately appeared\nthe first of those kings to make trial of the sword, and he who came was\nKing Lot of Orkney and the Isles. With King Lot there came eleven\nknights and five esquires, so that he appeared in very noble estate before\nthe eyes of all. And when King Lot had arrived at that place, he mounted the\nplatform. And first he saluted the Archbishop, and then he laid his\nhands to the pommel of the sword in the sight of all. And he bent his\nbody and drew upon the sword with great strength, but he could not move\nthe blade in the anvil even so much as the breadth of a hair, for it\nstood as fast as the iron in which it was planted. And after that first\nassay he tried three times more, but still he was altogether unable to\nmove the blade in the iron. Then, after that he had thus four times made\nassay, he ceased his endeavor and came down from that place. And he was\nfilled with great anger and indignation that he had not succeeded in his\nendeavor.\n\n[Sidenote: Sundry others make assay and fail.]\n\nAnd after King Lot there came his brother-in-law, King Urien of Gore,\nand he also made assay in the same wise as King Lot had done. But\nneither did he succeed any better than that other king. And after King\nUrien there came King Fion of Scotland, and after King Fion there came\nKing Mark of Cornwall, and after King Mark there came King Ryence of\nNorth Wales, and after King Ryence there came King Leodegrance of\nCameliard, and after him came all those other kings and dukes before\nnumerated, and not one of all these was able to move the blade. And some\nof these high and mighty lords were filled with anger and indignation\nthat they had not succeeded, and others were ashamed that they had\nfailed in that undertaking before the eyes of all those who looked upon\nthem. But whether they were angry or whether they were ashamed it in no\nwise helped their case.\n\nNow when all the kings and dukes had thus failed in that adventure, the\npeople who were there were very much astonished, and they said to one\nanother, \u201cHow is this? If all those kings and dukes of very exalted\nestate have failed to achieve that adventure, who then may hope to\nsucceed? For here have been all those who were most worthy of that high\nhonor, and all have tried to draw that sword and all have failed. Who\nthen is there now to come after these who may hope to succeed?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: The kings and dukes are discontented.]\n\nAnd, likewise, those kings and dukes spoke together in the same manner.\nAnd by and by there came six of the most worthy--to wit, King Lot, King\nUrien, King Pellinore, King Ban, King Ryence, and Duke Clarence of\nNorthumberland--and these stood before the throne of the Archbishop and\nspake to him in this wise: \u201cSir, here have all the kings and dukes of\nthis realm striven before you for to draw forth that sword, and lo! not\none of all those who have undertaken that thing hath succeeded in his\nundertaking. What, then, may we understand but that the enchanter Merlin hath\nset this adventure for to bring shame and discredit upon all of us who are\nhere, and upon you, who are the head of the church in this realm?\nFor who in all the world may hope to draw forth a sword-blade out from a\nbed of solid iron? Behold! it is beyond the power of any man. Is it not\nthen plain to be seen that Merlin hath made a mock of us all? Now,\ntherefore, lest all this great congregation should have been called here\nin vain, we do beseech you of your wisdom that you presently choose the\none from among the kings here gathered, who may be best fitted to be\noverlord of this realm. And when ye shall have chosen him, we will\npromise to obey him in all things whatsoever he may ordain. Verily, such\na choice as that will be better worth while than to spend time in this\nfoolish task of striving to draw forth a sword out of an anvil which no\nman in all the world may draw forth.\u201d\n\nThen was the Archbishop much troubled in spirit, for he said to himself,\n\u201cCan it be sooth that Merlin hath deceived me, and hath made a mock of\nme and of all these kings and lordly folk? Surely this cannot be. For\nMerlin is passing wise, and he would not make a mock of all the realm\nfor the sake of so sorry a jest as this would be. Certes he hath some\nintent in this of which we know naught, being of less wisdom than\nhe--wherefore I will be patient for a while longer.\u201d Accordingly, having\ncommuned thus within himself, he spake aloud in this wise to those seven\nhigh lords: \u201cMessires,\u201d he said, \u201cI have yet faith that Merlin hath not\ndeceived us, wherefore I pray your patience for one little while longer.\nFor if, in the time a man may count five hundred twice over, no one\ncometh forward to perform this task, then will I, at your behest,\nproceed to choose one from amongst you and will proclaim him King and\nOverlord of all.\u201d For the Archbishop had faith that Merlin was about to\nimmediately declare a king before them all.\n\n * * * * *\n\nNow leave we these and turn we unto Arthur and his father and brother.\n\nFor Merlin had bidden those three to abide in their pavilion until such\ntime as he thought would be fit for them to come out thence. And that\ntime being now come, Merlin and Sir Ulfius went to the pavilion of Sir\nEctor, and Merlin said, \u201cArthur, arise and come forth, for now the hour\nis come for thee to assay before the whole world that miracle which thou\ndidst of late execute in privacy.\u201d So Arthur did as Merlin bade him to\ndo, and he came forth from the pavilion with his father and his brother,\nand, lo! he was like one who walked in a dream.\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin bringeth Arthur to the assay._]\n\nSo they five went down from thence toward the cathedral and unto that\nplace of assay. And when they had come to the congregation there\nassembled, the people made way for them, greatly marvelling and saying\nto one another, \u201cWho are these with the Enchanter Merlin and Sir Ulfius,\nand whence come they? For all the world knew Merlin and Sir Ulfius, and\nthey wist that here was something very extraordinary about to happen.\nAnd Arthur was clad all in flame-colored raiment embroidered with\nthreads of silver, so that others of the people said, \u201cCertes, that\nyouth is very fair for to look upon; now who may he be?\u201d\n\nBut Merlin said no word to any man, but he brought Arthur through the\npress unto that place where the Archbishop sat; and the press made way\nfor him so that he was not stayed in his going. And when the Archbishop\nbeheld Merlin come thus with those others, he arose and said, \u201cMerlin,\nwho are these whom thou bringest unto us, and what is their business\nhere?\u201d And Merlin said, \u201cLord, here is one come to make the assay of\nyonder sword.\u201d And the Archbishop said, \u201cWhich one is he?\u201d and Merlin\nsaid, \u201cThis is he,\u201d and he laid his hand upon Arthur.\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin proclaimeth the royalty of Arthur._]\n\nThen the Archbishop looked upon Arthur and he beheld that the youth was\nvery comely of face, wherefore his heart went out unto Arthur and he\nloved him a very great deal. And the Archbishop said, \u201cMerlin, by what\nright doth this young man come hither?\u201d And Merlin made reply, \u201cLord, he\ncometh hither by the best right that there is in the world; for he who\nstandeth before thee clad in red is the true son of Uther-Pendragon and\nof his lawful wife, Queen Igraine.\u201d\n\nThen the Archbishop cried out aloud in great amazement and those who\nstood nigh and who heard what Merlin said were so astonished that they\nwist not what to think. And the Archbishop said, \u201cMerlin, what is this\nthat thou tellest me? For who, until now, in all the world hath ever\nheard that Uther-Pendragon had a son?\u201d\n\nUnto this Merlin made reply: \u201cNo one hath ever known of such a thing\nuntil now, only a very few. For it was in this wise: When this child was\nborn the spirit of prophecy lay upon me and I foresaw that\nUther-Pendragon would die before a very great while. Wherefore I feared\nthat the enemies of the King would lay violent hands upon the young\nchild for the sake of his inheritance. So, at the King\u2019s behest, I and\nanother took the young child from his mother and gave him unto a third,\nand that man received the kingly child and maintained him ever since as\nhis own son. And as to the truth of these things there are others here\nwho may attest the verity of them--for he who was with me when the\nyoung child was taken from his mother was Sir Ulfius, and he to whom he\nwas entrusted was Sir Ector of Bonmaison--and those two witnesses, who\nare without any reproach, will avouch to the verity of that which I have\nasserted, for here they stand before thee to certify unto what I have\nsaid.\u201d\n\nAnd Sir Ulfius and Sir Ector said, \u201cAll that Merlin hath spoken is true,\nand thereunto we do pledge our most faithful and sacred word of honor.\u201d\n\nThen the Archbishop said, \u201cWho is there may doubt the word of such\nhonorable witnesses?\u201d And he looked upon Arthur and smiled upon him.\n\nThen Arthur said, \u201cHave I then thy leave, Lord, to handle yonder sword?\u201d\nAnd the Archbishop said, \u201cThou hast my leave, and may the grace of God\ngo with thee to do thy endeavor.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Arthur draweth forth the sword._]\n\nThereupon Arthur went to the cube of marble stone and he laid his hands\nupon the haft of the sword that was thrust into the anvil. And he bent\nhis body and drew very strongly and, lo! the sword came forth with great\nease and very smoothly. And when he had got the sword into his hands, he\nswung it about his head so that it flashed like lightning. And after he\nhad swung it thus thrice about his head, he set the point thereof\nagainst the face of the anvil and bore upon it very strongly, and,\nbehold! the sword slid very smoothly back again into that place where it\nhad aforetime stood; and when it was there, midway deep, it stood fast\nwhere it was. And thus did Arthur successfully accomplish that\nmarvellous miracle of the sword in the eyes of all the world.\n\nNow when the people who were congregated at that place beheld this\nmiracle performed before their faces, they lifted up their voices all\ntogether, and shouted so vehemently and with so huge a tumult of outcry\nthat it was as though the whole earth rocked and trembled with the sound\nof their shouting.\n\nAnd whiles they so shouted Arthur took hold of the sword again and drew\nit forth and swung it again, and again drave it back into the anvil. And\nwhen he had done that he drew it forth a third time and did the same\nthing as before. Thus it was that all those who were there beheld that\nmiracle performed three times over.\n\n[Sidenote: _Several of the kings and dukes are angry._]\n\nAnd all the kings and dukes who were there were filled with great\namazement, and they wist not what to think or to say when they beheld\none who was little more than a boy perform that undertaking in which the\nbest of them had failed. And some of them, seeing that miracle, were\nwilling to acknowledge Arthur because of it, but others would not\nacknowledge him. These withdrew themselves and stood aloof; and as they\nstood thus apart, they said among themselves: \u201cWhat is this and who can\naccredit such a thing that a beardless boy should be set before us all\nand should be made King and overlord of this great realm for to govern\nus. Nay! nay! we will have none of him for our King.\u201d And others said,\n\u201cIs it not apparent that Merlin and Sir Ulfius are thus exalting this\nunknown boy so that they may elevate themselves along with him?\u201d Thus\nthese discontented kings spake among themselves, and of all of them the\nmost bitter were King Lot and King Urien, who were brothers by marriage\nwith Arthur.\n\nNow when the Archbishop perceived the discontent of these kings and\ndukes, he said to them, \u201cHow now, Messires! Are ye not satisfied?\u201d And\nthey said, \u201cWe are not satisfied.\u201d And the Archbishop said, \u201cWhat would\nye have?\u201d And they said, \u201cWe would have another sort of king for Britain\nthan a beardless boy of whom no one knoweth and of whose birthright\nthere are only three men to attest.\u201d And the Archbishop said \u201cWhat of\nthat? Hath he not performed the miracle that ye yourselves assayed and\nfailed to perform?\u201d\n\nBut these high and mighty lords would not be satisfied, but with angry\nand averted faces they went away from that place, filled with wrath and\nindignation.\n\n[Sidenote: _Certain kings and dukes accept Arthur._]\n\nBut others of these kings and dukes came and saluted Arthur and paid him\ncourt, giving him joy of that which he had achieved; and the chiefest of\nthose who came thus unto him in friendliness was King Leodegrance of\nCameliard. And all the multitude acknowledged him and crowded around\nthat place shouting so that it sounded like to the noise of thunder.\n\nNow all this while Sir Ector and Sir Kay had stood upon one side. And\nthey were greatly weighed down by sorrow; for it appeared to them that\nArthur had, of a sudden, been uplifted so far from their estate that\nthey might never hope to approach him more. For now he was of kingly\nconsequence and they but common knights. And, after awhile, Arthur\nbeheld them where they stood with downcast looks, whereupon he\nstraightway went to them and took first one and then the other by the\nhand and kissed each upon the cheek. Thereupon they were again very glad\nat being thus uplifted unto him.\n\nAnd when Arthur departed from that place, great crowds of people\nfollowed after him so that the streets were altogether filled with the\npress of people. And the multitude continually gave him loud acclaim as\nthe chosen King of England, and those who were nearest to him sought to\ntouch the hem of his garments; wherefore the heart of Arthur was\nexceedingly uplifted with great joy and gladness, so that his soul took\nwing and flew like a bird into the sky.\n\n * * * * *\n\nThus Arthur achieved the adventure of the sword that day and entered\ninto his birthright of royalty. Wherefore, may God grant His Grace unto\nyou all that ye too may likewise succeed in your undertakings. For any\nman may be a king in that life in which he is placed if so be he may\ndraw forth the sword of success from out of the iron of circumstance.\nWherefore when your time of assay cometh, I do hope it may be with you\nas it was with Arthur that day, and that ye too may achieve success with\nentire satisfaction unto yourself and to your great glory and perfect\nhappiness. Amen.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nCONCLUSION\n\n\n[Sidenote: _Arthur maketh sundry other assays of the sword and succeeds\nat all times._]\n\nNow after these things had happened there was much talk among men and\ngreat confusion and tumult. For while some of the kings and nearly all\nthe multitude said, \u201cLo! here is a king come to us, as it were, from out\nof Heaven for to bring peace unto our distracted land,\u201d yet other kings\n(and they were of greater number) said, \u201cWho is this beardless boy who\ncometh with a claim to be High King of Britain? Who ever heard of him\nbefore? We will have none of him except upon further trial and upon\ngreater avouchment.\u201d So, for the sake of peace, the Archbishop ordained\nthat another assay of the sword should be made at Candlemas; and here\nagain all those who endeavored to draw forth the sword failed thereat,\nbut Arthur drew it forth several times, very easily, in the sight of\nall. And after that a third trial was made at Easter and after that a\nfourth trial was made at Pentecost. And at all these trials Arthur\nrepeatedly drew out the sword from the anvil, and no one but he could\ndraw it forth.\n\n[Sidenote: _Arthur is crowned King of Britain._]\n\nAnd, after that fourth trial, sundry of the kings and many of the lesser\nbarons and knights and all of the commons cried out that these were\ntrials enough, and that Arthur had assuredly approved himself to be\nrightwise King; wherefore they demanded that he should be made King\nindeed so that he might rule over them. For it had come to pass that\nwhithersoever Arthur went great crowds followed after him hailing him as\nthe true son of Uther-Pendragon, and rightwise overlord of Britain.\nWherefore, the Archbishop (seeing how the people loved Arthur and how\ngreatly they desired him for their King) ordained that he should be\nanointed and crowned unto royal estate; and so it was done at the great\nCathedral. And some say that that Cathedral was St. Paul\u2019s and some say\nthat it was not.\n\n[Sidenote: _Arthur overcometh his enemies._]\n\nBut when Arthur had thus been crowned, all those who were opposed unto\nhis Kingship withdrew themselves in great anger, and immediately set\nabout to prepare war against him. But the people were with Arthur and\njoined with him, and so also did several Kings and many of the lesser\nbarons and knights. And, with the advice of Merlin, Arthur made friends\nand allies of sundry other kings and they and he fought two great wars\nwith his enemies and won both of these wars. And in the second war was\nfought a very famous battle nigh to the Forest of Bedegraine (wherefore\nit was called the Battle of Bedegraine), and in that battle Arthur\noverthrew his enemies so entirely that it was not possible for them ever\nto hope to unite in war against him again.\n\n[Sidenote: _Arthur bringeth his nephews to court._]\n\nAnd of King Lot, his brother-in-law, King Arthur brought two of his sons\nto Court for to dwell there and to serve as hostages of peace\nthereafter. And these two were Gawaine and Geharris and they became,\nafter awhile, very famous and accomplished knights. And of King Urien,\nhis other brother-in-law, Arthur brought unto Court his one son, Ewaine,\nfor to hold as an hostage of peace; and he also became in time a very\nfamous and accomplished knight. And because of these hostages there was\npeace thereafter betwixt those three kingly brothers for all time. And a\ncertain very famous king and knight hight King Pellinore (who was one of\nhis enemies) Arthur drove out of his possessions and away from the\nhabitations of men and into the forest. And King Ryence (who was another\nof his enemies) he drave into the mountains of North Wales. And other\nkings who were his enemies he subjugated to his will, so that all the\nland was at such peace that it had not enjoyed the like since the days\nof Uther-Pendragon.\n\nAnd King Arthur made Sir Kay his Seneschal as he had promised to do; and\nhe made Sir Ulfius his Chamberlain; and Merlin he made his Counsellor;\nand Sir Bodwain of Britain he made his Constable. And these men were all\nof such a sort as greatly enhanced the glory and renown of his reign and\nestablished him upon his throne with entire security.\n\nNow when the reign of King Arthur became thus entirely established, and\nwhen the renown of his greatness began to be known in the world, many\nmen of noble souls and of large spirit and of high knightly\nprowess--knights who desired above all things to achieve glory at arms\nin Courts of Chivalry--perceived that great credit and exaltation of\nestate were likely to be won under such a king. So it fell out that,\nfrom all parts, by little and little, there began to gather together\nsuch a Court of noble, honorable knights about King Arthur as men never\nbeheld before that time, and shall haply never behold again.\n\nFor even to this day the history of these good knights is known to the\ngreater part of mankind. Yea; the names of many kings and emperors have\npassed away and have been forgotten, but the names of Sir Galahad, and\nof Sir Launcelot of the Lake, and of Sir Tristram of Lyonesse, and of\nSir Percival of Gales, and of Sir Gawaine, and of Sir Ewaine, and of Sir\nBors de Ganis, and of many others of that noble household of worthy\nbrotherhood, is still remembered by men. Wherefore, I think that it is\nvery likely that so long as words shall be written, the performances of\nthese worthies shall be remembered.\n\nSo in this history yet to be written, I have set it for my task to\ninform him who reads this book of many of these adventures, telling him,\nbesides, such several circumstances as I do not believe are known unto\neverybody. And by and by, when I shall tell of the establishment of the\nRound Table, I shall set forth a tabulated list of a number of those\nworthies who at this time assembled at the Court of Arthur as men chosen\nto found that order of the Round Table, and who, for that reason, were\nentitled \u201cThe Ancient and Honorable Companions of the Round Table.\u201d\n\nFor though this entire history chiefly concerneth King Arthur, yet the\nglory of these great honorable knights was his glory, and his glory was\ntheir glory, wherefore one cannot tell of the glory of King Arthur\nwithout also telling of the glory of those noble gentlemen aforesaid.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nPART II\n\nThe Winning of a Sword\n\n\n_Here beginneth the story of certain adventures of Arthur after that he\nhad become King, wherein it is told how, with great knightly courage and\nprowess, he fought a very fierce and bloodly battle with a certain Sable\nKnight. Likewise, it is told how he achieved, in consequence of that\nbattle, a certain Sword so famous and glorious that its renown shall\nlast as long as our speech shall be spoken. For the like of that sword\nwas never seen in all the world before that time, and it hath never been\nbeheld since then; and its name was Excalibur.\n\nSo, if it please you to read this story, I believe it will afford you\nexcellent entertainment, and will, without doubt, greatly exalt your\nspirit because of the remarkable courage which those two famous and\nworthy knights displayed when they fought together that famous battle.\nLikewise you shall find great cheer in reading therein of the wonderful\nmarvellousness of a certain land of Faerie into which King Arthur\nwandered, and where he found a Lake of Enchantment and held converse\nwith a mild and beautiful lady of that land who directed him how to\nobtain that renowned sword aforementioned.\n\nFor it hath given me such pleasure to write these things that my heart\nwould, at times, be diluted as with a pure joy, wherefore, I entertain\ngreat hopes that you also may find much pleasure in them as I have\nalready done. So I pray you to listen unto what follows._\n\n[Illustration: In the Valley of Delight]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter First.\n\n_How There Came a Certain Wounded Knight Unto the Court of King Arthur,\nHow a Young Knight of the King\u2019s Court Sought To Avenge Him and Failed\nand How the King Thereupon Took That Assay Upon Himself._\n\n\n[Sidenote: _How King Arthur abided in the Forest of Usk._]\n\nNow it fell upon a certain pleasant time in the Springtide season that\nKing Arthur and his Court were making a royal progression through that\npart of Britain which lieth close to the Forests of the Usk. At that\ntime the weather was exceedingly warm, and so the King and Court made\npause within the forest under the trees in the cool and pleasant shade\nthat the place afforded, and there the King rested for a while upon a\ncouch of rushes spread with scarlet cloth.\n\nAnd the knights then present at that Court were, Sir Gawaine, and Sir\nEwaine, and Sir Kay, and Sir Pellias, and Sir Bedevere, and Sir Caradoc,\nand Sir Geraint, and Sir Bodwin of Britain and Sir Constantine of\nCornwall, and Sir Brandiles and Sir Mador de la Porte, and there was not\nto be found anywhere in the world a company of such noble and exalted\nknights as these.\n\nNow as the King lay drowsing and as these worthies sat holding cheerful\nconverse together at that place, there came, of a sudden, a considerable\nbustle and stir upon the outskirts of the Court, and presently there\nappeared a very sad and woful sight. For there came thitherward a\nknight, sore wounded, and upheld upon his horse by a golden-haired page,\nclad in an apparel of white and azure. And, likewise, the knight\u2019s\napparel and the trappings of his horse were of white and azure, and upon\nhis shield he bore the emblazonment of a single lily flower of silver\nupon a ground of pure azure.\n\n[Sidenote: _How the wounded knight cometh into the forest._]\n\nBut the knight was in a very woful plight. For his face was as pale as\nwax and hung down upon his breast. And his eyes were glazed and saw\nnaught that passed around him, and his fair apparel of white and blue\nwas all red with the blood of life that ran from a great wound in his\nside. And, as they came upon their way, the young page lamented in such\nwise that it wrung the heart for to hear him.\n\nNow, as these approached, King Arthur aroused cried out, \u201cAlas! what\ndoleful spectacle is that which I behold? Now hasten, ye my lords, and\nbring succor to yonder knight; and do thou, Sir Kay, go quickly and\nbring that fair young page hither that we may presently hear from his\nlips what mishap hath befallen his lord.\u201d\n\nSo certain of those knights hastened at the King\u2019s bidding and gave all\nsuccor to the wounded knight, and conveyed him to King Arthur\u2019s own\npavilion, which had been pitched at a little distance. And when he had\ncome there the King\u2019s chirurgeon presently attended upon him--albeit his\nwounds were of such a sort he might not hope to live for a very long\nwhile.\n\nMeantime, Sir Kay brought that fair young page before the King, where he\nsat, and the King thought that he had hardly ever seen a more beautiful\ncountenance. And the King said, \u201cI prithee tell me, Sir Page, who is thy\nmaster, and how came he in such a sad and pitiable condition as that\nwhich we have just now beheld.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: The page telleth the story of the wounded knight.]\n\n\u201cThat will I so, Lord,\u201d said the youth. \u201cKnow that my master is entitled\nSir Myles of the White Fountain, and that he cometh from the country\nnorth of where we are and at a considerable distance from this. In that\ncountry he is the Lord of seven castles and several noble estates,\nwherefore, as thou mayst see, he is of considerable consequence. A\nfortnight ago (being doubtless moved thereunto by the lustiness of the\nSpringtime), he set forth with only me for his esquire, for he had a\nmind to seek adventure in such manner as beseemed a good knight who\nwould be errant. And we had several adventures, and in all of them my\nlord was entirely successful; for he overcame six knights at various\nplaces and sent them all to his castle for to attest his valor unto his\nlady.\n\n\u201cAt last, this morning, coming to a certain place situated at a\nconsiderable distance from this, we came upon a fair castle of the\nforest, which stood in a valley surrounded by open spaces of level lawn,\nbedight with many flowers of divers sorts. There we beheld three fair\ndamsels who tossed a golden ball from one to another, and the damsels\nwere clad all in flame-colored satin, and their hair was of the color of\ngold. And as we drew nigh to them they stinted their play, and she who\nwas the chief of those damsel called out to my lord, demanding of him\nwhither he went and what was his errand.\n\n\u201cTo her my lord made answer that he was errant and in search of\nadventure, and upon this, the three damsels laughed, and she who had\nfirst spoken said, \u2018An thou art in search of adventure, Sir Knight,\nhappily I may be able to help thee to one that shall satisfy thee to thy\nheart\u2019s content.\u2019\n\n\u201cUnto this my master made reply \u2018I prithee, fair damsel, tell me what\nthat adventure may be so that I may presently assay it.\u2019\n\n\u201cThereupon this lady bade my master to take a certain path, and to\nfollow the same for the distance of a league or a little more, and that\nhe would then come to a bridge of stone that crossed a violent stream,\nand she assured him that there he might find adventure enough for to\nsatisfy any man.\n\n\u201cSo my master and I wended thitherward as that damoiselle had directed,\nand, by and by, we came unto the bridge whereof she had spoken. And, lo!\nbeyond the bridge was a lonesome castle with a tall straight tower, and\nbefore the castle was a wide and level lawn of well-trimmed grass. And\nimmediately beyond the bridge was an apple-tree hung over with a\nmultitude of shields. And midway upon the bridge was a single shield,\nentirely of black; and beside it hung a hammer of brass; and beneath the\nshield was written these words in letters of red:\n\n =Whoso Smiteth This Shield\n Doeth So At His Peril.=\n\n\u201cNow, my master, Sir Myles, when he read those words went straightway\nto that shield and, seizing the hammer that hung beside it, he smote\nupon it a blow so that it rang like thunder.\n\n\u201cThereupon, as in answer, the portcullis of the castle was let fall, and\nthere immediately came forth a knight, clad all from head to foot in\nsable armor. And his apparel and the trappings of his horse and all the\nappointments thereof were likewise entirely of sable.\n\n[Sidenote: The page telleth of the Sable Knight.]\n\n\u201cNow when that Sable Knight perceived my master he came riding swiftly\nacross the meadow and so to the other end of the bridge. And when he had\ncome there he drew rein and saluted my master and cried out, \u2018Sir\nKnight, I demand of thee why thou didst smite that shield. Now let me\ntell thee, because of thy boldness, I shall take away from thee thine\nown shield, and shall hang it upon yonder apple-tree, where thou\nbeholdest all those other shields to be hanging.\u2019 Unto this my master\nmade reply. \u2018That thou shalt not do unless thou mayst overcome me, as\nknight to knight.\u2019 And thereupon, immediately, he dressed his shield and\nput himself into array for an assault at arms.\n\n\u201cSo my master and this Sable Knight, having made themselves ready for\nthat encounter, presently drave together with might and main. And they\nmet in the middle of the course, where my master\u2019s spear burst into\nsplinters. But the spear of the Sable Knight held and it pierced through\nSir Myles, his shield, and it penetrated his side, so that both he and\nhis horse were overthrown violently into the dust; he being wounded so\ngrievously that he could not arise again from the ground whereon he lay.\n\n\u201cThen the Sable Knight took my master\u2019s shield and hung it up in the\nbranches of the apple-tree where the other shields were hanging, and,\nthereupon, without paying further heed to my master, or inquiring as to\nhis hurt, he rode away into his castle again, whereof the portcullis was\nimmediately closed behind him.\n\n\u201cSo, after that he had gone, I got my master to his horse with great\nlabor, and straightway took him thence, not knowing where I might find\nharborage for him, until I came to this place. And that, my lord King,\nis the true story of how my master came by that mortal hurt, which he\nhath suffered.\u201d\n\n\u201cHa! By the glory of Paradise!\u201d cried King Arthur, \u201cI do consider it\ngreat shame that in my Kingdom and so near to my Court strangers should\nbe so discourteously treated as Sir Myles hath been served. For it is\ncertainly a discourtesy for to leave a fallen knight upon the ground,\nwithout tarrying to inquire as to his hurt how grievous it may be. And\nstill more discourteous is it for to take away the shield of a fallen\nknight who hath done good battle.\u201d\n\nAnd so did all the knights of the King\u2019s Court exclaim against the\ndiscourtesy of that Sable Knight.\n\n[Sidenote: _Griflet craveth a boon._]\n\nThen there came forth a certain esquire attendant upon the King\u2019s\nperson, by name Griflet, who was much beloved by his Royal Master, and\nhe kneeled before the King and cried out in a loud voice: \u201cI crave a\nboon of thee, my lord King! and do beseech thee that thou wilt grant it\nunto me!\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur uplifted his countenance upon the youth as he knelt\nbefore him and he said, \u201cAsk, Griflet, and thy boon shall be granted\nunto thee.\u201d\n\nThereupon Griflet said, \u201cIt is this that I would ask--I crave that thou\nwilt make me straightway knight, and that thou wilt let me go forth and\nendeavor to punish this unkindly knight, by overthrowing him, and so\nredeeming those shields which he hath hung upon that apple-tree.\u201d\n\nThen was King Arthur much troubled in his spirit, for Griflet was as yet\nonly an esquire and altogether untried in arms. So he said, \u201cBehold,\nthou art yet too young to have to do with so potent a knight as this\nsable champion must be, who has thus overthrown so many knights without\nhimself suffering any mishap. I prithee, dear Griflet, consider and ask\nsome other boon.\u201d\n\nBut young Griflet only cried the more, \u201cA boon! A boon! and thou hast\ngranted it unto me.\u201d\n\nThereupon King Arthur said, \u201cThou shalt have thy boon, though my heart\nmuch misgiveth me that thou wilt suffer great ill and misfortune from\nthis adventure.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur makes Griflet a knight._]\n\nSo that night Griflet kept watch upon his armor in a chapel of the\nforest, and, in the morning, having received the Sacrament, he was\ncreated a knight by the hand of King Arthur--and it was not possible for\nany knight to have greater honor than that. Then King Arthur fastened\nthe golden spurs to Sir Griflet\u2019s heels with his own hand.\n\nSo Griflet was made a knight, and having mounted his charger, he rode\nstraightway upon his adventure, much rejoicing and singing for pure\npleasure.\n\nAnd it was at this time that Sir Myles died of his hurt, for it is often\nso that death and misfortune befall some, whiles others laugh and sing\nfor hope and joy, as though such grievous things as sorrow and death\ncould never happen in the world wherein they live.\n\nNow that afternoon King Arthur sat waiting with great anxiety for word\nof that young knight, but there was no word until toward evening, when\nthere came hurrying to him certain of his attendants, proclaiming that\nSir Griflet was returning, but without his shield, and in such guise\nthat it seemed as though a great misfortune had befallen him. And\nstraightway thereafter came Sir Griflet himself, sustained upon his\nhorse on the one hand by Sir Constantine and upon the other by Sir\nBrandiles. And, lo! Sir Griflet\u2019s head hung down upon his breast, and\nhis fair new armor was all broken and stained with blood and dust. And\nso woful was he of appearance that King Arthur\u2019s heart was contracted\nwith sorrow to behold that young knight in so pitiable a condition.\n\nSo, at King Arthur\u2019s bidding, they conducted Sir Griflet to the Royal\nPavilion, and there they laid him down upon a soft couch. Then the\nKing\u2019s chirurgeon searched his wounds and found that the head of a spear\nand a part of the shaft thereof were still piercing Sir Griflet\u2019s side,\nso that he was in most woful and grievous pain.\n\nAnd when King Arthur beheld in what a parlous state Sir Griflet lay he\ncried out, \u201cAlas! my dear young knight, what hath happened thee to bring\nthee unto such a woful condition as this which I behold?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Griflet telleth how he was hurt._]\n\nThen Sir Griflet, speaking in a very weak voice, told King Arthur how he\nhad fared. And he said that he had proceeded through the forest, until\nhe had discovered the three beautiful damsels whereof the page of Sir\nMyles had spoken. And he said that these damsels had directed him as to\nthe manner in which he should pursue his adventure. And he said that he\nhad found the bridge whereon hung the shield and the brazen mall, and\nthat he had there beheld the apple-tree hung full of shields; and he\nsaid that he smote the shield of the Sable Knight with the brazen mall,\nand that the Sable Knight had thereupon come riding out against him. And\nhe said that this knight did not appear of a mind to fight with him;\ninstead, he cried out to him with a great deal of nobleness that he was\ntoo young and too untried in arms to have to do with a seasoned knight;\nwherefore he advised Sir Griflet to withdraw him from that adventure ere\nit was too late. But, notwithstanding this advice, Sir Griflet would not\nwithdraw but declared that he would certainly have to do with that other\nknight in sable. Now at the very first onset Sir Griflet\u2019s spear had\nburst into pieces, but the spear of the Sable Knight had held and had\npierced through Sir Griflet\u2019s shield and into his side, causing him this\ngrievous wound whereof he suffered. And Sir Griflet said that the Sable\nKnight had then, most courteously, uplifted him upon his horse again\n(albeit he had kept Sir Griflet\u2019s shield and had hung it upon the tree\nwith those others that hung there) and had then directed him upon his\nway, so that he had made shift to ride thither, though with great pain\nand dole.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur is very angry._]\n\nThen was King Arthur very wode and greatly disturbed in his mind, for\nindeed he loved Sir Griflet exceedingly well. Wherefore he declared that\nhe himself would now go forth for to punish that Sable Knight, and for\nto humble him with his own hand. And, though the knights of his Court\nstrove to dissuade him from that adventure, yet he declared that he with\nhis own hand would accomplish that proud knight\u2019s humiliation, and that\nhe would undertake the adventure, with God His Grace, upon the very next\nday.\n\nAnd so disturbed was he that he could scarce eat his food that evening\nfor vexation, nor would he go to his couch to sleep, but, having\ninquired very narrowly of Sir Griflet where he might find that valley of\nflowers and those three damsels, he spent the night in walking up and\ndown his pavilion, awaiting for the dawning of the day.\n\nNow, as soon as the birds first began to chirp and the east to brighten\nwith the coming of the daylight, King Arthur summoned his two esquires,\nand, having with their aid donned his armor and mounted a milk-white\nwar-horse, he presently took his departure upon that adventure which he\nhad determined upon.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur sets forth upon his adventure._]\n\nAnd, indeed it is a very pleasant thing for to ride forth in the dawning\nof a Springtime day. For then the little birds do sing their sweetest\nsong, all joining in one joyous medley, whereof one may scarce tell one\nnote from another, so multitudinous is that pretty roundelay; then do\nthe growing things of the earth smell the sweetest in the freshness of\nthe early daytime--the fair flowers, the shrubs, and the blossoms upon\nthe trees; then doth the dew bespangle all the sward as with an\nincredible multitude of jewels of various colors; then is all the world\nsweet and clean and new, as though it had been fresh created for him who\ncame to roam abroad so early in the morning.\n\nSo King Arthur\u2019s heart expanded with great joy, and he chanted a quaint\nsong as he rode through the forest upon the quest of that knightly\nadventure.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur cometh to the Valley of Delight._]\n\nSo, about noon-tide, he came to that part of the forest lands whereof he\nhad heard those several times before. For of a sudden, he discovered\nbefore him a wide and gently sloping valley, a-down which ran a stream\nas bright as silver. And, lo! the valley was strewn all over with an\ninfinite multitude of fair and fragrant flowers of divers sorts. And in\nthe midst of the valley there stood a comely castle, with tall red roofs\nand many bright windows, so that it seemed to King Arthur that it was a\nvery fine castle indeed. And upon a smooth green lawn he perceived those\nthree damoiselles clad in flame-colored satin of whom the page of Sir\nMyles and Sir Griflet had spoken. And they played at ball with a golden\nball, and the hair of each was of the hue of gold, and it seemed to King\nArthur, as he drew nigh, that they were the most beautiful damoiselles\nthat he had ever beheld in all of his life.\n\nNow as King Arthur came unto them the three ceased tossing the ball, and\nshe who was the fairest of all damoiselles demanded of him whither he\nwent and upon what errand he was bound.\n\nThen King Arthur made reply: \u201cHa! fair lady! whither should a belted\nknight ride upon such a day as this, and upon what business, other than\nthe search of adventure such as beseemeth a knight of a proper strength\nof heart and frame who would be errant?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The damoiselles greet King Arthur._]\n\nThen the three damoiselles smiled upon the King, for he was exceedingly\ncomely of face and they liked him very well. \u201cAlas, Sir Knight!\u201d said\nshe who had before spoken, \u201cI prithee be in no such haste to undertake a\ndangerous adventure, but rather tarry with us for a day or two or three,\nfor to feast and make merry with us. For surely good cheer doth greatly\nenlarge the heart, and we would fain enjoy the company of so gallant a\nknight as thou appearest to be. Yonder castle is ours and all this gay\nvalley is ours, and those who have visited it are pleased, because of\nits joyousness, to call it the Valley of Delight. So tarry with us for a\nlittle and be not in such haste to go forward.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cI may not tarry with ye, fair ladies, for I am\nbent upon an adventure of which ye may wot right well, when I tell ye\nthat I seek that Sable Knight, who hath overcome so many other knights\nand hath taken away their shields. So I do pray ye of your grace for to\ntell me where I may find him.\u201d\n\n\u201cGrace of Heaven!\u201d cried she who spake for the others, \u201cthis is\ncertainly a sorry adventure which ye seek, Sir Knight! For already, in\nthese two days, have two knights assayed with that knight, and both have\nfallen into great pain and disregard. Ne\u2019theless, an thou wilt undertake\nthis peril, yet shalt thou not go until thou hast eaten and refreshed\nthyself.\u201d So saying, she lifted a little ivory whistle that hung from\nher neck by a chain of gold, and blew upon it very shrilly.\n\nIn answer to this summons there came forth from the castle three fair\nyoung pages, clad all in flame-colored raiment, bearing among them a\nsilver table covered with a white napkin. And after them came five\nother pages of the same appearance, bearing flagons of white wine and\nred, dried fruits and comfits and manchets of white fair bread.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur eats and drinks in the Valley of Delight._]\n\nThen King Arthur descended from his war-horse with great gladness, for\nhe was both hungry and athirst, and, seating himself at the table with\nthe damsels beside him, he ate with great enjoyment, discoursing\npleasantly the while with those fair ladies, who listened to him with\ngreat cheerfulness of spirit. Yet he told them not who he was, though\nthey greatly marvelled who might be the noble warrior who had come thus\ninto that place.\n\nSo, having satisfied his hunger and his thirst, King Arthur mounted his\nsteed again, and the three damsels conducted him across the valley a\nlittle way--he riding upon his horse and they walking beside him. So, by\nand by, he perceived where was a dark pathway that led into the farther\nside of the forest land; and when he had come thither the lady who had\naddressed him before said to him, \u201cYonder is the way that thou must take\nan thou wouldst enter upon this adventure. So fare thee well, and may\ngood hap go with thee, for, certes, thou art the Knight most pleasant of\naddress who hath come hitherward for this long time.\u201d\n\nThereupon King Arthur, having saluted those ladies right courteously,\nrode away with very great joy of that pleasant adventure through which\nhe had thus passed.\n\n * * * * *\n\nNow when King Arthur had gone some ways he came, by and by, to a certain\nplace where charcoal burners plied their trade. For here were many\nmounds of earth, all a-smoke with the smouldering logs within, whilst\nall the air was filled with the smell of the dampened fires.\n\nAs the King approached this spot, he presently beheld that something was\ntoward that was sadly amiss. For, in the open clearing, he beheld three\nsooty fellows with long knives in their hands, who pursued one old man,\nwhose beard was as white as snow. And he beheld that the reverend old\nman, who was clad richly in black, and whose horse stood at a little\ndistance, was running hither and thither, as though to escape from those\nwicked men, and he appeared to be very hard pressed and in great danger\nof his life.\n\n\u201cPardee!\u201d quoth the young King to himself, \u201chere, certes, is one in sore\nneed of succor.\u201d Whereupon he cried out in a great voice, \u201cHold,\nvillains! What would you be at!\u201d and therewith set spurs to his horse\nand dropped his spear into rest and drove down upon them with a noise\nlike to thunder for loudness.\n\nBut when the three wicked fellows beheld the armed Knight thus\nthundering down upon them, they straightway dropped their knives and,\nwith loud outcries of fear, ran away hither and thither until they had\nescaped into the thickets of the forest, where one upon a horse might\nnot hope to pursue them.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur rescues Merlin from the three villains._]\n\nWhereupon, having driven away those wicked fellows, King Arthur rode up\nto him whom he had succored, thinking to offer him condolence. And\nbehold! when he had come nigh to him, he perceived that the old man was\nthe Enchanter Merlin. Yet whence he had so suddenly come, who had only a\nlittle while before been at the King\u2019s Court at Carleon, and what he did\nin that place, the King could in no wise understand. Wherefore he\nbespoke the Enchanter in this wise, \u201cHa! Merlin, it seemeth to me that I\nhave saved thy life. For, surely, thou hadst not escaped from the hands\nof those wicked men had I not happened to come hitherward at this time.\u201d\n\n\u201cDost thou think so, Lord?\u201d said Merlin. \u201cNow let me tell thee that I\ndid maybe appear to be in danger, yet I might have saved myself very\neasily had I been of a mind to do so. But, as thou sawst me in this\nseeming peril, so may thou know that a real peril, far greater than\nthis, lieth before thee, and there will be no errant knight to succor\nthee from it. Wherefore, I pray thee, Lord, for to take me with thee\nupon this adventure that thou art set upon, for I do tell thee that thou\nshalt certainly suffer great dole and pain therein.\u201d\n\n\u201cMerlin,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201ceven an I were to face my death, yet would\nI not turn back from this adventure. But touching the advice thou givest\nme, meseems it will be very well to take thee with me if such peril\nlieth before me as thou sayest.\u201d\n\nAnd Merlin said, \u201cYea, it would be very well for thee to do so.\u201d\n\nSo Merlin mounted upon his palfrey, and King Arthur and he betook their\nway from that place in pursuit of that adventure which the King had\nundertaken to perform.\n\n[Illustration:]\n\n[Illustration: The Battle with the Sable Knight.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Second.\n\n_How King Arthur Fought With the Sable Knight and How He Was Sorely\nWounded. Likewise How Merlin Brought Him Safe Away From the Field of\nBattle._\n\n\nSo King Arthur and Merlin rode together through the forest for a\nconsiderable while, until they perceived that they must be approaching\nnigh to the place where dwelt the Sable Knight whom the King sought so\ndiligently. For the forest, which had till then been altogether a\nwilderness, very deep and mossy, began to show an aspect more thin and\nopen, as though a dwelling-place of mankind was close at hand.\n\nAnd, after a little, they beheld before them a violent stream of water,\nthat rushed through a dark and dismal glen. And, likewise, they\nperceived that across this stream of water there was a bridge of stone,\nand that upon the other side of the bridge there was a smooth and level\nlawn of green grass, whereon Knights-contestants might joust very well.\nAnd beyond this lawn they beheld a tall and forbidding castle, with\nsmooth walls and a straight tower; and this castle was built upon the\nrocks so that it appeared to be altogether a part of the stone. So they\nwist that this must be the castle whereof the page and Sir Griflet had\nspoken.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur cometh to the castle of the Sable Knight._]\n\nFor, midway upon the bridge, they beheld that there hung a sable shield\nand a brass mall exactly as the page and Sir Griflet had said; and that\nupon the farther side of the stream was an apple-tree, amid the leaves\nof which hung a very great many shields of various devices, exactly as\nthose two had reported: and they beheld that some of those shields were\nclean and fair, and that some were foul and stained with blood, and that\nsome were smooth and unbroken, and that some were cleft as though by\nbattle of knight with knight. And all those shields were the shields of\ndifferent knights whom the Sable Knight, who dwelt within the castle,\nhad overthrown in combat with his own hand.\n\n\u201cSplendor of Paradise!\u201d quoth King Arthur, \u201cthat must, indeed, be a\nright valiant knight who, with his own single strength, hath overthrown\nand cast down so many other knights. For, indeed, Merlin, there must be\nan hundred shields hanging in yonder tree!\u201d\n\nUnto this Merlin made reply, \u201cAnd thou, Lord, mayst be very happy an thy\nshield, too, hangeth not there ere the sun goeth down this even-tide.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat,\u201d said King Arthur, with a very steadfast countenance, \u201cshall be\nas God willeth. For, certes, I have a greater mind than ever for to try\nmy power against yonder knight. For, consider, what especial honor would\nfall to me should I overcome so valiant a warrior as this same Sable\nChampion appeareth to be, seeing that he hath been victorious over so\nmany other good knights.\u201d\n\nThereupon, having so spoken his mind, King Arthur immediately pushed\nforward his horse and so, coming upon the bridge, he clearly read that\nchallenge writ in letters of red beneath the shield:\n\n =Whoso Smiteth This Shield\n Doeth So At His Peril.=\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur challenges the Sable Knight._]\n\nUpon reading these words, the King seized the brazen mall, and smote\nthat shield so violent a blow that the sound thereof echoed back from\nthe smooth walls of the castle, and from the rocks whereon it stood, and\nfrom the skirts of the forest around about, as though twelve other\nshields had been struck in those several places.\n\nAnd in answer to that sound, the portcullis of the castle was\nimmediately let fall, and there issued forth a knight, very huge of\nframe, and clad all in sable armor. And, likewise, all of his apparel\nand all the trappings of his horse were entirely of sable, so that he\npresented a most grim and forbidding aspect. And this Sable Knight came\nacross that level meadow of smooth grass with a very stately and\nhonorable gait; for neither did he ride in haste, nor did he ride\nslowly, but with great pride and haughtiness of mien, as became a\nchampion who, haply, had never yet been overcome in battle. So, reaching\nthe bridge-head, he drew rein and saluted King Arthur with great\ndignity, and also right haughtily. \u201cHa! Sir Knight!\u201d quoth he, \u201cwhy\ndidst thou, having read those words yonder inscribed, smite upon my\nshield? Now I do tell thee that, for thy discourtesy, I shall presently\ntake thy shield away from thee, and shall hang it up upon yonder\napple-tree where thou beholdest all those other shields to be hanging.\nWherefore, either deliver thou thy shield unto me without more ado or\nelse prepare for to defend it with thy person--in the which event thou\nshalt certainly suffer great pain and discomfort to thy body.\u201d\n\n\u201cGramercy for the choice thou grantest me,\u201d said King Arthur. \u201cBut as\nfor taking away my shield--I do believe that that shall be as Heaven\nwilleth, and not as thou willest. Know, thou unkind knight, that I have\ncome hither for no other purpose than to do battle with thee and so to\nendeavor for to redeem with my person all those shields that hang yonder\nupon that apple-tree. So make thou ready straightway that I may have to\ndo with thee, maybe to thy great disadvantage.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat will I so,\u201d replied the Sable Knight. And thereupon he turned his\nhorse\u2019s head and, riding back a certain distance across the level lawn,\nhe took stand in such place as appeared to him to be convenient. And so\ndid King Arthur ride forth also upon that lawn, and take his station as\nseemed to him to be convenient.\n\nThen each knight dressed his spear and his shield for the encounter,\nand, having thus made ready for the assault, each shouted to his\nwar-horse and drave his spurs deep into its flank.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur contests with the Sable Knight._]\n\nThen those two noble steeds rushed forth like lightning, coursing across\nthe ground with such violent speed that the earth trembled and shook\nbeneath them, an it were by cause of an earthquake. So those two knights\nmet fairly in the midst of the centre of the field, crashing together\nlike a thunderbolt. And so violently did they smite the one against the\nother that the spears burst into splinters, even unto the guard and the\ntruncheon thereof, and the horses of the riders staggered back from the\nonset, so that only because of the extraordinary address of the\nknights-rider did they recover from falling before that shock of\nmeeting.\n\nBut, with great spirit, these two knights uplifted each his horse with\nhis own spirit, and so completed his course in safety.\n\nAnd indeed King Arthur was very much amazed that he had not overthrown\nhis opponent, for, at that time, as aforesaid, he was considered to be\nthe very best knight and the one best approved in deeds of arms that\nlived in all of Britain. Wherefore he marvelled at the power and the\naddress of that knight against whom he had driven, that he had not been\noverthrown by the greatness of the blow that had been delivered against\nhis defences. So, when they met again in the midst of the field, King\nArthur gave that knight greeting, and bespoke him with great courtesy,\naddressing him in this wise: \u201cSir Knight, I know not who thou art, but I\ndo pledge my knightly word that thou art the most potent knight that\never I have met in all of my life. Now I do bid thee get down\nstraightway from thy horse, and let us two fight this battle with sword\nand upon foot, for it were pity to let it end in this way.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot so,\u201d quoth the Sable Knight--\u201cnot so, nor until one of us twain be\noverthrown will I so contest this battle upon foot.\u201d And upon this he\nshouted, \u201cHo! Ho!\u201d in a very loud voice, and straightway thereupon the\ngateway of the castle opened and there came running forth two tall\nesquires clad all in black, pied with crimson. And each of these\nesquires bare in his hand a great spear of ash-wood, new and\nwell-seasoned, and never yet strained in battle.\n\nSo King Arthur chose one of these spears and the Sable Knight took the\nother, and thereupon each returned to that station wherefrom he had\nbefore essayed the encounter.\n\nThen once again each knight rushed his steed to the assault, and once\nagain did each smite so fairly in the midst of the defence of the other\nthat the spears were splintered, so that only the guard and the\ntruncheon thereof remained in the grasp of the knight who held it.\n\n[Sidenote: _The knights break lances a second time._]\n\nThen, as before, King Arthur would have fought the battle out with\nswords and upon foot, but again the Sable Knight would not have it so,\nbut called aloud upon those within the castle, whereupon there\nimmediately came forth two other esquires with fresh, new spears of\nash-wood. So each knight again took him a spear, and having armed\nhimself therewith, chose each his station upon that fair, level lawn of\ngrass.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur is overthrown._]\n\nAnd now, for the third time, having thus prepared themselves thereof\nassault, those two excellent knights hurled themselves together in\nfurious assault. And now, as twice before, did King Arthur strike the\nSable Knight so fairly in the centre of his defence that the spear which\nhe held was burst into splinters. But this time, the spear of the Sable\nKnight did not so break in that manner, but held; and so violent was the\nblow that he delivered upon King Arthur\u2019s shield that he pierced through\nthe centre of it. Then the girths of the King\u2019s saddle burst apart by\nthat great, powerful blow, and both he and his steed were cast violently\nbackward. So King Arthur might have been overcast, had he not voided his\nsaddle with extraordinary skill and knightly address, wherefore, though\nhis horse was overthrown, he himself still held his footing and did not\nfall into the dust. Ne\u2019theless, so violent was the blow that he received\nthat, for a little space, he was altogether bereft of his senses so that\neverything whirled around before his eyes.\n\nBut when his sight returned to him he was filled with an anger so\nvehement that it appeared to him as though all the blood in his heart\nrushed into his brains so that he saw naught but red, as of blood,\nbefore his eyes. And when this also had passed he perceived the Sable\nKnight that he sat his horse at no great distance. Then immediately King\nArthur ran to him and catching the bridle-rein of his horse, he cried\nout aloud unto that Sable Knight with great violence: \u201cCome down, thou\nblack knight! and fight me upon foot and with thy sword.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat will I not do,\u201d said the Sable Knight, \u201cfor, lo! I have overthrown\nthee. Wherefore deliver thou to me thy shield, that I may hang it upon\nyonder apple-tree, and go thy way as others have done before thee.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat will I not!\u201d cried King Arthur, with exceeding passion, \u201cneither\nwill I yield myself nor go hence until either thou or I have altogether\nconquered the other.\u201d Thereupon he thrust the horse of the Sable Knight\nbackward by the bridle-rein so vehemently, that the other was\nconstrained to void his saddle to save himself from being overthrown\nupon the ground.\n\n[Sidenote: _The knights fight with swords upon foot._]\n\nAnd now each knight was as entirely furious as the other, wherefore,\neach drew his sword and dressed his shield, and thereupon rushed\ntogether like two wild bulls in battle. They foined, they smote, they\ntraced, they parried, they struck again and again, and the sound of\ntheir blows, crashing and clashing the one upon the other, filled the\nentire surrounding space with an extraordinary uproar. Nor may any man\naltogether conceive of the entire fury of that encounter, for, because\nof the violence of the blows which the one delivered upon the other,\nwhole cantels of armor were hewn from their bodies and many deep and\ngrievous wounds were given and received, so that the armor of each was\naltogether stained with red because of the blood that flowed down upon\nit.\n\nAt last King Arthur, waxing, as it were, entirely mad, struck so fierce\na blow that no armor could have withstood that stroke had it fallen\nfairly upon it. But it befell with that stroke that his sword broke at\nthe hilt and the blade thereof flew into three several pieces into the\nair. Yet was the stroke so wonderfully fierce that the Sable Knight\ngroaned, and staggered, and ran about in a circle as though he had gone\nblind and knew not whither to direct his steps.\n\nBut presently he recovered himself again, and perceiving King Arthur\nstanding near by, and not knowing that his enemy had now no sword for to\ndefend himself withal, he cast aside his shield and took his own sword\ninto both hands, and therewith smote so dolorous a stroke that he clave\nthrough King Arthur\u2019s shield and through his helmet and even to the bone\nof his brain-pan.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur is sorely wounded._]\n\nThen King Arthur thought that he had received his death-wound, for his\nbrains swam like water, his thighs trembled exceedingly, and he sank\ndown to his knees, whilst the blood and sweat, commingled together in\nthe darkness of his helmet, flowed down into his eyes in a lather and\nblinded him. Thereupon, seeing him thus grievously hurt, the Sable\nKnight called upon him with great vehemence for to yield himself and to\nsurrender his shield, because he was now too sorely wounded for to fight\nany more.\n\nBut King Arthur would not yield himself, but catching the other by the\nsword-belt, he lifted himself to his feet. Then, being in a manner\nrecovered from his amazement, he embraced the other with both arms, and\nplacing his knee behind the thigh of the Sable Knight, he cast him\nbackward down upon the ground so violently that the sound of the fall\nwas astounding to hear. And with that fall the Sable Knight was, awhile,\nentirely bereft of consciousness. Then King Arthur straightway unlaced\nthe helm of the Sable Knight and so beheld his face, and he knew him in\nspite of the blood that still ran down his own countenance in great\nquantities, and he knew that knight was King Pellinore, aforenamed in\nthis history, who had twice warred against King Arthur. (It hath already\nbeen said how King Arthur had driven that other king from the\nhabitations of men and into the forests, so that now he dwelt in this\npoor gloomy castle whence he waged war against all the knights who came\nunto that place.)\n\nNow when King Arthur beheld whom it was against whom he had done battle,\nhe cried out aloud, \u201cHa! Pellinore, is it then thou? Now yield thee to\nme, for thou art entirely at my mercy.\u201d And upon this he drew his\nmisericordia and set the point thereof at King Pellinore\u2019s throat.\n\nBut by now King Pellinore had greatly recovered from his fall, and\nperceiving that the blood was flowing down in great measure from out his\nenemy\u2019s helmet, he wist that that other must have been very sorely\nwounded by the blow which he had just now received. Wherefore he catched\nKing Arthur\u2019s wrist in his hand and directed the point of the dagger\naway from his own throat so that no great danger threatened therefrom.\n\nAnd, indeed, what with his sore wound and with the loss of blood, King\nArthur was now fallen exceedingly sick and faint, so that it appeared to\nhim that he was nigh to death. Accordingly, it was with no very great\nado that King Pellinore suddenly heaved himself up from the ground and\nso overthrew his enemy that King Arthur was now underneath his knees.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Pellinore makes to kill King Arthur._]\n\nAnd by this King Pellinore was exceedingly mad with the fury of the sore\nbattle he had fought. For he was so enraged that his eyes were all\nbeshot with blood like those of a wild boar, and a froth, like the\nchampings of a wild boar, stood in the beard about his lips. Wherefore\nhe wrenched the dagger out of his enemy\u2019s hand, and immediately began to\nunlace his helm, with intent to slay him where he lay. But at this\nmoment Merlin came in great haste, crying out, \u201cStay! stay! Sir\nPellinore; what would you be at? Stay your sacrilegious hand! For he who\nlieth beneath you is none other than Arthur, King of all this realm!\u201d\n\nAt this King Pellinore was astonished beyond measure. And for a little\nhe was silent, and then after awhile he cried out in a very loud voice,\n\u201cSay you so, old man? Then verily your words have doomed this man unto\ndeath. For no one in all this world hath ever suffered such ill and such\nwrongs as I have suffered at his hands. For, lo! he hath taken from me\npower, and kingship, and honors, and estates, and hath left me only this\ngloomy, dismal castle of the forest as an abiding-place. Wherefore,\nseeing that he is thus in my power, he shall now presently die; if for\nno other reason than because if I now let him go free, he will certainly\nrevenge himself when he shall have recovered from all the ill he hath\nsuffered at my hands.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin lays a spell upon King Pellinore._]\n\nThen Merlin said, \u201cNot so! He shall not die at thy hands, for I, myself,\nshall save him.\u201d Whereupon he uplifted his staff and smote King\nPellinore across the shoulders. Then immediately King Pellinore fell\ndown and lay upon the ground on his face like one who had suddenly gone\ndead.\n\nUpon this, King Arthur uplifted himself upon his elbow and beheld his\nenemy lying there as though dead, and he cried out, \u201cHa! Merlin! what is\nthis that thou hast done? I am very sorry, for I do perceive that thou,\nby thy arts of magic, hath slain one of the best knights in all the\nworld.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot so, my lord King!\u201d said Merlin; \u201cfor, in sooth, I tell thee that\nthou art far nigher to thy death than he. For he is but in sleep and\nwill soon awaken; but thou art in such a case that it would take only a\nvery little for to cause thee to die.\u201d\n\nAnd indeed King Arthur was exceeding sick, even to the heart, with the\nsore wound he had received, so that it was only with much ado that\nMerlin could help him up upon his horse. Having done the which and\nhaving hung the King\u2019s shield upon the horn of his saddle, Merlin\nstraightway conveyed the wounded man thence across the bridge, and,\nleading the horse by the bridle, so took him away into the forest.\n\nNow I must tell you that there was in that part of the forest a certain\nhermit so holy that the wild birds of the woodland would come and rest\nupon his hand whiles he read his breviary; and so sanctified was he in\ngentleness that the wild does would come even to the door of his\nhermitage, and there stand whilst he milked them for his refreshment.\nAnd this hermit dwelt in that part of the forest so remote from the\nhabitations of man that when he rang the bell for matins or for vespers,\nthere was hardly ever anyone to hear the sound thereof excepting the\nwild creatures that dwelt thereabout. Yet, ne\u2019theless, to this remote\nand lonely place royal folk and others of high degree would sometimes\ncome, as though on a pilgrimage, because of the hermit\u2019s exceeding\nsaintliness.\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin bringeth King Arthur to the cell of a lonely\nhermit._]\n\nSo Merlin conveyed King Arthur unto this sanctuary, and, having reached\nthat place, he and the hermit lifted the wounded man down from his\nsaddle--the hermit giving many words of pity and sorrow--and together\nthey conveyed him into the holy man\u2019s cell. There they laid him upon a\ncouch of moss and unlaced his armor and searched his wounds and bathed\nthem with pure water and dressed his hurts, for that hermit was a very\nskilful leech. So for all that day and part of the next, King Arthur lay\nupon the hermit\u2019s pallet like one about to die; for he beheld all things\nabout him as though through thin water, and the breath hung upon his\nlips and fluttered, and he could not even lift his head from the pallet\nbecause of the weakness that lay upon him.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady Guinevere consults with the priest._]\n\nNow upon the afternoon of the second day there fell a great noise and\ntumult in that part of the forest. For it happened that the Lady\nGuinevere of Cameliard, together with her Court, both of ladies and of\nknights, had come upon a pilgrimage to that holy man, the fame of whose\nsaintliness had reached even unto the place where she dwelt. For that\nlady had a favorite page who was very sick of a fever, and she trusted\nthat the holy man might give her some charm or amulet by the virtue of\nwhich he might haply be cured. Wherefore she had come to that place with\nher entire Court so that all that part of the forest was made gay with\nfine raiment and the silence thereof was made merry with the sound of\ntalk and laughter and the singing of songs and the chattering of many\nvoices and the neighing of horses. And the Lady Guinevere rode in the\nmidst of her damsels and her Court, and her beauty outshone the beauty\nof her damsels as the splendor of the morning star outshines that of all\nthe lesser stars that surround it. For then and afterward she was held\nby all the Courts of Chivalry to be the most beautiful lady in the\nworld.\n\nNow when the Lady Guinevere had come to that place, she perceived the\nmilk-white war-horse of King Arthur where it stood cropping the green\ngrass of the open glade nigh to the hermitage. And likewise she\nperceived Merlin, where he stood beside the door of the cell. So of him\nshe demanded whose was that noble war-horse that stood browsing upon the\ngrass at that lonely place, and who was it that lay within that cell.\nAnd unto her Merlin made answer, \u201cLady, he who lieth within is a knight,\nvery sorely wounded, so that he is sick nigh unto death!\u201d\n\n\u201cPity of Heaven!\u201d cried the Lady Guinevere. \u201cWhat a sad thing is this\nthat thou tellest me! Now I do beseech thee to lead me presently unto\nthat knight that I may behold him. For I have in my Court a very skilful\nleech, who is well used to the cure of hurts such as knights receive in\nbattle.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady Guinevere biddeth her leech for to heal King\nArthur._]\n\nSo Merlin brought the lady into the cell, and there she beheld King\nArthur where he lay stretched upon the pallet. And she wist not who he\nwas. Yet it appeared to her that in all her life she had not beheld so\nnoble appearing a knight as he who lay sorely wounded in that lonely\nplace. And King Arthur cast his looks upward to where she stood beside\nhis bed of pain, surrounded by her maidens, and in the great weakness\nthat lay upon him he wist not whether she whom he beheld was a mortal\nlady or whether she was not rather some tall straight angel who had\ndescended from one of the Lordly Courts of Paradise for to visit him in\nhis pain and distresses. And the Lady Guinevere was filled with a great\npity at beholding King Arthur\u2019s sorrowful estate. Wherefore she called\nto her that skilful leech who was with her Court. And she bade him bring\na certain alabaster box of exceedingly precious balsam. And she\ncommanded him for to search that knight\u2019s wounds and to anoint them with\nthe balsam, so that he might be healed of his hurts with all despatch.\n\nSo that wise and skilful leech did according to the Lady Guinevere\u2019s\ncommands, and immediately King Arthur felt entire ease of all his aches\nand great content of spirit. And when the Lady and her Court had\ndeparted, he found himself much uplifted in heart, and three days\nthereafter he was entirely healed and was as well and strong and lusty\nas ever he had been in all of his life.\n\n * * * * *\n\nAnd this was the first time that King Arthur ever beheld that beautiful\nlady, the Lady Guinevere of Cameliard, and from that time forth he\nnever forgot her, but she was almost always present in his thoughts.\nWherefore, when he was recovered he said thus to himself: \u201cI will forget\nthat I am a king and I will cherish the thought of this lady and will\nserve her faithfully as a good knight may serve his chosen dame.\u201d\n\nAnd so he did, as ye shall hear later in this book.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Excalibur the Sword.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Third.\n\n_How King Arthur Found a Noble Sword In a Very Wonderful Manner. And How\nHe Again Fought With It and Won That Battle._\n\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur desireth to renew his battle._]\n\nNow, as soon as King Arthur had, by means of that extraordinary balsam,\nbeen thus healed of those grievous wounds which he had received in his\nbattle with King Pellinore, he found himself to be moved by a most\nvehement desire to meet his enemy again for to try issue of battle with\nhim once more, and so recover the credit which he had lost in that\ncombat. Now, upon the morning of the fourth day, being entirely cured,\nand having broken his fast, he walked for refreshment beside the skirts\nof the forest, listening the while to the cheerful sound of the\nwood-birds singing their matins, all with might and main. And Merlin\nwalked beside him, and King Arthur spake his mind to Merlin concerning\nhis intent to engage once more in knightly contest with King Pellinore.\nAnd he said, \u201cMerlin, it doth vex me very sorely for to have come off so\nill in my late encounter with king Pellinore. Certes, he is the very\nbest knight in all the world whom I have ever yet encountered.\nNe\u2019theless, it might have fared differently with me had I not broken my\nsword, and so left myself altogether defenceless in that respect.\nHowsoever that may be, I am of a mind for to assay this adventure once\nmore, and so will I do as immediately as may be.\u201d\n\nThereunto Merlin made reply, \u201cThou art, assuredly, a very brave man to\nhave so much appetite for battle, seeing how nigh thou camest unto thy\ndeath not even four days ago. Yet how mayst thou hope to undertake this\nadventure without due preparation? For, lo! thou hast no sword, nor hast\nthou a spear, nor hast thou even thy misericordia for to do battle\nwithal. How then mayst thou hope for to assay this adventure?\u201d\n\nAnd King Arthur said, \u201cThat I know not, nevertheless I will presently\nseek for some weapon as soon as may be. For, even an I have no better\nweapon than an oaken cudgel, yet would I assay this battle again with so\npoor a tool as that.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin telleth King Arthur of Excalibur._]\n\n\u201cHa! Lord,\u201d said Merlin, \u201cI do perceive that thou art altogether fixed\nin thy purpose for to renew this quarrel. Wherefore, I will not seek to\nstay thee therefrom, but will do all that in me lies for to aid thee in\nthy desires. Now to this end I must tell thee that in one part of this\nforest (which is, indeed, a very strange place) there is a certain\nwoodland sometimes called Arroy, and other times called the Forest of\nAdventure. For no knight ever entereth therein but some adventure\nbefalleth him. And close to Arroy is a land of enchantment which has\nseveral times been seen. And that is a very wonderful land, for there is\nin it a wide and considerable lake, which is also of enchantment. And in\nthe centre of that lake there hath for some time been seen the\nappearance as of a woman\u2019s arm--exceedingly beautiful and clad in white\nsamite, and the hand of this arm holdeth a sword of such exceeding\nexcellence and beauty that no eye hath ever beheld its like. And the\nname of this sword is Excalibur--it being so named by those who have\nbeheld it because of its marvellous brightness and beauty. For it hath\ncome to pass that several knights have already seen that sword and have\nendeavored to obtain it for their own, but, heretofore, no one hath been\nable to touch it, and many have lost their lives in that adventure. For\nwhen any man draweth near unto it, either he sinks into the lake, or\nelse the arm disappeareth entirely, or else it is withdrawn beneath the\nlake; wherefore no man hath ever been able to obtain the possession of\nthat sword. Now I am able to conduct thee unto that Lake of Enchantment,\nand there thou mayst see Excalibur with thine own eyes. Then when thou\nhast seen him thou mayst, haply, have the desire to obtain him; which,\nan thou art able to do, thou wilt have a sword very fitted for to do\nbattle with.\u201d\n\n\u201cMerlin,\u201d quoth the King, \u201cthis is a very strange thing which thou\ntellest me. Now I am desirous beyond measure for to attempt to obtain\nthis sword for mine own, wherefore I do beseech thee to lead me with all\ndespatch to this enchanted lake whereof thou tellest me.\u201d And Merlin\nsaid, \u201cI will do so.\u201d\n\nSo that morning King Arthur and Merlin took leave of that holy hermit\n(the King having kneeled in the grass to receive his benediction), and\nso, departing from that place, they entered the deeper forest once more,\nbetaking their way to that part which was known as Arroy.\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin and King Arthur follow a white doe._]\n\nAnd after awhile they came to Arroy, and it was about noon-tide. And\nwhen they had entered into those woodlands they came to a certain\nlittle open place, and in that place they beheld a white doe with a\ngolden collar about its neck. And King Arthur said, \u201cLook, Merlin,\nyonder is a wonderful sight.\u201d And Merlin said, \u201cLet us follow that\ndoe.\u201d And upon this the doe turned and they followed it. And by and by\nin following it they came to an opening in the trees where was a little\nlawn of sweet soft grass. Here they beheld a bower and before the bower\nwas a table spread with a fair snow-white cloth, and set with\nrefreshments of white bread, wine, and meats of several sorts. And at\nthe door of this bower there stood a page, clad all in green, and his\nhair was as black as ebony, and his eyes as black as jet and exceeding\nbright. And when this page beheld King Arthur and Merlin, he gave them\ngreeting, and welcomed the King very pleasantly saying, \u201cHa! King\nArthur, thou art welcome to this place. Now I prithee dismount and\nrefresh thyself before going farther.\u201d\n\nThen was King Arthur a-doubt as to whether there might not be some\nenchantment in this for to work him an ill, for he was astonished that\nthat page in the deep forest should know him so well. But Merlin bade\nhim have good cheer, and he said, \u201cIndeed, Lord, thou mayst freely\npartake of that refreshment which, I may tell thee, was prepared\nespecially for thee. Moreover in this thou mayst foretell a very happy\nissue unto this adventure.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur is refreshed in a mysterious manner._]\n\nSo King Arthur sat down to the table with great comfort of heart (for he\nwas an hungered) and that page and another like unto him ministered unto\nhis needs, serving him all the food upon silver plates, and all the wine\nin golden goblets as he was used to being served in his own court--only\nthat those things were much more cunningly wrought and fashioned, and\nwere more beautiful than the table furniture of the King\u2019s court.\n\nThen, after he had eaten his fill and had washed his hands from a silver\nbasin which the first page offered to him, and had wiped his hands upon\na fine linen napkin which the other page brought unto him, and after\nMerlin had also refreshed himself, they went their way, greatly\nrejoicing at this pleasant adventure, which, it seemed to the King,\ncould not but betoken a very good issue to his undertaking.\n\nNow about the middle of the afternoon King Arthur and Merlin came, of a\nsudden, out from the forest and upon a fair and level plain, bedight all\nover with such a number of flowers that no man could conceive of their\nquantity nor of the beauty thereof.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur cometh to a strange land._]\n\nAnd this was a very wonderful land, for, lo! all the air appeared as it\nwere to be as of gold\u2014so bright was it and so singularly radiant. \nAnd here and there upon that plain were sundry trees all in blossom; and the\nfragrance of the blossoms was so sweet that the King had never smelt any\nfragrance like to it. And in the branches of those trees were a\nmultitude of birds of many colors, and the melody of their singing\nravished the heart of the hearer. And midway in the plain was a lake of\nwater as bright as silver, and all around the borders of the lake were\nincredible numbers of lilies and of daffodils. Yet, although this place\nwas so exceedingly fair, there was, nevertheless, nowhere about it a\nsingle sign of human life of any sort, but it appeared altogether as\nlonely as the hollow sky upon a day of summer. So, because of all the\nmarvellous beauty of this place, and because of its strangeness and its\nentire solitude, King Arthur perceived that he must have come into a\nland of powerful enchantment where, happily, dwelt a fairy of very\nexalted quality; wherefore his spirit was enwrapped in a manner of fear,\nas he pushed his great milk-white war-horse through that long fair\ngrass, all bedight with flowers, and he wist not what strange things\nwere about to befall him.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur seeth Excalibur_]\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur meeteth the Lady of the Lake._]\n\nSo when he had come unto the margin of the lake he beheld there the\nmiracle that Merlin had told him of aforetime. For, lo! in the midst of\nthe expanse of water there was the appearance of a fair and beautiful\narm, as of a woman, clad all in white samite. And the arm was encircled\nwith several bracelets of wrought gold; and the hand held a sword of\nmarvellous workmanship aloft in the air above the surface of the water;\nand neither the arm nor the sword moved so much as a hair\u2019s-breadth,\nbut were motionless like to a carven image upon the surface of the\nlake. And, behold! the sun of that strange land shone down upon the\nhilt of the sword, and it was of pure gold beset with jewels of several\nsorts, so that the hilt of the sword and the bracelets that encircled\nthe arm glistered in the midst of the lake like to some singular star\nof exceeding splendor. And King Arthur sat upon his war-horse and gazed\nfrom a distance at the arm and the sword, and he greatly marvelled\nthereat; yet he wist not how he might come at that sword, for the lake\nwas wonderfully wide and deep, wherefore he knew not how he might come\nthereunto for to make it his own. And as he sat pondering this thing\nwithin himself, he was suddenly aware of a strange lady, who approached\nhim through those tall flowers that bloomed along the margin of the\nlake. And when he perceived her coming toward him he quickly dismounted\nfrom his war-horse and he went forward for to meet her with the\nbridle-rein over his arm. And when he had come nigh to her, he\nperceived that she was extraordinarily beautiful, and that her face was\nlike wax for clearness, and that her eyes were perfectly black, and\nthat they were as bright and glistening as though they were two jewels\nset in ivory. And he perceived that her hair was like silk and as black\nas it was possible to be, and so long that it reached unto the ground\nas she walked. And the lady was clad all in green--only that a fine\ncord of crimson and gold was interwoven into the plaits of her hair.\nAnd around her neck there hung a very beautiful necklace of several\nstrands of opal stones and emeralds, set in cunningly wrought gold; and\naround her wrists were bracelets of the like sort--of opal stones and\nemeralds set into gold. So when King Arthur beheld her wonderful\nappearance, that it was like to an ivory statue of exceeding beauty\nclad all in green, he immediately kneeled before her in the midst of\nall those flowers as he said, \u201cLady, I do certainly perceive that thou\nart no mortal damoiselle, but that thou art Fay. Also that this place,\nbecause of its extraordinary beauty, can be no other than some land of\nFaerie into which I have entered.\u201d\n\nAnd the Lady replied, \u201cKing Arthur, thou sayest soothly, for I am indeed\nFaerie. Moreover, I may tell thee that my name is Nymue, and that I am\nthe chiefest of those Ladies of the Lake of whom thou mayst have heard\npeople speak. Also thou art to know that what thou beholdest yonder as a\nwide lake is, in truth, a plain like unto this, all bedight with\nflowers. And likewise thou art to know that in the midst of that plain\nthere standeth a castle of white marble and of ultramarine illuminated\nwith gold. But, lest mortal eyes should behold our dwelling-place, my\nsisters and I have caused it to be that this appearance as of a lake\nshould extend all over that castle so that it is entirely hidden from\nsight. Nor may any mortal man cross that lake, saving in one\nway--otherwise he shall certainly perish therein.\u201d\n\n\u201cLady,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cthat which thou tellest me causes me to\nwonder a very great deal. And, indeed, I am afraid that in coming\nhitherward I have been doing amiss for to intrude upon the solitude of\nyour dwelling-place.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay, not so, King Arthur,\u201d said the Lady of the Lake, \u201cfor, in truth,\nthou art very welcome hereunto. Moreover, I may tell thee that I have a\ngreater friendliness for thee and those noble knights of thy court than\nthou canst easily wot of. But I do beseech thee of thy courtesy for to\ntell me what it is that brings thee to our land?\u201d\n\n\u201cLady,\u201d quoth the King, \u201cI will tell thee the entire truth. I fought of\nlate a battle with a certain sable knight, in the which I was sorely\nand grievously wounded, and wherein I burst my spear and snapped my\nsword and lost even my misericordia, so that I had not a single thing\nleft me by way of a weapon. In this extremity Merlin, here, told me of\nExcalibur, and of how he is continually upheld by an arm in the midst of\nthis magical lake. So I came hither and, behold, I find it even as he\nhath said. Now, Lady, an it be possible, I would fain achieve that\nexcellent sword, that, by means of it I might fight my battle to its\nentire end.\u201d\n\n\u201cHa! my lord King,\u201d said the Lady of the Lake, \u201cthat sword is no easy\nthing for to achieve, and, moreover, I may tell thee that several\nknights have lost their lives by attempting that which thou hast a mind\nto do. For, in sooth, no man may win yonder sword unless he be without\nfear and without reproach.\u201d\n\n\u201cAlas, Lady!\u201d quoth King Arthur, \u201cthat is indeed a sad saying for me.\nFor, though I may not lack in knightly courage, yet, in truth, there be\nmany things wherewith I do reproach myself withal. Ne\u2019theless, I would\nfain attempt this thing, even an it be to my great endangerment.\nWherefore, I prithee tell me how I may best undertake this adventure.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady of the Lake summoneth a boat._]\n\n\u201cKing Arthur,\u201d said the Lady of the Lake, \u201cI will do what I say to aid\nthee in thy wishes in this matter.\u201d Whereupon she lifted a single\nemerald that hung by a small chain of gold at her girdle and, lo! the\nemerald was cunningly carved into the form of a whistle. And she set the\nwhistle to her lips and blew upon it very shrilly. Then straightway\nthere appeared upon the water, a great way off, a certain thing that\nshone very brightly. And this drew near with great speed, and as it came\nnigh, behold! it was a boat all of carven brass. And the prow of the\nboat was carved into the form of a head of a beautiful woman, and upon\neither side were wings like the wings of a swan. And the boat moved upon\nthe water like a swan--very swiftly--so that long lines, like to silver\nthreads, stretched far away behind, across the face of the water, which\notherwise was like unto glass for smoothness. And when the brazen boat\nhad reached the bank it rested there and moved no more.\n\nThen the Lady of the Lake bade King Arthur to enter the boat, and so he\nentered it. And immediately he had done so, the boat moved away from the\nbank as swiftly as it had come thither. And Merlin and the Lady of the\nLake stood upon the margin of the water, and gazed after King Arthur and\nthe brazen boat.\n\nAnd King Arthur beheld that the boat floated swiftly across the lake to\nwhere was the arm uplifting the sword, and that the arm and the sword\nmoved not but remained where they were.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur obtaineth Excalibur._]\n\nThen King Arthur reached forth and took the sword in his hand, and\nimmediately the arm disappeared beneath the water, and King Arthur held\nthe sword and the scabbard thereof and the belt thereof in his hand and,\nlo! they were his own.\n\nThen verily his heart swelled with joy an it would burst within his\nbosom, for Excalibur was an hundred times more beautiful than he had\nthought possible. Wherefore his heart was nigh breaking for pure joy at\nhaving obtained that magic sword.\n\nThen the brazen boat bore him very quickly back to the land again and he\nstepped ashore where stood the Lady of the Lake and Merlin. And when he\nstood upon the shore, he gave the Lady great thanks beyond measure for\nall that she had done for to aid him in his great undertaking; and she\ngave him cheerful and pleasing words in reply.\n\nThen King Arthur saluted the lady, as became him, and, having mounted\nhis war-horse, and Merlin having mounted his palfrey, they rode away\nthence upon their business--the King\u2019s heart still greatly expanded with\npure delight at having for his own that beautiful sword--the most\nbeautiful and the most famous sword in all the world.\n\n * * * * *\n\nThat night King Arthur and Merlin abided with the holy hermit at the\nforest sanctuary, and when the next morning had come (the King having\nbathed himself in the ice-cold forest fountain, and being exceedingly\nrefreshed thereby) they took their departure, offering thanks to that\nsaintly man for the harborage he had given them.\n\nAnon, about noon-tide, they reached the valley of the Sable Knight, and\nthere were all things appointed exactly as when King Arthur had been\nthere before: to wit, that gloomy castle, the lawn of smooth grass, the\napple-tree covered over with shields, and the bridge whereon hung that\nsingle shield of sable.\n\n\u201cNow, Merlin,\u201d quoth King Arthur, \u201cI do this time most strictly forbid\nthee for to interfere in this quarrel. Nor shalt thou, under pain of my\ndispleasure, exert any of thy arts of magic in my behalf. So hearken\nthou to what I say, and heed it with all possible diligence.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur challenges King Pellinore to battle again._]\n\nThereupon, straightway, the King rode forth upon the bridge and, seizing\nthe brazen mall, he smote upon the sable shield with all his might and\nmain. Immediately the portcullis of the castle was let fall as afore\ntold, and, in the same manner as that other time, the Sable Knight rode\nforth therefrom, already bedight and equipped for the encounter. So he\ncame to the bridge-head and there King Arthur spake to him in this wise:\n\u201cSir Pellinore, we do now know one another entirely well, and each doth\njudge that he hath cause of quarrel with the other: thou, that I, for\nmine own reasons as seemed to me to be fit, have taken away from thee\nthy kingly estate, and have driven thee into this forest solitude: I,\nthat thou has set thyself up here for to do injury and affront to\nknights and lords and other people of this kingdom of mine. Wherefore,\nseeing that I am here as an errant Knight, I do challenge thee for to\nfight with me, man to man, until either thou or I have conquered the\nother.\u201d\n\nUnto this speech King Pellinore bowed his head in obedience, and\nthereupon he wheeled his horse, and, riding to some little distance,\ntook his place where he had afore stood. And King Arthur also rode to\nsome little distance, and took his station where he had afore stood. At\nthe same time there came forth from the castle one of those tall pages\nclad all in sable, pied with crimson, and gave to King Arthur a good,\nstout spear of ash-wood, well seasoned and untried in battle; and when\nthe two Knights were duly prepared, they shouted and drave their horses\ntogether, the one smiting the other so fairly in the midst of his\ndefences that the spears shivered in the hand of each, bursting all into\nsmall splinters as they had aforetime done.\n\nThen each of these two knights immediately voided his horse with great\nskill and address, and drew each his sword. And thereupon they fell to\nat a combat, so furious and so violent, that two wild bulls upon the\nmountains could not have engaged in a more desperate encounter.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur overcometh King Pellinore._]\n\nBut now, having Excalibur for to aid him in his battle, King Arthur soon\novercame his enemy. For he gave him several wounds and yet received none\nhimself, nor did he shed a single drop of blood in all that fight,\nthough his enemy\u2019s armor was in a little while all stained with crimson.\nAnd at last King Arthur delivered so vehement a stroke that King\nPellinore was entirely benumbed thereby, wherefore his sword and his\nshield fell down from their defence, his thighs trembled beneath him and\nhe sank unto his knees upon the ground. Then he called upon King Arthur\nto have mercy, saying, \u201cSpare my life and I will yield myself unto\nthee.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur demands two of the sons of King Pellinore for\nhostages._]\n\nAnd King Arthur said, \u201cI will spare thee and I will do more than that.\nFor now that thou hast yielded thyself unto me, lo! I will restore unto\nthee thy power and estate. For I bear no ill-will toward thee,\nPellinore, ne\u2019theless, I can brook no rebels against my power in this\nrealm. For, as God judges me, I do declare that I hold singly in my\nsight the good of the people of my kingdom. Wherefore, he who is against\nme is also against them, and he who is against them is also against me.\nBut now a pledge of thy good faith toward me in the future, I shall\nrequire it of thee that thou shalt send me as hostage of thy good-will,\nthy two eldest sons, to wit: Sir Aglaval and Sir Lamorack. Thy young\nson, Dornar, thou mayest keep with thee for thy comfort.\u201d\n\nSo those two young knights above mentioned came to the Court of King\nArthur, and they became very famous knights, and by and by were made\nfellows in great honor of the Round Table.\n\nAnd King Arthur and King Pellinore went together into the castle of King\nPellinore, and there King Pellinore\u2019s wounds were dressed and he was\nmade comfortable. That night King Arthur abode in the castle of King\nPellinore, and when the next morning had come, he and Merlin returned\nunto the Court of the King, where it awaited him in the forest at that\nplace where he had established it.\n\n * * * * *\n\n[Sidenote: _How King Arthur rode through the forest with great joy and\ndelight._]\n\nNow King Arthur took very great pleasure unto himself as he and Merlin\nrode together in return through that forest; for it was the leafiest\ntime of all the year, what time the woodlands decked themselves in their\nbest apparel of clear, bright green. Each bosky dell and dingle was full\nof the perfume of the thickets, and in every tangled depth the small\nbird sang with all his might and main, and as though he would burst his\nlittle throat with the melody of his singing. And the ground beneath the\nhorses\u2019 feet was so soft with fragrant moss that the ear could not hear\nany sound of hoof-beats upon the earth. And the bright yellow sunlight\ncame down through the leaves so that all the ground was scattered over\nwith a great multitude of trembling circles as of pure yellow gold. And,\nanon, that sunlight would fall down upon the armed knight as he rode, so\nthat every little while his armor appeared to catch fire with a great\nglory, shining like a sudden bright star amid the dark shadows of the\nwoodland.\n\nSo it was that King Arthur took great joy in that forest land, for he\nwas without ache or pain of any sort and his heart was very greatly\nelated with the wonderfulness of the success of that adventure into\nwhich he had entered. For in that adventure he had not only won a very\nbitter enemy into a friend who should be of great usefulness and\nsatisfaction to him, but likewise, he had obtained for himself a sword,\nthe like of which the world had never before beheld. And whenever he\nwould think of that singularly splendid sword which now hung by his\nside, and whenever he remembered that land of Fa\u00ebry into which he had\nwandered, and of that which had befallen him therein, his heart would\nbecome so greatly elated with pure joyousness that he hardly knew how to\ncontain himself because of the great delight that filled his entire\nbosom.\n\nAnd, indeed, I know of no greater good that I could wish for you in all\nof your life than to have you enjoy such happiness as cometh to one when\nhe hath done his best endeavor and hath succeeded with great entirety in\nhis undertaking. For then all the world appears to be filled as with a\nbright shining light, and the body seemeth to become so elated that the\nfeet are uplifted from heaviness and touch the earth very lightly\nbecause of the lightness of the spirit within. Wherefore, it is, that if\nI could have it in my power to give you the very best that the world\nhath to give, I would wish that you might win your battle as King Arthur\nwon his battle at that time, and that you might ride homeward in such\ntriumph and joyousness as filled him that day, and that the sunlight\nmight shine around you as it shone around him, and that the breezes\nmight blow and that all the little birds might sing with might and main\nas they sang for him, and that your heart also might sing its song of\nrejoicing in the pleasantness of the world in which you live.\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin tells King Arthur of the virtues of Excalibur, his\nsheath._]\n\nNow as they rode thus through the forest together, Merlin said to the\nKing: \u201cLord, which wouldst thou rather have, Excalibur, or the sheath\nthat holds him?\u201d To which King Arthur replied, \u201cTen thousand times would\nI rather have Excalibur than his sheath.\u201d \u201cIn that thou art wrong, my\nLord,\u201d said Merlin, \u201cfor let me tell thee, that though Excalibur is of\nso great a temper that he may cut in twain either a feather or a bar of\niron, yet is his sheath of such a sort that he who wears it can suffer\nno wound in battle, neither may he lose a single drop of blood. In\nwitness whereof, thou mayst remember that, in thy late battle with King\nPellinore, thou didst suffer no wound, neither didst thou lose any\nblood.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur directed a countenance of great displeasure upon his\ncompanion and he said, \u201cNow, Merlin, I do declare that thou hast taken\nfrom me the entire glory of that battle which I have lately fought. For\nwhat credit may there be to any knight who fights his enemy by means of\nenchantment such as thou tellest me of? And, indeed, I am minded to take\nthis glorious sword back to that magic lake and to cast it therein where\nit belongeth; for I believe that a knight should fight by means of his\nown strength, and not by means of magic.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy Lord,\u201d said Merlin, \u201cassuredly thou art entirely right in what thou\nholdest. But thou must bear in mind that thou art not as an ordinary\nerrant knight, but that thou art a King, and that thy life belongeth\nnot unto thee, but unto thy people. Accordingly thou hast no right to\nimperil it, but shouldst do all that lieth in thy power for to preserve\nit. Wherefore thou shouldst keep that sword so that it may safeguard thy\nlife.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur meditated that saying for a long while in silence; and\nwhen he spake it was in this wise: \u201cMerlin, thou art right in what thou\nsayest, and, for the sake of my people, I will keep both Excalibur for\nto fight for them, and likewise his sheath for to preserve my life for\ntheir sake. Ne\u2019theless, I will never use him again saving in serious\nbattle.\u201d And King Arthur held to that saying, so that thereafter he did\nno battle in sport excepting with lance and a-horseback.\n\n * * * * *\n\nKing Arthur kept Excalibur as the chiefest treasure of all his\npossessions. For he said to himself, \u201cSuch a sword as this is fit for a\nking above other kings and a lord above other lords. Now, as God hath\nseen fit for to intrust that sword into my keeping in so marvellous a\nmanner as fell about, so must He mean that I am to be His servant for to\ndo unusual things. Wherefore I will treasure this noble weapon not more\nfor its excellent worth than because it shall be unto me as a sign of\nthose great things that God, in His mercy, hath evidently ordained for\nme to perform for to do Him service.\u201d\n\nSo King Arthur had made for Excalibur a strong chest or coffer, bound\naround with many bands of wrought iron, studded all over with great\nnails of iron, and locked with three great padlocks. In this strong-box\nhe kept Excalibur lying upon a cushion of crimson silk and wrapped in\nswathings of fine linen, and very few people ever beheld the sword in\nits glory excepting when it shone like a sudden flame in the uproar of\nbattle.\n\nFor when the time came for King Arthur to defend his realm or his\nsubjects from their enemies, then he would take out the sword, and\nfasten it upon the side of his body; and when he did so he was like unto\na hero of God girt with a blade of shining lightning. Yea; at such times\nExcalibur shone with so terrible a brightness that the very sight\nthereof would shake the spirits of every wrong-doer with such great fear\nthat he would, in a manner, suffer the pangs of death ere ever the edge\nof the blade had touched his flesh.\n\nSo King Arthur treasured Excalibur and the sword remained with him for\nall of his life, wherefore the name of Arthur and of Excalibur are one.\nSo, I believe that that sword is the most famous of any that ever was\nseen or heard tell of in all the Courts of Chivalry.\n\nAs for the sheath of the blade, King Arthur lost that through the\ntreachery of one who should, by rights, have been his dearest friend (as\nyou shall hear of anon), and in the end the loss of that miraculous\nsheath brought it about that he suffered a very great deal of pain and\nsorrow.\n\nAll that also you shall read of, God willing, in due season.\n\n * * * * *\n\nSo endeth the story of the winning of Excalibur, and may God give unto\nyou in your life, that you may have His truth to aid you, like a shining\nsword, for to overcome your enemies; and may He give you Faith (for\nFaith containeth Truth as a scabbard containeth its sword), and may that\nFaith heal all your wounds of sorrow as the sheath of Excalibur healed\nall the wounds of him who wore that excellent weapon. For with Truth and\nFaith girded upon you, you shall be as well able to fight all your\nbattles as did that noble hero of old, whom men called King Arthur.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nPART III\n\nThe Winning of a Queen\n\n\n_So, having told you how King Arthur obtained that very excellent sword,\nExcalibur, for a weapon of defence, I shall now presently recount sundry\nother noble and knightly adventures whereby he won for himself a most\nbeautiful and gentle lady for his Queen._\n\n_For, though all the world is very well acquainted with the renown of\nthat perfectly gracious dame, the Lady Guinevere, yet I do not think\nthat the whole story of those adventures by the which King Arthur won\nher good favor hath ever yet been told._\n\n_So as the matter hereinafter to be related contains not only the\nnarrative of that affair, but also the account of a certain enchanted\ndisguise which King Arthur assumed for his purposes, as well as sundry\nadventures of very knightly daring which he undertook, I have great hope\nthat he who reads what I have written shall find it both an agreeable\nand an entertaining history._\n\n[Illustration: The Lady Guinevere]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter First.\n\n_How King Arthur Went to Tintagalon with Four of His Court, and How He\nDisguised Himself for a Certain Purpose._\n\n\n[Sidenote: _How King Arthur held a feast at Carleon upon Usk._]\n\nNow, upon a certain day King Arthur proclaimed a high feast, which was\nheld at Carleon upon Usk. Many noble guests were bidden, and an\nexceedingly splendid Court gathered at the King\u2019s castle. For at that\nfeast there sat seven kings and five queens in royal state, and there\nwere high lords and beautiful ladies of degree, to the number of three\nscore and seven; and there were a multitude of those famous knights of\nthe King\u2019s Court who were reckoned the most renowned in arms in all of\nChristendom. And of all this great gathering of kings, lords, and\nknights, not one man looked askance at his neighbor, but all were united\nin good fellowship. Wherefore, when the young King looked about him and\nbeheld such peace and amity among all these noble lords where,\naforetime, had been discord and ill-regard: \u201cCertes,\u201d quoth he to\nhimself, \u201cit is wonderful how this reign of mine hath knit men together\nin kindness and good fellowship!\u201d And because of such thoughts as\nthese, his spirit took wings like unto a bird and sang within him.\n\nNow while the King sat thus at feast, lo! there came an herald-messenger\nfrom the west-country. And the herald came and stood before the King,\nand said: \u201cGreeting to thee, King Arthur!\u201d\n\nThen the King said: \u201cSpeak, and tell me, what is thy message?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _A herald-messenger comes from the west-country._]\n\nTo which the herald made reply: \u201cI come from King Leodegrance of\nCameliard, who is in sore trouble. For thus it is: His enemy and thine\nenemy, King Ryence of North Wales (he who at one time in contempt of\nthee commanded thee to send him thy beard for to trim his mantle), doth\nmake sundry demands of my master, King Leodegrance, which demands King\nLeodegrance is altogether loath to fulfil. And King Ryence of North\nWales threateneth to bring war into Cameliard because King Leodegrance\ndoth not immediately fulfil those demands. Now King Leodegrance hath no\nsuch array of knights and armed men as he one time had gathered about\nhim for to defend his kingdom against assault. For, since thou in thy\nmajesty hath brought peace to this realm and hath reduced the power of\nall those kings under thee, those knights who once made the Court of\nKing Leodegrance so famous have gone elsewhither for to seek better\nopportunities for their great valor and prowess at arms than his\npeaceful Court may afford. Wherefore my master, King Leodegrance, doth\nbeseech aid of thee, who art his King and Overlord.\u201d\n\nTo these things that the herald-messenger said, King Arthur, and all\nthat Court that feasted with him, listened in entire silence. And the\nKing\u2019s countenance, which erstwhiles had been expanded with\ncheerfulness, became overcast and dark with anger. \u201cHa!\u201d he cried, \u201cthis\nis, verily, no good news that thou hast brought hither to our feast. Now\nI will give what aid I am able to thy master, King Leodegrance, in this\nextremity, and that right speedily. But tell me, sir herald, what things\nare they that King Ryence demandeth of thy master?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat I will tell you, Lord,\u201d quoth the herald-messenger. \u201cFirstly, King\nRyence maketh demand upon my master of a great part of those lands of\nCameliard that march upon the borders of North Wales. Secondly, he\nmaketh demand that the Lady Guinevere, the King\u2019s daughter, be delivered\nin marriage unto Duke Mordaunt of North Umber, who is of kin unto King\nRyence, and that Duke, though a mighty warrior, is so evil of\nappearance, and so violent of temper, that I believe that there is not\nhis like for ugliness or for madness of humor in all of the world.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur is very angry at the message which the herald\nbringeth._]\n\nNow when King Arthur heard this that the messenger said he was\nimmediately seized with an extraordinary passion of anger. For his eyes\nappeared, an it were, to shoot forth sparks of pure light, his face\nflamed like fire, and he ground his teeth together like the stones of a\nquern. Then he immediately rose from the chair where he sat and went\nforth from that place, and all those who beheld his anger shuddered\nthereat and turned their eyes away from his countenance.\n\nThen King Arthur went into an inner room of the castle by himself, and\nthere he walked up and down for a great while, and in that time no one\nof his household dared to come nigh to him. And the reason of the King\u2019s\nwrath was this: that ever since he had lain wounded and sick nigh unto\ndeath in the forest, he bare in mind how the Lady Guinevere had suddenly\nappeared before him like some tall, straight, shining angel who had\ndescended unto him out of Paradise--all full of pity, and exceedingly\nbeautiful. Wherefore, at thought of that wicked, mad Duke Mordaunt of\nNorth Umber making demand unto marriage with her, he was seized with a\nrage so violent that it shook his spirit like a mighty wind.\n\nSo, for a long while, he walked up and down in his wrath as aforesaid,\nand no one durst come nigh unto him, but all stood afar off, watching\nhim from a distance.\n\nThen, after a while, he gave command that Merlin, and Sir Ulfius, and\nSir Kay should come to him at that place where he was. And when they had\ncome thither he talked to them for a considerable time, bidding Merlin\nfor to make ready to go upon a journey with him, and bidding Sir Ulfius\nand Sir Kay for to gather together a large army of chosen knights and\narmed men, and to bring that army straightway into those parts\ncoadjacent to the royal castle of Tintagalon, which same standeth close\nto the borders of North Wales and of Cameliard.\n\nSo Sir Ulfius and Sir Kay went about to do as King Arthur commanded, and\nMerlin also went about to do as he commanded; and the next day King\nArthur and Merlin, together with certain famous knights of the King\u2019s\nCourt who were the most approved at arms of all those about him--to wit,\nSir Gawaine, and Sir Ewaine (who were nephews unto the King), and Sir\nPellias and Sir Geraint, the son of Erbin--set forth for Tintagalon\nacross the forest-land of Usk.\n\n[Sidenote: _How King Arthur came to Tintagalon._]\n\nSo they travelled for all that day and a part of the next, and that\nwithout adventure or misadventure of any sort. So they came, at last, to\nthat large and noble castle, hight Tintagalon, which guards the country\nbordering upon Cameliard and North Wales. Here King Arthur was received\nwith great rejoicing; for whithersoever the King went the people loved\nhim very dearly. Wherefore the folk of Tintagalon were very glad when he\ncame unto them.\n\n * * * * *\n\nNow the morning after King Arthur had come unto Tintagalon (the summer\nnight having been very warm), he and Merlin were glad to arise betimes\nto go abroad for to enjoy the dewy freshness of the early daytime. So,\nin the cool of the day, they walked together in the garden (which was a\nvery pleasant place), and beneath the shadow of a tall, straight tower.\nAnd all around about were many trees with a good shade, where the little\nbirds sang sweetly in the cheerfulness of the summer weather.\n\nAnd here King Arthur opened his mind very freely to Merlin, and he said:\n\u201cMerlin, I do believe that the Lady Guinevere is the fairest lady in all\nof the world; wherefore my heart seems ever to be entirely filled with\nlove for her, and that to such a degree that I think of her continually\nby day (whether I be eating, or drinking, or walking, or sitting still,\nor going about my business), and likewise I dream of her many times at\nnight. And this has been the case with me, Merlin, ever since a month\nago, when I lay sick in that hermit\u2019s cell in the forest, what time she\ncame and stood beside me like a shining angel out of Paradise. So I am\nnot willing that any other man than I should have her for his wife.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur openeth his heart to Merlin._]\n\n\u201cNow I know very well that thou art wonderfully cunning in those arts of\nmagic that may change a man in his appearance so that even those who\nknow him best may not recognize him. Wherefore I very greatly desire it\nof thee that thou wilt so disguise me that I may go, unknown of any man,\ninto Cameliard, and that I may dwell there in such a way that I may see\nthe Lady Guinevere every day. For I tell thee very truly that I greatly\ndesire to behold her in such a wise that she may not be in any way\nwitting of my regard. Likewise I would fain see for myself how great may\nbe the perils that encompass King Leodegrance--the King being my right\ngood friend.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy Lord King,\u201d said Merlin, \u201cit shall be as thou desirest, and this\nmorning I will cause thee to be so disguised that no one in all the\nworld shall be able to know thee who thou art.\u201d\n\nSo that morning, a little before the prime, Merlin came unto the King\nwhere he was and gave him a little cap. And the cap was of such a sort\nthat when the King set it upon his head he assumed, upon the instant,\nthe appearance of a rude and rustic fellow from the country-side. Then\nthe King commanded that a jerkin of rough frieze should be brought to\nhim, and with this he covered his royal and knightly vestments, and with\nit he hid that golden collar and its jewel, pendent, which he\ncontinually wore about his neck. Then, setting the cup upon his head, he\nassumed at once the guise of that peasant hind.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur quits Tintagalon in disguise._]\n\nWhereupon, being thus entirely disguised, he quitted Tintagalon unknown\nof any man, and took his way a-foot unto the town of Cameliard.\n\nNow toward the slanting of the day he drew nigh to that place, and lo!\nhe beheld before him a large and considerable town of many comely houses\nwith red walls and shining windows. And the houses of the town sat all\nupon a high, steep hill, the one overlooking the other, and the town\nitself was encompassed around about by a great wall, high and strong.\nAnd a great castle guarded the town, and the castle had very many towers\nand roofs. And all round about the tower were many fair gardens and\nlawns and meadows, and several orchards and groves of trees with thick\nand pleasing shade. Now at that time of the day the sky behind the tower\nwas all, as it were, an entire flame of fire, so that the towers and the\nbattlements of the castle and the roofs and the chimneys thereof stood\naltogether black against the brightness of the light. And, behold! great\nflocks of pigeons encircled the towers of the castle in a continual\nflight against that fiery sky. So, because King Arthur was a-weary with\nwalking for all that day, it appeared to him that he had hardly ever\nbeheld in all of his life so fair and pleasing a place as that excellent\ncastle with its gardens and lawns and groves of trees.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur comes to Cameliard._]\n\nThus came King Arthur unto the castle of Cameliard, in the guise of a\npoor peasant from the country-side, and no man in all of the world knew\nhim who he was.\n\nSo, having reached the castle, he made inquiries for the head gardener\nthereof; and when he had speech with the gardener he besought him that\nhe might be taken into service into that part of the garden that\nappertained to the dwelling-place of the Lady Guinevere. Then the\ngardener looked upon him and saw that he was tall and strong and well\nframed, wherefore he liked him very well and took him into service even\nas he desired.\n\nAnd thus it was that King Arthur of Britain became a gardener\u2019s boy at\nCameliard.\n\n * * * * *\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur dwelleth as gardner\u2019s boy at the castle._]\n\nNow the King was very glad to be in that garden; for in this pleasant\nsummer season the Lady Guinevere came every day to walk with her damsels\namong the flowers, and King Arthur, all disguised as a peasant gardener\nboy, beheld her very many times when she came thither.\n\nSo King Arthur abode at that place for above a week, and he took no care\nthat in all that time he enjoyed none of his kingly estate, but was only\ngardener\u2019s boy in the castle garden of Cameliard.\n\nNow it happened upon a day when the weather was very warm, that one of\nthe damsels who was in attendance upon the Lady Guinevere, arose all in\nthe early morning whiles the air was still cool and refreshing. So,\nleaving the Lady Guinevere still sleeping, this damsel, whose name was\nMellicene of the White Hand, went into the ante-room and, opening the\ncasement thereof, looked forth into that garden of roses which adjoined\nthe Lady Guinevere\u2019s bower.\n\nNow there was at that place a carven marble figure of a youth, holding\nin his arms a marble ewer, and a fountain of water, as clear as crystal,\nflowed out from the ewer into a basin of marble. And the figure, and the\nfountain, and the marble basin into which the fountain flowed lay\nbeneath the shadow of a linden-tree. And all around was a thick growth\nof roses, so that the place was entirely hidden, saving only from those\nwindows of the castle that were above.\n\n[Sidenote: _The damsel beholds a knight at the fountain._]\n\nSo it befell that as the damsel looked down thitherward out of the\nwindow, she beheld a very wonderful sight. For, lo! a strange knight\nkneeled beside the fountain and bathed his face and his bosom in the\ncrystal water thereof. And the damsel saw that the sunlight fell down\nthrough the leaves of the linden-tree and lay upon that strange knight.\nAnd she perceived that his hair and his beard were of the color of red\ngold--shining surpassingly in the brightness of the morning. And she\nbeheld that his brow and his throat and his bosom were white like\nalabaster. And she beheld that around his neck and shoulders there hung\na golden collar of marvellous beauty, so that when the sunlight shone\nupon it it flashed like pure lightning.\n\nSo, beholding this strange appearance--as it were a vision--the damsel\nMellicine stood for a long while, all entranced with wonder and with\npleasure, and wist not whether that which she saw was a dream or no\ndream, nor whether he who sat there was a spirit, or whether he was a\nman of flesh and blood.\n\nThen, by and by, recovering somewhat from her astonishment, she withdrew\nherself softly from the casement, and, turning about, ran fleetly down\nthe turret stairs, and so came out thence into that fair and blooming\ngarden at the foot of the tower. So she ran through the garden with all\nspeed and silence, and thus came down an alley-way and to the marble\nfountain and the linden-trees and the rose-trees around about where she\nhad anon beheld that strange knight bathing himself in the crystal\nwaters.\n\n[Sidenote: The damsel findeth only the gardener\u2019s boy.]\n\nBut King Arthur had heard the coming of that damsel, and had speedily\nset the cap upon his head again. So that when the damsel Mellicene came\nthither, she found no one by the fountain but the gardener\u2019s boy. Of him\nshe demanded: \u201cWho art thou, fellow? And why sittest thou here by the\nfountain?\u201d\n\nAnd unto her he replied: \u201cI am the gardener\u2019s lad who came a short time\nago to take service at this place.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen tell me, fellow,\u201d quoth she, \u201cand tell me truly. Who was that\nyoung knight who was here beside the fountain but now, and whither hath\nhe gone?\u201d \u201cLady, whereunto,\u201d he said, \u201cthere has been no one at this\nfountain this day, but only I.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay, fellow,\u201d she cried, \u201cthou art deceiving me, for I do assure thee\nthat with mine own eyes I beheld but now, where a strange young knight\nsat bathing himself in the waters of this fountain.\u201d And the gardener\u2019s\nboy said, \u201cLady, that which I have told you is the very truth, for\nindeed there hath no one been here this morn but only I. Wherefore, an\nthou deemest thou hast seen anyone else, thou art certainly mistaken.\u201d\n\nAt this the damsel set her look upon him, in great perplexity. Likewise,\nshe marvelled very greatly, for she could not altogether disbelieve him.\nNor yet could she entirely believe him either, because her eyes had\nbeheld that which she had beheld, and she wotted that she had not been\nmistaken. Therefore she knew not what to think, and, because of her\nperplexity, she felt a very great displeasure at that gardener\u2019s boy.\n\u201cTruly, wherefore,\u201d she said, \u201cif thou art deceiving me, I shall\ncertainly cause thee to suffer a great deal of pain, for I shall have\nthee whipped with cords.\u201d Thereupon she turned and went away from that\nplace, much marvelling at that strange thing, and wondering what it all\nsignified.\n\nThat morning she told unto the Lady Guinevere all that she had seen, but\nthe Lady Guinevere only laughed at her and mocked her, telling her that\nshe had been asleep and dreaming, when she beheld that vision. And,\nindeed, the damsel herself had begun to think this must be the case.\nNevertheless, she thereafter looked out every morning from her casement\nwindow, albeit she beheld nothing for a great while, for King Arthur\ncame not soon to that place again.\n\nSo, by and by, there befell another certain morning when she looked out\nof the casement and, lo! there sat that strange knight by the fountain\nonce more as he had aforetime sat. And he bathed his face and his bosom\nin the water as he had aforetime done. And he appeared as comely and as\nnoble as he had appeared before; and his hair and his young beard shone\nlike gold as they had shone before in the sun. And this time she beheld\nthat his collar of gold lay upon the brink of the fountain beside him,\nand it sparkled with great splendor in the sunlight the whiles he bathed\nhis bosom. Then, after that damsel had regarded him for a considerable\ntime, she ran with all speed to the chamber where the Lady Guinevere\nstill lay, and she cried in a loud voice, \u201cLady! lady! arouse thee and\ncome with me! For, lo! that same young knight whom I beheld before, is\neven now bathing himself at the fountain under the linden-tree.\u201d\n\nThen the Lady Guinevere, greatly marvelling, aroused herself right\nquickly, and, dighting herself with all speed, went with the damsel unto\nthat casement window which looked out into that part of the garden.\n\n[Sidenote: The Lady Guinevere beholds the knight at the fountain.]\n\nAnd there she herself beheld the young knight where he laved himself at\nthe fountain. And she saw that his hair and his beard shone like gold in\nthe sunlight; and she saw that his undervestment was of purple linen\nthreaded with gold; and she saw that beside him lay that cunningly\nwrought collar of gold inset with many jewels of various colors, and the\ncollar shone with great splendor where it lay upon the marble verge of\nthe fountain.\n\nSomewhiles she gazed, exceedingly astonished; then she commanded the\ndamsel Mellicene for to come with her, and therewith she turned and\ndescended the turret stairs, and went quickly out into the garden, as\nher damsel had done aforetime. Then, as that damsel had done, she\nstraightway hastened with all speed down the alley-way toward the\nfountain.\n\nBut, behold! when she had come there, she found no young knight, but\nonly the gardener boy, exactly as had happened with the damsel Mellicene\naforetime. For King Arthur had heard her coming, and had immediately put\nthat enchanted cap upon his head. Then the Lady Guinevere marvelled very\ngreatly to find there only the gardener\u2019s boy, and she wist not what to\nthink of so strange a thing. Wherefore she demanded of him, even as\nMellicene had done, whither had gone the young knight whom she had\nbeheld anon there at the fountain. And unto her the gardener lad made\nanswer as aforetime: \u201cLady! there hath been no one at this place at any\ntime this morning, but only I.\u201d\n\nNow when King Arthur had donned his cap at the coming of the Lady, he\nhad, in his great haste, forgotten his golden collar, and this Guinevere\nbeheld where it lay shining very brightly, beside the margin of the\nfountain. \u201cHow now!\u201d quoth she. \u201cWouldst thou dare to make a mock of me?\nNow tell me, thou fellow, do gardeners\u2019 boys in the land whence thou\ndidst come wear golden collars about their necks like unto that collar\nthat lieth yonder beside the fountain? Now, an I had thee well whipped,\nit would be thy rightful due. But take thou that bauble yonder and give\nit unto him to whom it doth rightfully belong, and tell him from me that\nit doth ill become a true belted knight for to hide himself away in the\nprivy gardens of a lady.\u201d Then turned she with the damsel Mellicene, and\nleft she that place and went back again into her bower.\n\nYet, indeed for all that day, as she sat over her \u2019broidery, she did\nnever cease to marvel and to wonder how it was possible that that\nstrange young knight should so suddenly have vanished away and left only\nthe poor gardener\u2019s boy in his stead. Nor, for a long time, might she\nunriddle that strange thing.\n\nThen, of a sudden, at that time when the heat of the day was sloping\ntoward the cooler part of the afternoon, she aroused herself because of\na thought that had come in an instant unto her. So she called the damsel\nMellicene to come to her, and she bade her to go and tell the gardener\u2019s\nlad for to fetch her straightway a basket of fresh roses for to adorn\nher tower chamber.\n\n[Sidenote: _The gardener\u2019s boy weareth his cap before the Lady\nGuinevere._]\n\nSo Mellicene went and did as she bade, and after considerable time the\ngardener\u2019s lad came bearing a great basket of roses. And, lo! he wore\nhis cap upon his head. And all the damsels in waiting upon the Lady\nGuinevere, when they saw how he wore his cap in her presence, cried out\nupon him, and Mellicene of the White Hand demanded of him: \u201cWhat! How\nnow, Sir boor! Dost thou know so little of what is due unto a king\u2019s\ndaughter that thou dost wear thy cap even in the presence of the Lady\nGuinevere? Now I bid thee straightway to take thy cap off thy head.\u201d\n\nAnd to her King Arthur made answer: \u201cLady, I cannot take off my cap.\u201d\n\nQuoth the Lady Guinevere: \u201cAnd why canst thou not take off thy cap, thou\nsurly fellow?\u201d\n\n\u201cLady,\u201d said he, \u201cI cannot take off my cap, because I have an ugly place\nupon my head.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen wear thy cap,\u201d quoth the Lady Guinevere. \u201cOnly fetch thou the\nroses unto me.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady Guinevere discovers the knight of the fountain._]\n\nAnd so at her bidding, he brought the roses to her. But when he had come\nnigh unto the lady, she, of a sudden, snatched at the cap and plucked it\noff from his head. Then, lo! he was upon the instant transformed; for\ninstead of the gardener\u2019s boy there stood before the Lady Guinevere and\nher damsel the appearance of a noble young knight with hair and beard\nlike threads of gold. Then he let fall his basket of roses so that the\nflowers were scattered all over the floor, and he stood and looked at\nall who were there. And some of those damsels in attendance upon the\nLady Guinevere shrieked, and others stood still from pure amazement and\nwist not how to believe what their eyes beheld. But not one of those\nladies knew that he whom she beheld was King Arthur. Nevertheless the\nLady Guinevere remembered that this was the knight whom she had found so\nsorely wounded, lying in the hermit\u2019s cell in the forest.\n\nThen she laughed and flung him back his cap again. \u201cTake thy cap,\u201d quoth\nshe, \u201cand go thy ways, thou gardener\u2019s boy who hath an ugly place upon\nhis head.\u201d Thus she said because she was minded to mock him.\n\nBut King Arthur did not reply to her, but straightway, with great\nsobriety of aspect, set his cap upon his head again. So resuming his\nhumble guise once more, he turned and quitted that place, leaving those\nroses scattered all over the floor even as they had fallen.\n\nAnd after that time, whenever the Lady Guinevere would come upon the\ngardener\u2019s lad in the garden, she would say unto her damsel in such a\nvoice that he might hear her speech: \u201cLo! yonder is the gardener\u2019s lad\nwho hath an ugly place upon his head so that he must always wear his cap\nfor to hide it.\u201d\n\nThus she spake openly, mocking at him; but privily she bade her damsels\nto say naught concerning these things, but to keep unto themselves all\nthose things which had befallen.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Two Knights do battle before Cameliard]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Second.\n\n_How King Ryence Came to Cameliard and How King Arthur Fought With the\nDuke of North Umber._\n\n\n[Sidenote: _King Ryence and Duke Mordaunt come to Cameliard._]\n\nNow, upon a certain day at this time there came a messenger to the Court\nof King Leodegrance, with news that King Ryence of North Wales and Duke\nMordaunt of North Umber were coming thither and that they brought with\nthem a very noble and considerable Court of knights and lords. At this\nnews King Leodegrance was much troubled in spirit, for he wist not what\nsuch a visit might betoken; and yet he greatly feared that it boded ill\nfor him. So on that day when King Ryence and the Duke of North Umber\nappeared before the castle, King Leodegrance went forth to greet them\nand they three met together in the meadows that lie beneath the castle\nwalls of Cameliard.\n\nThere King Leodegrance bade those others welcome in such manner as was\nfitting, desiring them that they should come into the castle with him so\nthat he might entertain them according to their degree.\n\n[Sidenote: _The King and the Duke send challenge to King Leodegrance._]\n\nBut to this courtesy upon the part of King Leodegrance, King Ryence\ndeigned no pleasing reply. \u201cNay,\u201d quoth he, \u201cwe go not with thee into\nthy castle, King Leodegrance, until we learn whether thou art our friend\nor our enemy. For just now we are, certes, no such good friends with\nthee that we care to sit down at thy table and eat of thy salt. Nor may\nwe be aught but enemies of thine until thou hast first satisfied our\ndemands; to wit, that thou givest to me those lands which I demand of\nthee and that thou givest unto my cousin, Duke Mordaunt of North Umber,\nthe Lady Guinevere to be his wife. In these matters thou hast it in thy\npower to make us either thy friends or thine enemies. Wherefore we shall\nabide here, outside of thy castle, for five days, in the which time thou\nmayst frame thine answer, and so we may know whether we shall be friends\nor enemies.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd in the meantime,\u201d quoth Duke Mordaunt of North Umber, \u201cI do hold\nmyself ready for to contest my right unto the hand of the Lady Guinevere\nwith any knight of thy Court who hath a mind to deny my just title\nthereto; and if thou hast no knight in all thy Court who can\nsuccessfully assay a bout of arms with me, thou thyself canst hardly\nhope to succeed in defending thyself against that great army of knights\nwhom King Ryence hath gathered together to bring against thee in case\nthou denyest us that which we ask.\u201d\n\nThen was King Leodegrance exceedingly cast down in his spirits, for he\nfeared those proud lords and he wist not what to say in answer to them.\nWherefore he turned and walked back into his castle again, beset with\ngreat anxiety and sorrow of spirit. And King Ryence, and Duke Mordaunt\nand their Court of lords and knights pitched their pavilions in those\nmeadows over against the castle, so that the plain was entirely covered\nwith those pavilions. And there they took up their inn with great\nrejoicing and with the sound of feasting and singing and merry-making,\nfor it was an exceeding noble Court King Ryence had gathered about him.\n\n[Sidenote: _Duke Mordaunt rides before the castle._]\n\nAnd when the next morning had come Duke Mordaunt of North Umber went\nforth clad all in armor of proof. And he rode up and down the field\nbefore the castle and gave great challenge to those within; daring any\nknight to come forth for to meet him in knightly encounter. \u201cHo!\u201d he\ncried, \u201chow now, ye Knights of Cameliard! Is there no one to come forth\nto meet me? How then may ye hope to contend with the Knights of North\nWales, an ye fear to meet with one single Knight from North Umber?\u201d So\nhe scoffed at them in his pride, and none dared to come forth from\nCameliard against him. For the Duke of North Umber was one of the most\nfamous knights of his day, and one of exceeding strength and success at\narms, and there was now, in these times of peace, no one of King\nLeodegrance\u2019s Court who was at all able to face a warrior of his\napproved skill and valor. Wherefore, no one took up that challenge which\nthe Duke of North Umber gave to the Court of Cameliard. Meantime many\npeople gathered upon the walls of Cameliard and gazed down therefrom\nupon that proud and haughty duke, all bedight in his splendid armor, and\nall were grieved and ashamed that there was no one in that peaceful town\nto go out against him. And all the lords and knights of King Ryence\u2019s\nCourt came and stood in front of the King\u2019s pavilion and laughed and\nclapped their hands together, and cheered Duke Mordaunt, as he so rode\nup and down before them. And the greater they were expanded with mirth,\nthe more abashed were the people of Cameliard. \u201cHo! Ho!\u201d cried that\nproud Duke. \u201cHow now! Will no one come forth to meet me? How then may ye\nof Cameliard hope to face the King of North Wales and all his knightly\narray of which I am but one man?\u201d And the people of Cameliard, gathered\nupon the walls, listened to him with shame and sorrow.\n\nNow all this while King Arthur digged in the garden; but, nevertheless,\nhe was well aware of everything that passed and of how that the Duke of\nNorth Umber rode up and down so proudly before the castle walls. So, of\na sudden, it came to him that he could not abide this any longer.\nWherefore he laid aside his spade and went out secretly by a postern\nway, and so up into the town.\n\nNow there was in Cameliard an exceedingly rich merchant, by name Ralph\nof Cardiff, and the renown of his possessions and his high estate had\nreached even unto King Arthur\u2019s ears at Carleon. Accordingly it was unto\nhis house that King Arthur directed his steps.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur seeks armor to do battle._]\n\nAnd while he was in a narrow way, not far from the merchant\u2019s house, he\ntook off his magic cap of disguise and assumed somewhat of his noble\nappearance once more, for he was now of a mind to show his knightliness\nunto those who looked upon him. Accordingly, when he stood before the\nrich merchant in his closet, and when the merchant looked up into his\nface, he wist not what to think to behold so noble a lord clad all in\nfrieze. For though King Arthur was a stranger to the good man, so that\nhe knew not his countenance, yet that merchant wist that he was no\nordinary knight, but that he must assuredly be one of high degree and in\nauthority, even though he was clad in frieze.\n\nThen King Arthur opened the breast of his jerkin and showed the merchant\nthe gold collar that hung around his neck. And also he showed beneath\nthe rough coat of frieze how that there was an undergarment of fine\npurple silk embroidered with gold. And then he showed to the good man\nhis own signet ring, and when the merchant saw it, he knew it to be the\nring of the King of Britain. Wherefore, beholding these tokens of high\nand lordly authority, the merchant arose and stood before the King and\ndoffed his cap.\n\n\u201cSir Merchant,\u201d quoth the King, \u201cknow that I am a stranger knight in\ndisguise in this place. Ne\u2019theless, I may tell thee that I am a very\ngood friend to King Leodegrance and wish him exceeding well. Thou art\nsurely aware of how the Duke of North Umber rides continually up and\ndown before the King\u2019s castle, and challenges anyone within to come\nforth for to fight against him in behalf of the Lady Guinevere. Now I am\nof a mind to assay that combat mine own self, and I hope a very great\ndeal that I shall succeed in upholding the honor of Cameliard and of\nbringing shame upon its enemies.\n\n\u201cSir Merchant, I know very well that thou hast several suits of noble\narmor in thy treasury, for the fame of them hath reached unto mine ears\nthough I dwell a considerable distance from this place. Wherefore I\ndesire that thou shalt provide me in the best manner that thou art able\nto do, so that I may straightway assay a bout of arms with that Duke of\nNorth Umber. Moreover, I do pledge thee my knightly word that thou shalt\nbe fully recompensed for the best suit of armor that thou canst let me\nhave, and that in a very little while.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy Lord,\u201d said Master Ralph, \u201cI perceive that thou art no ordinary\nerrant knight, but rather someone of extraordinary estate; wherefore it\nis a very great pleasure to fulfil all thy behests. But even an thou\nwert other than thou art, I would be altogether willing to equip thee\nwith armor, seeing that thou hast a mind to ride forth against yonder\nduke.\u201d\n\nUpon this he rang a little silver bell that stood nigh to him, and in\nanswer to its sound several attendants immediately appeared. Into their\nhands he intrusted the person of the King, bidding them to do him\nextraordinary honor. Accordingly, certain of those attendants prepared\nfor the King a bath of tepid water perfumed with ambergris, very\ngrateful to the person. And after he was bathed in this bath and was\nwiped with soft linen towels, other attendants conducted him to a hall\nall hung with tapestries and \u2019broideries, and at this place a noble\nfeast had been spread ready for his refreshment. Here that lordly\nmerchant himself ministered to the King\u2019s wants, serving him with\nvarious meats--very dainty, and of several sorts--and likewise with fine\nwhite bread. And he poured him wine of various countries--some as red as\nruby, others as yellow as gold; and indeed the King had hardly ever\nenjoyed a better feast than that which the merchant, Ralph of Cardiff,\nhad thus spread for him.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur is armed by Ralph of Cardiff._]\n\nAnd after he had entirely refreshed himself with eating, there came six\npages richly clad in sarsanet of azure, and these, taking the King to an\napartment of great state, they there clad him in a suit of Spanish\narmor, very cunningly wrought and all inlaid with gold. And the like of\nthat armor was hardly to be found in all of the land. The juppon and the\nseveral trappings of the armor were all of satin and as white as milk.\nAnd the shield was white, and altogether without emblazonment or device\nof any sort. Then these attendants conducted the King into the\ncourtyard, and there stood a noble war-horse, as white as milk, and all\nthe trappings of the horse were of milk-white cloth without emblazonment\nor adornment of any sort; and the bridle and the bridle rein were all\nstudded over with bosses of silver.\n\nThen after the attendants had aided King Arthur to mount this steed,\nthe lordly merchant came forward and gave him many words of good cheer,\nand so the king bade him adieu and rode away, all shining in white and\nglittering in fine armor, wherefore he resembled the full moon in\nharvest season.\n\nAnd as he drave down the stony streets of the town, the people turned\nand gazed after him, for he made a very noble appearance as he passed\nalong the narrow way between the houses of the town.\n\nSo King Arthur directed his way to the postern gate of the castle, and,\nhaving reached that place, he dismounted and tied his horse. Then he\nstraightway entered the garden, and there, finding an attendant, he made\ndemand that he should have present speech with the Lady Guinevere. So\nthe attendant, all amazed at his lordly presence, went and delivered the\nmessage, and by and by the Lady Guinevere came, much wondering, and\npassed along a gallery with several of her damsels, until she had come\nover above where King Arthur was. And when King Arthur looked up and saw\nher above him, he loved her exceeding well. And he said to her: \u201cLady, I\nhave great will to do thee such honor as I am able. For I go forth now\nto do combat with that Duke of North Umber who rides up and down before\nthis castle. Moreover, I hope and verily believe that I shall encompass\nhis downfall; accordingly, I do beseech of thee some token, such as a\nlady may give unto a knight for to wear when that knight rides forth to\ndo her honor.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady Guinevere accepts King Arthur for her champion._]\n\nThen the Lady Guinevere said: \u201cCertes, Sir Knight, I would that I knew\nwho thou art. Yet, though I know not, nevertheless I am altogether\nwilling for to take thee for my champion as thou offerest. So, touching\nthat token thou speakest of, if thou wilt tell me what thing it is that\nthou desirest, I will gladly give it to thee.\u201d\n\n\u201cAn that be so, Lady,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cI would fain have that\nnecklace that thou wearest about thy throat. For, meseems that if I had\nthat tied about my arm, I would find my valor greatly increased\nthereby.\u201d\n\n\u201cPardee, Sir Knight,\u201d said the Lady, \u201cwhat thou desirest of me thou\nshalt assuredly have.\u201d Thereupon speaking, she took from her long,\nsmooth neck the necklace of pearls which she wore, and dropped the same\ndown to King Arthur where he stood.\n\nAnd King Arthur took the necklace and tied it about his arm, and he gave\ngreat thanks for it. Then he saluted the Lady Guinevere with very\nknightly grace, and she saluted him, and then, straightway, he went\nforth from that place, greatly expanded with joy that the Lady Guinevere\nhad shown him such favor.\n\nNow the report had gone about Cameliard that a knight was to go forth to\nfight the Duke of North Umber. Wherefore great crowds gathered upon the\nwalls, and King Leodegrance and the Lady Guinevere and all the Court of\nthe King came to that part of the castle walls overlooking the meadow\nwhere the Duke of North Umber defended. Wherefore, so great a concourse\nwas presently assembled, that any knight might be encouraged to do his\nutmost before such a multitude as that which looked down upon the field.\n\nThen of a sudden the portcullis of the castle was lifted, and the bridge\nlet fall, and the White Champion rode forth to that encounter which he\nhad undertaken. And, as he drave across that narrow bridge, the hoofs of\nhis war-horse smote the boards with a noise like to thunder, and when he\ncame out into the sunlight, lo! his armor flamed of a sudden like unto\nlightning, and when the people saw him they shouted aloud.\n\nThen when the Duke of North Umber beheld a knight all clad in white, he\nrode straightway to him and spoke to him with words of knightly\ngreeting. \u201cMessire,\u201d he said, \u201cI perceive that thou bearest no crest\nupon thy helm, nor hast thou a device of any sort upon thy shield,\nwherefore I know not who thou art. Ne\u2019theless, I do believe that thou\nart a knight of good quality and of approved courage, or else thou\nwouldst not have thus come to this place.\u201d\n\n\u201cCertes, Sir Knight,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cI am of a quality equal to\nthine own. And as for my courage, I do believe that it hath been\napproved in as many encounters as even thine own hath been.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir Knight,\u201d quoth the Duke of Umber, \u201cthou speakest with a very large\nspirit. Ne\u2019theless, thou mayst make such prayers as thou art able, for I\nshall now presently so cast thee down from thy seat, so that thou shalt\nnever rise again; for so have I served better men than ever thou mayst\nhope to be.\u201d\n\nTo this King Arthur made answer with great calmness of demeanor: \u201cThat\nshall be according to the will of Heaven, Sir Knight, and not according\nto thy will.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur overthrows Duke Mordaunt._]\n\nSo each knight saluted the other and rode to his assigned station, and\nthere each dressed his spear and his shield, and made him ready for the\nencounter. Then a silence fell upon all so great that a man might hear\nhis own heart beat in the stillness. So, for a small space, each knight\nsat like a statue made of iron. Then, of a sudden, each shouted to his\nwar-horse, and drave spurs into his flank, and launched forth from his\nstation. And so they met in the midst of the course with a noise like\nunto a violent thunder-clap. And lo! the spear of the Duke of North\nUmber burst into splinters unto the very truncheon thereof; but the\nspear of King Arthur broke not, but held, so that the Duke was cast out\nof his saddle like a windmill--whirling in the air and smiting the earth\nso that the ground shuddered beneath him. And indeed he rolled full\nthree times over and over ere he ceased to fall.\n\nThen all the people upon the wall shouted with might and main, so that\nthe noise thereof was altogether astonishing; for they had hardly hoped\nthat their champion should have proved so extraordinarily strong and\nskilful.\n\nMeanwhile, those of King Ryence\u2019s Court ran immediately to the Duke of\nUmber where he lay upon the earth, and they straightway unlaced his helm\nfor to give him air. And first they thought that he was dead, and then\nthey thought that he was like to die; for, behold! he lay without any\nlife or motion. Nor did he recover from that swoon wherein he lay for\nthe space of full two hours and more.\n\nNow whilst the attendants were thus busied about Duke Mordaunt of North\nUmber, King Arthur sat his horse, very quietly, observing all that they\ndid. Then, perceiving that his enemy was not dead, he turned him about\nand rode away from that place.\n\nNor did he return unto Cameliard at that time, for he deemed that he had\nnot yet entirely done with these enemies to the peace of his realm,\nwherefore he was minded not yet to return the horse and the armor to the\nmerchant, but to keep them for a while for another occasion.\n\nSo he bethought him of how, coming to Cameliard, he had passed through\nan arm of the forest where certain wood-choppers were at work felling\nthe trees. Wherefore, remembering that place, he thought that he would\nbetake him thither and leave his horse and armor in the care of those\nrude folk until he would need those things once more. So now he rode\naway into the country-side, leaving behind him the town and the castle\nand all the noise of shouting and rejoicing; nor did he once so much as\nturn his head to look back toward that place where he had so violently\noverthrown his enemy.\n\n * * * * *\n\nAnd now you shall presently hear of certain pleasant adventures of a\nvery joyous sort that befell him ere he had accomplished all his\npurposes. For when a man is a king among men, as was King Arthur, then\nis he of such a calm and equal temper that neither victory nor defeat\nmay cause him to become either unduly exalted in his own opinion or so\ntroubled in spirit as to be altogether cast down into despair. So if you\nwould become like to King Arthur, then you shall take all your triumphs\nas he took this victory, for you will not be turned aside from your\nfinal purposes by the great applause that many men may give you, but you\nwill first finish your work that you have set yourself to perform, ere\nyou give yourself ease to sit you down and to enjoy the fruits of your\nvictory.\n\nYea, he who is a true king of men, will not say to himself, \u201cLo! I am\nworthy to be crowned with laurels;\u201d but rather will he say to himself,\n\u201cWhat more is there that I may do to make the world the better because\nof my endeavors?\u201d\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: The White Champion meets two Knights at the Mill.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Third.\n\n_How King Arthur Encountered Four Knights and of What Befell Thereby._\n\n\nNow, the day was extraordinarily sweet and pleasant unto one so lusty of\nframe and so lithe of heart as was good King Arthur. For the bright\nclouds swam smoothly across the blue sky in prodigious volumes of vapor,\nand the wind blew across the long grass of the meadow lands, and across\nthe fields of growing wheat, so that a multitude of waves travelled over\nthe hills and valleys like an it were across an entire sea of green. And\nnow all the earth would be darkened with wide shadows from those clouds,\nand, anon, everything would burst out, of a sudden, into a wonderful\nradiance of sunlight once more. And the little birds they sang all gayly\nin the hedge-rows and the leafy thickets as though they would burst\ntheir tiny throats with singing, and the cock crowed, strong and lusty,\nfrom the farm croft, and all was so blithe and comely that the young\nKing, with the visor of his helmet uplifted to the refreshment of the\ngentle breeze, would sometimes carol very joyously in his journeying. So\ntravelled King Arthur in all that gay and tender summer season, when the\nearth was young and the time was of long-gone-by.\n\nNow, you are to remember that when King Arthur had come from Carleon\nunto the castle of Tintagalon, he had brought with him four young\nknights for to bear him company. And those knights aforesaid were as\nfollows: There was Sir Gawaine, the son of King Lot and of Queen\nMargaise, and there was Sir Ewaine, the son of King Uriens and of Queen\nMorgana la Fay (and these two were nephews, half in blood, unto the\nKing), and there was Sir Pellias, and there was Sir Geraint, the son of\nErbin. These were the four noble young knights who had come with King\nArthur from Camelot unto Tintagalon.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur cometh upon a knight entertaining the ladies in\ngreen._]\n\nNow it befell, as King Arthur rode all gayly in the summer time as\naforesaid, that he came to a certain part of the road where he beheld\nbefore him a tall and comely tower that stood upon a green hillock\nimmediately by the roadside. And lo! there stood upon the balcony of\nthat tower three fair demoiselles, clad all in green taffeta. And on the\nhigh road in front of the castle there was a knight clad all in very\nfine armor. And the knight sat upon a noble war-horse, and in his hands\nhe held a lute, and he played upon the lute and sang in a voice of\nextraordinary sweetness. Whiles he sang those three ladies in green\ntaffeta listened to him with great cheerfulness of mien. And whenever\nthat knight would stint his singing, then those three ladies would clap\ntheir hands together with great acclaim, and would bid him to sing to\nthem again; and so he would do with great readiness of spirit.\n\nAll this King Arthur beheld, and it appeared to him to be a very\npleasant sight, wherefore he rejoiced at it exceedingly.\n\nAnd as he drew nigh, lo! he beheld that the knight who thus sat upon his\nhorse and played upon the lute and sang unto the accompaniment thereof,\nwas none other than Sir Geraint, the son of Erbin. For that knight wore\nupon his crest the figure of a gryphon, and the device upon his shield\nwas two gryphons rampant facing one another upon a field azure, and King\nArthur knew that this was the crest and the device of Sir Geraint. And\nwhen the King perceived who was the knight who sat there and sang, he\nlaughed unto himself and straightway closed his visor and made him ready\nfor such encounter as might, perchance, befall. So he drew nigh to where\nthe knight sang and the ladies listened.\n\nNow when Sir Geraint perceived King Arthur approach, he ceased singing\nand hung up his lute behind him across his shoulder. Then, casting\nupward his look to those three fair ladies above him, quoth he:\n\u201cMesdames, ye have been pleased to listen to that singing which I have\nassayed altogether in your honor. Now, likewise, in your honor, I will\nperform a deed of knightly prowess which I very much hope shall bring\ngreat glory to you. For, if ye will be pleased to lend me that\nencouragement which your very great beauty can so easily afford, ye\nshall behold me, I doubt not, overthrow yonder knight completely, and\nthat to your great credit and renown.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir Knight,\u201d said that lady who spoke for the others, \u201cyou are, truly,\na lord of noble bearing and exceedingly pleasing of address, wherefore\nwe do wish you great success in this undertaking; and we do believe that\nyou will succeed in that which you assay to do.\u201d\n\nUpon these Sir Geraint gave those three demoiselles great thanks for\ntheir words, and thereupon he closed the visor of his helmet. So,\ndressing his spear and shield, and saluting those three ladies with\ngreat humility of demeanor, he went forth to meet King Arthur where he\nnow sat at a little distance, very quietly and soberly awaiting his\npleasure.\n\nNow Sir Geraint knew not King Arthur because he wore no crest upon his\nhelm and no device upon his shield, wherefore as he saluted him he made\nspeech to him in this wise: \u201cHa! Messire, I know not who thou art,\nseeing that thou bearest neither crest nor device. Ne\u2019theless, I am\nminded to do thee such honor as I may in running a tilt with thee upon\nthe behalf of those three demoiselles whom thou beholdest yonder upon\nthat balcony. For I do affirm, and am ready to maintain the same with my\nknightly person, that those ladies are fairer than thy lady, whomsoever\nshe may be.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir Knight,\u201d quoth King Arthur, \u201cI will gladly run a course with thee\nin honor of my lady; for, I may tell thee, she is a princess, and is\nheld by many to be the most beautiful dame in all of the world. But I\nwill only contend with thee upon one condition, and the condition is\nthis--that he who is overthrown shall yield himself as servant unto the\nother for seven days, and in that time he shall do all that may be\nrequired of him.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will accept thy gage, Sir Unknown Knight,\u201d quoth Sir Geraint, \u201cand\nwhen I have overthrown thee, I will yield thee unto those fair ladies\nyonder for to be their servant for seven days. And I do tell thee that\nthere are a great many knights who would certainly regard that as being\nboth a pleasant and an honorable task.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd should I so chance as to overthrow thee,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cI will\nsend thee for to serve my lady for that same period of time, and that\nwill be even a pleasanter and a more honorable task than that which thou\nhast a mind for me to perform.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur overthrows Sir Geraint._]\n\nSo each knight saluted the other, and thereupon each took such a stand\nas should cast the encounter immediately beneath where those three fair\ndemoiselles looked down from the balcony. Then each knight dressed his\nspear and his shield, and, having made ready for the encounter, each sat\nfor a small space entirely prepared. Then each shouted to his war-horse,\nand drave spur into its flank, and launched forth with wonderful speed\nto the assault. So they met in the very midst of the course with a force\nso vehement that the noise thereof was wonderfully appalling for to\nhear. And each knight smote the other in the very centre of his\ndefences. And, lo! the spear of Sir Geraint burst into small pieces,\neven to the truncheon thereof; but the spear of King Arthur held, and\nSir Geraint was cast so violently backward that both he and his horse\nwere overthrown into the dust with a tumult like to a monstrous roaring\nof thunder.\n\nAnd when Sir Geraint had recovered his footing, he was, for awhile, so\nastonished that he wist not where he stood, for never had he been so\noverthrown in all of his life before. Then, coming quickly unto himself\nagain, he straightway drew forth his sword and called upon King Arthur\nwith exceeding vehemence for to come down from out of his saddle, and to\nfight him afoot.\n\n\u201cNay, not so, Sir Knight,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cI will not have to do with\nthee in that way. Moreover, thou art not to forget that thou hast\npromised to give thyself unto me as my servant for seven days, for,\nassuredly, I have entirely overcome thee in this encounter, and now thou\nart pledged unto me to be my servant.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Geraint knew not what to say, being altogether abashed with\nshame and vexation at his overthrow. Ne\u2019theless, he perceived that he\nmust uphold his knightly word unto that which he had pledged himself to\ndo; wherefore, he put up his sword again, though with exceeding\ndiscontent. \u201cSir Knight,\u201d said he, \u201cI do acknowledge myself to have been\novercome in this encounter, wherefore I yield myself now unto thy\ncommands, according to my plighted word.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur sendeth Sir Geraint to the Lady Guinevere._]\n\n\u201cThen I do place my commands upon thee in this wise,\u201d quoth King Arthur.\n\u201cMy command is, that thou goest straightway unto the Lady Guinevere at\nCameliard, and that thou tellest her that thou hast been overthrown by\nthat knight to whom she gave her necklace as a token. Moreover, I do\ndesire that thou shalt obey her in everything that she may command thee\nto do, and that for the space of seven days to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir Knight,\u201d quoth Sir Geraint, \u201cthat which thou biddest me to do, I\nwill perform according to thy commands.\u201d\n\nThereupon he mounted his horse and went his way. And King Arthur went\nhis way. And those three ladies who stood upon the balcony of the castle\nwere exceedingly glad that they had beheld so noble an assay-at-arms as\nthat which they had looked down upon.\n\nNow, after King Arthur had travelled forward for the distance of two or\nthree leagues or more, he came to a certain place of moorlands, where\nwere many ditches of water, and where the heron and the marsh-hen sought\nharborage in the sedge. And here, at sundry points, were several\nwindmills, with their sails all turning slowly in the sunlight before a\nwind which blew across the level plains of ooze. And at this place there\nwas a long, straight causeway, with two long rows of pollard willows,\none upon either hand. Now, when he had come nigh the middle of this\ncauseway, King Arthur perceived two knights, who sat their horses in the\nshade of a great windmill that stood upon one side of the roadway. And\na large shadow of the sails moved ever and anon across the roadway as\nthe wheel of the mill turned slowly afore the wind. And all about the\nmill, and everywhere about, were great quantities of swallows that\ndarted hither and thither like bees about a hive in midsummer. And King\nArthur saw that those two knights, as they sat in the shadow of the\nmill, were eating of a great loaf of rye bread, fresh baked and of\nbrittle crust; and they ate fair white cheese, which things the miller,\nall white with dust, served to them. But when these two knights\nperceived King Arthur, they immediately ceased eating that bread and\ncheese, and straightway closed their helmets. As for the miller, when he\nsaw them thus prepare themselves, he went quickly back into the mill and\nshut the door thereof, and then went and looked out of a window which\nwas over above where the knights were standing.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur cometh upon two knights at the windmill._]\n\nBut King Arthur made very merry unto himself when he perceived that\nthose two knights were Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine. For he knew that the\none was Sir Gawaine because that the crest of his helmet was a leopard\nrampant, and because he bore upon his shield the device of a leopard\nrampant upon a field gules; and he knew that the other was Sir Ewaine,\nbecause he bore upon his crest an unicorn, and because the device upon\nhis shield was that of a lady holding a naked sword in her hand, which\nsame was upon a field or. Accordingly, whiles he was yet at some\ndistance, King Arthur closed his helmet so that those two young knights\nmight not know who he was.\n\nSo, when he had come anear to the two knights, Sir Gawaine rode forward\nfor a little distance for to meet him. \u201cSir Knight,\u201d quoth he, \u201cthou\nmust know that this is soothly parlous ground whereon thou hast\nventured; for there is no byway hence across the morass, and thou mayst\nnot go forward without trying a tilt with me.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir Knight,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cand I am very willing to run a tilt\nwith thee. Ne\u2019theless, I will only encounter thee upon one condition,\nand that is this: that he who is overthrown shall serve the other\nentirely for the space of seven full days.\u201d\n\n\u201cI do accept thy gage, Sir Knight,\u201d quoth Sir Gawaine. For he said unto\nhimself, \u201cOf a surety, so exceedingly strong and skilful a knight as I\nshall easily encompass the overthrow of this unknown knight.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur overthrows Sir Gawaine._]\n\nSo each knight immediately took his appointed station, and having\ndressed his spear and his shield, and having fully prepared himself in\nevery manner, and having rested for a little space, each suddenly\nshouted to his horse, and drave spur into the flanks thereof, and so\nrushed to the encounter. And each knight smote the other in the midst\nof his defence, and lo! the spear of Sir Gawaine burst into fragments.\nBut the spear of King Arthur held, so that Sir Gawaine was lifted\nentirely out of his saddle and over the crupper of his horse. And indeed\nhe fell with wonderful violence into the dust. Nor could he immediately\nrise from that fall, but lay all bedazed for a little while. And when he\ndid arise, he perceived that the white knight who had overthrown him sat\nnigh to him upon his horse.\n\nThen King Arthur spake and said: \u201cSir Knight, I have altogether\noverthrown thee, and so thou must now serve me according to thy knightly\nword.\u201d\n\nThen up spake Sir Ewaine, who sat nearby upon his horse. \u201cNot so, Sir\nKnight,\u201d he said; \u201cnot so, nor until thou hast had to do with me. For I\ndo make demand of thee that thou shalt straightway joust with me. And if\nI overthrow thee I will claim of thee that thou shalt release my cousin\nfrom that servitude unto which he hath pledged himself. But if thou\noverthrowst me, then will I serve thee even as he hath pledged himself\nto serve thee.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir Knight,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cI do accept thy gage with all readiness\nof spirit!\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur overthrows Sir Ewaine._]\n\nSo each knight took his assigned place and dressed himself for the\nencounter. Then they shouted, and drave together, rushing the one upon\nthe other like unto two rams upon the hillside. And the spear of Sir\nEwaine was also shivered into pieces. But King Arthur\u2019s spear held, so\nthat the girths of Sir Ewaine\u2019s saddle were burst apart, and both the\nsaddle and the knight were swept off the horse\u2019s back with such violence\nthat a tower falling could not have made a greater noise than did Sir\nEwaine when he smote the dust of that causeway.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur sendeth the two knights to the Lady Guinevere._]\n\nThen Sir Ewaine arose to his feet and gazed upon him, all filled with\nentire amazement. To him came King Arthur, and bespake him thus: \u201cHa,\nSir Knight, meseems that thou hast been fairly overcome this day. And\nso, according to your promises, both thou and yonder other knight must\nfulfil all my commands for the space of full seven days to come. Now\nthis is the command that I set upon ye both: that ye shall straightway\ngo unto the Lady Guinevere at Cameliard and shall take her greeting from\nher knight. And ye shall say to her that her knight unto whom she gave\nher necklace, hath sent ye, who are King\u2019s sons, for to do obedience\nunto her. And all that she shall command ye to do in the space of these\nseven days that are to come, that shall ye perform even unto the\nsmallest grain.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir Knight,\u201d said Sir Gawaine, \u201cso we will do according to thy\ncommands, having pledged ourselves thereunto. But when these seven days\nare passed, I do make my vow that I shall seek thee out and shall carry\nthis combat unto its entire extremity. For it may happen to any knight\nto be unhorsed as I have been, yet I do believe that I may have a better\nsuccess with thee an I battle with thee to the extremity of my\nendeavor.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir Knight,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cit shall be even as thou desirest. Yet\nI do verily believe that when these seven days are passed thou wilt not\nhave such a great desire for to fight with me as thou now hast.\u201d\n\nHaving so spoken, King Arthur saluted those two knights and they saluted\nhim. And then he turned his horse and went his way. And whenever he\nbethought him of how those two good knights had fallen before his\nassault, and when he thought of how astonished and abashed they had been\nat their overthrow, he laughed aloud for pure mirth, and vowed unto\nhimself that he had never in all of his life engaged in so joyous an\nadventure as this.\n\nSo when Sir Ewaine had mended the girths of his saddle then he and Sir\nGawaine mounted their horses and betook their way toward Cameliard much\ncast down in spirits.\n\nThen the miller came forth from the mill once more, greatly rejoiced at\nhaving beheld such a wonderfully knightly encounter from so safe a place\nas that from which he had beheld it.\n\nAnd so King Arthur rode onward with great content of mind until the\nslanting of the afternoon had come, and by that time he had come nigh to\nthat arm of the forest-land which he had in mind as the proper place\nwhere he might leave his horse and his armor.\n\nNow as he drew nigh to this part of the forest skirts, he perceived\nbefore him at the roadside a gnarled and stunted oak-tree. And he\nperceived that upon the oak-tree there hung a shield, and that\nunderneath the shield were written these words in fair large letters:\n\n =\u201cWhoso smiteth upon this shield\n Doeth so at the peril of his body.\u201d=\n\nThen King Arthur was filled with a great spirit, and, uplifting his\nspear, he smote upon that shield so that it rang like thunder.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur smites the shield of the White Knight._]\n\nThen immediately King Arthur heard a voice issue out of the forest\ncrying, \u201cWho hath dared to assail my shield!\u201d And straightway there came\nout thence a knight of large frame, riding upon a horse white, like that\nwhich King Arthur himself rode. And the trappings of the horse and of\nthe knight were all white like unto the trappings of King Arthur and\nhis horse. And the knight bore upon his helmet as his crest a swan with\noutspread wings, and upon his shield he bore the emblazonment of three\nswans upon a field argent. And because of the crest and the emblazonment\nof the shield, King Arthur knew that this knight was Sir Pellias, who\nhad come with him from Camelot to Tintagalon.\n\nSo when Sir Pellias had come nigh to where King Arthur waited for him,\nhe drew rein and bespake him with great sternness of voice: \u201cHo! Ho! Sir\nKnight,\u201d quoted he. \u201cWhy didst thou dare to smite upon my shield!\nVerily, that blow shall bring thee great peril and dole. Now, prepare to\ndefend thyself straightway because of what thou hast done.\u201d\n\n\u201cStay! Stay! Sir Knight,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cit shall be as thou wouldst\nhave it; and I will do combat with thee. Yet will I not assay this\nadventure until thou hast agreed that the knight who is overcome in the\nencounter shall serve the other in whatsoever manner that other may\ndesire, for the space of one se\u2019night from this time.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir Knight,\u201d said Sir Pellias, \u201cI do accept that risk, wherefore I bid\nthee now presently to prepare thyself for the encounter.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur overthrows Sir Pellias._]\n\nThereupon each knight took his station and dressed his spear and shield.\nAnd when they had prepared themselves, they immediately launched\ntogether with a violence like to two stones cast from a catapult. So\nthey met in the midst of the course, and again King Arthur was entirely\nsuccessful in that assault which he made. For the spear of Sir Pellias\nburst to pieces, and the spear of King Arthur held; and Sir Pellias was\ncast with passing violence out of his saddle for the distance of more\nthan half a spear\u2019s length behind the crupper of his horse. Nor did he\naltogether recover from that fall for a long time, so that King Arthur\nhad to wait beside him for a considerable while ere he was able to lift\nhimself up from the ground whereon he lay.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur sendeth Sir Pellias to the Lady Guinevere._]\n\n\u201cHa! Sir Knight,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cassuredly it hath not gone well\nwith thee this day, for thou hast been entirely overthrown and now thou\nmust straightway redeem thy pledge to serve me for seven days hereafter.\nWherefore, I now set it upon thee as my command, that thou shalt go\nstraightway unto Cameliard, and that thou shalt greet the Lady Guinevere\nfrom me, telling her that her knight unto whom she gave her necklace\nhath been successful in battle with thee. Likewise I set it upon thee\nthat thou shalt obey her for the space of seven days in whatsoever she\nmay command thee to do.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir Knight,\u201d said Sir Pellias, \u201cit shall even be as thou dost ordain.\nYet I would that I knew who thou art, for I do declare that I have never\nyet in all my life been overthrown as thou hast overthrown me. And,\nindeed, I think that there are very few men in the world who could serve\nme as thou hast served me.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir Knight,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201csome time thou shalt know who I am.\nBut, as yet, I am bound to entire secrecy.\u201d\n\nThereupon he saluted Sir Pellias and turned and entered the forest and\nwas gone.\n\nAnd Sir Pellias mounted his horse and betook him to Cameliard, much cast\ndown and disturbed in spirit, yet much marvelling who that knight could\nbe who had served him as he had been served.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady Guinevere is pleased with her champion._]\n\nSo that day there came to Cameliard, first Sir Geraint and then Sir\nGawaine and Sir Ewaine, and last of all there came Sir Pellias. And when\nthese four beheld one another they were all abashed so that one scarce\ndared to look the other in the face. And when they came before the Lady\nGuinevere and made their condition known to her, and told her how that\nknight who wore her necklace had overthrown them all and had sent them\nthither to serve her for a se\u2019night, and when she reckoned how great and\nfamous were those four knights in deeds of chivalry, she was exceedingly\nexalted that her knight should have approved himself so great in those\ndeeds of arms which he had undertaken to perform. But she greatly\nmarvelled who that champion could be, and debated those things in her\nown mind. For it was a thing altogether unheard of that one knight, in\none day, and with a single spear, should have overthrown five such well\nproved and famous knights as Duke Mordaunt of North Umber, Sir Geraint,\nSir Gawaine, Sir Ewaine, and Sir Pellias. So she gave herself great joy\nthat she had bestowed the gift of her necklace upon so worthy a knight,\nand she was exceedingly uplifted with extraordinary pleasure at the\nthought of the credit he had endowed her withal.\n\n * * * * *\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur resumes his disguise._]\n\nNow after King Arthur had entered the forest, he came by and by to where\nthose wood-choppers, afore spoken of, plied their craft. And he abided\nwith them for that night; and when the next morning had come, he\nintrusted them with his horse and armor, charging them to guard those\nthings with all care, and that they should be wonderfully rewarded\ntherefor. Then he took his departure from that place with intent to\nreturn unto Cameliard. And he was clad in that jerkin of frieze which he\nhad worn ever since he had left Tintagalon.\n\nAnd when he had reached the outskirts of the forest, he set his cap of\ndisguise upon his head and so resumed his mean appearance once more. So,\nhis knightliness being entirely hidden, he returned to Cameliard for to\nbe gardener\u2019s boy as he had been before.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Four Knights serve the Gardener Lad.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Fourth.\n\n_How the Four Knights Served the Lady Guinevere._\n\n\n[Sidenote: _The gardener chideth his boy._]\n\nNow, when King Arthur returned to Cameliard once more (which fell upon\nthe afternoon of a second day), he found the gardener waiting for him,\nexceedingly filled with wrath. And the gardener had a long birchen rod\nwhich he had fetched thither for to punish his boy withal, when that he\nshould have returned to the garden again. So when he saw King Arthur he\nsaid: \u201cThou knave! wherefore didst thou quit thy work to go a-gadding?\u201d\nAnd King Arthur laughed and said: \u201cTouch me not.\u201d At this, the gardener\nwaxed so exceeding wroth, that he catched the King by the collar of his\njerkin with intent to beat him, saying: \u201cDost thou laugh at me, knave,\nand make a mock at me? Now I will beat thee well for the offence thou\nhast committed.\u201d\n\nThen, when King Arthur felt that man\u2019s hand laid upon him, and when he\nheard the words that the gardener spake in his wrath, his royal spirit\nwaxed very big within him and he cried out: \u201cHa, wretch! wouldst thou\ndare to lay thy hands upon my sacred person?\u201d So saying, he seized the\ngardener by the wrists, and took the rod straight away from him, and\nstruck him with it across the shoulders. And when that poor knave felt\nhimself thus in the powerful grasp of the angry King, and when he felt\nthe rod upon his shoulders, he straightway lifted up a great outcry,\nalbeit the blow hurt him not a whit. \u201cNow get thee gone!\u201d quoth King\nArthur, \u201cand trouble me no more; else will I serve thee in a way that\nwill not at all belike thee.\u201d Herewith he loosed that poor man and let\nhim go; and the gardener was so bemazed with terror, that both the earth\nand the sky swam before him. For King Arthur\u2019s eyes had flashed upon him\nlike lightning, and those two hands had held his wrists with wonderful\npower. Wherefore, when the King let him go he gat him away as quickly as\nmight be, all trembling and sweating with a great fear.\n\n[Sidenote: _The gardener complaineth to the Lady Guinevere._]\n\nSo he went straight to the Lady Guinevere and complained to her of\nthe manner in which he had been treated. \u201cLady,\u201d quoth he, weeping\nwith the memory of his terror, \u201cmy boy goeth away for a day or more, I know\nnot whither; and when I would whip him for quitting his work he taketh\nthe rod straight away from me and beateth me with it. Wherefore, now, I\nprithee, deal with him as is fitting, and let several strong men drive\nhim away from this place with rods.\u201d\n\nThen the Lady Guinevere laughed. \u201cLet be!\u201d she said, \u201cand meddle with\nhim no more; for, indeed, he appeareth to be a very saucy fellow. As for\nthee! take thou no heed of his coming or his going, and haply I will\ndeal with him in such a way as shall be fitting.\u201d\n\nWhereupon the gardener went his way, greatly marvelling that the Lady\nGuinevere should be so mild in dealing with that toward knave. And the\nLady Guinevere went her way, very merry. For she began to bethink her\nthat there was soothly some excellent reason why it should happen that\nwhen the White Champion, who did such wonderful deeds, should come\nthither, then that gardener\u2019s boy should go; and that when that same\nChampion should go, then the gardener\u2019s boy should come thitherward\nagain. Wherefore she suspected many things, and was wonderfully merry\nand cheerful of spirit.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady Guinevere mocketh the gardener\u2019s boy._]\n\nNow, that day, in the afternoon, the Lady Guinevere chanced to walk in\nthe garden with her damsels, and with her walked those four noble\nknights who had been sent thither by her White Champion, to wit, Sir\nGawaine, Sir Ewaine, Sir Geraint, and Sir Pellias. And the gardener\u2019s\nlad was digging in the gardens; and as they passed by where he was the\nLady Guinevere laughed aloud and cried out: \u201cLook! Look! Messires and\nLadies! Yonder is a very saucy fellow for to be a gardener\u2019s lad, for he\ncontinually weareth his cap, even when he standeth in the presence of\nlords and ladies.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine up and spake, saying: \u201cIs it even so? Now will I\nstraightway go to yonder knave, and will take his hat off for him, and\nthat in a way so greatly to his misliking, that I do not believe that he\nwill ever offend by wearing it in our presence again.\u201d\n\nAt this the Lady Guinevere laughed a very great deal. \u201cLet be!\u201d she\nsaid, \u201clet be! Sir Gawaine! it would ill beseem one so gentle as thou\nart to have to do with yonder saucy fellow. Moreover, he doth assure us\nall that he hath an ugly place upon his head, wherefore let him wear his\ncap in God\u2019s mercy.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Duke of North Umber issueth a second challenge._]\n\nThus the Lady Guinevere, though she suspected a very great deal, was yet\npleased to make a mock of him whom she suspected.\n\nNow that day Duke Mordaunt of North Umber had entirely recovered from\nthose sore hurts that he had suffered from his overthrow at the hands of\nthe White Champion. Wherefore, the next morning having come, he appeared\nagain before the castle as he had appeared aforetime--clad all in\ncomplete armor. So this time there rode before him two heralds, and when\nthe duke and the two heralds had come to that part of the meadows that\nlay immediately before the castle of Cameliard, the heralds blew their\ntrumpets exceedingly loud. So at the sound of the trumpets many people\ncame and gathered upon the walls; and King Leodegrance came, and took\nstand upon a lesser tower that looked down upon the plain where were the\nDuke of North Umber and the two heralds. Then the Duke of North Umber\nlifted up his eyes and beheld King Leodegrance where he stood over above\nhim upon the top of that tower, and he cried out in a loud voice: \u201cWhat\nho! King Leodegrance! Thou shalt not think because I suffered a fall\nfrom my horse through the mischance of an assault at arms, that thou art\ntherefore quit of me. Yet, ne\u2019theless, I do now make this fair proffer\nunto thee. To-morrow day I shall appear before this castle with six\nknights-companion. Now if thou hast any seven knights who are able to\nstand against me and my companions in an assault at arms--whether with\nspears or swords, or ahorse or afoot--then shall I engage myself for to\ngive over all pretence whatsoever unto the hand of the Lady Guinevere.\nBut if thou canst not provide such champions to contend successfully\nagainst me and my knights-companion, then shall I not only lay claim to\nLady Guinevere, but I shall likewise seize upon and shall hold for mine\nown, three certain castles of thine that stand upon the borders of North\nUmber. And, likewise, I shall seize upon and shall hold for mine own all\nthe lands and glebes appertaining unto those same castles. Moreover,\nthis challenge of mine shall hold only until to-morrow at set of sun;\nafter the which time it shall be null and void. Wherefore, King\nLeodegrance, thou hadst best look to it straightway to provide thee with\nsuch champions as may defend thee from these demands aforesaid.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Leodegrance is downcast._]\n\nHereupon those two heralds blew their trumpets once more, and Duke\nMordaunt of North Umber turned his horse about and went away from that\nplace. Then King Leodegrance also went his way, very sorrowful and\ndowncast in his spirits. For he said to himself: \u201cIs it at all likely\nthat another champion shall come unto me like that wonderful White\nChampion who came two days since, I know not whence, for to defend me\nagainst mine enemies? And, touching that same White Champion; if I know\nnot whence he came, so also I know not whither he hath departed; how\nthen shall I know where to seek him to beseech his further aid in this\ntime of mine extremity?\u201d Wherefore he went his way, very sorrowful, and\nwist not what he was to do for to defend himself. So being thus\nexceedingly troubled in his spirit, he went straight unto his own room,\nand there shut himself therein; nor would he see any man nor speak unto\nanyone, but gave himself over entirely unto sorrow and despair.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady Guinevere beseecheth aid of the four knights._]\n\nNow in this extremity the Lady Guinevere bethought her of those four\nknights who had been pledged for to serve her for seven days. So she\nwent unto them where they were and she bespoke them in this wise:\n\u201cMessires, ye have been sent hither pledged for to serve me for seven\ndays. Now I do ordain it of thee that you will take this challenge of\nDuke Mordaunt upon you at my behest, and I do much desire that you go\nforth to-morrow-day for to meet this Duke of North Umber and his\nknights-companion in battle. For ye are terribly powerful knights, and I\ndo believe you may easily defend us against our enemies.\u201d\n\nBut Sir Gawaine said, \u201cNot so, Lady; not so! For though we are pledged\nunto thy service, yet are we not pledged unto the service of King\nLeodegrance, thy father. Nor have we quarrel of any sort with this Duke\nof North Umber, nor with his six knights-companion. For we are knights\nof King Arthur, his Court, nor may we, except at his command, take any\nforeign quarrel upon us in the service of another king.\u201d\n\nThen was the Lady Guinevere exceedingly angry, wherefore she said with\ngreat heat: \u201cEither thou art a wonderfully faithful lord unto thy King,\nSir Gawaine, or else thou fearest to meet this Duke of North Umber and\nhis knights-companion.\u201d\n\nAnd at this speech of the Lady Guinevere\u2019s, Sir Gawaine was also\nexceedingly wroth, wherefore he made reply: \u201cAn thou wert a knight and\nnot a lady, Dame Guinevere, thou wouldst think three or four times ere\nthou wouldst find courage to speak those words unto me.\u201d Whereupon he\narose and went out from that place with a countenance all inflamed with\nwrath. And the Lady Guinevere went away also from that place and to her\nbower, where she wept a very great deal, both from sorrow and from\nanger.\n\n[Sidenote: King Arthur sendeth the gardener upon a mission.]\n\nNow all this while King Arthur had been very well aware of everything\nthat passed; wherefore he by and by arose and went out and found the\ngardener. And he took the gardener strongly by the collar of his coat\nand held him where he was. And he said to him: \u201cSirrah! I have a\ncommand to set upon thee, and thou shalt perform that command to the\nletter, else, an thou perform it not, a very great deal of pain may\nbefall thee.\u201d Herewith speaking, he thrust his hand into the bosom of\nhis jerkin and brought forth thence that necklace of pearls which the\nLady Guinevere had given him from about her neck. And he said further\nunto the gardener: \u201cThou shalt take this necklace to the Lady Guinevere\nand thou shalt say to her thus: that she is to send me forthwith bread\nand meat and wine and comfits from her own table. And thou shalt say\nunto her that I desire her to summon those four knights--to wit, Sir\nGawaine, Sir Ewaine, Sir Geraint, and Sir Pellias--and that she is to\nbid those four for to come and serve me with those things for my\nrefreshment. And thou art to say unto her that she is to lay her\ncommands upon those knights that they are further to serve me according\nas I may command, and that they are henceforth to be my servants and\nnot her servants. And these are the commands that I lay upon thee; that\nthou art to say these things unto the Lady Guinevere.\u201d\n\nNow when the gardener heard those words he was so astonished that he\nwist not what to think, for he deemed that the gardener\u2019s lad had gone\naltogether mad. Wherefore he lifted up his voice and cried aloud, \u201cHow\nnow! What is this thou sayest! Verily, should I do such a thing as this\nthou bidst me to do, either it will cost me my life or else it will cost\nthee thy life. For who would dare for to say such words unto the Lady\nGuinevere?\u201d\n\nBut King Arthur said: \u201cNe\u2019theless, thou shalt surely do as I command\nthee, sirrah. For if thou disobey in one single point, then I do assure\nthee it will go exceedingly ill with thee. For I have it in my power for\nto make thee suffer as thou hast never suffered before.\u201d\n\nAnd upon this the gardener said, \u201cI will go.\u201d For he said unto himself,\n\u201cIf I do as this fellow biddeth me, then will the Lady Guinevere have\nhim punished in great measure, and so I shall be revenged upon him for\nwhat he did unto me yesterday. Moreover, it irks me exceedingly that I\nshould have a lad for to work in the garden who behaves as this fellow\ndoes. Wherefore,\u201d he said, \u201cI will go.\u201d So he took that necklace of\npearls that King Arthur gave him, and he went forth and, after awhile,\nhe found the Lady Guinevere where she was. And when he had found her, he\nbespoke her in this wise:\n\n\u201cLady, my garden boy hath assuredly gone entirely mad. For, under the\nthreat of certain great harm he would do unto me an I performed not his\nerrand, he hath sent me to offer a very grievous affront unto thee. For\nhe hath sent me with this string of large beads for to give to thee; and\nhe bids me to tell thee that thou art to send to him bread and meat and\nsweetmeats and wine, such as thou usest at thine own table; and he bids\nme to tell thee that these things are to be served to him by the four\nnoble knights who came hither the day before yesterday. And he saith\nthat thou art to command those same knights that they are to obey him in\nwhatsoever he may command, for that they are henceforth to be his\nservants and not thine. And, indeed, Lady, he would listen to naught\nthat I might say to him contrariwise, but he hath threatened me with\ndire injury an I came not hither and delivered this message unto thee.\u201d\n\nNow when the Lady Guinevere heard what the gardener said, and when she\nbeheld the necklace which she had given unto that White Champion, and\nwhen she wist that the White Champion and the gardener\u2019s boy were indeed\none, she was uplifted with an exceeding joy; wherefore she knew not\nwhether to laugh or whether to weep for that pure joy. So she arose and\ntook the necklace of pearls, and she bade the gardener for to come with\nher. Then she went forth until she found those four knights, and when\nshe had found them she spake unto them thus:\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady Guinevere commands the four knights to serve the\ngardener\u2019s boy._]\n\n\u201cMy Lords, awhile sin when I commanded you for to take my quarrel with\nDuke Mordaunt of North Umber upon you for my sake, ye would not do so.\nAnd thou, my lord Gawaine, didst speak such angry words as are not\nfitting that one who serveth should speak unto his mistress, far less\nthat a knight should speak unto the daughter of a king. Accordingly I\nhave it in my mind that ye shall perform a certain thing by way of a\npenance, which, an ye refuse to do, I will know very well that ye do not\nintend to fulfil that word which ye plighted to my knight when he\noverthrew you all four in fair combat. Now my command is this: that ye\ntake certain food prepared for my table--meats and white bread and\nsweetmeats and wine--and that ye take that food unto my gardener\u2019s boy,\nwhose cap, Sir Gawaine, thou didst threaten so valorously for to take\naway from him this very morning. And ye four are to serve the food unto\nhim as though he were a royal knight. And when ye have so served him, ye\nare to obey him in whatsoever he may ordain. And this I put upon ye as a\npenalty because ye took not my quarrel upon ye as true knights should,\nfor hereafter ye are to be servants unto that gardener\u2019s boy and not\nunto me. Wherefore ye are now to go unto the buttery of the castle, and\nye are to bid the sewer for to give you meats such as are served upon\nmine own table. And the food ye are to serve upon silver plates, and the\nwine ye are to serve in silver cups and goblets. And ye are to minister\nunto that gardener\u2019s boy as though he were a great lord of exceeding\nfame and renown.\u201d\n\nThus spake the Lady Guinevere, and when she had spoken, she turned and\nleft those four knights, and she took with her the gardener, who was so\nastonished at that which he had heard, that he wist not whether he had\ngone mad or whether the Lady Guinevere had gone mad. And the Lady\nGuinevere bade the gardener to go to the gardener\u2019s boy and to tell him\nthat all things should be fulfilled according to his commands. And so\nthe gardener did as he was told.\n\n[Sidenote: _The four knights are angry._]\n\nNow turn we to those four knights whom the Lady Guinevere had left. For\nthey were bemazed and abashed at the singular commands she had set upon\nthem. And when they recovered from their amazement, they were inflamed\nwith exceeding indignation that, for the time, they wist not whether\nthat which they saw with their eyes was the light of day, or whether it\nwas altogether darkness. Nor could one of them look at another in the\nface, so overcome were they with shame at the affront that had been put\nupon them. Then up and spake Sir Gawaine, and his voice so trembled with\nhis exceeding anger that he could scarce contain it for to speak his\nwords. \u201cMessires,\u201d quoth he, \u201cdo ye not see how that this lady hath\nwantonly put a great affront upon us because we would not do that which\nshe this morning bade us to do, and because we would not take up her\nquarrel against the Duke of North Umber? Now we will indeed serve this\ngardener\u2019s boy even as she hath ordained. For we will serve him with\nmeat and drink as she hath commanded; and we will render our service\nunto him as she hath bidden us to do. But observe ye; we are no longer\nher servants, but we are his servants; wherefore we may serve him as we\nchoose for to do. So, when we have fulfilled her commands and have\nserved him with meat and drink, and when we have obeyed all the behests\nhe layeth upon us; then do I make my vow that I, with mine own hand,\nshall slay that gardener\u2019s boy. And when I have slain him, I will put\nhis head into a bag, and I will send that bag unto the Lady Guinevere by\nthe meanest carrier whom I can find for that purpose. And so this proud\nlady shall receive an affront as great as that affront which she hath\nput upon us.\u201d And they all said that that which Sir Gawaine had planned\nshould be exactly as he had said.\n\n[Sidenote: _The four knights serve the gardener\u2019s boy._]\n\nSo those four lords went unto the sewer of the castle, and they asked\nfor the best of that food which was to be served unto the Lady\nGuinevere--meats and bread and sweetmeats and wine. Then they took them\nsilver plates and platters and they placed the food upon them; and they\ntook silver cups and silver goblets and they poured the wine into them;\nand they went forth with these things. And when they had come back of\nthe castle nigh to the stables, they found the gardener\u2019s boy, and they\nbade him sit down and eat and to drink. And they waited upon him as\nthough he had been some great lord. And not one of those four knights\nwist who he was, nor that he was the great King whose servant they,\nsoothly, were. For he wore his cap of disguise upon his head, wherefore\nthey deemed him to be only a poor peasant fellow.\n\nNow when Sir Ewaine beheld that he still wore his cap before them, he\nspake unto him with great indignation, saying: \u201cHa, villian! Wouldst\nthou wear thy cap even in the presence of great princes and lords such\nas we be?\u201d\n\nUnto this Sir Gawaine said, \u201cLet be, it matters not.\u201d And then he said\nvery bitterly unto the gardener\u2019s boy: \u201cEat thou well, sirrah! For thou\nshalt hardly eat another meal of food upon this earth.\u201d\n\nTo this the gardener\u2019s boy made reply: \u201cSir Knight, that, haply, shall\nlie unto another will than thine for to determine. For maybe, I shall\neat many other meals than this. And, maybe, ye shall serve at them as ye\nare serving me now.\u201d And those four lords were astonished beyond measure\nthat he should bespeak them thus so calmly and without any appearance of\nfear.\n\nThen, after he had eaten, the gardener\u2019s boy said unto those knights,\n\u201cBehold, Messires, I have had enough and am done; and now I have other\ncommands for you to fulfil. And my next command is that ye shall make\nready straightway to go abroad with me, and to that end ye shall clothe\nyourselves with complete armor. And thou, Sir Gawaine, shalt go to the\nhead stable-keeper of this castle, and thou shalt demand of him that he\nshall make ready the Lady Guinevere\u2019s palfrey so that I may straightway\nride forth upon it. And when ye are all encased in your armor, and when\neverything is duly appointed according to my command, ye shall bring\nthat palfrey unto the postern gate of the castle, and there I shall meet\nye for to ride forth with you.\u201d\n\nAnd Sir Gawaine said: \u201cIt shall be done in every way according as thou\ndost command. But when we ride forth from this castle it shall be a\nsorry journey for thee.\u201d\n\nAnd the gardener\u2019s boy said: \u201cI think not so, Sir Gawaine.\u201d\n\nThen those four went away and did according as the gardener\u2019s boy\ncommanded. And when they had made themselves ready in full array of\narmor, and when they had obtained the Lady Guinevere\u2019s palfrey, they\nwent unto the postern gate and there the gardener\u2019s boy met them. And\nwhen he saw that they sat their horses and that they moved not at his\ncoming, he said: \u201cHa, Messires! would ye so entreat him whom ye have\nbeen ordained to serve? Now I do bid ye, Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine, for\nto come down and to hold my stirrup for me; and I bid ye, Sir Geraint\nand Sir Pellias, for to come down and to hold my palfrey for me whiles I\nmount.\u201d\n\nThen those four noble knights did as they were commanded. And Sir\nGawaine said: \u201cThou mayst command as thou dost list, and I do bid thee\nto make the most of it whiles thou mayst do so; for thou shalt have but\na little while longer for to enjoy the great honor that hath fallen upon\nthee. For that honor which hath fallen upon thee--lo! it shall presently\ncrush thee unto death.\u201d\n\nAnd the gardener\u2019s boy said: \u201cNot so; I believe I shall not die yet\nwhiles.\u201d And again those four lords were greatly astonished at the\ncalmness of his demeanor.\n\nAnd so they rode forth from that place; and the gardener\u2019s boy would not\npermit that they should ride either before him or beside him, but he\ncommanded them that they should ride behind him whiles they were still\nservants unto him.\n\nSo they rode as he assigned them for a considerable way. Then after they\nhad gone forward a great distance, they drew nigh to a gloomy and dismal\nwoodland that lay entirely beyond the country coadjacent to Cameliard.\nThen, when they had come nigh unto this woodland, Sir Gawaine rode a\nlittle forward, and he said: \u201cSir Gardener\u2019s Boy, seest thou yonder\nwoodland? Now when we come into it thou shalt immediately die, and that\nby a sword that hath never yet been touched by any but noble or knightly\nblood.\u201d\n\nAnd King Arthur turned him about in his saddle, and he said: \u201cHa! Sir\nGawaine! Wouldst thou ride forward thus when I bid thee to ride behind\nme?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur proclaimeth himself to the four knights._]\n\nAnd as he spake he took the cap from off his head, and, lo! they all\nbeheld that it was King Arthur who rode with them.\n\nThen a great silence of pure astonishment fell upon them all, and each\nman sat as though he were turned into an image of stone. And it was King\nArthur who first spake. And he said: \u201cHa! how now, Sir Knights? Have ye\nno words of greeting for to pay to me? Certes, ye have served me with a\nvery ill grace this day. Moreover, ye have threatened to slay me; and\nnow, when I speak to you, ye say naught in reply.\u201d\n\nThen those four knights immediately cried out aloud; and they leaped\ndown from off their horses, and they kneeled down into the dust of the\nroad. And when King Arthur beheld them kneeling there, he laughed with\ngreat joyfulness of spirit, and he bade them for to mount their horses\nagain, for the time was passing by when there was much to do.\n\nSo they mounted their horses and rode away, and as they journeyed\nforward the King told them all that had befallen him, so that they were\ngreatly amazed, and gave much acclaim unto the knightliness with which\nhe had borne himself in those excellent adventures through which he had\npassed. And they rejoiced greatly that they had a king for to rule over\nthem who was possessed of such a high and knightly spirit.\n\nSo they rode to that arm of the forest where King Arthur had left his\nhorse and his armor.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: The Gardener Lad takes off his Cap.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Fifth.\n\n_How King Arthur Overcame the Enemies of King Leodegrance, and How His\nRoyalty Was Proclaimed._\n\n\n[Sidenote: _The Duke of North Umber and his six companions appear before\nthe castle._]\n\nNow, when the next day had come, the Duke of North Umber and six\nknights-companion appeared upon the field in front of the castle of\nCameliard as he had duly declared that he and they would do. And those\nseven champions appeared in very great estate; for in front of them\nthere rode seven heralds with trumpets and tabards, and behind them\nthere rode seven esquires, each esquire bearing the spear, the shield,\nthe crest, and the banneret of the knight who was his lord and master.\nAnd the seven heralds blew their trumpets so exceedingly loud that the\nsound thereof penetrated unto the utmost parts of Cameliard, so that the\npeople came running from everywhere. And while the heralds blew their\ntrumpets the seven esquires shouted, and waved the spears and the\nbannerets. So those seven knights rode in such proud estate that those\nwho looked upon them had hardly ever beheld such a splendid presentment\nof chivalry.\n\nSo they paraded up and down that field three times for its entire\nlength, and, meantime, a great crowd of people, called thither by the\nblowing of the herald\u2019s trumpets, stood upon the walls and gazed\ntherefrom at that noble spectacle. And all the Court of King Ryence\ncame, and stood upon the plain in front of the King\u2019s pavilion, and they\nshouted and cheered the Duke of North Umber and his six\nknights-companion.\n\nMeanwhile, King Leodegrance of Cameliard was so cast down with trouble\nand shame that he did not choose to show his face, but hid himself away\nfrom all his Court. Nor would he permit anyone for to come into his\npresence at that time.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady Guinevere cheereth her father._]\n\nNevertheless, the Lady Guinevere, with sundry of her damsels, went and\nwhen the King denied her to come in to him, she spake to him through the\ndoor, giving him words of good cheer, saying: \u201cMy lord King and father,\nI prithee for to look up and to take good cheer unto thyself. For I do\nassure thee that there is one who hath our cause in his hands, and that\none is, certes, a very glorious champion. And he shall assuredly come by\nand by ere this day is done, and when he cometh, he shall certainly\noverthrow our enemies.\u201d\n\nBut King Leodegrance opened not the door, but he said: \u201cMy daughter,\nthat which thou sayest thou sayest for to comfort me. For there is no\nother help for me in this time of trouble only God, His good strong help\nand grace.\u201d And she said: \u201cNay, I say that which is the truth; and the\nhelp that God shall send unto thee he shall certainly send through a\nworthy champion who at this moment hath our cause in his hand.\u201d\n\nSo spake the Lady Guinevere, so that whilst King Leodegrance came not\nforth, yet he was greatly comforted at that which she said to him.\n\n[Sidenote: _Five knights-defender appear at the field._]\n\nThus passed all that morning and a part of the afternoon, and yet no one\nappeared for to take up that challenge which the seven knights had\ndeclared. But, whilst the sun was yet three or four hours high, there\nsuddenly appeared at a great distance a cloud of dust. And in that cloud\nof dust there presently appeared five knights, riding at great speed,\nthitherward. And when these had come nigh unto the walls, lo! the people\nbeheld that he who rode foremost of all was that same White Champion who\nhad aforetime overthrown the Duke of North Umber. Moreover, they\nperceived that the four knights who rode with that White Champion were\nvery famous knights and of great prowess and glory of arms. For the one\nwas Sir Gawaine, and the other was Sir Ewaine, and the other was Sir\nGeraint, and the other was Sir Pellias. For the people of the castle and\nthe town knew those four knights, because they had dwelt for two days at\nCameliard, and they were of such exceeding renown that folk crowded from\nfar and near for to look upon them whensoever they appeared for to walk\nabroad.\n\nSo when the people upon the walls beheld who those knights were, and\nwhen they perceived that White Champion who had aforetime brought them\nsuch exceeding honor, they shouted aloud for the second time with a\nvoice mightier than that with which they had the first time shouted.\n\nNow King Leodegrance heard the people shouting, whereupon hope awoke of\na sudden within him. So he straightway came forth with all speed for to\nsee what was ado, and there he beheld those five noble champions about\nto enter into the field below the castle walls.\n\nAnd the Lady Guinevere also heard the shouting and she came forth\nlikewise and, behold! there was that White Champion and those four other\nknights. So when she beheld that White Knight and his four\ncompanions-at-arms, her heart was like to break within her for pure joy\nand gladness, wherefore she wept for the passion thereof, and laughed\nthe whiles she wept. And she waved her kerchief unto those five noble\nlords and kissed her hand unto them, and the five knights saluted her as\nthey rode past her and into the field.\n\nNow, when the Duke of North Umber was made aware that those five knights\nhad come against him and his knights-companion for to take up his\nchallenge, he straightway came forth from his pavilion and mounted his\nhorse. And his knights-companion came forth and mounted their horses,\nand he and they went forth for to meet those who had come against them.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Duke of North Umber refuseth the combat._]\n\nAnd when the Duke of North Umber had come nigh enough, he perceived that\nthe chiefest of those five knights was the White Champion who had\naforetime overthrown him. Wherefore he said unto that White Champion:\n\u201cSir Knight, I have once before condescended unto thee who art\naltogether unknown to me or to anybody else that is here. For without\ninquiring concerning thy quality, I ran a course with thee and, lo! by\nthe chance of arms thou didst overthrow me. Now this quarrel is more\nserious than that, wherefore I and my companions-at-arms will not run a\ncourse with thee and thy companions; nor will we fight with thee until I\nfirst know what is the quality of him against whom I contend. Wherefore,\nI bid thee presently declare thyself, who thou art and what is thy\ncondition.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine opened the umbril of his helmet, and he said: \u201cSir\nKnight, behold my face, and know that I am Gawaine, the son of King Lot.\nWherefore thou mayst perceive that my condition and estate are even\nbetter than thine own. Now I do declare unto thee that yonder White\nKnight is of such a quality that he condescends unto thee when he doeth\ncombat with thee, and that thou dost not condescend unto him.\u201d\n\n\u201cHo, Sir Gawaine!\u201d quoth the Duke of Umber. \u201cWhat thou sayest is a very\nstrange thing, for, indeed, there are few in this world who are so\nexalted that they may condescend unto me. Ne\u2019theless, since thou dost\navouch for him, I may not gainsay that which thou sayest. Yet, there is\nstill another reason why we may not fight with ye. For, behold! we are\nseven well-approved and famous knights, and ye are but five; so,\nconsider how unequal are our forces, and that you stand in great peril\nin undertaking so dangerous an encounter.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine smiled right grimly upon that Duke of North Umber.\n\u201cGramercy for thy compassion, and for the tenderness which thou showeth\nconcerning our safety, Sir Duke,\u201d quoth he. \u201cBut ne\u2019theless, thou mayst\nleave that matter unto us with entire content of spirit upon thy part.\nFor I consider that the peril in which ye seven stand is fully equal to\nour peril. Moreover, wert thou other than a belted knight, a simple man\nmight suppose that thou wert more careful of thine own safety in this\nmatter, than thou art of ours.\u201d\n\nNow at these words the countenance of the Duke of North Umber became\naltogether covered with red, for he wist that he had, indeed, no great\ndesire for this battle, wherefore he was ashamed because of the words\nwhich Sir Gawaine spake to him. So, each knight closed his helmet, and\nall turned their horses, and the one party rode unto one end of the\nfield, and the other party rode to the other end of the field, and there\neach took stand in the place assigned unto them.\n\nAnd they arranged themselves thus: In the middle was King Arthur, and\nupon either hand were two knights; and in the middle was the Duke of\nNorth Umber, and upon either hand were three knights. So, when they had\nthus arrayed themselves they dressed their spears and their shields, and\nmade them altogether ready for the onset. Then King Arthur and Duke\nMordaunt each shouted aloud, and the one party hurled upon the other\nparty with such violence that the ground shook and thundered beneath the\nhoofs of the horses, and the clouds of dust rose up against the heavens.\n\nAnd so they met in the middle of the field with an uproar of such\ndreadful violence that one might have heard the crashing thereof for the\ndistance of more than a mile away.\n\nAnd when the one party had passed the other, and the dust of the\nencounter had arisen, lo! three of the seven had been overthrown, and\nnot one of the five had lost his seat.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur overturneth the Duke of North Umber._]\n\nAnd one of those who had been overthrown was Duke Mordaunt of North\nUmber. And, behold! he never more arose again from the ground whereon he\nlay. For King Arthur had directed his spear into the very midst of his\ndefences, and the spear had held, wherefore the point thereof had\npierced the shield of the Duke of North Umber, and had pierced his body\narmor, and so violent was the stroke, that the Duke of North Umber had\nbeen lifted entirely out of his saddle, and had been cast a full spear\u2019s\nlength behind the crupper of his horse. Thus died that wicked man, for\nas King Arthur drave past him, the evil soul of him quitted his body\nwith a weak noise like to the squeaking of a bat, and the world was well\nrid of him.\n\nNow when King Arthur turned him about at the end of the course and\nbeheld that there were but four knights left upon their horses of all\nthose seven against whom he and his companions had driven, he uplifted\nhis spear, and drew rein upon his horse, and bespake his knights in this\nwise: \u201cMessires, I am aweary of all this coil and quarrelling, and do\nnot care to fight any more to-day, so go ye straightway and engage those\nknights in battle. As for me, I will abide here, and witness your\nadventure.\u201d\n\n\u201cLord,\u201d said they, \u201cwe will do our endeavor as thou dost command.\u201d\n\nSo those four good knights did as he commanded, and they went forth\nstraightway against those other four, much encouraged that their King\nlooked upon their endeavor. And King Arthur sat with the butt of his\nspear resting upon his instep, and looked upon the field with great\ncontent of spirit, and a steadfast countenance.\n\nAs for those four knights-companion that remained of the Duke of North\nUmber\u2019s party, they came not forth to this second encounter with so much\nreadiness of spirit as they had done aforetime. For they were now well\naware of how great was the excellent prowess of those other knights, and\nthey beheld that their enemies came forth to this second encounter very\nfiercely, and with great valor and readiness of spirit. Wherefore their\nhearts melted away within them with doubt and anxiety as to the outcome\nof this second encounter.\n\nNevertheless, they prepared themselves with such resolve as might be,\nand came forth as they were called upon to do.\n\nThen Sir Gawaine drave straight up to the foremost knight, who was a\nvery well-known champion, hight Sir Dinador of Montcalm. And when he had\ncome sufficiently nigh to him, he lifted himself up in his stirrups and\nhe smote Sir Dinador so fierce a blow that he cleft the shield of that\nknight asunder, and he cleft his helmet, and a part of the blade of his\nsword brake away and remained therein.\n\n[Sidenote: _The knights-challenger flee before the knights-defender._]\n\nAnd when Sir Dinador felt that blow, his brains swam like water, and he\nwas fain to catch the horn of his saddle for to save himself from\nfalling therefrom. Then a great terror straightway fell upon him, so\nthat he drew rein violently to one side. So he fled away from that place\nwith the terror of death hanging above him like to a black cloud of\nsmoke. And when his companions beheld that stroke that Sir Gawaine\ndelivered, and when they beheld Sir Dinador flee away from before him,\nthey also drew rein to one side and fled away with all speed, pursued\nwith an entire terror of their enemies. And Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine\nand Sir Geraint and Sir Pellias pursued them as they fled. And they\nchased them straight through the Court of King Ryence, so that the\nknights and nobles of that Court scattered hither and thither like chaff\nat their coming. And they chased those fleeing knights in among the\npavilions of King Ryence\u2019s Court, and no man stayed them; and when they\nhad chased those knights entirely away, they returned to that place\nwhere King Arthur still held his station, steadfastly awaiting them.\n\nNow when the people of Cameliard beheld the overthrow of their enemies,\nand when they beheld how those enemies fled away from before the faces\nof their champions, they shouted with might and main, and made great\nacclaim. Nor did they stint their loud shouting when those four knights\nreturned from pursuing their enemies and came back unto the White\nChampion again. And still more did they give acclaim when those five\nknights rode across the drawbridge and into the gateway of the town and\ninto the town.\n\nThus ended the great bout-at-arms, which was one of the most famous in\nall the history of chivalry of King Arthur\u2019s Court.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur returneth his armor to the merchant._]\n\nNow when King Arthur had thus accomplished his purposes, and when he had\ncome into the town again, he went unto that merchant of whom he had\nobtained the armor that he wore, and he delivered that armor back to him\nagain. And he said, \u201cTomorrow-day, Sir Merchant, I shall send thee two\nbags of gold for the rent of that armor which thou didst let me have.\u201d\n\nTo this the merchant said: \u201cLord, it is not needed that thou shouldst\nrecompense me for that armor, for thou hast done great honor unto\nCameliard by thy prowess.\u201d\n\nBut King Arthur said: \u201cHave done, Sir Merchant, nor must thou forbid\nwhat I say. Wherefore take thou that which I shall send unto thee.\u201d\n\nThereupon he went his way, and, having set his cap of disguise upon his\nhead, he came back into the Lady Guinevere\u2019s gardens again.\n\nNow when the next morning had come the people of Cameliard looked forth\nand, lo! King Ryence had departed entirely away from before the castle.\nFor that night he had struck his pavilions, and had withdrawn his Court,\nand had gone away from that place where he and his people had sat down\nfor five days past. And with him he had taken the body of the Duke of\nNorth Umber, conveying it away in a litter surrounded by many lighted\ncandles and uplifted by a peculiar pomp of ceremony. But when the people\nof Cameliard beheld that he was gone, they were exceedingly rejoiced,\nand made merry, and shouted and sang and laughed. For they wist not how\ndeeply enraged King Ryence was against them; for his enmity aforetime\ntoward King Leodegrance was but as a small flame when compared unto the\nanger that now possessed him.\n\n * * * * *\n\nNow that morning Lady Guinevere walked into her garden, and with her\nwalked Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine, and lo! there she beheld the\ngardener\u2019s boy again.\n\nThen she laughed aloud, and she said unto those two knights, \u201cMessires\nbehold! Yonder is the gardener\u2019s boy, who weareth his cap continually\nbecause he hath an ugly place upon his head.\u201d\n\nThen those two knights, knowing who that gardener\u2019s boy was, were\nexceedingly abashed at her speech, and wist not what to say or whither\nto look. And Sir Gawaine spake, aside unto Sir Ewaine, and quoth he:\n\u201c\u2018Fore Heaven, that lady knoweth not what manner of man is yonder\ngardener\u2019s boy; for, an she did, she would be more sparing of her\nspeech.\u201d\n\nAnd the Lady Guinevere heard Sir Gawaine that he spoke, but she did not\nhear his words. So she turned unto Sir Gawaine, and she said: \u201cSir\nGawaine, haply it doth affront thee that that gardener\u2019s boy should wear\nhis cap before us, and maybe thou wilt go and take it off from his head\nas thou didst offer to do two or three days since.\u201d\n\nAnd Sir Gawaine said: \u201cPeace, Lady! Thou knowest not what thou sayest.\nYonder gardener\u2019s boy could more easily take my head from off my\nshoulders than I could take his cap from off his head.\u201d\n\nAt this the Lady Guinevere made open laughter; but in her heart she\nsecretly pondered that saying and greatly marvelled what Sir Gawaine\nmeant thereby.\n\n * * * * *\n\n[Sidenote: _King Ryence threatened King Leodegrance._]\n\nNow about noon of that day there came an herald from King Ryence of\nNorth Wales, and he appeared boldly before King Leodegrance where the\nKing sat in his hall with a number of his people about him. And the\nherald said: \u201cMy lord King: my master, King Ryence of North Wales, is\ngreatly displeased with thee. For thou didst set certain knights upon\nDuke Mordaunt of North Umber, and those knights have slain that\nexcellent nobleman, who was close kin unto King Ryence. Moreover, thou\nhast made no reply to those demands that my master, King Ryence, hath\nmade touching the delivery unto him of certain lands and castles\nbordering upon North Wales. Wherefore my master is affronted with thee\nbeyond measure. So my master, King Ryence, bids me to set forth to thee\ntwo conditions, and the conditions are these: Firstly, that thou dost\nimmediately deliver into his hands that White Knight who slew the Duke\nof North Umber; secondly, that thou makest immediate promise that those\nlands in question shall be presently delivered unto King Ryence.\u201d\n\nThen King Leodegrance arose from where he sat and spake to that herald\nwith great dignity of demeanor. \u201cSir Herald,\u201d quoth he, \u201cthe demands\nthat King Ryence maketh upon me pass all bounds for insolence. That\ndeath which the Duke of North Umber suffered, he suffered because of his\nown pride and folly. Nor would I deliver that White Knight into thy\nmaster\u2019s hands, even an I were able to do so. As for those lands that\nthy master demandeth of me, thou mayst tell King Ryence that I will not\ndeliver unto him of those lands so much as a single blade of grass, or a\nsingle grain of corn that groweth thereon.\u201d\n\nAnd the herald said: \u201cIf, so be, that is thine answer, King Leodegrance,\nthen am I bidden for to tell thee that my master, King Ryence of North\nWales, will presently come hither with an array of a great force of\narms, and will take from thee by force those things which thou wilt not\ndeliver unto him peacefully.\u201d Whereupon, so saying, he departed thence\nand went his way.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Leodegrance converses with the Lady Guinevere._]\n\nNow after the herald had departed, King Leodegrance went into his\ncloset, and when he had come there he sent, privily, for the Lady\nGuinevere. So the Lady Guinevere came to him where he was. And King\nLeodegrance said to her: \u201cMy daughter, it hath happened that a knight\nclad all in white, and bearing no crest or device of any sort, hath\ntwice come to our rescue and hath overthrown our enemies. Now it is said\nby everybody that that knight is thine own particular champion, and I\nhear say that he wore thy necklace as a favor when he first went out\nagainst the Duke of North Umber. Now I prithee, daughter, tell me who\nthat White Champion is, and where he may be found.\u201d\n\nThen the Lady Guinevere was overwhelmed with a confusion, wherefore she\nlooked away from her father\u2019s countenance; and she said: \u201cVerily, my\nLord, I know not who that knight may be.\u201d\n\nThen King Leodegrance spake very seriously to the Lady Guinevere, and he\ntook her by the hand and said: \u201cMy daughter, thou art now of an age when\nthou must consider being mated unto a man who may duly cherish thee and\nprotect thee from thine enemies. For, lo! I grow apace in years, and may\nnot hope to defend thee always from those perils that encompass one of\nour estate. Moreover, since King Arthur (who is a very great King\nindeed) hath brought peace unto this realm, all that noble court of\nchivalry which one time gathered about me has been scattered elsewhither\nwhere greater adventures may be found than in my peaceful realm.\nWherefore (as all the world hath seen this week past) I have now not one\nsingle knight whom I may depend upon to defend us in such times of peril\nas these which now overshadow us. Now, my daughter, it doth appear to me\nthat thou couldst not hope to find anyone who could so well safeguard\nthee as this White Knight; for he doth indeed appear to be a champion of\nextraordinary prowess and strength. Wherefore it would be well if thou\ndidst feel thyself to incline unto him as he appeareth to incline unto\nthee.\u201d\n\nThen the Lady Guinevere became all rosy red as with a fire even unto her\nthroat. And she laughed, albeit the tears overflowed her eyes and ran\ndown upon her cheeks. So she wept, yet laughed in weeping. And she said\nunto King Leodegrance: \u201cMy Lord and father, an I give my liking unto any\none in the manner thou speaketh of, I will give it only unto the poor\ngardener\u2019s boy who digs in my garden.\u201d\n\nThen, at these words, the countenance of King Leodegrance became\ncontracted with violent anger, and he cried out: \u201cHa, Lady! Wouldst thou\nmake a mock and a jest of my words?\u201d\n\nThen the Lady Guinevere said: \u201cIndeed, my Lord! I jest not and I mock\nnot. Moreover, I tell thee for verity that that same gardener\u2019s boy\nknoweth more concerning the White Champion than anybody else in all of\nthe world.\u201d Then King Leodegrance said: \u201cWhat is this that thou tellest\nme?\u201d And the Lady Guinevere said: \u201cSend for that gardener\u2019s boy and thou\nshalt know.\u201d And King Leodegrance said: \u201cVerily, there is more in this\nthan I may at present understand.\u201d\n\nSo he called to him the chief of his pages, hight Dorisand, and he said\nto him: \u201cGo, Dorisand, and bring hither the gardener\u2019s boy from the Lady\nGuinevere\u2019s garden.\u201d\n\nSo Dorisand, the page, went as King Leodegrance commanded, and in a\nlittle while he returned, bringing with him that gardener\u2019s boy. And\nwith them came Sir Gawaine, and Sir Ewaine, and Sir Pellias and Sir\nGeraint. And those four lords stood over against the door, where they\nentered; but the gardener\u2019s boy came and stood beside the table where\nKing Leodegrance sat. And the King lifted up his eyes and looked upon\nthe gardener\u2019s boy, and he said: \u201cHa! Wouldst thou wear thy cap in our\npresence?\u201d\n\nThen the gardener\u2019s boy said: \u201cI cannot take off my cap.\u201d\n\nBut the Lady Guinevere, who stood beside the chair of King Leodegrance,\nspake and said: \u201cI do beseech thee, Messire, for to take off thy cap\nunto my father.\u201d\n\nWhereupon the gardener\u2019s boy said: \u201cAt thy bidding I will take it off.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur discovereth himself to King Leodegrance._]\n\nSo he took the cap from off his head, and King Leodegrance beheld his\nface and knew him. And when he saw who it was who stood before him, he\nmade a great outcry from pure amazement. And he said: \u201cMy Lord and my\nKing! What is this!\u201d Thereupon he arose from where he sat, and he went\nand kneeled down upon the ground before King Arthur. And he set the\npalms of his hands together and he put his hands within the hands of\nKing Arthur, and King Arthur took the hands of King Leodegrance within\nhis own. And King Leodegrance said: \u201cMy Lord! My Lord! Is it then thou\nwho hast done all these wonderful things?\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur said: \u201cYea; such as those things were, I have done\nthem.\u201d And he stooped and kissed King Leodegrance upon the cheek and\nlifted him up unto his feet and gave him words of good cheer.\n\nNow the Lady Guinevere, when she beheld those things that passed, was\nastonished beyond measure. And lo! she understood of a sudden all these\nthings with amazing clearness. Wherefore a great fear fell upon her so\nthat she trembled exceedingly, and said unto herself: \u201cWhat things have\nI said unto this great King, and how have I made a mock of him and a\njest of him before all those who were about me!\u201d And at the thought\nthereof, she set her hand upon her side for to still the extreme\ndisturbance of her heart. So, whilst King Arthur and King Leodegrance\ngave to one another words of royal greeting and of compliment, she\nwithdrew herself and went and stood over against the window nigh to the\ncorner of the wall.\n\nThen, by and by, King Arthur lifted up his eyes and beheld her where she\nstood afar off. So he went straightway unto her and he took her by the\nhand, and he said: \u201cLady, what cheer?\u201d\n\nAnd she said: \u201cLord, I am afeard of thy greatness.\u201d And he said: \u201cNay,\nLady. Rather it is I who am afeard of thee. For thy kind regard is\ndearer unto me than anything else in all the world, else had I not\nserved for these twelve days as gardener\u2019s boy in thy garden all for the\nsake of thy good will.\u201d And she said: \u201cThou hast my good will, Lord.\u201d\nAnd he said: \u201cHave I thy good will in great measure?\u201d And she said:\n\u201cYea, thou hast it in great measure.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur is betrothed to the Lady Guinevere._]\n\nThen he stooped his head and kissed her before all those who were there,\nand thus their troth was plighted.\n\nThen King Leodegrance was filled with such an exceeding joy that he wist\nnot how to contain himself therefore.\n\nNow, after these things, there followed a war with King Ryence of North\nWales. For Sir Kay and Sir Ulfius had gathered together a great army as\nKing Arthur had bidden them to do, so that when King Ryence came against\nCameliard he was altogether routed, and his army dispersed, and he\nhimself chased, an outcast, into his mountains.\n\nThen there was great rejoicing in Cameliard. For, after his victory,\nKing Arthur remained there for awhile with an exceedingly splendid Court\nof noble lords and of beautiful ladies. And there was feasting and\njousting and many famous bouts at arms, the like of which those parts\nhad never before beheld. And King Arthur and the Lady Guinevere were\naltogether happy together.\n\nNow, one day, whiles King Arthur sat at feast with King\nLeodegrance--they two being exceedingly expanded with cheerfulness--King\nLeodegrance said unto King Arthur: \u201cMy Lord, what shall I offer thee for\na dowery with my daughter when thou takest her away from me for to be\nthy Queen?\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur turned to Merlin, who stood nigh to him, and he said:\n\u201cHa, Merlin! What shall I demand of my friend by way of that dowery?\u201d\n\nUnto him Merlin said: \u201cMy lord King, thy friend King Leodegrance hath\none thing, the which, should he bestow it upon thee, will singularly\nincrease the glory and renown of thy reign, so that the fame thereof\nshall never be forgotten.\u201d\n\nAnd King Arthur said: \u201cI bid thee, Merlin, tell me what is that thing.\u201d\n\nSo Merlin said: \u201cMy lord King, I will tell thee a story:\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin telleth of the Round Table._]\n\n\u201cIn the days of thy father, Uther-Pendragon, I caused to be made for him\na certain table in the shape of a ring, wherefore men called it the\nROUND TABLE. Now, at this table were seats for fifty men, and these\nseats were designed for the fifty knights who were the most worthy\nknights in all the world. These seats were of such a sort, that whenever\na worthy knight appeared, then his name appeared in letters of gold upon\nthat seat that appertained unto him; and when that knight died, then\nwould his name suddenly vanish from that seat which he had aforetime\noccupied.\n\n\u201cNow, forty-and-nine of these seats, except one seat, were altogether\nalike (saving only one that was set aside for the King himself, which\nsame was elevated above the other seats, and was cunningly carved and\ninlaid with ivory and with gold), and the one seat was different from\nall the others, and it was called the SEAT PERILOUS. For this seat was\nunlike the others both in its structure and its significance; for it was\nall cunningly inset with gold and silver of curious device, and it was\ncovered with a canopy of satin embroidered with gold and silver; and it\nwas altogether of a wonderful magnificence of appearance. And no name\never appeared upon this seat, for only one knight in all of the world\ncould hope to sit therein with safety unto himself. For, if any other\ndared to sit therein, either he would die a sudden and violent death\nwithin three days\u2019 time, or else a great misfortune would befall him.\nHence that seat was called the SEAT PERILOUS.\n\n\u201cNow, in the days of King Uther-Pendragon, there sat seven-and-thirty\nknights at the ROUND TABLE. And when King Uther-Pendragon died, he gave\nthe ROUND TABLE unto his friend, King Leodegrance of Cameliard.\n\n\u201cAnd in the beginning of King Leodegrance\u2019s reign, there sat\nfour-and-twenty knights at the ROUND TABLE.\n\n\u201cBut times have changed since then, and the glory of King Leodegrance\u2019s\nreign hath paled before the glory of thy reign, so that his noble Court\nof knights have altogether quitted him. Wherefore there remaineth now\nnot one name, saving only the name of King Leodegrance, upon all those\nfifty seats that surround the ROUND TABLE. So now that ROUND TABLE lieth\nbeneath its pavilion altogether unused.\n\n\u201cYet if King Leodegrance will give unto thee, my lord King, that ROUND\nTABLE for a dower with the Lady Guinevere, then will it lend unto thy\nreign its greatest glory. For in thy day every seat of that TABLE shall\nbe filled, even unto the SEAT PERILOUS, and the fame of the knights who\nsit at it shall never be forgotten.\u201d\n\n\u201cHa!\u201d quoth King Arthur. \u201cThat would indeed be a dower worthy for any\nking to have with his queen.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Leodegrance bestows the Round Table upon King Arthur._]\n\n\u201cThen,\u201d King Leodegrance said, \u201cthat dower shalt thou have with my\ndaughter; and if it bring thee great glory, then shall thy glory be my\nglory, and thy renown shall be my renown. For if my glory shall wane,\nand thy glory shall increase, behold! is not my child thy wife?\u201d\n\nAnd King Arthur said: \u201cThou sayest well and wisely.\u201d\n\nThus King Arthur became the master of that famous ROUND TABLE. And the\nROUND TABLE was set up at Camelot (which some men now call Winchester).\nAnd by and by there gathered about it such an array of knights as the\nworld had never beheld before that time, and which it shall never behold\nagain.\n\nSuch was the history of the beginning of the ROUND TABLE in King\nArthur\u2019s reign.\n\n[Illustration: King Arthur meets the Lady Guinevere.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Sixth.\n\n_How King Arthur Was Wedded in Royal State and How the Round Table Was\nEstablished._\n\n\nAnd now was come the early fall of the year; that pleasant season\nwhen the meadow-land and the wold were still green with summer\nthat had only just passed; when the sky likewise was as of\nsummer-time--extraordinarily blue and full of large floating clouds;\nwhen a bird might sing here and another there, a short song in memory of\nspring-time, when all the air was tempered with warmth and yet the\nleaves were everywhere turning brown and red and gold, so that when the\nsun shone through them it was as though a cloth of gold, broidered with\nbrown and crimson and green, hung above the head. At this season of the\nyear it is exceedingly pleasant to be a-field among the nut-trees with\nhawk and hound, or to travel abroad in the yellow world, whether it be\na-horse or a-foot.\n\nNow this was the time of year in which had been set the marriage of King\nArthur and the Lady Guinevere at Camelot, and at that place was\nextraordinary pomp and glory of circumstance. All the world was astir\nand in a great ferment of joy, for everybody was exceedingly glad that\nKing Arthur was to have him a Queen.\n\n[Sidenote: _How Camelot town was adorned._]\n\nIn preparation for that great occasion the town of Camelot was bedight\nvery magnificently, for the stony street along which the Lady Guinevere\nmust come to the royal castle of the King was strewn thick with\nfresh-cut rushes smoothly laid. Moreover it was in many places spread\nwith carpets of excellent pattern such as might be fit to lay upon the\nfloor of some goodly hall. Likewise all the houses along the way were\nhung with fine hangings of woven texture interwoven with threads of\nazure and crimson, and everywhere were flags and banners afloat in the\nwarm and gentle breeze against the blue sky, wherefore that all the\nworld appeared to be alive with bright colors, so that when one looked\nadown that street, it was as though one beheld a crooked path of\nexceeding beauty and gayety stretched before him.\n\nThus came the wedding-day of the King--bright and clear and exceedingly\nradiant.\n\nKing Arthur sat in his hall surrounded by his Court awaiting news that\nthe Lady Guinevere was coming thitherward. And it was about the middle\nof the morning when there came a messenger in haste riding upon a\nmilk-white steed. And the raiment of that messenger and the trappings of\nhis horse were all of cloth of gold embroidered with scarlet and white,\nand the tabard of the messenger was set with many jewels of various\nsorts so that he glistened from afar as he rode, with a singular\nsplendor of appearance.\n\nSo this herald-messenger came straight into the castle where the King\nabided waiting, and he said: \u201cArise, my lord King, for the Lady\nGuinevere and her Court draweth nigh unto this place.\u201d\n\nUpon this the King immediately arose with great joy, and straightway he\nwent forth with his Court of Knights, riding in great state. And as he\nwent down that marvellously adorned street, all the people shouted aloud\nas he passed by, wherefore he smiled and bent his head from side to\nside; for that day he was passing happy and loved his people with\nwonderful friendliness.\n\nThus he rode forward unto the town gate, and out therefrom, and so came\nthence into the country beyond where the broad and well-beaten highway\nran winding down beside the shining river betwixt the willows and the\nosiers.\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the Court of the Lady Guinevere._]\n\nAnd, behold! King Arthur and those with him perceived the Court of the\nPrincess where it appeared at a distance, wherefore they made great\nrejoicing and hastened forward with all speed. And as they came nigh,\nthe sun falling upon the apparels of silk and cloth of gold, and upon\ngolden chains and the jewels that hung therefrom, all of that noble\ncompany that surrounded the Lady Guinevere her litter flashed and\nsparkled with surpassing radiance.\n\nFor seventeen of the noblest knights of the King\u2019s Court, clad in\ncomplete armor, and sent by him as an escort unto the lady, rode in\ngreat splendor, surrounding the litter wherein the Princess lay. And the\nframework of that litter was of richly gilded wood, and its curtains and\nits cushions were of crimson silk embroidered with threads of gold. And\nbehind the litter there rode in gay and joyous array, all shining with\nmany colors, the Court of the Princess--her damsels in waiting,\ngentlemen, ladies, pages, and attendants.\n\nSo those parties of the King and the Lady Guinevere drew nigh together\nuntil they met and mingled the one with the other.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur greets the Lady Guinevere._]\n\nThen straightway King Arthur dismounted from his noble horse and, all\nclothed with royalty, he went afoot unto the Lady Guinevere\u2019s litter,\nwhiles Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine held the bridle of his horse.\nThereupon one of her pages drew aside the silken curtains of the Lady\nGuinevere\u2019s litter, and King Leodegrance gave her his hand and she\nstraightway descended therefrom, all embalmed, as it were, in exceeding\nbeauty. So King Leodegrance led her to King Arthur, and King Arthur came\nto her and placed one hand beneath her chin and the other upon her head\nand inclined his countenance and kissed her upon her smooth cheek--all\nwarm and fragrant like velvet for softness, and without any blemish\nwhatsoever. And when he had thus kissed her upon the cheek, all those\nwho were there lifted up their voices in great acclaim, giving loud\nvoice of joy that those two noble souls had thus met together.\n\nThus did King Arthur give welcome unto the Lady Guinevere and unto King\nLeodegrance her father upon the highway beneath the walls of the town of\nCamelot, at the distance of half a league from that place. And no one\nwho was there ever forgot that meeting, for it was full of extraordinary\ngrace and noble courtliness.\n\nThen King Arthur and his Court of Knights and nobles brought King\nLeodegrance and the Lady Guinevere with great ceremony unto Camelot and\nunto the royal castle, where apartments were assigned to all, so that\nthe entire place was alive with joyousness and beauty.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur and the Lady Guinevere are wedded._]\n\nAnd when high noon had come, the entire Court went with great state and\nceremony unto the cathedral, and there, surrounded with wonderful\nmagnificence, those two noble souls were married by the Archbishop.\n\nAnd all the bells rang right joyfully, and all the people who stood\nwithout the cathedral shouted with loud acclaim, and lo! the King and\nthe Queen came forth all shining, like unto the sun for splendor and\nlike unto the moon for beauty.\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the feast at the King\u2019s castle._]\n\nIn the castle a great noontide feast was spread, and there sat thereat\nfour hundred, eighty and six lordly and noble folk--kings, knights, and\nnobles--with queens and ladies in magnificent array. And near to the\nKing and the Queen there sat King Leodegrance and Merlin, and Sir\nUlfius, and Sir Ector the trustworthy, and Sir Gawaine, and Sir Ewaine,\nand Sir Kay, and King Ban, and King Pellinore and many other famous and\nexalted folk, so that no man had ever beheld such magnificent\ncourtliness as he beheld at that famous wedding-feast of King Arthur and\nQueen Guinevere.\n\n * * * * *\n\nAnd that day was likewise very famous in the history of chivalry, for in\nthe afternoon the famous Round Table was established, and that Round\nTable was at once the very flower and the chiefest glory of King\nArthur\u2019s reign.\n\nFor about mid of the afternoon the King and Queen, preceded by Merlin\nand followed by all that splendid Court of kings, lords, nobles and\nknights in full array, made progression to that place where Merlin,\npartly by magic and partly by skill, had caused to be builded a very\nwonderful pavilion above the Round Table where it stood.\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the pavilion of the Round Table._]\n\nAnd when the King and the Queen and the Court had entered in thereat\nthey were amazed at the beauty of that pavilion, for they perceived, an\nit were, a great space that appeared to be a marvellous land of Fay. For\nthe walls were all richly gilded and were painted with very wonderful\nfigures of saints and of angels, clad in ultramarine and crimson, and\nall those saints and angels were depicted playing upon various musical\ninstruments that appeared to be made of gold. And overhead the roof of\nthe pavilion was made to represent the sky, being all of cerulean blue\nsprinkled over with stars. And in the midst of that painted sky was an\nimage, an it were, of the sun in his glory. And under foot was a\npavement all of marble stone, set in squares of black and white, and\nblue and red, and sundry other colors.\n\nIn the midst of the pavilion was a Round Table with seats thereat\nexactly sufficient for fifty persons, and at each of the fifty places\nwas a chalice of gold filled with fragrant wine, and at each place was a\npaten of gold bearing a manchet of fair white bread. And when the King\nand his Court entered into the pavilion, lo! music began of a sudden for\nto play with a wonderful sweetness.\n\nThen Merlin came and took King Arthur by the hand and led him away from\nQueen Guinevere. And he said unto the King, \u201cLo! this is the Round\nTable.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur said, \u201cMerlin, that which I see is wonderful beyond the\ntelling.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur is seated at the Round Table._]\n\nAfter that Merlin discovered unto the King the various marvels of the\nRound Table, for first he pointed to a high seat, very wonderfully\nwrought in precious woods and gilded so that it was exceedingly\nbeautiful, and he said, \u201cBehold, lord King, yonder seat is hight the\n\u2018Seat Royal,\u2019 and that seat is thine for to sit in.\u201d And as Merlin\nspake, lo! there suddenly appeared sundry letters of gold upon the back\nof that seat, and the letters of gold read the name,\n\n =ARTHUR, KING.=\n\nAnd Merlin said, \u201cLord, yonder seat may well be called the centre seat\nof the Round Table, for, in sooth, thou art indeed the very centre of\nall that is most worthy of true knightliness. Wherefore that seat shall\nbe called the centre seat of all the other seats.\u201d\n\nThen Merlin pointed to the seat that stood opposite to the Seat Royal,\nand that seat also was of a very wonderful appearance as afore told in\nthis history. And Merlin said unto the King: \u201cMy lord King, that seat is\ncalled the Seat Perilous, for no man but one in all this world shall sit\ntherein, and that man is not yet born upon the earth. And if any other\nman shall dare to sit therein that man shall either suffer death or a\nsudden and terrible misfortune for his temerity. Wherefore that seat is\ncalled the Seat Perilous.\u201d\n\n\u201cMerlin,\u201d quoth the King, \u201call that thou tellest me passeth the bound of\nunderstanding for marvellousness. Now I do beseech thee in all haste for\nto find forthwith a sufficient number of knights to fill this Round\nTable so that my glory shall be entirely complete.\u201d\n\nThen Merlin smiled upon the King, though not with cheerfulness, and\nsaid, \u201cLord, why art thou in such haste? Know that when this Round Table\nshall be entirely filled in all its seats, then shall thy glory be\nentirely achieved and then forthwith shall thy day begin for to decline.\nFor when any man hath reached the crowning of his glory, then his work\nis done and God breaketh him as a man might break a chalice from which\nsuch perfect ichor hath been drunk that no baser wine may be allowed to\ndefile it. So when thy work is done and ended shall God shatter the\nchalice of thy life.\u201d\n\nThen did the King look very steadfastly into Merlin\u2019s face, and said,\n\u201cOld man, that which thou sayest is ever of great wonder, for thou\nspeakest words of wisdom. Ne\u2019theless, seeing that I am in God His hands,\nI do wish for my glory and for His good will to be accomplished even\nthough He shall then entirely break me when I have served His purposes.\u201d\n\n\u201cLord,\u201d said Merlin, \u201cthou speakest like a worthy king and with a very\nlarge and noble heart. Ne\u2019theless, I may not fill the Round Table for\nthee at this time. For, though thou hast gathered about thee the very\nnoblest Court of Chivalry in all of Christendom, yet are there but two\nand thirty knights here present who may be considered worthy to sit at\nthe Round Table.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen, Merlin,\u201d quoth King Arthur, \u201cI do desire of thee that thou shalt\nstraightway choose me those two and thirty.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo will I do, lord King,\u201d said Merlin.\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin chooseth the knights of the Round Table._]\n\nThen Merlin cast his eyes around and lo! he saw where King Pellinore\nstood at a little distance. Unto him went Merlin and took him by the\nhand. \u201cBehold, my lord King,\u201d quoth he. \u201cHere is the knight in all the\nworld next to thyself who at this time is most worthy for to sit at this\nRound Table. For he is both exceedingly gentle of demeanor unto the poor\nand needy and at the same time is so terribly strong and skilful that I\nknow not whether thou or he is the more to be feared in an encounter of\nknight against knight.\u201d\n\nThen Merlin led King Pellinore forward and behold! upon the high seat\nthat stood upon the left hand of the Royal Seat there appeared of a\nsudden the name,\n\n =PELLINORE.=\n\nAnd the name was emblazoned in letters of gold that shone with\nextraordinary lustre. And when King Pellinore took his seat, great and\nloud acclaim long continued was given him by all those who stood round\nabout.\n\nThen after that Merlin had thus chosen King Arthur and King Pellinore he\nchose out of the Court of King Arthur the following knights, two and\nthirty in all, and these were the knights of great renown in chivalry\nwho did first establish the Round Table. Wherefore they were surnamed\n\u201cThe Ancient and Honorable Companions of the Round Table.\u201d\n\nTo begin, there was Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine, who were nephews unto\nthe King, and they sat nigh to him upon the right hand; there was Sir\nUlfius (who held his seat but four years and eight months unto the time\nof his death, after which Sir Geheris--who was esquire unto his brother,\nSir Gawaine--held that seat); and there was Sir Kay the Seneschal, who\nwas foster brother unto the King; and there was Sir Baudwain of Britain\n(who held his seat but three years and two months until his death, after\nthe which Sir Agravaine held that seat); and there was Sir Pellias and\nSir Geraint and Sir Constantine, son of Sir Caderes the Seneschal of\nCornwall (which same was king after King Arthur); and there was Sir\nCaradoc and Sir Sagramore, surnamed the Desirous, and Sir Dinadan and\nSir Dodinas, surnamed the Savage, and Sir Bruin, surnamed the Black, and\nSir Meliot of Logres, and Sir Aglaval and Sir Durnure, and Sir Lamorac\n(which three young knights were sons of King Pellinore), and there was\nSir Griflet and Sir Ladinas and Sir Brandiles and Sir Persavant of\nIronside, and Sir Dinas of Cornwall, and Sir Brian of Listinoise, and\nSir Palomides and Sir Degraine and Sir Epinogres, the son of the King\nof North Umberland and brother unto the enchantress Vivien, and Sir\nLamiel of Cardiff, and Sir Lucan the Bottler and Sir Bedevere his\nbrother (which same bare King Arthur unto the ship of Fairies when he\nlay so sorely wounded nigh unto death after the last battle which he\nfought). These two and thirty knights were the Ancient Companions of the\nRound Table, and unto them were added others until there were nine and\nforty in all, and then was added Sir Galahad, and with him the Round\nTable was made entirely complete.\n\nNow as each of these knights was chosen by Merlin, lo! as he took that\nknight by the hand, the name of that knight suddenly appeared in golden\nletters, very bright and shining, upon the seat that appertained to him.\n\nBut when all had been chosen, behold! King Arthur saw that the seat upon\nthe right hand of the Seat Royal had not been filled, and that it bare\nno name upon it. And he said unto Merlin: \u201cMerlin, how is this, that the\nseat upon my right hand hath not been filled, and beareth no name?\u201d\n\nAnd Merlin said: \u201cLord, there shall be a name thereon in a very little\nwhile, and he who shall sit therein shall be the greatest knight in all\nthe world until that the knight cometh who shall occupy the Seat\nPerilous. For he who cometh shall exceed all other men in beauty and in\nstrength and in knightly grace.\u201d\n\nAnd King Arthur said: \u201cI would that he were with us now.\u201d And Merlin\nsaid: \u201cHe cometh anon.\u201d\n\nThus was the Round Table established with great pomp and great ceremony\nof estate. For first the Archbishop of Canterbury blessed each and every\nseat, progressing from place to place surrounded by his Holy Court, the\nchoir whereof singing most musically in accord, whiles others swung\ncensers from which there ascended an exceedingly fragrant vapor of\nfrankincense, filling that entire pavilion with an odor of Heavenly\nblessedness.\n\nAnd when the Archbishop had thus blessed every one of those seats, the\nchosen knight took each his stall at the Round Table, and his esquire\ncame and stood behind him, holding the banneret with his coat-of-arms\nupon the spear-point above the knight\u2019s head. And all those who stood\nabout that place, both knights and ladies, lifted up their voices in\nloud acclaim.\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the ceremony of installation of the Round Table._]\n\nThen all the knights arose, and each knight held up before him the cross\nof the hilt of his sword, and each knight spake word for word as King\nArthur spake. And this was the covenant of their Knighthood of the Round\nTable: That they would be gentle unto the weak; that they would be\ncourageous unto the strong; that they would be terrible unto the wicked\nand the evil-doer; that they would defend the helpless who should call\nupon them for aid; that all women should be held unto them sacred; that\nthey would stand unto the defence of one another whensoever such defence\nshould be required; that they would be merciful unto all men; that they\nwould be gentle of deed, true in friendship, and faithful in love. This\nwas their covenant, and unto it each knight sware upon the cross of his\nsword, and in witness thereof did kiss the hilt thereof. Thereupon all\nwho stood thereabouts once more gave loud acclaim.\n\nThen all the knights of the Round Table seated themselves, and each\nknight brake bread from the golden patten, and quaffed wine from the\ngolden chalice that stood before him, giving thanks unto God for that\nwhich he ate and drank.\n\nThus was King Arthur wedded unto Queen Guinevere, and thus was the Round\nTable established.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] _CONCLUSION_\n\n\n_So endeth this Book of King Arthur which hath been told by me with such\njoyousness of spirit that I find it to be a very great pleasure, in\nclosing this first volume of my work, to look forward to writing a\nsecond volume, which now presently followeth._\n\n_In that volume there shall be told the history of several very noble\nworthies who were of the Court of the King, and it seems to me to be a\ngood thing to have to do with the history of such noble and honorable\nknights and gentlemen. For, indeed, it might well please anyone to read\nsuch an history, and to hear those worthies speak, and to behold in what\nmanner they behaved in times of trial and tribulation. For their example\nwill doubtless help us all to behave in a like manner in a like case._\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: The BOOK of THREE WORTHIES]\n\n[Illustration: The Lady of ye Lake]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Foreword.\n\n_Here beginneth the Second Book of the History of King Arthur, called\nThe Book of Three Worthies, because it has to do with three very\nexcellent, honorable Lords of the Court of King Arthur._\n\n_Of these three, the first is Merlin the Wise, the second is Sir\nPellias, surnamed the Gentle Knight, and the third is Sir Gawaine, the\nson of King Lot of Orkney and the Isles._\n\n_So now presently follows the story of the passing of Merlin the Wise;\nin the which you shall see how the very wisdom that Merlin possessed in\nsuch great measure was the cause of his own undoing. Wherefore I do hope\nthat you yourselves may take that story unto heart so that you shall see\nthat those gifts of mind or person which God assigns unto you may not\nbe so misused by you or others that they shall become the means of\ncompassing your own downfall._\n\n_For it shall not excuse you in any wise that, as you journey forward in\nyour life, you shall find many men who, like Merlin, have been endowed\nby the grace of God with very great gifts of talent which they might\nvery easily use to the great benefit of mankind, but which they so\nmisuse as to bring the greater ruin upon themselves and the greater harm\nunto other men. For, if you shall prove so weak or so wicked as to\nmisuse your talents in that manner unto the harm of others and of\nyourself, it shall not make your fault the less that others shall have\ndone greater evil than yourself._\n\n_Wherefore, let this story of Merlin be a warning unto you, I pray you\nall. For, though I do not believe that Merlin intended that his talents\nof magic should do harm unto others, yet, because of his folly, they did\nas great harm as though he himself had designed to do evil by means of\nthem. Yea; it is hard to tell whether the wickedness or the follies of\nmen do the greater harm in the world; therefore seek to guard yourself\nwell, not only against sin, but against folly and weakness likewise._\n\n[Illustration: The Enchanter Merlin.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: Sorcery.] Prologue.\n\n\nUpon a certain day King Arthur sat in the Royal Hall of Camelot with the\nQueen and all of his Court and all of her Court. And there was great joy\nand mirth at that place.\n\n[Sidenote: _A messenger cometh to the King at Camelot._]\n\nWhiles they sat there, there suddenly came an armed knight into the\nHall, and his armor was all covered with blood and dust, and he had a\ngreat many wounds upon his body. Then all they who were at that place\nwere astonished and affrighted at the aspect of that knight, for his\nappearance boded no good news to King Arthur. The knight-messenger came\nto where the King was, and he was nearly fainting with weakness and with\nthe many wounds he had received, and he brought news unto those who were\nthere present that five kings, enemies to King Arthur, had suddenly come\ninto that land and that they were burning and harrying the country upon\nevery side.\n\nAnd the knight-messenger said that these five kings were the King of\nDenmark, the King of Ireland, the King of Soleyse, the King of the Vale,\nand the King of Longtinaise. These had brought with them a great host\nand were laying waste the land all around about, so that all the realm\nwas in sore travail and sorrow because of their devastations.\n\nUpon this news, King Arthur smote his palms together with great\nvehemence and cried out, \u201cAlas! who would be a king! Will the time\nnever come when these wars and disturbances shall cease and we shall\nhave entire peace in this land!\u201d Therewith he arose in great agitation\nand went out from that place, and all who were there were in sore\ntrouble.\n\nSo King Arthur immediately sent messengers to two friendly kings who\nwere nearest to him--to wit, to King Pellinore and to King Uriens of\nGore--and he bade them to come to his aid without any loss of time.\nMeantime he himself gathered together a large army with intent to go\nforth to meet his enemies forthwith.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur asketh aid of King Uriens and of King\nPellinore._]\n\nSo he went forth and upon the third day he came with his army unto the\nforest of Tintagalon and there he stayed with intent to rest for a\nlittle until King Pellinore and King Uriens should have joined him.\n\nBut the five kings, his enemies, had news that King Arthur was at that\nplace, and thereupon they made a forced march through North Wales with\nintent to strike him ere those other two kings could come to his aid. So\nthey came by night to where King Arthur was, and they fell upon him so\nunexpectedly that there was great danger of his army being put to rout\nbefore that assault.\n\nBut King Arthur drew his army together by his own courage and\nlarge-heartedness, and so they defended themselves with a great spirit\nuntil King Pellinore appeared with his army and joined in that battle.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur is victorious._]\n\nSo in the end King Arthur won a great victory over his enemies; for they\nwere put to rout and scattered in every direction. Likewise by means of\nthat war, and because of the submissions of these five kings, King\nArthur recovered all that realm that had once been his father\u2019s, and\nmore besides.\n\n[Sidenote: _Eight knights of the Round Table are slain in battle._]\n\nNow in that war eight of the knights of the Round Table lost their\nlives, and King Arthur mourned their loss with great dolor; for these\nwere the first knights of the Round Table who had lost their lives in\ndoing battle in his defence.\n\nWhilst King Arthur was grieving very sorely for these eight knights,\nMerlin came unto him, and said, \u201cBe not downcast, lord, for lo! thou\nhast many excellent knights still left about thee and thou canst\ncertainly not have a very great deal of trouble in filling those eight\nplaces that have been thus made empty by death. Now if thou followest my\ncounsel, thou must choose some very worthy adviser from the\nknights-companion of thy Round Table, and thou wilt consult with him in\nthis matter (for the counsel of two is better than the counsel of one),\nand between ye ye may fill those places made vacant by war.\u201d\n\nThis counsel appeared very good to King Arthur, so he did as Merlin\nadvised. For that morning he summoned King Pellinore to his privy\ncloset and laid the matter before him and they two communed together\nthereupon. In that consultation King Pellinore advised King Arthur in\nthis wise: That there should be four old and worthy knights chosen to\nfill four of those empty seats, and that there should be four young and\nardent knights chosen to fill the other four seats, and in that manner\nall those eight seats should be filled.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur and King Pellinore choose eight old and worthy\nknights for the Round Table._]\n\nNow that advice appeared to King Arthur to be good, wherefore he said,\n\u201cLet it be that way.\u201d So first they two chose the four old knights as\nfollows: There was King Uriens of Gore, and King Lac, and Sir Hervise de\nReuel, and Sir Galliar of Rouge. And from the younger knights of the\nCourt they chose Sir Marvaise of Leisle, and Sir Lionel, the son of King\nBan of Benwick, and Sir Cadar of Cornwall. So that there was one place\nyet to be filled.\n\n[Sidenote: _They choose three young knights for the Round Table._]\n\nNow it was a very hard thing to determine who should fill that place,\nfor there were at that time two very honorable young knights at the\nCourt. One of these was Sir Baudemagus, a young knight, brother of Sir\nEwaine and son of King Uriens of Gore and Queen Morgana le Fay (which\nlady was half-sister unto King Arthur as hath been aforetold). And the\nother young knight was Sir Tor who, though late come to the Court, had\nperformed several very famous adventures. And Sir Tor was a son of King\nPellinore (though not of his Queen), and King Pellinore loved him a very\ngreat deal.\n\nThen King Pellinore said to King Arthur, \u201cLord, there are certainly but\ntwo knights in all thy Court to choose from for to fill this eighth seat\nat the Round Table: one of these is thy sister\u2019s son, Sir Baudemagus,\nand the other is my son, Sir Tor. Now I may not advise thee in this\nmatter, wherefore do thou, Lord, choose the one or the other of these\nyoung knights to fill that place. But this I may say, that it will\nplease me very greatly if thy favor should fall upon Sir Baudemagus, for\nthen will all the world believe that I have been above reproach in my\ndealings in this affair, whereas should Sir Tor be chosen all men would\nsay that I favored mine own son.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur chooseth Sir Tor for the Round Table._]\n\nThen King Arthur meditated upon this matter for a long while and by and\nby he spoke and said, \u201cSir, I have weighed this whole affair, and it is\nmy belief that Sir Tor is the better knight of those twain. For he hath\nperformed several very excellent adventures, whilst Sir Baudemagus,\nthough a worthy knight, hath not yet made manifest any very great\nachievement in the fields of chivalry. So, in God\u2019s name, let Sir Tor\nbe seated as companion of the Round Table.\u201d\n\nThen King Pellinore said, \u201cSo be it,\u201d and thereupon they both arose and\nwent forth from that place.\n\nAnd, lo! that very moment the names of those eight worthies so chosen\nappeared each upon the back of the seat at the Round Table that\nappertained unto him, and so the decision of those two knights was\nconfirmed in the sight of all the world in that manner.\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Morgana le Fay is affronted with King Arthur._]\n\nNow when the word of all this reached the ears of Queen Morgana le Fay\nshe was greatly affronted that Sir Baudemagus, her son, should have been\npassed by and that another should have been chosen in his stead.\nWherefore she cried out against King Arthur in the hearing of several\npeople, saying: \u201cHa! how is this! is blood and kinship of no account in\nthe eyes of this King that he passes by so worthy a knight as his own\nnephew to choose one who is not of lawful birth in his stead? Now, my\nhusband\u2019s house has suffered many grievous ills at the hands of King\nArthur, for, lo! he hath taken away our royal power and hath made us all\nlittle better than captives in his own Court. This in itself is as great\nan affront as though we were his bitter enemies instead of his nigh of\nkin. But this that he hath now done to my son in thus passing him by is\na greater affront than that other.\u201d\n\nAnd Queen Morgana le Fay spake in this wise not only to King Uriens, who\nwas her husband, but to Sir Ewaine and to Sir Baudemagus, who were her\nsons. But King Uriens of Gore rebuked her for her speech, for he had\ngrown to love King Arthur very much because of the high nobility of his\nnature, and likewise Sir Ewaine rebuked her saying that he would listen\nto no ill thing said of King Arthur, for that not only did he love King\nArthur better than anyone else in all the world, but that the King was\nat once the looking-glass of all knighthood and likewise the very\nfountain-head of honor.\n\nSo spake these two; but Sir Baudemagus hearkened to what his mother\nQueen Morgana said, for he was very angry with King Arthur because the\nKing had passed him by. Wherefore he took his departure from the Court\nwithout asking leave of King Arthur and went errant in quest of\nadventure, and at this King Arthur was very sorry.\n\nNow, as aforesaid, Queen Morgana le Fay spake her indignation to several\nother people of the Court, so that word thereof came at last to the ears\nof King Arthur and grieved him a very great deal. So when Queen Morgana\ncame to him one day and besought his leave for to quit the Court, he\nspake to her with great sadness of spirit, saying, \u201cMy sister, I am\nvery sorry that you are not pleased with what I have done in this\nmatter, for God knows that I have endeavored to do to the best of my\npower. And though I would rather a great deal that Sir Baudemagus were\nfellow of the Round Table, yet it was my very honest belief that, for\nseveral reasons, Sir Tor had the best right to a seat at that Table. Now\nif I chose otherwise than according to my right judgment, what virtue\nwould the Round Table have, seeing that I should have shown favor unto a\nman because of his kinship to me?\u201d\n\nThen Queen Morgana le Fay said with great heat, \u201cSir, all that you say\nonly adds to the affront that our house hath sustained at your hands.\nFor now you not only deny my son that seat, but you belittle him by\ncomparing him to his disadvantage with this low-born knight whom you\nhave chosen. Now, the only pleasure that I can have in talking to you is\nto beseech you to let me go away from this place.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur, speaking with great dignity, said, \u201cLady, it shall be\nas you would have it, and you shall go whithersoever it pleases you. For\nGod forbid that I should stay you in your wishes. Moreover, I shall see\nto it that you shall not depart from this place without such a Court for\ncompany as may very well befit one who is the wife of one king and the\nsister of another.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Morgana le Fay leaveth the Court of King Arthur._]\n\nAnd so he did as he said he would do, for he sent Queen Morgana le Fay\naway from his Court with great honor and in high estate of circumstance.\nBut the more patient King Arthur was with her and the more he showed her\nfavor, the more angry Queen Morgana le Fay was with him and the more she\nhated him.\n\nSo she betook her way to an estuary of the sea and there she dismissed\nthose whom the King had sent with her and embarked with her own Court in\nseveral ships, betaking her way to that enchanted isle, hight Avalon,\nwhich was her home.\n\nThis island of Avalon was a very strange, wonderful land, such as was\nnot to be seen anywhere else in all the world. For it was like a\nParadise for beauty, being covered all over with divers gardens of\nflowers, intermingled with plantations of fair trees, some bearing fruit\nand others all a-bloom with blossoms. And besides these were many\nterraces of lawns, and smooth slopes of grass lying all about the\nborders of the island, and overlooking the sea from tall white walls of\npure marble. And in the midst of these gardens and orchards and\nplantations and lawns and terraces, were a multitude of castles and\ntowers built up the one above the other--some as white as snow and\nothers very gay with many colors.\n\nAnd the greatest marvel of that wonderful island was this: that in the\nmidst of all those castles and towers was a single tower built entirely\nof loadstone. And in that lay the great mystery of that place.\n\nFor the island floated upon the surface of the water, and that tower of\nloadstone possessed such a potency that Avalon would float from place to\nplace according to the will of Queen Morgana le Fay, so that sometimes\nit would be here, and sometimes it would be there, as that royal lady\nwilled it to be.\n\nNor was there a very many people who had seen that island, for\nsomewhiles it would be all covered over with a mist of enchantment like\nto silver, so that no eyes could behold it unless they were fay. But\nsometimes it had been seen, as it were a vision of Paradise. What time\nhe who beheld it would hear gay voices sounding from its lawns and\nplantations--very thin and clear because of the great distance (for no\none ever came nigh to Avalon unless by authority of Queen Morgana le\nFay), and he would hear music of so sweet a sort that it was likely that\nhis soul would grow all faint because of the music. Then Avalon would\nsuddenly disappear very marvellously, and he who had seen it would be\naware that it was not likely that he would ever see it again.\n\nSuch was the island of Avalon, and if you would read of it more\nparticularly you shall find much about it in a certain book written in\nFrench and called \u201cOgier le Danois.\u201d\n\nQueen Morgana le Fay loved this island a very great deal, and it is said\nby many that King Arthur is yet alive in that place, lying there very\npeacefully and tranquilly whiles he awaits that certain time when he\nshall return unto the world to make right all that is wrong therein. So\nit is I have told you of it with these particulars at this place.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nPART I\n\nThe Story of Merlin\n\n\n_Here followeth a particular account of the enchantment of Merlin by a\ncertain damsel, hight Vivien, and of all the circumstances thereunto\nappertaining.\n\nLikewise it is to be narrated how King Arthur was betrayed by his own\nsister, and of how he would certainly have been slain only for the help\nof that same enchantress Vivien who was the cause of Merlin\u2019s undoing.\n\nAlso it shall be told how the sheath of Excalibur was lost at that\ntime._\n\n[Illustration: The Enchantress Vivien]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter First.\n\n_How Queen Morgana le Fay Meditated Evil Against King Arthur and How She\nSent a Damsel to Beguile the Enchanter, Merlin._\n\n\nNow Morgana le Fay was a very cunning enchantress, and was so much\nmistress of magic that she could, by means of potent spells, work her\nwill upon all things, whether quick or dead. For Merlin himself had been\nher master in times past, and had taught her his arts whilst she was\nstill a young damsel at the Court of Uther-Pendragon. So it was that,\nnext to Merlin, she was, at that time, the most potent enchanter in all\nthe world. Nevertheless she lacked Merlin\u2019s foreknowledge of things to\nhappen and his gift of prophecy thereupon, for these things he could not\nimpart unto anyone, wherefore she had not learned them of him.\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Morgana contemplates evil against King Arthur._]\n\nNow, after Queen Morgana le Fay had come to the Island of Avalon as\naforetold, she brooded a great deal over that affront which she deemed\nKing Arthur had placed upon her house; and the more she brooded upon it\nthe more big did it become in her mind. Wherefore, at last, it seemed to\nher that she could have no pleasure in life unless she could punish King\nArthur for that which he had done. Yea; she would have been glad to see\nhim dead at her feet because of the anger that she felt against him.\n\nBut Queen Morgana was very well aware that she could never do the King,\nher brother, an injury so long as Merlin was there to safeguard him, for\nMerlin would certainly foresee any danger that might threaten the King,\nand would counteract it, wherefore she was aware that if she would\ndestroy the King, she must first destroy Merlin.\n\nNow, there was at the Court of Queen Morgana le Fay, a certain damsel of\nsuch marvellous and bewitching beauty that her like was hardly to be\nseen in all of the world. This damsel was fifteen years old and of royal\nblood, being the daughter of the King of Northumberland; and her name\nwas Vivien. This damsel, Vivien, was both wise and cunning beyond all\nmeasure for one so young. Moreover, she was without any heart, being\ncold and cruel to all who were contrary-minded to her wishes. So,\nbecause she was so cunning and wise, Queen Morgana liked her and taught\nher many things of magic and sorcery which she knew. But,\nnotwithstanding all that Queen Morgana did for her, this maiden did not\nfeel any love for her mistress, being altogether devoid of heart.\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Morgana talketh with the Damsel Vivien._]\n\nOne day this damsel and Queen Morgana le Fay sat together in a garden of\nthat magic island of Avalon, and the garden was upon a very high terrace\nand overlooked the sea. And the day was very fair and the sea so\nwonderfully blue that it appeared to be as though the blue sky had\nmelted into water and the water into the sky. As Vivien and the Queen\nsat in this beautiful place, the Queen said to the damsel, \u201cVivien, what\nwouldst thou rather have than anything else in all the world?\u201d To which\nVivien replied, \u201cLady, I would rather have such wisdom as thou hast,\nthan anything else.\u201d\n\nThen Queen Morgana laughed and said, \u201cIt is possible for thee to be as\nwise as I am, and wiser too, if so be thou wilt do according to my\nordination. For I know a way in which thou mayst obtain wisdom.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow may I obtain that wisdom, Lady?\u201d said Vivien.\n\nThen Queen Morgana le Fay said, \u201cHearken and I will tell thee. Thou must\nknow that Merlin, whom thou hast several times seen at the Court of King\nArthur, is the master of all the wisdom that it is possible for anyone\nto possess in this world. All that I know of magic Merlin hath taught\nme, and he knoweth many things that he did not teach me, but which he\nwithheld from me. For Merlin taught me, when I was a young damsel at the\nCourt of my mother\u2019s husband, because I was beautiful in his eyes. For\nMerlin loveth beauty above all things else in the world, and so he\ntaught me many things of magic and was very patient with me.\n\n\u201cBut Merlin hath a gift which belongeth to him and which he cannot\ncommunicate to anyone else, for it is instinct with him. That gift is\nthe gift of foreseeing into the future and the power of prophesying\nthereupon.\n\n\u201cYet though he may foresee the fate of others, still he is blind to his\nown fate. For so he confessed to me several times: that he could not\ntell what was to happen in his own life when that happening concerned\nhimself alone.\n\n\u201cNow thou, Vivien, art far more beautiful than I was at thine age.\nWherefore I believe that thou wilt easily attract the regard of Merlin\nunto thee. And if I give thee, besides, a certain charm which I possess,\nI may cause it to be that Merlin may love thee so much that he will\nimpart to thee a great deal more of his wisdom than ever he taught me\nwhen I was his disciple.\n\n\u201cBut thou art to know, Vivien, that in winning this gift of knowledge\nfrom Merlin thou wilt put thyself in great peril. For, by and by, when\nthe charm of thy beauty shall have waned with him, then he may easily\nregret what he hath done in imparting his wisdom to thee; in the which\ncase there will be great danger that he may lay some spell upon thee to\ndeprive thee of thy powers; for it would be impossible that both thou\nand he could live in the same world and each of ye know so much cunning\nof magic.\u201d\n\nNow unto all this Vivien listened with a great deal of attention, and\nwhen Queen Morgana had ended the damsel said, \u201cDear Lady, all that thou\ntellest me is very wonderful, and I find myself possessed with a\nvehement desire to attain such knowledge in magic as that. Wherefore, if\nthou wilt help me in this matter so that I may beguile his wisdom from\nMerlin, thou wilt make of me a debtor unto thee for as long as I may\nlive. And touching the matter of any danger that may fall to me in this\naffair, I am altogether willing to assume that; for I have a great hope\nthat I may be able so to protect myself from Merlin that no harm shall\nbefall me. For when I have drawn all the knowledge that I am able to\nobtain from him, then I will use that same knowledge to cast such a\nspell upon him that he shall never be able to harm me or anyone else\nagain. In this I shall play my wit against his wisdom and my beauty\nagainst his cunning, and I believe that I shall win at that game.\u201d\n\nThen Queen Morgana fell a-laughing beyond all measure, and when she had\nstinted her laughter, she cried, \u201cHey, Vivien! certes thou art cunning\nbeyond anything that I ever heard tell of, and I believe that thou art\nas wicked as thou art cunning. For whoever heard of a child of fifteen\nyears old who would speak such words as thou hast just now spoken; or\nwhoever could suppose that so young a girl could conceive the thought of\ncompassing the downfall of the wisest magician who hath ever lived.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Morgana giveth Vivien two enchanted rings._]\n\nThen Queen Morgana le Fay set to her lips a small whistle of ivory and\ngold and blew very shrilly upon it, and in reply there came running a\nyoung page of her Court. Queen Morgana commanded him to bring to her a\ncertain casket of alabaster, cunningly carved and adorned with gold and\nset with several precious stones. And Queen Morgana opened the box and\ntook from within it two rings of pure yellow gold, beautifully wrought\nand set, the one ring with a clear white stone of extraordinary\nbrilliancy, and the other with a stone as red as blood. Then Queen\nMorgana said, \u201cVivien, behold these two rings! They possess each a spell\nof wonderful potency. For if thou wearest that ring with the white\nstone, whoever weareth the ring with the red stone shall love thee with\nsuch a passion of love that thou mayst do with him whatever thou hast a\nwill to do. So take these rings and go to King Arthur\u2019s Court and use\nthem as thy cunning may devise.\u201d\n\nSo Vivien took the two rings and gave Queen Morgana le Fay thanks beyond\nall measure for them.\n\n * * * * *\n\n[Sidenote: _Vivien appears before King Arthur at the Feast of\nPentecost._]\n\nNow King Arthur took much pleasure in holding a great feast each\nPentecost, at which time his Court was gathered about him with much\nmirth and rejoicing. At such times it delighted him to have some\nexcellent entertainment for to amuse himself and his Court, wherefore it\nbefell that nearly always something happened that gave much\nentertainment to the King. So came the Feast of Pentecost, and King\nArthur sat at the table with a great many noble and lordly folk and\nseveral kings and queens. Now as they all sat at that feast, their\nspirits greatly expanded with mirth and good cheer, there suddenly came\ninto the hall a very beautiful young damsel, and with her a dwarf,\nwonderfully misshapen and of a very hideous countenance. And the maiden\nwas dressed all in flame-colored satin, very rich, and with beautiful\nembroidery of gold and embroidery of silver. And her hair, which was red\nlike gold, was coiled into a net of gold. And her eyes were black as\ncoals and extraordinarily bright and glistening. And she had about her\nthroat a necklace of gold of three strands, so that with all that gold\nand those bright garments she shone with wonderful splendor as she\nentered the hall. Likewise, the dwarf who accompanied her was clad all\nin flame-colored raiment, and he bore in his hands a cushion of\nflame-colored silk with tassels of gold, and upon the cushion he bare a\nring of exceeding beauty set with a red stone.\n\nSo when King Arthur beheld this beautiful maiden he supposed nothing\nelse, than that there was some excellent entertainment, and at that he\nrejoiced a very great deal.\n\nBut when he looked well at the damsel it appeared to him that he knew\nher face, wherefore he said to her, \u201cDamsel, who art thou?\u201d \u201cSir,\u201d she\nsaid, \u201cI am the daughter of the King of Northumberland, and my name is\nVivien,\u201d and thereat King Arthur was satisfied.\n\nThen King Arthur said to her, \u201cLady, what is that thou hast upon yonder\ncushion, and why hast thou honored us by coming hitherward?\u201d To the\nwhich Vivien made reply, \u201cLord, I have here a very good entertainment\nfor to give you pleasure at this Feast of Pentecost. For here is a ring\nof such a sort that only he who is the most wise and the most worthy of\nall men here present may wear it.\u201d And King Arthur said, \u201cLet us see the\nring.\u201d\n\nSo Vivien took the ring from the cushion which the dwarf held and she\ncame and brought it unto King Arthur, and the King took the ring into\nhis own hand. And he perceived that the ring was extraordinarily\nbeautiful, wherefore he said, \u201cMaiden, have I thy leave to try this ring\nupon my finger?\u201d And Vivien said, \u201cYea, lord.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur trieth on the ring._]\n\nSo King Arthur made attempt to place the ring upon his finger; but, lo!\nthe ring shrank in size so that it would not pass beyond the first joint\nthereof. Wherefore King Arthur said, \u201cIt would appear that I am not\nworthy to wear this ring.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin secureth the ring._]\n\nThen the damsel, Vivien, said, \u201cHave I my lord\u2019s leave to offer this\nring to others of his Court?\u201d And King Arthur said, \u201cLet the others try\nthe ring.\u201d So Vivien took the ring to the various folk of the Court,\nboth lords and ladies, but not one of these could wear the ring. Then\nlast of all Vivien came to the place where Merlin sat, and she kneeled\nupon the ground before him and offered the ring to him; and Merlin,\nbecause this concerned himself, could not forecast into the future to\nknow that harm was intended to him. Nevertheless he looked sourly upon\nthe damsel and he said, \u201cChild, what is this silly trick thou offerest\nme?\u201d \u201cSir,\u201d quoth Vivien, \u201cI beseech you for to try this ring upon your\nfinger.\u201d Then Merlin regarded the damsel more closely, and he perceived\nthat she was very beautiful, wherefore his heart softened toward her a\ngreat deal. So he spake more gently unto her and he said, \u201cWherefore\nshould I take the ring?\u201d To the which she made reply, \u201cBecause I believe\nthat thou art the most wise and the most worthy of any man in all this\nplace, wherefore the ring should belong to thee.\u201d Then Merlin smiled,\nand took the ring and placed it upon his finger, and, lo! it fitted the\nfinger exactly. Thereupon Vivien cried out, \u201cSee! the ring hath fitted\nhis finger and he is the most wise and the most worthy.\u201d And Merlin was\ngreatly pleased that the ring which the beautiful damsel had given him\nhad fitted his finger in that way.\n\nThen, after a while, he would have withdrawn the ring again but, behold!\nhe could not, for the ring had grown to his finger as though it were a\npart of the flesh and the bone thereof. At this Merlin became much\ntroubled in spirit and very anxious, for he did not understand what\nmight be meant by the magic of the ring. So he said, \u201cLady, whence came\nthis ring?\u201d And Vivien said, \u201cSir, thou knowest all things; dost thou\nthen not know that this ring was sent hitherward from Morgana le Fay?\u201d\nThen again Merlin was greatly a-doubt, and he said, \u201cI hope there may be\nno evil in this ring.\u201d And Vivien smiled upon him and said, \u201cWhat evil\ncould there be in it?\u201d\n\nNow by this time the great magic that was in the ring began to work upon\nMerlin\u2019s spirit, wherefore he regarded Vivien very steadily, and\nsuddenly he took great pleasure in her beauty. Then the magic of the\nring gat entire hold upon him and, lo! a wonderful passion immediately\nseized upon his heart and wrung it so that it was pierced as with a\nviolent agony.\n\nAnd Vivien beheld what passed in Merlin\u2019s mind, and she laughed and\nturned away. And several others who were there also observed the very\nstrange manner in which Merlin regarded her, wherefore they said among\nthemselves, \u201cOf a surety Merlin is bewitched by the beauty of that young\ndamoiselle.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The ring worketh its charm upon Merlin the Wise._]\n\nSo, after that time the enchantment of the ring of Morgana le Fay so\nwrought upon Merlin\u2019s spirit that he could in no wise disentangle\nhimself from Vivien\u2019s witchery; for from that day forth, whithersoever\nshe went, there he might be found not far away; and if she was in the\ngarden, he would be there; and if she was in the Hall, he also would be\nthere; and if she went a-hawking he would also be a-horse-back. And all\nthe Court observed these things and many made themselves merry and\njested upon it. But, Vivien hated Merlin with all her might, for she saw\nthat they all made merry at that folly of Merlin\u2019s, and he wearied her\nwith his regard. But she dissembled this disregard before his face and\nbehaved to him in all ways as though she had a great friendship for him.\n\nNow it happened upon a day that Vivien sat in the garden, and it was\nwonderfully pleasant summer weather, and Merlin came into the garden and\nbeheld Vivien where she sat. But when Vivien perceived Merlin coming\nshe suddenly felt so great a disregard for him that she could not bear\nfor to be nigh him at that time, wherefore she arose in haste with\nintent to escape from him. But Merlin hurried and overtook her and he\nsaid to her, \u201cChild, do you then hate me?\u201d And Vivien said, \u201cSir, I do\nnot hate you.\u201d But Merlin said, \u201cIn very truth I believe that you do\nhate me.\u201d And Vivien was silent.\n\nThen in a little Merlin said, \u201cI would that I knew what I might do for\nyou so that you would cease to hate me, for I find that I have a\nwonderful love for you.\u201d Upon this Vivien looked at Merlin very\nstrangely, and by and by she said, \u201cSir, if you would only impart your\nwisdom and your cunning unto me, then I believe that I could love you a\nvery great deal. For, behold! I am but as a young child in knowledge and\nthou art so old and so wise that I am afraid of thee. If thou wouldst\nteach me thy wisdom so that I might be thine equal, then haply I might\ngrow to have such a regard for thee as thou wouldst have me feel.\u201d\n\nUpon this Merlin looked very steadily at Vivien and he said, \u201cDamsel,\nthou art, certes, no such foolish child as thou dost proclaim thyself to\nbe; for I see that thine eyes are very bright with a cunning beyond thy\nyears. Now I misdoubt that if I should teach thee the wisdom which thou\ndost desire to possess, either it would be to thy undoing or else it\nwould be to my undoing.\u201d\n\nThen Vivien cried out with a very loud and piercing voice, \u201cMerlin, if\nthou dost love me, teach me thy wisdom and the cunning of thy magic and\nthen I will love thee beyond anyone else in all the world!\u201d\n\nBut Merlin sighed very deeply, for his heart misgave him. Then by and by\nhe said, \u201cVivien, thou shalt have thy will and I will teach thee all\nthose things of wisdom and magic that thou desirest to know.\u201d\n\nUpon this Vivien was filled with such vehement agony of joy that she did\nnot dare to let Merlin look into her countenance lest he should read\nwhat was therein written. Wherefore she cast down her eyes and turned\nher face away from him. Then in a little while she said, \u201cMaster, when\nwilt thou teach me that wisdom?\u201d\n\nTo this Merlin made reply, \u201cI shall not teach thee to-day nor to-morrow\nnor at this place; for I can only teach thee those knowledges in such\nsolitude that there shall be nothing to disturb thy studies. But\nto-morrow thou shalt tell King Arthur that thou must return unto thy\nfather\u2019s kingdom. Then we will depart together accompanied by thy Court;\nand when we have come to some secluded place, there I will build a\nhabitation by the means of my magic and we shall abide therein until I\nhave instructed thee in wisdom.\u201d\n\nThen Vivien made great joy, and she caught Merlin\u2019s hand in hers and she\nkissed his hand with great passion.\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin and Vivien depart from the Court of the King._]\n\nSo the next day Vivien besought King Arthur that he would give her leave\nto return unto her father\u2019s Court, and upon the third day she and Merlin\nand a number of attendants who were in service upon the damsel, quitted\nthe Court of King Arthur and departed as though to go upon their way to\nthe Kingdom of Northumberland.\n\nBut after they had gone some little distance from the Court of the King,\nthey turned to the eastward and took their way toward a certain valley\nof which Merlin was acquainted, and which was so fair and pleasant a\nplace that it was sometimes called the Valley of Delight, and sometimes\nthe Valley of Joyousness.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Vivien bewitches Merlin.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Second.\n\n_How Merlin Journeyed With Vivien Unto the Valley of Joyousness and How\nHe Builded for Her a Castle at That Place. Also, How He Taught Her the\nWisdom of Magic and of How She Compassed His Downfall Thereby._\n\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin and Vivien come to an enchanted forest._]\n\nSo, Merlin and Vivien and those who were with them travelled for three\ndays to the eastward, until, toward the end of the third day, they\nreached the confines of a very dark and dismal forest. And there they\nbeheld before them trees so thickly interwoven together that the eyes\ncould not see anything at all of the sky because of the thickness of the\nfoliage. And they beheld the branches and the roots of the trees that\nthey appeared like serpents all twisted together. Wherefore Vivien said,\n\u201cSir, this is a very dismal woodland.\u201d \u201cYea,\u201d said Merlin, \u201cso it\nappeareth to be. Ne\u2019theless there lieth within this forest that place\nwhich is called by some the Valley of Joyousness, and by others the\nValley of Delight, because of the great beauty of that place. And there\nare several pathways extending through this forest by the means of which\nthat valley may be reached by a man, whether a-horse or afoot.\u201d\n\nAnd after a while they found it was as Merlin said, for they came by and\nby upon one of those pathways and entered it and penetrated into the\nforest. And, lo! within that doleful woodland it was so dark that it\nappeared as though night-time had fallen, although it was bright\ndaylight beyond the borders thereof, wherefore many of that party were\nvery much afraid. But Merlin ever gave them good cheer and so they went\nforward upon their way. So, by and by, they came out at last from that\nplace and into the open again, whereat they were greatly rejoiced and\ntook much comfort.\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin and Vivien comes to the Valley of Joyousness._]\n\nNow, by this time, the evening had come, very peaceful and tranquil,\nwonderfully beautiful. And in the centre of the valley was a small lake\nso smooth and clear, like to crystal, that it appeared like an oval\nshield of pure silver laid down upon the ground. And all about the\nmargin of the lake were level meadows covered over with an incredible\nmultitude of flowers of divers colors and kinds, very beautiful to\nbehold.\n\nWhen Vivien saw this place she cried unto Merlin, \u201cMaster, this is,\nindeed, a very joyous valley, for I do not believe that the blessed\nmeadows of Paradise are more beautiful than this.\u201d And Merlin said,\n\u201cVery well; let us go down into it.\u201d So they went down and, as they\ndescended, the night fell apace and the round moon arose into the sky\nand it was hard to tell whether that valley was the more beautiful in\nthe daytime or whether it was the more beautiful when the moon shone\ndown upon it in that wise.\n\nSo they all came at last unto the borders of the lake and they perceived\nthat there was neither house nor castle at that place.\n\nNow upon this the followers of Merlin murmured amongst themselves,\nsaying, \u201cThis enchanter hath brought us hitherward, but how will he now\nprovide for us that we may find a resting-place that may shelter us from\nthe inclement changes of the weather. For the beauty of this spot cannot\nalone shelter us from rain and storm.\u201d And Merlin overheard their\nmurmurings and he said, \u201cPeace! take ye no trouble upon that matter, for\nI will very soon provide ye a good resting-place.\u201d Then he said to them,\n\u201cStand ye a little distance aside till I show ye what I shall do.\u201d So\nthey withdrew a little, as he commanded them, and he and Vivien remained\nwhere they were. And Vivien said, \u201cMaster, what wilt thou do?\u201d And\nMerlin said, \u201cWait a little and thou shalt see.\u201d\n\nTherewith he began a certain very powerful conjuration so that the earth\nbegan for to tremble and to shake and an appearance as of a great red\ndust arose into the air. And in this dust there began to appear sundry\nshapes and forms, and these shapes and forms arose very high into the\nair and by and by those who gazed thereon perceived that there was a\ngreat structure apparent in the midst of the cloud of red dust.\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin buildeth a castle by the means of his magic._]\n\nThen, after a while, all became quiet and the dust slowly disappeared\nfrom the air, and, behold! there was the appearance of a marvellous\ncastle such as no one there had ever beheld before, even in a dream. For\nthe walls thereof were of ultramarine and vermilion and they were\nembellished and adorned with figures of gold, wherefore that castle\nshowed in the moonlight like as it were a pure vision of great glory.\n\nNow Vivien beheld all that Merlin had accomplished and she went unto him\nand kneeled down upon the ground before him and took his hand and set it\nto her lips. And while she kneeled thus, she said, \u201cMaster, this is\nassuredly the most wonderful thing in the world. Wilt thou then teach me\nsuch magic that I may be able to build a castle like this castle out of\nthe elements?\u201d And Merlin said, \u201cYea; all this will I teach thee and\nmore besides; for I will teach thee not only how thou mayst create such\na structure as this out of invisible things, but will also teach thee\nhow thou mayst, with a single touch of thy wand, dissipate that castle\ninstantly into the air; even as a child, with a stroke of a straw, may\ndissipate a beautiful shining bubble, which, upon an instant is, and\nupon another instant is not. And I will teach thee more than that, for I\nwill teach thee how to change and transform a thing into the semblance\nof a different thing; and I will teach thee spells and charms such as\nthou didst never hear tell of before.\u201d\n\nThen Vivien cried out, \u201cMaster, thou art the most wonderful man in all\nof the world!\u201d And Merlin looked upon Vivien and her face was very\nbeautiful in the moonlight and he loved her a very great deal. Wherefore\nhe smiled upon her and said, \u201cVivien, dost thou still hate me?\u201d And she\nsaid, \u201cNay, master.\u201d\n\nBut she spake not the truth, for in her heart she was evil and the heart\nof Merlin was good, and that which is evil will always hate that which\nis good. Wherefore, though Vivien lusted for the knowledge of\nnecromancy, and though she spake so lovingly with her lips, yet in her\nspirit she both feared and hated Merlin because of his wisdom. For she\nwist right well that, except for the enchantment of that ring which he\nwore, Merlin would not love her any longer in that wise. Wherefore she\nsaid in her heart, \u201cIf Merlin teaches me all of his wisdom, then the\nworld cannot contain both him and me.\u201d\n\n * * * * *\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin teacheth magic to Vivien._]\n\nNow Merlin abided with Vivien in that place for a year and a little\nmore, and in that time he taught her all of magic that he was able to\nimpart. So at the end of that time he said unto her, \u201cVivien, I have now\ntaught thee so much that I believe there is no one in all of the world\nwho knoweth more than thou dost of these things of magic which thou hast\nstudied in this time. For not only hast thou such power of sorcery that\nthou canst make the invisible elements take form at thy will, and not\nonly canst thou transform at thy will one thing into the appearance of\nan altogether different thing, but thou hast such potent magic in thy\npossession that thou mayst entangle any living soul into the meshes\nthereof, unless that one hath some very good talisman to defend himself\nfrom thy wiles. Nor have I myself very much more power than this that I\nhave given to thee.\u201d\n\nSo said Merlin, and Vivien was filled with great joy. And she said in\nher heart, \u201cNow, Merlin, if I have the good fortune to entangle thee in\nmy spells, then shalt thou never behold the world again.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Vivien setteth a feast for Merlin._]\n\nNow, when the next day had come, Vivien caused a very noble feast to be\nprepared for herself and Merlin. And by means of the knowledge which\nMerlin had imparted to her she produced a certain very potent\nsleeping-potion which was altogether without taste. This potion she\nherself infused into a certain noble wine, and the wine she poured into\na golden chalice of extraordinary beauty.\n\nSo when that feast was ended, and whiles she and Merlin sat together,\nVivien said, \u201cMaster, I have a mind to do thee a great honor.\u201d And\nMerlin said, \u201cWhat is it?\u201d \u201cThou shalt see,\u201d said Vivien. Therewith she\nsmote her hands together and there immediately came a young page unto\nwhere they were, and he bare that chalice of wine in his hand and gave\nit unto Vivien. Then Vivien took the chalice and she went to where\nMerlin sat and kneeled down before him and said, \u201cSir, I beseech thee to\ntake this chalice and to drink the wine that is within it. For as that\nwine is both very noble and very precious, so is thy wisdom both very\nnoble and very precious; and as the wine is contained within a chalice\nof priceless cost, so is thy wisdom contained within a life that hath\nbeen beyond all value to the world.\u201d Therewith she set her lips to the\nchalice and kissed the wine that was in it.\n\nThen Merlin suspected no evil, but he took the chalice and quaffed of\nthe wine with great cheerfulness.\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin is overcome by the wine that Vivien giveth him._]\n\nAfter that, in a little, the fumes of that potent draught began to arise\ninto the brains of Merlin and it was as though a cloud descended upon\nhis sight, and when this came upon him he was presently aware that he\nwas betrayed, wherefore he cried out thrice in a voice, very bitter and\nfull of agony, \u201cWoe! Woe! Woe!\u201d And then he cried out, \u201cI am betrayed!\u201d\nAnd therewith he strove to arise from where he sat but he could not.\n\nThat while Vivien sat with her chin upon her hands and regarded him very\nsteadily, smiling strangely upon him. So presently Merlin ceased his\nstruggles and sank into a sleep so deep that it was almost as though he\nhad gone dead. And when that had happened Vivien arose and leaned over\nhim and set a very powerful spell upon him. And she stretched out her\nforefinger and wove an enchantment all about him so that it was as\nthough he was entirely encompassed with a silver web of enchantment. And\nwhen she had ended, Merlin could move neither hand nor foot nor even so\nmuch as a finger-tip, but was altogether like some great insect that a\ncunning and beautiful spider had enmeshed in a net-work of fine, strong\nweb.\n\n[Sidenote: _Vivien bewitches Merlin._]\n\nNow, when the next morning had come, Merlin awoke from his sleep and he\nbeheld that Vivien sat over against him regarding him very narrowly. And\nthey were in the same room in which he had fallen asleep. And when\nVivien perceived that Merlin was awake, she laughed and said, \u201cMerlin,\nhow is it with thee?\u201d And Merlin groaned with great passion, saying,\n\u201cVivien, thou hast betrayed me.\u201d\n\nAt this Vivien laughed again very shrilly and piercingly, and she said,\n\u201cBehold! Merlin, thou art altogether in my power; for thou art utterly\ninwoven in those enchantments which thou, thyself, hast taught me. For\nlo! thou canst not move a single hair without my will. And when I leave\nthee, the world shall see thee no more and all thy wisdom shall be my\nwisdom and all thy power shall be my power, and there shall be no other\nin the whole world who shall possess the wisdom which I possess.\u201d\n\nThen Merlin groaned with such fervor that it was as though his heart\nwould burst asunder. And he said, \u201cVivien, thou hast brought me to such\nshame that even were I released from this spell I could not endure that\nany man should ever see my face again. For I grieve not for my undoings\nso much as I grieve at the folly that hath turned mine own wisdom\nagainst me to my destruction. So I forgive thee all things that thou\nhast done to me to betray me; yet there is one thing alone which I crave\nof thee.\u201d\n\nAnd Vivien said, \u201cDoes it concern thee?\u201d And Merlin said, \u201cNo, it\nconcerns another.\u201d Thereupon Vivien said, \u201cWhat is it?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Merlin maketh one request of Vivien._]\n\nThen Merlin said, \u201cIt is this: Now I have received my gift of foresight\nagain, and I perceive that King Arthur is presently in great peril of\nhis life. So I beseech thee Vivien that thou wilt straightway go to\nwhere he is in danger, and that thou wilt use thy powers of sorcery for\nto save him. Thus, by fulfilling this one good deed, thou shalt haply\nlessen the sin of this that thou hast done to betray me.\u201d\n\nNow at that time Vivien was not altogether bad as she afterward became,\nfor she still felt some small pity for Merlin and some small reverence\nfor King Arthur. Wherefore now she laughed and said, \u201cVery well, I will\ndo thy desire in this matter. Whither shall I go to save that King?\u201d\n\nThen Merlin replied, \u201cGo into the West country and unto the castle of a\ncertain knight hight Sir Domas de Noir, and when thou comest there then\nthou shalt immediately see how thou mayst be of aid to the good King.\u201d\nUpon this Vivien said, \u201cI will do this thing for thee, for it is the\nlast favor that anyone may ever render unto thee in this world.\u201d\n\nTherewith Vivien smote her hands together and summoned many of her\nattendants. And when these had come in she presented Merlin before them,\nand she said, \u201cBehold how I have bewitched him. Go! See for yourselves!\nFeel of his hands and his face and see if there be any life in him.\u201d And\nthey went to Merlin and felt of him; his hands and arms and his face,\nand even they plucked at his beard, and Merlin could not move in any\nwise but only groan with great dolor. So they all laughed and made them\nmerry at his woful state.\n\n[Sidenote: _Vivien places Merlin beneath the stone._]\n\nThen Vivien caused it by means of her magic that there should be in that\nplace a great coffer of stone. And she commanded those who were there\nthat they should lift Merlin up and lay him therein and they did as she\ncommanded. Then she caused it that, by means of her magic, there should\nbe placed a huge slab of stone upon that coffer such as ten men could\nhardly lift, and Merlin lay beneath that stone like one who was dead.\n\nThen Vivien caused it to be that the magic castle should instantly\ndisappear and so it befell as she willed. Then she caused it that a mist\nshould arise at that place, and the mist was of such a sort that no one\ncould penetrate into it, or sever it asunder, nor could any human eye\nsee what was within. Then, when she had done all this, she went her way\nwith all of her Court from that valley, making great joy in that she had\ntriumphed over Merlin.\n\nNevertheless she did not forget her promise, but went to the castle of\nSir Domas de Noir, and after a while it shall all be told how it befell\nat that place.\n\n * * * * *\n\nSuch was the passing of Merlin, and God grant it that you may not so\nmisuse the wisdom He giveth you to have, that it may be turned against\nyou to your undoing. For there can be no greater bitterness in the world\nthan this: That a man shall be betrayed by one to whom he himself hath\ngiven the power of betraying him.\n\nAnd now turn we unto King Arthur to learn how it fell with him after\nMerlin had thus been betrayed to his undoing.\n\n[Illustration: Queen Morgana le Fay.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Third.\n\n_How Queen Morgana le Fay Returned to Camelot and to the Court With\nIntent to Do Ill to King Arthur. Also How King Arthur and Others Went\na-Hunting and of What Befell Thereby._\n\n\nNow, after Merlin had quitted the Court with Vivien in that manner\naforetold, Queen Morgana le Fay returned again to Camelot. There she\ncame unto King Arthur and kneeled before him, bowing her face, with an\nappearance of great humility. And she said, \u201cBrother, I have meditated\nmuch upon these matters that have passed and I perceive that I have done\nvery ill to talk against thee as I have done, and to be so rebellious\nagainst thy royalty. Wherefore I crave of thee to forgive me my evil\nwords and thoughts against thee.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Morgana le Fay and King Arthur are reconciled._]\n\nThen King Arthur was very much moved and he came to Queen Morgana and\ntook her by the hand and lifted her up upon her feet and kissed her\nbrow, and her eyes, saying, \u201cMy sister, I have no ill-will against thee,\nbut nothing but love for thee in my heart.\u201d And so, Queen Morgana le Fay\nabode at the Court in the same manner as she had aforetime done, for\nKing Arthur believed that they were reconciled.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur showeth Excalibur to Queen Morgana._]\n\nNow one day, Queen Morgana and the King fell into a friendly talk\nconcerning Excalibur, and Queen Morgana le Fay expressed a very great\ndesire to see that noble weapon more closely than she had yet done, and\nKing Arthur said he would sometime show it to her. So the next day he\nsaid, \u201cSister, come with me and I will show thee Excalibur.\u201d Therewith\nhe took Queen Morgana by the hand and led her into another apartment\nwhere was a strong wooden coffer bound with bands of iron. Then the King\nopened the coffer and therein Queen Morgana le Fay beheld Excalibur\nwhere he lay in his sheath. Then King Arthur said to her, \u201cLady, take\nthis sword and examine it as you please.\u201d Therewith Queen Morgana took\nExcalibur into her hands and lifted him out of the coffer. And she drew\nthe sword out of the sheath and, lo! the blade flashed like lightning.\nThen she said, \u201cSir, this is a very beautiful sword and I would that I\nmight take it hence and keep it for a little so that I might enjoy it in\nfull measure.\u201d\n\nNow King Arthur was of a mind to show the Queen great courtesy at this\ntime of their reconciliation, wherefore he said to her, \u201cTake it, and be\nthou its keeper for as long as thou wilt.\u201d So Queen Morgana took\nExcalibur and his sheath and bare them away with her to her inn, and she\nhid the sword in the bed in which she slept.\n\nThen Queen Morgana sent for sundry goldsmiths, eight in number, and for\ncertain armorsmiths, eight in number, and for certain cunning jewellers,\neight in number, and she said unto them, \u201cMake me a sword in every\nparticular like this sword that I have here.\u201d And thereupon she showed\nthen Excalibur in his sheath. So these goldsmiths and armorsmiths and\nlapidaries labored with great diligence, and in a fortnight they had\nmade a sword so exactly like Excalibur that no eye could have told the\ndifference betwixt the one and the other. And Queen Morgana le Fay kept\nboth swords by her until her purposes should have been fulfilled.\n\n * * * * *\n\nIt befell upon a certain day that King Arthur proclaimed a hunt, and he\nand all of his Court were party thereunto.\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Morgana le Fay giveth a horse to King Arthur._]\n\nNow the day before this hunt took place Queen Morgana le Fay came to\nKing Arthur and said, \u201cBrother, I have here for thee a very beautiful\nand noble horse which I intend to give thee as a gift of love.\u201d\nTherewith she called aloud and there came two grooms bringing a horse as\nblack as jet and all beset with trappings and harness of silver. And the\nhorse was of such extraordinary beauty that neither King Arthur nor\nanybody who was with him had ever before seen its like for beauty. So a\nwonderful delight possessed the King at sight of the horse and he said,\n\u201cSister, this is the noblest gift I have had given to me for this long\ntime.\u201d \u201cHa! brother,\u201d quoth Queen Morgana, \u201cdoth that horse then belike\nthee?\u201d \u201cYea,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cit belikes me more than any horse that\nI ever beheld before.\u201d \u201cThen,\u201d quoth Queen Morgana, \u201cconsider it as a\ngift of reconciliation betwixt thee and me. And in sign of that\nreconciliation I beg of thee that thou wilt ride that horse forth upon\nthe hunt to-morrow day.\u201d And King Arthur said, \u201cI will do so.\u201d\n\nSo the next day he rode forth to the hunt upon that horse as he said\nthat he would do.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur rideth a-hunting._]\n\nNow it happened some time after noon that the hounds started a hart of\nextraordinary size, and the King and all of his Court followed the chase\nwith great eagerness. But the horse of King Arthur soon out-stripped all\nthe other horses saving only that of a certain very honorable and worthy\nknight of the Court hight Sir Accalon of Gaul. So Sir Accalon and the\nKing rode at a great pace through the forest, and they were so eager\nwith the chase that they wist not whither they were riding. And at last\nthey overtook the hart and found that it was embushed in a certain very\nthick and tangled part of the forest, and there King Arthur slew the\nstag, and so the chase was ended.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur and Sir Accalon of Gaul are lost in the\nforest._]\n\nNow after this had come to pass, the King and Sir Accalon would have\nretraced their way whither they had come, but in a little they perceived\nthat they were lost in the mazes of the woodland and wist not where they\nwere. For they had followed the chase so far that they were in an\naltogether strange country. So they wandered hither and thither at great\nlength until eventide, at which time they were oppressed with hunger and\nweariness. Then King Arthur said to Sir Accalon, \u201cMessire, meseems we\nshall have nowhere to rest ourselves to-night unless it be beneath a\ntree in this forest.\u201d\n\nTo this Sir Accalon made reply, \u201cLord, if thou wilt follow my counsel\nthou wilt let our horses seek their own way through this wilderness, so,\nhaply, because of the instinct of such creatures, they shall bring us\nunto some place of habitation.\u201d\n\nNow this advice appeared to be very good to King Arthur, wherefore he\ndid as Sir Accalon advised and let loose his bridle-rein and allowed his\nhorse to travel as it listed. So King Arthur\u2019s horse went along a\ncertain path, and Sir Accalon followed after the King. And they went a\ngreat pass in this wise, and the night was descending upon them in the\nforest.\n\nBut, before it was entirely dark, they emerged out of that forest and\ninto an open place where they beheld before them a very wide estuary, as\nit were an inlet of the sea. And before them was a beach of sand, very\nsmooth, and white, and they two went down to that beach and stood upon\nthe shore, and they wist not what to do, for there was no habitation in\nsight in any direction.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur and Sir Accalon see a wonderful ship_.]\n\nNow, whiles they stood there a-doubt, they suddenly perceived a ship at\na very great distance away. And this ship approached where they\nperceived that it was of a very strange and wonderful appearance, for it\nwas painted in many divers colors, very gaudy and brilliant, and the\nsails were all of cloth of silk, woven in divers colors and embroidered\nwith figures like to the figures of a tapestry; and King Arthur was very\ngreatly amazed at the appearance of that ship.\n\nNow, as they stood so watching the ship, they perceived that it drew\nnigher and nigher to that place where they were, and in a little it\nbeached itself upon the shore of sand not very far away from them.\n\nThen King Arthur said to Sir Accalon, \u201cSir, let us go forward to the\nshore where we may look into this ship, for never did I see its like\nbefore in all of my life, wherefore I have a thought that maybe it is\nfay.\u201d\n\nSo they two went to where the ship was and they stood upon the shore and\nlooked down into it, and at first they thought that there was no one\nupon board of the ship, for it appeared to be altogether deserted. But\nas they stood there marvelling at the wonderfulness of that ship and at\nthe manner in which it had come thither, they beheld, of a sudden, that\ncertain curtains that hung before an apartment at the farther extremity\nof the ship were parted asunder and there came forth from that place\ntwelve very beautiful damsels. Each of these was clad in a rich garment\nof scarlet satin very bright and shining, and each wore around her head\na circlet of gold, and each had many bracelets of gold upon her arms.\nThese damsels came forward unto where the two knights were and they\nsaid, \u201cWelcome, King Arthur!\u201d And they said, \u201cWelcome, Sir Accalon!\u201d\n\nAt this King Arthur was very much astonished that they should know him,\nand he said, \u201cFair ladies, how is this? Ye appear to know me very well,\nbut I know ye not. Who are ye that know me and my companion and call us\nby name?\u201d\n\nUnto this the chiefest of those damsels made reply, \u201cSir, we are part\nfay and we know all about you; and we know how that ye have been\nfollowing a very long chase; and we know that ye are aweary, anhungered,\nand athirst. Wherefore we beseech ye that ye come aboard of this ship\nand rest and refresh yourselves with food and drink.\u201d\n\nNow, this appeared to King Arthur to be a very bel-adventure, wherefore\nhe said to Sir Accalon, \u201cMessire, I have a great mind for to go aboard\nthis ship and to follow out this adventure.\u201d And Sir Accalon said,\n\u201cLord, if thou goest, I will go also.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur and Sir Accalon enter the ship of damoiselles._]\n\nSo those ladies let fall a gangplank from the ship and King Arthur and\nSir Accalon drave their horses up the gangplank and aboard the ship,\nand sailed away as it had come--very swiftly--and it was now the early\nnight-time with the moon very round and full in the sky like to a disk\nof pure shining silver.\n\nThen those twelve damoiselles aided King Arthur and Sir Accalon to\ndismount; and some took their horses away and others led them into a\nfair chamber at the end of the ship. And in this chamber King Arthur\nbeheld that a table had been placed as though for their entertainment,\nspread with a linen cloth and set with divers savory meats, and with\nmanchets of white bread and with several different sorts of excellent\nwines. And at the sight King Arthur and Sir Accalon were very much\nrejoiced, for they were very greatly anhungered.\n\nSo they immediately sat themselves down at that table and they ate and\ndrank with great heartiness, and whiles they did so some of those\ndamsels served them with food, and others held them in pleasant\ndiscourse, and others made music upon lutes and citterns for their\nentertainment. So they feasted and made very merry.\n\nBut, after a while, a very great drowsiness of sleep began to descend\nupon King Arthur; albeit, he deemed that that drowsiness had come upon\nhim because of the weariness of the chase. So presently he said, \u201cFair\ndamsels, ye have refreshed us a very great deal and this hath been a\nvery pleasant adventure. But I would now that ye had a place for us to\nsleep.\u201d\n\nUnto this the chiefest of the damsels replied, \u201cLord, this boat hath\nbeen prepared for your refreshment, wherefore all things have been made\nready for you with entire fulness.\u201d\n\nTherewith some of those twelve damsels conducted King Arthur into a\nsleeping-chamber that had been prepared for him, and others led Sir\nAccalon into another chamber prepared for him. And King Arthur marvelled\nat the beauty of his chamber, for he thought that he had never beheld a\nmore excellently bedight bed-chamber than that one into which he had now\nentered. So King Arthur laid himself down with much comfort to his body,\nand straightway he fell into a deep and gentle sleep, without dream or\ndisturbance of any sort.\n\n * * * * *\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur findeth himself in a dreadful prison._]\n\nNow when King Arthur awoke from that sleep, he was astonished beyond all\nmeasure so that he wist not whether he was still asleep and dreaming, or\nwhether he was awake. For, lo! he lay upon a pallet in a very dark and\ndismal chamber all of stone. And he perceived that this chamber was a\ndungeon, and all about him he heard the sound of many voices in woful\ncomplaint. Then King Arthur said to himself, \u201cWhere is that ship in\nwhich I was last night, and what hath become of those ladies with whom I\nspake?\u201d\n\nUpon this he looked about him and, behold! he saw that he was indeed in\na dungeon and that there were many knights in very sad estate all about\nhim. Wherefore he perceived that they also were captives and that it was\nthey who had made that sound of woful lamentation which he had heard\nwhen awaking.\n\nThen King Arthur aroused himself from where he lay and he saw that all\nthose knights who were prisoners there were strangers unto him, and he\nknew not them and they knew not him. And of these knights there were two\nand twenty who were prisoners in that place.\n\nThen King Arthur said, \u201cMessires, who are you and where am I at these\npresent?\u201d To the which the chiefest of those knights who were prisoners\nmade reply, \u201cSir, we are, like yourself, prisoners in a dungeon of this\ncastle, and the castle belongs to a certain knight, hight Sir Domas,\nsurnamed le Noir.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur made great marvel at what had befallen him, wherefore\nhe said, \u201cMessires, here is a very singular thing hath happened to me,\nfor last night I was asleep in a very wonderful ship that I believe was\nfay, and with me was a knight-companion, and, lo! this morning I awake\nalone in this dungeon, and know not how I came hither.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d said the knight who spake for the others, \u201cthou wert last night\nbrought hither by two men clad in black, and thou wert laid down upon\nyonder pallet without awaking, wherefore it is very plain to me that\nthou art in the same case that we are in, and that thou art a prisoner\nunto this Sir Domas le Noir.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur said, \u201cTell me, who is this Sir Domas, for I declare\nthat I never before heard of him.\u201d \u201cI will tell you,\u201d said the captive\nknight, and therewith he did so as follows:\n\n\u201cI believe,\u201d said he, \u201cthat this Sir Domas is the falsest knight that\nliveth, for he is full of treason and leasing, and is altogether a\ncoward in his heart. Yet he is a man of very great estate and very\npowerful in these parts.\n\n[Sidenote: _The knight-prisoner telleth King Arthur concerning Sir\nDomas._]\n\n\u201cNow there are two brothers, and Sir Domas is one and the other is hight\nSir Ontzlake, and Sir Domas is the elder and Sir Ontzlake is the\nyounger. When the father of these two knights died, he left the one an\nequal patrimony with the other. But now it hath come about that Sir\nDomas hath nearly all of those estates and that Sir Ontzlake hath only\none castle, which same he now holdeth by the force of arms and because\nof his own courage. For, though Sir Domas is altogether a coward in his\nheart, yet he hath cunning and guile beyond any man of whom I ever heard\ntell; wherefore it hath so come about that of his father\u2019s patrimony Sir\nDomas hath everything and Sir Ontzlake hath nothing saving only that one\ncastle and the estate thereunto appertaining.\n\n\u201cNow it would appear to be very strange that Sir Domas is not satisfied\nwith all this, yet he is not satisfied, but he covets that one castle\nand that small estate that is his brother\u2019s, so that he can hardly have\nany pleasure in life because of his covetousness. Yet he knoweth not how\nto obtain that estate from his brother, for Sir Ontzlake is a very\nexcellent knight, and the only way that Sir Domas can lay hands upon\nthat estate is by having to do with his brother as man to man in a\ncontest at arms, and this he is afraid to attempt.\n\n\u201cSo, for a long time, Sir Domas hath been in search of a knight who may\ntake up his case for him, and do battle against Sir Ontzlake in his\nbehalf. Wherefore all the knights whom he can arrest he bringeth to this\ncastle and giveth them their choice, either to take up his case against\nhis brother, or else to remain in this place as his prisoner without\nransom. So he hath arrested all of us, and hath made demand of each that\nhe should do battle in his behalf. But not one of us will take up the\ncase of such an evil-conditioned knight as Sir Domas, so we all remain\nhis prisoners.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d quoth King Arthur, \u201cthis is a very wonderful case. But methinks\nthat if Sir Domas maketh his appeal to me, I will take up his case. For\nI would rather do that than remain a prisoner here for all my life. But\nif I should take upon me this battle and be successful therein, then I\nwill afterward have to do with Sir Domas himself in such a manner as I\ndo not believe would be very much to his liking.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _A damsel cometh to King Arthur._]\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur consents to do battle for Sir Domas._]\n\nNow a little while after this the door of that prison-house was opened\nby the porter, and there entered a very fair young damsel. And this\ndamsel came to King Arthur and she said to him, \u201cWhat cheer?\u201d \u201cI cannot\ntell,\u201d quoth King Arthur, \u201cbut meseems I am in a very sorry pass in this\nplace.\u201d \u201cSir,\u201d said the damsel, \u201cI am grieved to see so noble-appearing\na knight in so dolorous a case. But if you will undertake to defend the\ncause of the lord of this castle with your person against his enemy,\nthen you shall have leave to go whithersoever you please.\u201d To this King\nArthur made reply, \u201cLady, this is a very hard case, that either I must\nfight a battle I care not for, or else remain a prisoner here without\nransom for all of my days. But I would liever fight than live here all\nmy life, and so I will undertake that adventure as thou wouldst have me\ndo. But if I do battle for the lord of this castle, and if I should have\nGrace of Heaven to win that battle, then it must be that all these, my\ncompanions in imprisonment, shall also go forth with me into freedom.\u201d\n\nTo this the damsel said, \u201cVery well, be it so, for that shall content\nthe master of this castle.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur looked more closely at the maiden, and he said,\n\u201cDamsel, meseems I should know thy face, for I think I have seen thee\nsomewhere before this.\u201d \u201cNay, sir,\u201d said she, \u201cthat can hardly be, for I\nam the daughter of the lord of this castle.\u201d\n\nBut in this she was false, for she was one of the damsels of Morgana le\nFay; and she was one of those who had beguiled King Arthur into the ship\nthe night before; and it was she who had brought him to that castle and\nhad delivered him into the hands of Sir Domas. And all these things she\nhad done upon command of Queen Morgana le Fay.\n\nThen King Arthur said, \u201cBut if I do this battle, thou must carry a\nmessage for me unto the Court of King Arthur, and that message must be\ndelivered unto Queen Morgana le Fay into her own hands. Then, when that\nis done, I will do this battle for the cause of Sir Domas.\u201d And the\ndamsel said, \u201cIt shall be done so.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Morgana sendeth a false sword to King Arthur._]\n\nSo King Arthur wrote a sealed letter to Queen Morgana le Fay that she\nshould send to him his sword Excalibur; and he sent that message to her.\nAnd when Queen Morgana received that letter she laughed and said, \u201cVery\nwell, he shall have a sword that shall please his eye as well as\nExcalibur.\u201d And therewith she sent him that other sword that she had had\nmade exactly like Excalibur.\n\nSo Sir Domas sent word unto his brother Sir Ontzlake, that he had now a\nchampion for to do battle in his behalf to recover all that portion of\ntheir patrimony which Sir Ontzlake still withheld from him.\n\nNow when Sir Ontzlake received this message he was thrown into great\ntrouble of spirit, for a little while before he had been very sorely\nwounded in a tournament in the which a spear had been thrust through\nboth his thighs, so that he was then abed with that wound and without\npower to arise therefrom. Wherefore he wist not what to do in this case,\nfor he could not do battle upon his own behalf, and he had no one to do\nbattle for him.\n\n[Illustration: Queen Morgana loses Excalibur his sheath.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Fourth.\n\n_What Befell Sir Accalon, and How King Arthur Fought an Affair-at-Arms\nWith Swords, and How He Came Nigh to Losing His Life Thereby._\n\n\nHere followeth the account of what happened unto Sir Accalon the morning\nafter he went aboard that magic ship with King Arthur as aforetold.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Accalon findeth himself beside a fountain._]\n\nNow when Sir Accalon awoke from that same sleep it was with him as it\nhad been with King Arthur; for, at first, he wist not whether he was\nstill asleep and dreaming or whether he was awake. For, lo! he found\nhimself to be lying beside a marble basin of clear water that gushed up\nvery high from a silver tube. And he perceived that not far from this\nfountain was a large pavilion of parti-colored silk which stood upon the\nborders of a fair meadow of grass.\n\nSo Sir Accalon was altogether astonished to find himself in this place\nwhen he had fallen asleep on board that ship, wherefore he was afraid\nthat all this was the fruit of some very evil spell. So he crossed\nhimself and said, \u201cGod save King Arthur from any harm, for it seems to\nme that those damsels upon that ship have wrought some magic upon us for\nto separate us the one from the other.\u201d So saying, he arose from where\nhe lay with intent to inquire further into that matter.\n\nNow, as he made some noise in bestirring himself, there came forth from\nthat pavilion aforementioned a very hideous dwarf, who saluted him with\nall civility and with high respect. Then Sir Accalon said to the dwarf,\n\u201cSirrah, who are you?\u201d Unto which the dwarf made answer, \u201cMessire, I\nbelong unto the lady of yonder pavilion, and she hath sent me to bid you\nwelcome to this place, and to invite you in for to partake of a repast\nwith her.\u201d \u201cHa!\u201d quoth Sir Accalon, \u201cand how was it I came hither?\u201d\n\u201cSir,\u201d said the dwarf, \u201cI do not know, but when we looked forth this\nmorning we saw you lying here by the fountain side.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Accalon made great marvel at that which had happened to him,\nand by and by he said, \u201cWho is thy lady?\u201d To which the dwarf replied,\n\u201cShe is hight the Lady Gomyne of the Fair Hair, and she will be\npassingly glad of your company in her pavilion.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Accalon enters the pavilion of the Lady Gomyne._]\n\nUpon this Sir Accalon arose, and, having laved himself at the fountain\nand so refreshed himself, he went with the dwarf unto the pavilion of\nthat lady. And when he had come there he saw that in the centre of the\npavilion was a table of silver spread with a fair white cloth and\ncovered with very excellent food for a man to break his fast withal.\n\nNow immediately Sir Accalon came into the pavilion, the curtains upon\nthe further side thereof were parted and there entered from a further\nchamber a very beautiful lady and gave Sir Accalon welcome to that\nplace. And Sir Accalon said to her, \u201cLady, methinks thou art very civil\nto invite me thus into thy pavilion.\u201d \u201cNay, sir,\u201d said the lady, \u201cit\ntook no great effort to be civil unto a knight so worthy as thou.\u201d Then\nshe said to Sir Accalon, \u201cSir, wilt thou sit here at the table with me\nand break thy fast?\u201d\n\nAt this Sir Accalon was very glad, for he was anhungered, and the beauty\nof the lady pleased him a very great deal, wherefore it afforded him\ngreat joy for to be in her company.\n\nSo they two sat at the table with a very cheerful and pleasant spirit\nand the dwarf waited upon them.\n\nNow after Sir Accalon and the Lady of the Pavilion had broken their\nfasts she spake to him in this wise, \u201cSir knight, thou appearest to be a\nvery strong and worthy lord and one very well used to feats of arms and\nto prowess in battle.\u201d\n\nTo this Sir Accalon made reply, \u201cLady, it does not beseem me to bespeak\nof my own worth, but this much I may freely say; I have engaged in\nseveral affrays at arms in such measure as a knight with belt and spurs\nmay do, and I believe that both my friends and mine enemies have had\nreason to say that I have at all times done my devoirs to the best of my\npowers.\u201d\n\nThen the damoiselle said, \u201cI believe you are a very brave and worthy\nknight, and being such you might be of service to a good worthy knight\nwho is in sad need of such service as one knight may render unto\nanother.\u201d\n\nTo this Sir Accalon said, \u201cWhat is that service?\u201d And the damoiselle\nreplied, \u201cI will tell thee: There is, dwelling not far from this place,\na certain knight hight Sir Ontzlake, who hath an elder brother hight\nSir Domas. This Sir Domas hath served Sir Ontzlake very ill in many\nways, and hath deprived him of well nigh all of his patrimony, so that\nonly a little is left to Sir Ontzlake of all the great possessions that\nwere one time his father\u2019s. But even such a small holding as that Sir\nDomas begrudges Sir Ontzlake, so that Sir Ontzlake must needs hold what\nhe hath by such force of arms as he may himself maintain. Now Sir Domas\nhath found himself a champion who is a man of a great deal of strength\nand prowess, and through this champion Sir Domas challenges Sir\nOntzlake\u2019s right to hold even that small part of those lands which were\none time his father\u2019s; wherefore if Sir Ontzlake would retain what is\nhis he must presently do battle therefore.\n\n\u201cNow this is a very sad case for Sir Ontzlake, for a short time since he\nwas wounded by a spear at a tournament and was pierced through both of\nhis thighs, wherefore he is not now able to sit upon his horse and to\ndefend his rights against assault. Wherefore meseems that a knight could\nhave no better cause to show his prowess than in the defence of so sad a\ncase as this.\u201d\n\nSo spake that lady, and to all she said Sir Accalon listened with great\nattention, and when she had ended he said, \u201cLady, I would be indeed\nright willing to defend Sir Ontzlake\u2019s right, but, lo! I have no armor\nnor have I any arms to do battle withal.\u201d\n\nThen that damoiselle smiled very kindly upon Sir Accalon and she said to\nhim, \u201cSir, Sir Ontzlake may easily fit thee with armor that shall be\naltogether to thy liking. And as for arms, I have in this pavilion a\nsword that hath but one other fellow in all the world.\u201d\n\nUpon this she arose and went back into that curtained recess from which\nshe had come, and thence she presently returned, bringing a certain\nthing wrapped in a scarlet cloth. And she opened the cloth before Sir\nAccalon\u2019s eyes, and lo! that which she had there was King Arthur\u2019s sword\nExcalibur in his sheath. Then the damoiselle said, \u201cThis sword shall be\nthine if thou wilt assume this quarrel upon behalf of Sir Ontzlake.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady Gomyne showeth Excalibur to Sir Accalon._]\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Accalon consents to do battle for Sir Ontzlake._]\n\nNow when Sir Accalon beheld that sword he wist not what to think, and he\nsaid to himself, \u201cCertes, either this is Excalibur or else it is his\ntwin brother.\u201d Therewith he drew the blade from out of its shield and it\nshined with extraordinary splendor. Then Sir Accalon said, \u201cI know not\nwhat to think for pure wonder, for this sword is indeed the very image\nof another sword I wot of.\u201d When he so spake that damoiselle smiled upon\nhim again, and she said, \u201cI have heard tell that there is in the world\nanother sword like to this.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Accalon said, \u201cLady, to win this sword for myself I would be\nwilling to fight in any battle whatsoever.\u201d And the damoiselle replied,\n\u201cThen if thou wilt fight this battle for Sir Ontzlake thou art free to\nkeep that sword for thine own,\u201d at the which Sir Accalon was rejoiced\nbeyond all measure of gladness.\n\nSo it came about that, by the wiles of Queen Morgana le Fay, King Arthur\nwas brought to fight a battle unknowingly with a knight very much\nbeloved by him, and that that knight had Excalibur to use against his\nmaster. For all these things had come to pass through the cunning of\nMorgana le Fay.\n\n * * * * *\n\nNow a fair field was prepared for that battle in such a place as was\nconvenient both to Sir Domas and to Sir Ontzlake, and thither they came\nupon the day assigned, each with his knight-champion and his attendants,\nSir Ontzlake being brought thither in a litter because of the sore wound\nin his thighs. Also a great many other folk came to behold the combat,\nfor the news thereof had gone forth to a great distance around about\nthat place. So, all being in readiness, the two knights that were to do\nbattle in that field were brought within the barriers of combat, each\nfully armed and each mounted upon a very good horse.\n\nNow King Arthur was clad all in armor of Sir Domas, and Sir Accalon was\nclad in armor that belonged to Sir Ontzlake, and the head of each was\ncovered by his helmet so that neither of those two knew the other.\n\nThen the herald came forth and announced that the battle was toward, and\neach knight immediately put himself in readiness for the assault.\nThereupon, the word for assault being given, the two rushed forth, each\nfrom his station, with such speed and fury that it was wonderful to\nbehold. And so they met in the midst of the course with a roar as of\nthunder, and the spear of each knight was burst all into small pieces\nunto the truncheon which he held in his hand. Upon this each knight\nvoided his horse with great skill and address, and allowed it to run at\nwill in that field. And each threw aside the truncheon of his spear and\ndrew his sword, and thereupon came, the one against the other, with the\nutmost fury of battle.\n\n[Sidenote: _Vivien cometh to the field of battle._]\n\nIt was at this time that Vivien came to that place upon the behest of\nMerlin, and she brought with her such a Court and state of beauty that a\ngreat many people took notice of her with great pleasure. So Vivien and\nher Court took stand at the barriers whence they might behold all that\nwas toward. And Vivien regarded those two knights and she could not tell\nwhich was King Arthur and which was his enemy, wherefore she said,\n\u201cWell, I will do as Merlin desired me to do, but I must wait and see\nthis battle for a while ere I shall be able to tell which is King\nArthur, for it would be a pity to cast my spells upon the wrong knight.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur is sorely wounded by Excalibur._]\n\nSo these two knights came together in battle afoot, and first they\nfoined and then they both struck at the same time and, lo! the sword of\nKing Arthur did not bite into the armor of Sir Accalon, but the sword of\nSir Accalon bit very deeply into the armor of King Arthur and wounded\nhim so sorely that the blood ran down in great quantities into his\narmor. And after that they struck very often and very powerfully, and as\nit was at first so it was afterward, for the sword of Sir Accalon ever\nbit into the armor of King Arthur, and the sword of King Arthur bit not\nat all into his enemy\u2019s armor. So in a little while it came that King\nArthur\u2019s armor was stained all over red with the blood that flowed out\nfrom a great many wounds, and Sir Accalon bled not at all because of the\nsheath of Excalibur which he wore at his side. And the blood of King\nArthur flowed down upon the ground so that all the grass around about\nwas ensanguined with it. So when King Arthur beheld how all the ground\nwas wet with his own blood, and how his enemy bled not at all, he began\nto fear that he would die in that battle: wherefore he said to himself,\n\u201cHow is this? Hath the virtue departed out of Excalibur and his sheath?\nWere it not otherwise I would think that that sword which cutteth me so\nsorely is Excalibur and that this sword is not Excalibur.\u201d\n\nUpon this a great despair of death came upon him, and he ran at Sir\nAccalon and smote him so sore a blow upon the helm that Sir Accalon nigh\nfell down upon the ground.\n\nBut at that blow the sword of King Arthur broke short off at the cross\nof the handle and fell into the grass among the blood, and the pommel\nthereof and the cross thereof was all that King Arthur held in his hand.\n\nNow at that blow Sir Accalon waxed very mad, so he ran at King Arthur\nwith intent to strike him some dolorous blow. But when he saw that King\nArthur was without weapon, he paused in his assault and he said, \u201cSir\nKnight, I see that thou art without weapon and that thou hast lost a\ngreat deal of blood. Wherefore I demand thee to yield thyself unto me as\nrecreant.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur was again very much a-dread that his death was near to\nhim; yet, because of his royalty, it was not possible for him to yield\nto any knight. So he said, \u201cNay, Sir Knight, I may not yield myself unto\nthee for I would liever die with honor than yield myself without honor.\nFor though I lack a weapon, there are peculiar reasons why I may not\nlack worship. Wherefore thou mayst slay me as I am without weapon and\nthat will be thy shame and not my shame.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d said Sir Accalon, \u201cas for the shame I will not spare thee unless\nthou dost yield to me.\u201d And King Arthur said, \u201cI will not yield me.\u201d\nThereupon Sir Accalon said, \u201cThen stand thou away from me so that I may\nstrike thee.\u201d And, when King Arthur had done as Sir Accalon bade him,\nSir Accalon smote him such a woful blow that the King fell down upon his\nknees. Then Sir Accalon raised Excalibur with intent to strike King\nArthur again, and with that all the people who were there cried out upon\nhim to spare so worshipful a knight. But Sir Accalon would not spare\nhim.\n\n[Sidenote: _Vivien gets a spell upon Sir Accalon._]\n\nThen Vivien said unto herself, \u201cCertes, that must be King Arthur who is\nso near to his death, and I do make my vow that it would be a great pity\nfor him to die after he hath fought so fiercely.\u201d So when Sir Accalon\nraised his sword that second time with intent to strike his enemy,\nVivien smote her hands with great force, and emitted at the same time a\nspell of such potency that it appeared to Sir Accalon upon the instant\nas though he had received some very powerful blow upon his arm. For with\nthat spell his arm was benumbed all from the finger-tips unto the hollow\nof his armpit, and thereupon Excalibur fell out of Sir Accalon\u2019s hands\nand into the grass.\n\nThen King Arthur beheld the sword and he perceived that it was Excalibur\nand therewith he knew that he had been betrayed. Wherefore he cried out\nthrice, in a very loud voice, \u201cTreason! Treason! Treason!\u201d and with that\nhe set his knee upon the blade and before Sir Accalon could stay him he\nhad seized it into his hands.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur overcometh Sir Accalon._]\n\nThen it appeared to King Arthur that a great virtue had come into him\nbecause of that sword. Wherefore he arose from his knees and ran at Sir\nAccalon and smote him so sorely that the blade penetrated his armor to\nthe depth of half a palm\u2019s breadth. And he smote him again and again and\nSir Accalon cried out in a loud voice, and fell down upon his hands and\nknees. Then King Arthur ran to him and catched the sheath of Excalibur\nand plucked it away from Sir Accalon and flung it away, and thereupon\nthe wounds of Sir Accalon burst out bleeding in great measure. Then King\nArthur catched the helmet of Sir Accalon and rushed it off his head with\nintent to slay him.\n\nNow because King Arthur was blinded with his own blood he did not know\nSir Accalon, wherefore he said, \u201cSir Knight, who art thou who hast\nbetrayed me?\u201d And Sir Accalon said, \u201cI have not betrayed thee. I am Sir\nAccalon of Gaul and I am knight in good worship of King Arthur\u2019s Court.\u201d\n\nBut when King Arthur heard this he made great outcry and he said, \u201cHow\nis this? Know you who I am?\u201d And Sir Accalon said, \u201cNay, I know you\nnot.\u201d Then King Arthur said, \u201cI am King Arthur who am thy master.\u201d And\nupon this he took off his helmet and Sir Accalon knew him.\n\nAnd when Sir Accalon beheld King Arthur he swooned away and lay like one\ndead upon the ground, and King Arthur said, \u201cTake him hence.\u201d\n\nThen when those who were there were aware who King Arthur was, they\nburst over the barriers and ran toward him with great outcry of pity.\nAnd King Arthur would have left this place but upon that he also swooned\naway because of the great issue of blood that had come from him,\nwherefore all those who were round about took great sorrow, thinking\nthat he was dying, wherefore they bewailed themselves without stint.\n\nThen came Vivien out into that field and she said, \u201cLet me have him, for\nI believe that I shall be able to cure his hurts.\u201d So she commanded that\ntwo litters should be brought and she placed King Arthur in one of the\nlitters and she placed Sir Accalon in the other, and she bore them both\naway to a priory of nuns that was at no great distance from that place.\n\n[Sidenote: _Vivien healeth King Arthur._]\n\nSo when Vivien had come there she searched the wounds of King Arthur and\nbathed them with a very precious balsam, so that they immediately began\nto heal. As for Sir Accalon, she would not have to do with his wounds,\nbut let one of her attendants bathe him and dress his hurts.\n\nNow when the next morning had come, King Arthur was so much recovered\nthat he was able to arise, though very weak and sick nigh unto death. So\nhe got up from his couch and he would not permit anyone to stay him, and\nhe wrapped a cloak about him and went to the place where Sir Accalon\nlay. When he had come there he questioned Sir Accalon very narrowly and\nSir Accalon told him all that had happened to him after he had left that\nship, and how the strange damsel had given him a sword for to fight\nwith. So when King Arthur heard all that Sir Accalon had to tell him, he\nsaid, \u201cMessire, I think that thou art not to be blamed in this matter,\nbut I much do fear me that there is treachery here to compass my ruin.\u201d\n\nThen he went out from that place and he found Vivien and he said to her,\n\u201cDamsel, I beseech thee to dress the wounds of that knight with the same\nbalsam that thou didst use to dress my wounds.\u201d \u201cLord,\u201d said Vivien, \u201cI\ncannot do so, for I have no more of that balsam.\u201d But what she said was\nfalse, for she did have more of that balsam, but she did not choose to\nuse it upon Sir Accalon.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Accalon dieth of his wounds._]\n\nSo that afternoon Sir Accalon died of his wounds which he had received\nin his battle with King Arthur.\n\nAnd that day King Arthur summoned Sir Domas and Sir Ontzlake into his\npresence and they came and stood before him, so filled with the terror\nof his majesty, that they had not the power to stand, but fell down upon\ntheir knees unto him.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur dealeth with Sir Domas and Sir Ontzlake._]\n\nThen King Arthur said, \u201cI will pardon you, for ye knew not what ye did.\nBut thou, Sir Domas, I believe, art a very false and treasonable knight,\nwherefore I shall deprive thee of all thy possessions but that one\nsingle castle which thy brother had and that I shall give unto thee, but\nall thy possessions I shall give unto Sir Ontzlake. And I shall further\nordain that thou shalt never hereafter have the right to ride upon any\nhorse but a palfrey, for thou art not worthy to ride upon a courser as a\ntrue knight hath a right to do. And I command it of thee that thou shalt\npresently liberate all those knights who were my companions in\ncaptivity, and thou shalt recompense them for all the injury that thou\nhast done to them according as it shall be decided by a Court of\nChivalry.\u201d\n\nTherewith he dismissed those two knights, and they were very glad that\nhe had dealt so mercifully with them.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] CONCLUSION\n\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Morgana cometh to King Arthur._]\n\nNow shortly after that combat betwixt King Arthur and Sir Accalon the\nnews thereof was brought to Queen Morgana le Fay, and the next day\nthereafter she heard that Sir Accalon was dead, and she wist not how it\ncould be that her designs could have so miscarried. Then she was a-doubt\nas to how much King Arthur might know of her treachery, so she said to\nherself, \u201cI will go and see my brother, the King, and if he is aware of\nmy treason I will beseech him to pardon my transgression.\u201d So, having\nmade diligent inquiry as to where it was that King Arthur lay, she\ngathered together her Court of knights and esquires and went\nthitherward.\n\nSo she came to that place upon the fifth day after the battle, and when\nshe had come there she asked of those who were in attendance what cheer\nthe King had. They answered her, \u201cHe is asleep and he must not be\ndisturbed.\u201d To the which Queen Morgana le Fay replied, \u201cNo matter, I am\nnot to be forbidden, for I must presently see him and speak with him.\u201d\nSo they did not dare to stay her because she was the King\u2019s sister.\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Morgana steals the sheath of Excalibur._]\n\nSo Queen Morgana went into the chamber where the King lay and he did not\nwaken at her coming. Then Queen Morgana was filled full of hatred and a\ngreat desire for revenge, wherefore she said to herself, \u201cI will take\nExcalibur and his shield and will carry them away with me to Avalon, and\nmy brother shall never see them again.\u201d So she went very softly to where\nKing Arthur lay, and she looked upon him as he slept and perceived that\nhe had Excalibur beside him and that he held the handle of the sword in\nhis hand while he slept. Then Queen Morgana said, \u201cAlas, for this, for\nif I try to take Excalibur away from him, haply he will awake and he\nwill slay me for my treason.\u201d Then she looked and perceived where the\nsheath of Excalibur lay at the foot of the couch. So she took the\nsheath of Excalibur very softly and she wrapped it up in her mantle and\nshe went out thence, and King Arthur did not awaken at her going.\n\nSo Queen Morgana came out from the King\u2019s chamber and she said to those\nin attendance, \u201cDo not waken the King, for he sleepeth very soundly.\u201d\nTherewith she mounted her horse and went her way from that place.\n\nNow, after a considerable while, King Arthur awoke and he looked for the\nsheath of Excalibur, but he perceived that it was gone, wherefore he\nsaid immediately, \u201cWho hath been here?\u201d They in attendance made answer,\n\u201cQueen Morgana le Fay had been here and she came in and saw you and went\nher way without waking you.\u201d Then King Arthur\u2019s heart misgave him, and\nhe said, \u201cI fear me that she hath dealt treacherously with me from the\nbeginning to the end of these adventures.\u201d\n\nWhereupon he arose and summoned all his knights and esquires and mounted\nhis horse for pursuit of Queen Morgana, although he was still passing\nsick and faint from his sore wounds and loss of blood.\n\nNow, as the King was about ready to depart, Vivien came to him where he\nwas, and she said, \u201cLord, take me with thee, for if thou dost not do so\nthou wilt never recover Excalibur his sheath, nor wilt thou ever\novertake Queen Morgana le Fay.\u201d And King Arthur said, \u201cCome with me,\ndamsel, in God\u2019s name.\u201d So Vivien went with him in pursuit of Queen\nMorgana.\n\nNow, by and by, as she fled, Queen Morgana le Fay looked behind her and\ntherewith she perceived that Vivien was with the party of King Arthur,\nwherefore her heart failed her and she said, \u201cI fear me that I am now\naltogether ruined, for I have aided that damsel to acquire such\nknowledge of magic that I shall have no spells to save myself from her\ncounter-spell. But at any rate it shall be that King Arthur shall never\nhave the sheath of Excalibur again for to help him in his hour of need.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Morgana throweth the sheath of Excalibur into the\nlake._]\n\nNow at that time they were passing beside the margin of a lake of\nconsiderable size. So Queen Morgana le Fay took the sheath of Excalibur\nin both her hands and swung it by its belt above her head and she threw\nit a great distance out into the water.\n\nThen, lo! a very singular miracle occurred, for there suddenly appeared\na woman\u2019s arm out of the water and it was clad in white. And it was\nadorned with many bracelets. And the hand of the arm catched the sheath\nof Excalibur and drew it underneath the water and no one ever beheld\nthat sheath again.\n\nSo the sheath of Excalibur was lost, and that was a grievous thing for\nKing Arthur in after time, as you may some time read.\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Morgana exercises her magic._]\n\nNow after Queen Morgana le Fay had thus thrown the sheath of Excalibur\ninto the lake, she went on a little farther to where was a very lonely\nplace with a great many rocks and stones lying about upon the ground.\nAnd when she had come to that place she exercised very potent spells of\nmagic that Merlin had taught her. So, by means of those spells, she\ntransformed herself and all of her Court and all of their horses into\nlarge round stones of divers sizes.\n\nThen in a little while came King Arthur to that place with his knights\nand esquires, and he was exceedingly heavy of heart, for he had beheld\nfrom a great distance how Queen Morgana le Fay had thrown the sheath of\nExcalibur into that lake.\n\nNow when the King and his Court had come to that spot the damsel Vivien\ncalled out upon him to stop and she said to him, \u201cLord, dost thou behold\nall those great round stones?\u201d \u201cYea,\u201d said the King, \u201cI do see them.\u201d\nThen Vivien said, \u201cLo! those stones are Queen Morgana le Fay and the\nCourt who were with her. For this magic that she hath done to change\nherself and them into stones was a certain thing that Merlin had taught\nher. Now I myself know that magic, and I also know how to remove that\nmagic at my will. Wherefore, if thou wilt promise to immediately punish\nthat wicked woman for all her treason by depriving her of her life, then\nwill I bring her back unto her true shape again so that thou mayst have\nher in thy power.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur chideth Vivien._]\n\nThen King Arthur looked upon Vivien with great displeasure, and he said,\n\u201cDamsel, thou hast a cruel heart! Thou thyself hast suffered no injury\nat the hands of Queen Morgana; wherefore, then, wouldst thou have me\nslay her? Now, but for all thou hast done for me I would be very much\naffronted with thee. As for her, I forgive her all of this, and I shall\nforgive her again and again and yet again if she sin against me. For her\nmother was my mother, and the blood which flows in her veins and in my\nveins cometh from the same fountain-head, wherefore I will do no evil\nthing against her. Let us return again whence we came.\u201d\n\nThen Vivien looked upon King Arthur very bitterly, and she laughed with\ngreat scorn, and said, \u201cThou art both a fool and a dotard,\u201d and\ntherewith she vanished from the sight of all.\n\nAnd after that, because King Arthur had rebuked her for her wickedness\nin the presence of others, she hated him even more than Morgana le Fay\nhad hated him.\n\nSome time after that, King Arthur heard how Merlin had been beguiled by\nVivien, and he sorrowed with great bitterness that Merlin was lost unto\nthe world in that wise.\n\nSo endeth the story of the passing of Merlin.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nPART II\n\nThe Story of Sir Pellias\n\n\n_Here followeth the story of Sir Pellias, surnamed by many the Gentle\nKnight.\n\nFor Sir Pellias was of such a sort that it was said of him that all\nwomen loved him without disadvantage to themselves, and that all men\nloved him to their great good advantage.\n\nWherefore, when in the end he won for his beloved that beautiful Lady of\nthe Lake, who was one of the chiefest damoiselles of Fa\u00ebry, and when he\nwent to dwell as lord paramount in that wonderful habitation which no\nother mortal than he and Sir Launcelot of the Lake had ever beheld, then\nwere all men rejoiced at his great good fortune--albeit all the Court of\nKing Arthur grieved that he had departed so far away from them never to\nreturn again.\n\nSo I believe that you will have pleasure in reading the history of the\nthings concerning Sir Pellias hereinafter written for your\nedification._\n\n[Illustration: Sir Pellias, the Gentle Knight.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter First.\n\n_How Queen Guinevere Went a-Maying and of How Sir Pellias Took Upon Him\na Quest in Her Behalf._\n\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Guinevere goeth a-Maying._]\n\nNow it befell upon a pleasant day in the spring-time, that Queen\nGuinevere went a-Maying with a goodly company of Knights and Ladies of\nher Court. And among those Knights were Sir Pellias, and Sir Geraint,\nand Sir Dinadan, and Sir Aglaval, and Sir Agravaine, and Sir Constantine\nof Cornwall, and sundry others, so that the like of that Court was\nhardly to be found in all of the world, either then or before or since.\n\nThe day was exceedingly pleasant with the sunlight all yellow, like to\ngold, and the breeze both soft and gentle. The small birds they sang\nwith very great joy, and all about there bloomed so many flowers of\ndivers sorts that the entire meadows were carpeted with their tender\ngreen. So it seemed to Queen Guinevere that it was very good to be\nabroad in the field and beneath the sky at such a season.\n\n[Sidenote: _There cometh a damsel to the May party._]\n\nNow as the Queen and her Court walked in great joy among the blossoms,\none of the damsels attendant upon the Lady Guinevere cried out of a\nsudden, \u201cLook! Look! Who is that cometh yonder?\u201d Thereupon Queen\nGuinevere lifted up her eyes, and she beheld that there came across the\nmeadows a damsel riding upon a milk-white palfrey, accompanied by three\npages clad in sky-blue raiment. That damsel was also clad entirely in\nazure, and she wore a finely wrought chain of gold about her neck and a\nfillet of gold about her brows, and her hair, which was as yellow as\ngold, was wrapped all about with bands of blue ribbon embroidered with\ngold. And one of the pages that followed the damsel bare a square frame\nof no very great size, and that the frame was enveloped and covered with\na curtain of crimson satin.\n\nNow when the Queen beheld that goodly company approaching, she bade one\nof the knights attendant upon her for to go forth to meet the damsel.\nAnd the knight who went forth in obedience to her command was Sir\nPellias.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias talketh with the damsel._]\n\nSo when Sir Pellias met the damsel and her three pages, he spake to her\nin this wise: \u201cFair damsel, I am commanded by yonder lady for to greet\nyou and to crave of you the favor of your name and purpose.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir Knight,\u201d said the damsel, \u201cI do perceive from your countenance and\naddress that you are some lord of very high estate and of great\nnobility, wherefore I will gladly tell to you that my name is Parcenet,\nand that I am a damsel belonging to the Court of a certain very high\ndame who dwelleth at a considerable distance from here, and who is\ncalled the Lady Ettard of Grantmesnle. Now I come hitherward desiring to\nbe admitted into the presence of Queen Guinevere. Accordingly, if you\ncan tell me whereabout I may find that noble lady, I shall assuredly be\nvery greatly beholden unto you.\u201d\n\n\u201cHa, Lady!\u201d quoth Sir Pellias, \u201cthou shalt not have very far to go to\nfind Queen Guinevere; for, behold! yonder she walketh, surrounded by her\nCourt of Lords and Ladies.\u201d Then the damsel said, \u201cI prithee bring me\nunto her.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Pellias led Parcenet unto the Queen, and Queen Guinevere received\nher with great graciousness of demeanor, saying, \u201cDamsel, what is it\nthat ye seek of us?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The damsel telleth Queen Guinevere of the Lady Ettard._]\n\n\u201cLady,\u201d quoth the damsel, \u201cI will tell you that very readily. The Lady\nEttard, my mistress, is considered by all in those parts where she\ndwelleth to be the most beautiful lady in the world. Now, of late, there\nhath come such a report of your exceeding beauty that the Lady Ettard\nhath seen fit for to send me hitherward to see with mine own eyes if\nthat which is recorded of you is soothly true. And indeed, Lady, now\nthat I stand before you, I may not say but that you are the fairest dame\nthat ever mine eyes beheld unless it be the Lady Ettard aforesaid.\u201d\n\nThen Queen Guinevere laughed with very great mirth. And she said, \u201cIt\nappears to me to be a very droll affair that thou shouldst have\ntravelled so great a distance for so small a matter.\u201d Then she said,\n\u201cTell me, damsel, what is that thy page beareth so carefully wrapped up\nin that curtain of crimson satin?\u201d\n\n\u201cLady,\u201d quoth the damsel, \u201cit is a true and perfect likeness of the Lady\nEttard, who is my mistress.\u201d\n\nThen Queen Guinevere said, \u201cShow it to me.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The damsel showeth the Lady Ettard\u2019s picture to the Queen\nand her Court._]\n\nUpon this the page who bore the picture dismounted from his palfrey and,\ncoming to Queen Guinevere, he kneeled down upon one knee and uncovered\nthe picture so that the Queen and her Court might look upon it.\nThereupon they all beheld that that picture was painted very cunningly\nupon a panel of ivory framed with gold and inset with many jewels of\ndivers colors. And they saw that it was the picture of a lady of such\nextraordinary beauty that all they who beheld it marvelled thereat.\n\u201cHey, damsel!\u201d quoth Queen Guinevere, \u201cthy lady is, indeed, graced with\nwonderful beauty. Now if she doth in sooth resemble that picture, then I\nbelieve that her like to loveliness is not to be found anywhere in the\nworld.\u201d\n\nUpon this Sir Pellias spake out and said, \u201cNot so, Lady; for I do\nprotest, and am willing to maintain my words with the peril of my body,\nthat thou thyself art much more beautiful than that picture.\u201d\n\n\u201cHey day, Sir Knight!\u201d quoth the damsel Parcenet, \u201cit is well that thou\ndost maintain that saying so far away from Grantmesnle; for at that\nplace is a certain knight, hight Sir Engamore of Malverat, who is a very\nstrong knight indeed, and who maintaineth the contrary to thy saying in\nfavor of the Lady Ettard against all comers who dare to encounter him.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias assumes the adventure in honor of the Queen._]\n\nThen Sir Pellias kneeled down before Queen Guinevere, and set his palms\ntogether. \u201cLady,\u201d he said, \u201cI do pray thee of thy grace that thou wilt\nso far honor me as to accept me for thy true knight in this matter. For\nI would fain assay an adventure in thy behalf if I have thy permission\nfor to do so. Wherefore, if thou grantest me leave, I will straightway\ngo forth to meet this knight of whom the damsel speaketh, and I greatly\nhope that when I find him I shall cause his overthrow to the increasing\nof thy glory and honor.\u201d\n\nThen Queen Guinevere laughed again with pure merriment. \u201cSir,\u201d quoth\nshe, \u201cit pleases me beyond measure that thou shouldst take so small a\nquarrel as this upon thee in my behalf. For if, so be, thou dost assume\nso small a quarrel, then how much more wouldst thou take a serious\nquarrel of mine upon thee? Wherefore I do accept thee very joyfully for\nmy champion in this affair. So go thou presently and arm thyself in such\na way as may be fitting for this adventure.\u201d\n\n\u201cLady,\u201d said Sir Pellias, \u201cif I have thy leave, I will enter into this\naffair clad as I am. For I entertain hopes that I shall succeed in\nwinning armor and accoutrements upon the way, in the which case this\nadventure will be still more to thy credit than it would otherwise be.\u201d\n\nAt this the Queen was very much pleased, that her knight should\nundertake so serious an adventure clad only in holiday attire; wherefore\nshe said, \u201cLet it be as thou wouldst have it.\u201d Thereupon she bade her\npage, Florian, for to go fetch the best horse that he might obtain for\nSir Pellias; and Florian, running with all speed, presently returned\nwith a noble steed, so black of hue that I believe there was not a\nsingle white hair upon him.\n\nThen Sir Pellias gave adieu to Queen Guinevere, and her merry May-court,\nand they gave him adieu and great acclaim, and thereupon he mounted his\nhorse and rode away with the damsel Parcenet and the three pages clad in\nblue.\n\nNow when these had gone some distance the damsel Parcenet said, \u201cSir, I\nknow not thy name or thy condition, or who thou art?\u201d\n\nUnto this Sir Pellias said, \u201cDamsel, my name is Pellias and I am a\nknight of King Arthur\u2019s Round Table.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias and Parcenet discourse together._]\n\nAt that Parcenet was very much astonished, for Sir Pellias was held by\nmany to be the best knight-at-arms alive, saving only King Arthur and\nKing Pellinore. Wherefore she cried out, \u201cMessire, it will assuredly be\na very great honor for Sir Engamore to have to do with so famous a\nknight as thou.\u201d Unto this Sir Pellias said, \u201cDamsel, I think there are\nseveral knights of King Arthur\u2019s Round Table who are better knights than\nI.\u201d But Parcenet said, \u201cI cannot believe that to be the case.\u201d\n\nThen after awhile Parcenet said to Sir Pellias, \u201cMessire, how wilt thou\nget thyself armor for to fight Sir Engamore?\u201d \u201cMaiden,\u201d said Sir\nPellias, \u201cI do not know at these present where I shall provide me armor;\nbut before the time cometh for me to have to do with Sir Engamore, I\nhave faith that I shall find armor fit for my purpose. For thou must\nknow that it is not always the defence that a man weareth upon his body\nthat bringeth him success, but more often it is the spirit that\nuplifteth him unto his undertakings.\u201d\n\nThen Parcenet said, \u201cSir Pellias, I do not believe that it is often the\ncase that a lady hath so good a knight as thou for to do battle in her\nbehalf.\u201d To which Sir Pellias said very cheerfully, \u201cDamsel, when thy\ntime cometh I wish that thou mayst have a very much better knight to\nserve thee than I.\u201d \u201cSir,\u201d quoth Parcenet, \u201csuch a thing as that is not\nlikely to befall me.\u201d At the which Sir Pellias laughed with great\nlightness of heart. Then Parcenet said, \u201cHeigh ho! I would that I had a\ngood knight for to serve me.\u201d\n\nTo this Sir Pellias made very sober reply, \u201cMaiden, the first one that I\ncatch I will give unto thee for thy very own. Now wouldst thou have him\nfair or dark, or short or tall? For if thou wouldst rather have him\nshort and fair I will let the tall, dark one go; but if thou wouldst\nhave him tall and dark, I will let go the other sort.\u201d\n\nThen Parcenet looked very steadily at Sir Pellias, and she said, \u201cI\nwould have him about as tall as thou art, and with the same color of\nhair and eyes, and with a straight nose like unto thine, and with a good\nwit such as thou hast.\u201d\n\n\u201cAlas!\u201d said Sir Pellias, \u201cI would that thou hadst told me this before\nwe had come so far from Camelot; for I could easily have got thee such a\nknight at that place. For they have them there in such plenty that they\nkeep them in wicker cages, and sell them two for a farthing.\u201d Whereat\nParcenet laughed very cheerfully, and said, \u201cThen Camelot must be a very\nwonderful place, Sir Pellias.\u201d\n\nSo, with very merry discourse they journeyed upon their way with great\njoy and good content, taking much pleasure in the spring-time and the\npleasant meadows whereon they travelled, being without care of any sort,\nand heart-full of cheerfulness and good-will.\n\nThat night they abided at a very quaint, pleasant hostelry that stood at\nthe outskirts of the Forest of Usk, and the next morning they departed\nbetimes in the freshness of the early day, quitting that place and\nentering into the forest shadows.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias and Parcenet come to the Forest of Adventure._]\n\nNow, after they had travelled a considerable distance in that forest,\nthe damsel Parcenet said to Sir Pellias, \u201cSir, do you know what part of\nthe woods this is?\u201d \u201cNay,\u201d said Sir Pellias. \u201cWell,\u201d said Parcenet,\n\u201cthis part of the woodland is sometimes called Arroy, and is sometimes\ncalled the Forest of Adventure. For I must tell you it is a very\nwonderful place, full of magic of sundry sorts. For it is said that no\nknight may enter into this forest but some adventure shall befall him.\u201d\n\n\u201cDamsel,\u201d said Sir Pellias, \u201cthat which thou tellest me is very good\nnews. For, maybe, if we should fall in with some adventure at this place\nI may then be able to obtain armor suitable for my purpose.\u201d\n\nSo they entered the Forest of Adventure forthwith, and then travelled\ntherein for a long way, marvelling greatly at the aspect of that place\ninto which they were come. For the Forest was very dark and silent and\nwonderfully strange and altogether different from any other place that\nthey had ever seen. Wherefore it appeared to them that it would not be\nat all singular if some extraordinary adventure should befall them.\n\n[Sidenote: _They find an old woman beside the fountain._]\n\nSo after they had travelled in this wise for a considerable pass they\ncame of a sudden out of those thicker parts of the woodland to where was\nan opening of considerable extent. And there they beheld before them a\nviolent stream of water that flowed very turbulently and with great\nuproar of many noises. And they saw that by the side of the stream of\nwater there was a thorn-tree, and that underneath the thorn-tree was a\nbank of green moss, and that upon the bank of moss there sat an aged\nwoman of a very woful appearance. For that old woman was extraordinarily\nwithered with age, and her eyes were all red as though with a continual\nweeping of rheum, and many bristles grew upon her cheeks and her chin,\nand her face was covered with such a multitude of wrinkles that there\nwas not any place that was free from wrinkles.\n\nNow when that old woman beheld Sir Pellias and Parcenet and the three\npages approaching where she sat, she cried out in a loud voice, \u201cSir,\nwilt thou not bear me over this water upon thy horse? For, lo! I am very\nold and feeble and may not cross this river by myself.\u201d\n\nThen Parcenet rebuked the old woman, saying, \u201cPeace, be still! Who art\nthou to ask this noble knight for to do thee such a service as that?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias carries the old woman across the water._]\n\nThen Sir Pellias was not pleased with Parcenet, wherefore he said,\n\u201cDamsel, thou dost not speak properly in this matter, for that which\nbeseemeth a true knight is to give succor unto anyone soever who needeth\nhis aid. For King Arthur is the perfect looking-glass of knighthood, and\nhe hath taught his knights to give succor unto all who ask succor of\nthem, without regarding their condition.\u201d So saying Sir Pellias\ndismounted from his horse and lifted the old woman up upon the saddle\nthereof. Then he himself mounted once more and straightway rode into the\nford of the river and so came across the torrent with the old woman in\nsafety to the other side. And Parcenet followed him, marvelling very\ngreatly at his knightliness, and the three pages followed her.\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the wonderful Lady of the Lake._]\n\nNow when they had reached the other side of the water, Sir Pellias\ndismounted with intent to aid the old woman to alight from the horse.\nBut she waited not for his aid, but immediately leaped down very lightly\nfrom where she was. And, lo! Sir Pellias beheld that she whom he had\nthought to be only an aged and withered beldame was, in truth, a very\nstrange, wonderful lady of extraordinary beauty. And, greatly\nmarvelling, he beheld that she was clad in apparel of such a sort as\nneither he nor any who were there had ever beheld before. And because of\nher appearance he was aware that she was not like any ordinary mortal,\nbut that she was doubtless of enchantment. For he perceived that her\nface was of a wonderful clearness, like to ivory for whiteness, and that\nher eyes were very black and extraordinarily bright, like unto two\njewels set into ivory; and he perceived that she was clad all in green\nfrom head to foot and that her hair was long and perfectly black and\nlike to fine silk for softness and for glossiness; and he perceived that\nshe had about her neck a collar of opal stones and emeralds inset into\ngold, and that about her wrists were bracelets of finely wrought gold\ninset with opal stones and emeralds. Wherefore from all these\ncircumstances he knew that she must be fay.\n\n(For thus was the Lady Nymue of the Lake; and so had she appeared unto\nKing Arthur, and so did she appear unto Sir Pellias and those who were\nwith him.)\n\nSo, beholding the wonderful magical quality of that lady, Sir Pellias\nkneeled down before her and set his hands together, palm to palm. But\nthe Lady of the Lake said, \u201cSir, why dost thou kneel to me?\u201d \u201cLady,\u201d\nquoth Sir Pellias, \u201cbecause thou art so wonderfully strange and\nbeautiful.\u201d \u201cMessire,\u201d said the Lady of the Lake, \u201cthou hast done a very\ngood service to me and art, assuredly, a very excellent knight.\nWherefore, arise and kneel no longer!\u201d So Sir Pellias arose from his\nknees and stood before her, and he said, \u201cLady, who art thou?\u201d To the\nwhich she made reply, \u201cI am one who holdeth an exceedingly kind regard\ntoward King Arthur and all his knights. My name is Nymue and I am the\nchiefest of those Ladies of the Lake of whom thou mayst have heard tell.\nI took upon me that form of a sorry old woman for to test thy\nknightliness, and, lo! I have not found thee amiss in worthy service.\u201d\nThen Sir Pellias said, \u201cLady, thou hast assuredly done me great favor in\nthese.\u201d Upon that the Lady of the Lake smiled upon Sir Pellias very\nkindly, and she said, \u201cSir, I have a mind to do thee a greater favor\nthan that.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady of the Lake giveth Sir Pellias the collar of gold\nand jewels._]\n\nTherewith, so saying, she immediately took from about her neck that\ncollar of opal stones, of emeralds and gold, and hung it about the\nshoulders of Sir Pellias, so that it hung down upon his breast with a\nvery wonderful glory of variegated colors.\n\n\u201cKeep this,\u201d she said, \u201cfor it is of very potent magic.\u201d\n\nUpon that she vanished instantly from the sight of those who were there,\nleaving them astonished and amazed beyond measure at what had befallen.\n\nAnd Sir Pellias was like one who was in a dream, for he wist not whether\nthat which he had beheld was a vision, or whether he had seen it with\nhis waking eyes. Wherefore he mounted upon his horse in entire silence,\nas though he knew not what he did. And likewise in entire silence he led\nthe way from that place. Nor did any of those others speak at that time;\nonly after they had gone a considerable distance Parcenet said, speaking\nin a manner of fear, \u201cMessire, that was a very wonderful thing that\nbefell us.\u201d To which Sir Pellias said, \u201cYea, maiden.\u201d\n\nNow that necklace which the Lady of the Lake had hung about the neck of\nSir Pellias possessed such a virtue that whosoever wore it was beloved\nof all those who looked upon him. For the collar was enchanted with that\npeculiar virtue; but Sir Pellias was altogether unaware of that\ncircumstance, wherefore he only took joy to himself because of the\nsingular beauty of the jewel which the Lady of the Lake had given him.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Sir Pellias encounters the Sorrowful Lady in Arroy.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Second.\n\n_How Sir Pellias Overcame a Red Knight, Hight Sir Adresack, and of How\nHe Liberated XXII Captives From That Knight\u2019s Castle._\n\n\nNow, after that wonderful happening, they journeyed continuously for a\ngreat while. Nor did they pause at any place until they came, about an\nhour after the prime of the day, to a certain part of the forest where\ncharcoal-burners were plying their trade. Here Sir Pellias commanded\nthat they should draw rein and rest for a while, and so they dismounted\nfor to rest and to refresh themselves, as he had ordained that they\nshould do.\n\n[Sidenote: _There cometh a sorrowful lady and an esquire into the\nforest._]\n\nNow as they sat there refreshing themselves with meat and drink, there\ncame of a sudden from out of the forest a sound of great lamentation and\nof loud outcry, and almost immediately there appeared from the thickets,\ncoming into that open place, a lady in woful array, riding upon a pied\npalfrey. And behind her rode a young esquire, clad in colors of green\nand white and seated upon a sorrel horse. And he also appeared to be\npossessed of great sorrow, being in much disarray and very downcast of\ncountenance. And the lady\u2019s face was all beswollen and inflamed with\nweeping, and her hair hung down upon her shoulders with neither net nor\nband for to stay it in place, and her raiment was greatly torn by the\nbrambles and much stained with forest travel. And the young esquire who\nrode behind her came with a drooping head and a like woful disarray of\napparel, his cloak dragging behind him and made fast to his shoulder by\nonly a single point.\n\nNow when Sir Pellias beheld the lady and the esquire in such sad estate,\nhe immediately arose from where he sat and went straightway to the lady\nand took her horse by the bridle and stayed it where it was. And the\nlady looked at him, yet saw him not, being altogether blinded by her\ngrief and distraction. Then Sir Pellias said to her, \u201cLady, what ails\nthee that thou sorrowest so greatly?\u201d Whereunto she made reply, \u201cSir, it\nmatters not, for thou canst not help me.\u201d \u201cHow know ye that?\u201d said Sir\nPellias, \u201cI have a very good intention for to aid thee if it be possible\nfor me to do so.\u201d\n\nThen the lady looked more narrowly at Sir Pellias, and she perceived him\nas though through a mist of sorrow. And she beheld that he was not clad\nin armor, but only in a holiday attire of fine crimson cloth. Wherefore\nshe began sorrowing afresh, and that in great measure, for she deemed\nthat here was one who could give her no aid in her trouble. Wherefore\nshe said, \u201cSir, thy intentions are kind, but how canst thou look to give\nme aid when thou hast neither arms nor defences for to help thee in\ntaking upon thee such a quarrel?\u201d But Sir Pellias said, \u201cLady, I know\nnot how I may aid thee until that thou tellest me of thy sorrow. Yet I\nhave good hope that I may serve thee when I shall know what it is that\ncauses thee such disorder of mind.\u201d Thereupon, still holding the horse\nby the bridle, he brought the lady forward to that place where Parcenet\nstill sat beside the napkin spread with food with which they had been\nrefreshing themselves. And when he had come to that place, he, with all\ngentleness, constrained the lady for to dismount from her horse. Then,\nwith equal gentleness, he compelled her to sit down upon the grass and\nto partake of the food. And when she had done so, and had drunk some of\nthe wine, she found herself to be greatly refreshed and began to take to\nherself more heart of grace. Thereupon, beholding her so far recovered,\nSir Pellias again demanded of her what was her trouble and besought her\nthat she would open her heart unto him.\n\nSo, being encouraged by his cheerful words, she told to Sir Pellias the\ntrouble that had brought her to that pass.\n\n[Sidenote: _The sorrowful lady telleth her story._]\n\n\u201cSir Knight,\u201d she said, \u201cthe place where I dwell is a considerable\ndistance from this. Thence I came this morning with a very good knight,\nhight Sir Brandemere, who is my husband. We have been married but for a\nlittle over four weeks, so that our happiness until this morning was as\nyet altogether fresh with us. Now this morning Sir Brandemere would take\nme out a-hunting at the break of day, and so we went forth with a\nbrachet of which my knight was wonderfully fond. So, coming to a certain\nplace in the forest, there started up of a sudden from before us a doe,\nwhich same the brachet immediately pursued with great vehemence of\noutcry. Thereupon, I and my lord and this esquire followed thereafter\nwith very great spirit and enjoyment of the chase. Now, when we had\nfollowed the doe and the hound for a great distance--the hound pursuing\nthe doe with a great passion of eagerness--we came to a certain place\nwhere we beheld before us a violent stream of water which was crossed\nby a long and narrow bridge. And we beheld that upon the other side of\nthe stream there stood a strong castle with seven towers, and that the\ncastle was built up upon the rocks in such a way that the rocks and the\ncastle appeared to be altogether like one rock.\n\n\u201cNow, as we approached the bridge aforesaid, lo! the portcullis of the\ncastle was lifted up and the drawbridge was let fall very suddenly and\nwith a great noise, and there immediately issued forth from out of the\ncastle a knight clad altogether in red. And all the trappings and the\nfurniture of his horse were likewise of red; and the spear which he bore\nin his hand was of ash-wood painted red. And he came forth very\nterribly, and rode forward so that he presently stood at the other end\nof that narrow bridge. Thereupon he called out aloud to Sir Brandemere,\nmy husband, saying: \u2018Whither wouldst thou go, Sir Knight?\u2019 And unto him\nSir Brandemere made reply: \u2018Sir, I would cross this bridge, for my\nhound, which I love exceedingly, hath crossed here in pursuit of a doe.\u2019\nThen that Red Knight cried out in a loud voice, \u2018Sir Knight, thou comest\nnot upon this bridge but at thy peril; for this bridge belongeth unto\nme, and whosoever would cross it must first overthrow me or else he may\nnot cross.\u2019\n\n\u201cNow, my husband, Sir Brandemere, was clad at that time only in a light\nraiment such as one might wear for hunting or for hawking; only that he\nwore upon his head a light bascinet enwrapped with a scarf which I had\ngiven him. Ne\u2019theless, he was so great of heart that he would not abide\nany challenge such as that Red Knight had given unto him; wherefore,\nbidding me and this esquire (whose name is Ponteferet) to remain upon\nthe farther side of the bridge, he drew his sword and rode forward to\nthe middle of the bridge with intent to force a way across if he was\nable so to do. Whereupon, seeing that to be his intent, that Red Knight,\nclad all in complete armor, cast aside his spear and drew his sword and\nrode forward to meet my knight. So they met in the middle of the bridge,\nand when they had thus met that Red Knight lifted himself in his stirrup\nand smote my husband, Sir Brandemere, upon the crown of his bascinet\nwith his sword. And I beheld the blade of the Red Knight\u2019s sword that it\ncut through the bascinet of Sir Brandemere and deep into his brain-pan,\nso that the blood ran down upon the knight\u2019s face in great abundance.\nThen Sir Brandemere straightway fell down from his horse and lay as\nthough he were gone dead.\n\n\u201cHaving thus overthrown him, that Red Knight dismounted from his horse\nand lifted up Sir Brandemere upon the horse whence he had fallen so\nthat he lay across the saddle. Then taking both horses by the bridles\nthe Red Knight led them straight back across the bridge and so into his\ncastle. And as soon as he had entered into the castle the portcullis\nthereof was immediately closed behind him and the drawbridge was raised.\nNor did he pay any heed whatever either to me or to the esquire\nPonteferet, but he departed leaving us without any word of cheer; nor do\nI now know whether my husband, Sir Brandemere, is living or dead, or\nwhat hath befallen him.\u201d\n\nAnd as the lady spake these words, lo! the tears again fell down her\nface in great abundance.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias assumes an adventure upon relief of the\nsorrowful lady._]\n\nThen Sir Pellias was very much moved with compassion, wherefore he said,\n\u201cLady, thy case is, indeed, one of exceeding sorrowfulness, and I am\ngreatly grieved for thee. And, indeed, I would fain aid thee to all the\nextent that is in my power. So, if thou wilt lead me to where is this\nbridge and that grimly castle of which thou speakest, I make thee my vow\nthat I will assay to the best of my endeavor to learn of the whereabouts\nof thy good knight, and as to what hath befallen him.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d said the lady, \u201cI am much beholden unto thee for thy good will.\nYet thou mayst not hope for success shouldst thou venture to undertake\nso grave an adventure as that without either arms or armor for to defend\nthyself. For consider how grievously that Red Knight hath served my\nhusband, Sir Brandemere, taking no consideration as to his lack of arms\nor defence. Wherefore, it is not likely that he will serve thee any more\ncourteously.\u201d And to the lady\u2019s words Parcenet also lifted up a great\nvoice, bidding Sir Pellias not to be so unwise as to do this thing that\nhe was minded to do. And so did Ponteferet, the esquire, also call out\nupon Sir Pellias, that he should not do this thing, but that he should\nat least take arms to himself ere he entered upon this adventure.\n\nBut to all that they said Sir Pellias replied, \u201cStay me not in that\nwhich I would do, for I do tell you all that I have several times\nundertaken adventures even more perilous than this and yet I have\n\u2019scaped with no great harm to myself.\u201d Nor would he listen to anything\nthat the lady and the damsel might say, but, arising from that place, he\naided the lady and the damsel to mount their palfreys. Then mounting his\nown steed, and the esquire and the pages having mounted their steeds,\nthe whole party immediately departed from that place.\n\n[Sidenote: _They come to the castle of the Red Knight._]\n\nSo they journeyed for a great distance through the forest, the esquire,\nPonteferet, directing them how to proceed in such a way as should bring\nthem by and by to the castle of the Red Knight. So, at last they came\nto a more open place in that wilderness where was a steep and naked\nhill before them. And when they had reached to the top of that hill\nthey perceived beneath them a river, very turbulent and violent.\nLikewise they saw that the river was spanned by a bridge, exceedingly\nstraight and narrow, and that upon the farther side of the bridge and\nof the river there stood a very strong castle with seven tall towers.\nMoreover the castle and the towers were built up upon the rocks, very\nlofty and high, so that it was hard to tell where the rocks ceased and\nthe walls began, wherefore the towers and the walls appeared to be\naltogether one rock of stone.\n\nThen the esquire, Ponteferet, pointed with his finger, and said, \u201cSir\nKnight, yonder is the castle of the Red Knight, and into it he bare Sir\nBrandemere after he had been so grievously wounded.\u201d Then Sir Pellias\nsaid unto the lady, \u201cLady, I will presently inquire as to thy husband\u2019s\nwelfare.\u201d\n\nTherewith he set spurs to his horse and rode down the hill toward the\nbridge with great boldness. And when he had come nigher to the bridge,\nlo! the portcullis of the castle was lifted and the drawbridge was let\nfall with a great noise and tumult, and straightway there issued forth\nfrom out of the castle a knight clad all in armor and accoutrements of\nred, and this knight came forward with great speed toward the bridge\u2019s\nhead. Then, when Sir Pellias saw him approaching so threateningly, he\nsaid unto those who had followed him down the hill: \u201cStand fast where ye\nare and I will go forth to bespeak this knight, and inquire into the\nmatter of that injury which he hath done unto Sir Brandemere.\u201d Upon this\nthe esquire, Ponteferet, said unto him, \u201cStay, Sir Knight, thou wilt be\nhurt.\u201d But Sir Pellias said, \u201cNot so, I shall not be hurt.\u201d\n\nSo he went forth very boldly upon the bridge, and when the Red Knight\nsaw him approach, he said, \u201cHa! who art thou who darest to come thus\nupon my bridge?\u201d\n\nUnto him Sir Pellias made reply, \u201cIt matters not who I am, but thou art\nto know, thou discourteous knight, that I am come to inquire of thee\nwhere thou hast disposed of that good knight Sir Brandemere, and to ask\nof thee why thou didst entreat him so grievously a short time since.\u201d\n\nAt this the Red Knight fell very full of wrath. \u201cHa! ha!\u201d he cried\nvehemently, \u201cthat thou shalt presently learn to thy great sorrow, for as\nI have served him, so shall I quickly serve thee, so that in a little\nwhile I shall bring thee unto him; then thou mayst ask him whatsoever\nthou dost list. But seeing that thou art unarmed and without defence, I\nwould not do thee any bodily ill, wherefore I demand of thee that thou\nshalt presently surrender thyself unto me, otherwise it will be very\ngreatly to thy pain and sorrow if thou compellest me to use force for to\nconstrain thy surrender.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Pellias said, \u201cWhat! what! Wouldst thou thus assail a knight\nwho is altogether without arms or defence as I am?\u201d And the Red Knight\nsaid, \u201cAssuredly shall I do so if thou dost not immediately yield\nthyself unto me.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen,\u201d quoth Pellias, \u201cthou art not fit for to be dealt with as\nbeseemeth a tried knight. Wherefore, should I encounter thee, thy\noverthrow must be of such a sort as may shame any belted knight who\nweareth golden spurs.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias overthroweth the Red Knight with a great\nstone._]\n\nThereupon he cast about his eyes for a weapon to fit his purpose, and he\nbeheld how that a certain huge stone was loose upon the coping of the\nbridge. Now this stone was of such a size that five men of usual\nstrength could hardly lift it. But Sir Pellias lifted it forth from its\nplace with great ease, and, raising it with both hands, he ran quickly\ntoward that Red Knight and flung the rock at him with much force. And\nthe stone smote the Red Knight upon the middle of the shield and drave\nit back upon his breast, with great violence. And the force of the blow\ndrave the knight backward from his saddle, so that he fell down to the\nearth from his horse with a terrible tumult and lay upon the bridgeway\nlike one who was altogether dead.\n\nAnd when they within the castle who looked forth therefrom, saw that\nblow, and when they beheld the overthrow of the Red Knight, they lifted\nup their voices in great lamentation so that the outcry thereof was\nterrible to hear.\n\nBut Sir Pellias ran with all speed to the fallen knight and set his knee\nupon his breast. And he unlaced his helmet and lifted it. And he beheld\nthat the face of the knight was strong and comely and that he was not\naltogether dead.\n\nSo when Sir Pellias saw that the Red Knight was not dead, and when he\nperceived that he was about to recover his breath from the blow that he\nhad suffered, he drew that knight\u2019s misericordia from its sheath and set\nthe point to his throat, so that when the Red Knight awoke from his\nswoon he beheld death, in the countenance of Sir Pellias and in the\npoint of the dagger.\n\nSo when the Red Knight perceived how near death was to him he besought\nSir Pellias for mercy, saying, \u201cSpare my life unto me!\u201d Whereunto Sir\nPellias said, \u201cWho art thou?\u201d And the knight said, \u201cI am hight Sir\nAdresack, surnamed of the Seven Towers.\u201d Then Sir Pellias said to him,\n\u201cWhat hast thou done unto Sir Brandemere and how doth it fare with that\ngood knight?\u201d And the Red Knight replied, \u201cHe is not so seriously\nwounded as you suppose.\u201d\n\nNow when Sir Brandemere\u2019s lady heard this speech she was greatly exalted\nwith joy, so that she smote her hands together, making great cry of\nthanksgiving.\n\nBut Sir Pellias said, \u201cNow tell me, Sir Adresack, hast thou other\ncaptives beside that knight, Sir Brandemere, at thy castle?\u201d To which\nSir Adresack replied, \u201cSir Knight, I will tell thee truly; there are in\nmy castle one and twenty other captives besides him: to wit, eighteen\nknights and esquires of degree and three ladies. For I have defended\nthis bridge for a long time and all who have undertaken to cross it,\nthose have I taken captive and held for ransom. Wherefore I have taken\ngreat wealth and gained great estate thereby.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias layeth his injunctions upon the Red Knight._]\n\nThen Sir Pellias said, \u201cThou art soothly a wicked and discourteous\nknight so to serve travellers that come thy way, and I would do well for\nto slay thee where thou liest. But since thou hast besought mercy of me\nI will grant it unto thee, though I will do so only with great shame\nunto thy knighthood. Moreover, if I spare to thee thy life there are\nseveral things which thou must perform. First thou must go unto Queen\nGuinevere at Camelot, and there must thou say unto her that the knight\nwho left her unarmed hath taken thine armor from thee and hath armed\nhimself therewith for to defend her honor. Secondly, thou must confess\nthy faults unto King Arthur as thou hast confessed them unto me and thou\nmust beg his pardon for the same, craving that he, in his mercy, shall\nspare thy life unto thee. These are the things that thou must perform.\u201d\n\nTo this Sir Adresack said, \u201cVery well, these things do I promise to\nperform if thou wilt spare my life.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias assumes the armor of Sir Adresack._]\n\nThen Sir Pellias permitted him to arise and he came and stood before Sir\nPellias. And Sir Pellias summoned the esquire, Ponteferet, unto him, and\nhe said, \u201cTake thou this knight\u2019s armor from off of his body and put it\nupon my body as thou knowest how to do.\u201d And Ponteferet did as Sir\nPellias bade him. For he unarmed Sir Adresack and he clothed Sir Pellias\nin Sir Adresack\u2019s armor, and Sir Adresack stood ashamed before them all.\nThen Sir Pellias said unto him, \u201cNow take me into thy castle that I may\nthere liberate those captives that thou so wickedly holdest as\nprisoners.\u201d And Sir Adresack said, \u201cIt shall be done as thou dost\ncommand.\u201d\n\nThereupon they all went together unto the castle and into the castle,\nwhich was an exceedingly stately place. And there they beheld a great\nmany servants and attendants, and these came at the command of Sir\nAdresack and bowed themselves down before Sir Pellias. Then Sir Pellias\nbade Sir Adresack for to summon the keeper of the dungeon, and Sir\nAdresack did so. And Sir Pellias commanded the keeper that he should\nconduct them unto the dungeon, and the keeper bowed down before him in\nobedience.\n\nNow when they had come to that dungeon they beheld it to be a very lofty\nplace and exceedingly strong. And there they found Sir Brandemere and\nthose others of whom Sir Adresack had spoken.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias liberates the captives._]\n\nBut when that sorrowful lady perceived Sir Brandemere, she ran unto him\nwith great voice of rejoicing and embraced him and wept over him. And he\nembraced her and wept and altogether forgot his hurt in the joy of\nbeholding her again.\n\nAnd in the several apartments of that part of the castle, there were in\nall eighteen knights and esquires, and three ladies besides Sir\nBrandemere. Moreover, amongst those knights were two from King Arthur\u2019s\nCourt: to wit, Sir Brandiles and Sir Mador de la Porte. Whereupon these\nbeholding that it was Sir Pellias who had liberated them, came to him\nand embraced him with great joy and kissed him upon either cheek.\n\nAnd all those who were liberated made great rejoicing and gave Sir\nPellias such praise and acclaim that he was greatly contented therewith.\n\nThen when Sir Pellias beheld all those captives who were in the dungeon\nhe was very wroth with Sir Adresack, wherefore he turned unto him and\nsaid, \u201cBegone, Sir Knight, for to do that penance which I imposed upon\nthee to perform, for I am very greatly displeased with thee, and fear me\nlest I should repent me of my mercy to thee.\u201d\n\nThereupon Sir Adresack turned him away and he immediately departed from\nthat place. And he called to him his esquire and he took him and rode\naway to Camelot for to do that penance which he had promised Sir Pellias\nto do.\n\nThen, after he was gone, Sir Pellias and those captives whom he had\nliberated, went through the divers parts of the castle. And there they\nfound thirteen chests of gold and silver money and four caskets of\njewels--very fine and of great brilliancy--all of which treasure had\nbeen paid in ransom by those captives who had aforetime been violently\nheld prisoners at that place.\n\nAnd Sir Pellias ordained that all those chests and caskets should be\nopened, and when those who were there looked therein, the hearts of all\nwere wonderfully exalted with joy at the sight of that great treasure.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias divideth the treasures of Sir Adresack among the\ncaptives._]\n\nThen Sir Pellias commanded that all that treasure of gold and silver\nshould be divided into nineteen equal parts, and when it had been so\ndivided, he said, \u201cNow let each of you who have been held captive in\nthis place, take for his own one part of that treasure as a recompense\nfor those sorrows which he hath endured.\u201d Moreover, to each of the\nladies who had been held as captives in that place, he gave a casket of\njewels, saying unto her, \u201cTake thou this casket of jewels as a\nrecompense for that sorrow which thou hast suffered. And unto Sir\nBrandemere\u2019s lady he gave a casket of the jewels for that which she had\nendured.\n\nBut then those who were there beheld that Sir Pellias reserved no part\nof that great treasure for himself, they all cried out upon him: \u201cSir\nKnight! Sir Knight! How is this? Behold, thou hast set aside no part of\nthis treasure for thyself.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Pellias made answer: \u201cYou are right, I have not so. For it\nneeds not that I take any of this gold and silver, or any of these\njewels, for myself. For, behold! ye have suffered much at the hands of\nSir Adresack, wherefore ye should receive recompense therefore, but I\nhave suffered naught at his hands, wherefore I need no such recompense.\u201d\n\nThen were they all astonished at his generosity and gave him great\npraise for his largeness of heart. And all those knights vowed unto him\nfidelity unto death.\n\n[Sidenote: _They abide at the castle of Sir Brandemere._]\n\nThen, when all these things were accomplished, Sir Brandemere implored\nall who were there that they would come with him unto his castle, so\nthat they might refresh themselves with a season of mirth and good\nfaring. And they all said that they would go with him, and they did go.\nAnd at the castle of Sir Brandemere there was great rejoicing with\nfeasting and jousting for three days.\n\nAnd all who were there loved Sir Pellias with an astonishing love\nbecause of that collar of emeralds and opals and of gold. Yet no one\nknew of the virtue of that collar, nor did Sir Pellias know of it.\n\nSo Sir Pellias abided at that place for three days. And when the fourth\nday was come he arose betimes in the morning and bade saddle his horse,\nand the palfrey of the damsel Parcenet, and the horses of their pages.\n\nThen when all those who were there saw that he was minded to depart,\nthey besought him not to go, but Sir Pellias said, \u201cStay me not, for I\nmust go.\u201d\n\nThen came to him those two knights of Arthur\u2019s Court, Sir Brandiles and\nSir Mador de la Porte, and they besought him that he would let them go\nwith him upon that adventure. And at first Sir Pellias forbade them but\nthey besought him the more, so that at last he was fain to say, \u201cYe\nshall go with me.\u201d\n\nSo he departed from that place with his company, and all those who\nremained gave great sorrow that he had gone away.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Parcenet covers Sir Pellias with a cloak.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Third.\n\n_How Sir Pellias Did Battle With Sir Engamore, Otherwise the Knight of\nthe Green Sleeves, and of What Befell the Lady Ettard._\n\n\nNow, Sir Pellias and his party and the damsel Parcenet and her party\ntravelled onward until after awhile in the afternoon they came unto the\nutmost boundaries of the forest, where the woodlands ceased altogether\nand many fields and meadows, with farms and crofts and plantations of\ntrees all a-bloom with tender leaves and fragrant blossoms, lay spread\nout beneath the sky.\n\nAnd Sir Pellias said, \u201cThis is indeed a very beautiful land into which\nwe have come.\u201d Whereat the damsel Parcenet was right well pleased, for\nshe said, \u201cSir, I am very glad that that which thou seest belikes thee;\nfor all this region belongeth unto the Lady Ettard, and it is my home.\nMoreover, from the top of yonder hill one mayst behold the castle of\nGrantmesnle which lieth in the valley beneath.\u201d Then Sir Pellias said,\n\u201cLet us make haste! For I am wonderfully desirous of beholding that\nplace.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _They reach Grantmesnle._]\n\nSo they set spurs to their horses and rode up that hill at a hand\ngallop. And when they had reached the top thereof, lo! beneath them lay\nthe Castle of Grantmesnle in such a wise that it was as though upon the\npalm of a hand. And Sir Pellias beheld that it was an exceedingly fair\ncastle, built altogether without of a red stone, and containing many\nbuildings of red brick within the wall. And behind the walls there lay a\nlittle town, and from where they stood they could behold the streets\nthereof, and the people coming and going upon their businesses. So Sir\nPellias, beholding the excellence of that castle, said, \u201cCertes, maiden,\nyonder is a very fair estate.\u201d\n\n\u201cYea,\u201d said Parcenet; \u201cwe who dwell there do hold it to be a very\nexcellent estate.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Pellias said to Parcenet: \u201cMaiden, yonder glade of young trees\nnigh unto the castle appeareth to be a very cheerful spot. Wherefore at\nthat place I and my companions in arms will take up our inn. There,\nlikewise, we will cause to be set up three pavilions for to shelter us\nby day and by night. Meantime, I beseech of thee, that thou wilt go unto\nthe lady, thy mistress, and say unto her that a knight hath come unto\nthis place, who, albeit he knoweth her not, holdeth that the Lady\nGuinevere of Camelot is the fairest lady in all of the world. And I\nbeseech thee to tell the lady that I am here to maintain that saying\nagainst all comers at the peril of my body. Wherefore, if the lady have\nany champion for to undertake battle in her behalf, him will I meet in\nyonder field to-morrow at mid-day a little before I eat my mid-day meal.\nFor at that time I do propose for to enter into yonder field, and to\nmake parade therein until my friends bid me for to come in to my dinner;\nand I shall take my stand in that place in honor of the Lady Guinevere\nof Camelot.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir Pellias,\u201d said the damsel, \u201cI will even do as thou desirest of me.\nAnd, though I may not wish that thou mayst be the victor in that\nencounter, yet am I soothly sorry for to depart from thee. For thou art\nboth a very valiant and a very gentle knight, and I find that I have a\ngreat friendship for thee.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Pellias laughed, and he said, \u201cParcenet, thou art minded to\ngive me praise that is far beyond my deserving.\u201d And Parcenet said,\n\u201cSir, not so, for thou dost deserve all that I may say to thy credit.\u201d\n\nThereupon they twain took leave of one another with very good will and\nmuch kindness of intention, and the maiden and the three pages went the\none way, and Sir Pellias and his two companions and the several\nattendants they had brought with them went into the glade of young trees\nas Sir Pellias had ordained.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias and his knights-companion take up their inn in a\nglade of trees._]\n\nAnd there they set up three pavilions in the shade of the trees; the one\npavilion of fair white cloth, the second of green cloth, and the third\nof scarlet cloth. And over each pavilion they had set a banner\nemblazoned with the device of that knight unto whom the pavilion\nappertained: above the white pavilion was the device of Sir Pellias: to\nwit, three swans displayed upon a field argent; above the red pavilion,\nwhich was the pavilion of Sir Brandiles, was a red banner emblazoned\nwith his device: to-wit, a mailed hand holding in its grasp a hammer;\nabove the green pavilion, which was that of Sir Mador de la Porte, was a\ngreen banner bearing his device, which was that of a carrion crow\nholding in one hand a white lily flower and in the other a sword.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias issues challenge to Sir Engamore._]\n\nSo when the next day had come, and when mid-day was nigh at hand, Sir\nPellias went forth into that field before the castle as he had promised\nto do, and he was clad all from head to foot in the red armor which he had\ntaken from the body of Sir Adresack, so that in that armor he presented\na very terrible appearance. So he rode up and down before the castle\nwalls for a considerable while crying in a loud voice, \u201cWhat ho! What\nho! Here stands a knight of King Arthur\u2019s Court and of his Round Table\nwho doth affirm, and is ready to maintain the same with his body, that\nthe Lady Guinevere, King Arthur\u2019s Queen of Camelot, is the most\nbeautiful lady in all of the world, barring none whomsoever. Wherefore,\nif any knight maintaineth otherwise, let him straightway come forth for\nto defend his opinion with his body.\u201d\n\nNow after Sir Pellias had thus appeared in that meadow there fell a\ngreat commotion within the castle, and many people came upon the walls\nthereof and gazed down upon Sir Pellias where he paraded that field. And\nafter a time had passed, the drawbridge of the castle was let fall, and\nthere issued forth a knight, very huge of frame and exceedingly haughty\nof demeanor. This knight was clad altogether from head to foot in green\narmor, and upon either arm he wore a green sleeve, whence he was\nsometimes entitled the Knight of the Green Sleeves.\n\nSo that Green Knight rode forward toward Sir Pellias, and Sir Pellias\nrode forward unto the Green Knight, and when they had come together they\ngave salute with a great deal of civility and knightly courtesy. Then\nthe Green Knight said unto Sir Pellias, \u201cSir Knight, wilt thou allow\nunto me the great favor for to know thy name?\u201d\n\nWhereunto Sir Pellias made reply, \u201cThat will I so. I am Sir Pellias, a\nknight of King Arthur\u2019s Court and of his Round Table.\u201d\n\nThen the Green Knight made reply, \u201cHa, Sir Pellias, it is a great honor\nfor me to have to do with so famous a knight, for who is there in Courts\nof Chivalry who hath not heard of thee? Now, if I have the good fortune\nfor to overthrow thee, then will all thy honor become my honor. Now, in\nreturn for thy courtesy for making proclamation of thy name, I give unto\nthee my name and title, which is Sir Engamore of Malverat, further known\nas the Knight of the Green Sleeves. And I may furthermore tell thee that\nI am the champion unto the Lady Ettard of Grantmesnle, and that I have\ndefended her credit unto peerless beauty for eleven months, and that\nagainst all comers, wherefore if I do successfully defend it for one\nmonth longer, then do I become lord of her hand and of all this fair\nestate. So I am prepared to do the uttermost in my power in her honor.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Pellias said, \u201cSir Knight, I give thee gramercy for thy words\nof greeting, and I too will do my uttermost in this encounter.\u201d\nThereupon each knight saluted each other with his lance, and each rode\nto his appointed station.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias overthrows Sir Engamore._]\n\nNow a great concourse of people had come down to the lower walls of the\ncastle and of the town for to behold the contest of arms that was\ntoward, wherefore it would be hard to imagine a more worthy occasion\nwhere knights might meet in a glorious contest of friendly jousting,\nwherefore each knight prepared himself in all ways, and dressed him his\nspear and his lance with great care and circumspection. So when all had\nbeen prepared for that encounter, an herald, who had come forth from the\ncastle into the field, give the signal for assault. Thereupon in an\ninstant, each knight drave spurs into his horse and rushed the one\nagainst the other, with such terrible speed that the ground shook and\ntrembled beneath the beating of their horses\u2019 feet. So they met exactly\nin the centre of the field of battle, the one knight smiting the other\nin the midst of his defences with a violence that was very terrible to\nbehold. And the spear of Sir Engamore burst into as many as thirty\npieces, but the spear of Sir Pellias held so that the Green Knight was\nhurtled so violently from out of his saddle that he smote the earth\nabove a spear\u2019s length behind the crupper of his horse.\n\nNow when those who had stood upon the walls beheld how entirely the\nGreen Knight was overthrown in the encounter, they lifted up their\nvoices in great outcry; for there was no other such knight as Sir\nEngamore in all those parts. And more especially did the Lady Ettard\nmake great outcry; for Sir Engamore was very much beloved by her;\nwherefore, seeing him so violently flung down upon the ground, she\ndeemed that perhaps he had been slain.\n\nThen three esquires ran to Sir Engamore and lifted him up and unlaced\nhis helm for to give him air. And they beheld that he was not slain, but\nonly in a deep swoon. So by and by he opened his eyes, and at that Sir\nPellias was right glad, for it would have grieved him had he slain that\nknight. Now when Sir Engamore came back unto his senses once more, he\ndemanded with great vehemence that he might continue that contest with\nSir Pellias afoot and with swords. But Sir Pellias would not have it so.\n\u201cNay, Sir Engamore,\u201d quoth he, \u201cI will not fight thee so serious a\nquarrel as that, for I have no such despite against thee.\u201d And at that\ndenial Sir Engamore fell a weeping from pure vexation and shame of his\nentire overthrow.\n\nThen came Sir Brandiles and Sir Mador de la Porte and gave Sir Pellias\ngreat acclaim for the excellent manner in which he had borne himself in\nthe encounter, and at the same time they offered consolation unto Sir\nEngamore and comforted him for the misfortune that had befallen him.\nBut Sir Engamore would take but little comfort in their words.\n\nNow whiles they thus stood all together, there issued out from the\ncastle the Lady Ettard and an exceedingly gay and comely Court of\nesquires and ladies, and these came across the meadow toward where Sir\nPellias and the others stood.\n\nThen when Sir Pellias beheld that lady approach, he drew his\nmisericordia and cut the thongs of his helmet, and took the helmet off\nof his head, and thus he went forward, bareheaded, for to meet her.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias greets the Lady Ettard in courteous wise._]\n\nBut when he had come nigh to her he beheld that she was many times more\nbeautiful than that image of her painted upon the ivory panel which he\nhad aforetime beheld, wherefore his heart went forth unto her with a\nvery great strength of liking. So therewith he kneeled down upon the\ngrass and set his hands together palm to palm, before her, and he said:\n\u201cLady, I do very greatly crave thy forgiveness that I should thus have\ndone battle against thy credit. For, excepting that I did that endeavor\nfor my Queen, I would rather, in another case, have been thy champion\nthan that of any lady whom I have ever beheld.\u201d\n\nNow at that time Sir Pellias wore about his neck the collar of emeralds\nand opal stones and gold which the Lady of the Lake had given to him.\nWherefore, when the Lady Ettard looked upon him, that necklace drew her\nheart unto him with very great enchantment. Wherefore she smiled upon\nSir Pellias very cheerfully and gave him her hand and caused him to\narise from that place where he kneeled. And she said to him, \u201cSir\nKnight, thou art a very famous warrior; for I suppose there is not\nanybody who knoweth aught of chivalry but hath heard of the fame of Sir\nPellias, the Gentle Knight. Wherefore, though my champion Sir Engamore\nof Malverat hath heretofore overthrown all comers, yet he need not feel\nvery much ashamed to have been overthrown by so terribly strong a\nknight.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias and his knights-companion go to the castle of\nGrantmesnle._]\n\nThen Sir Pellias was very glad of the kind words which the Lady Ettard\nspake unto him, and therewith he made her known unto Sir Brandiles and\nSir Mador de la Porte. Unto these knights also, the Lady Ettard spake\nvery graciously, being moved thereto by the extraordinary regard she\nfelt toward Sir Pellias. So she besought those knights that they would\ncome into the castle and refresh themselves, with good cheer, and with\nthat, the knights said that they would presently do so. Wherefore they\nreturned each knight unto his pavilion, and there each bedight himself\nwith fine raiment and with ornaments of gold and silver in such a\nfashion that he was noble company for any Court. Then those three\nknights betook themselves unto the castle of Grantmesnle, and when they\nhad come thither everybody was astonished at the nobility of their\naspect.\n\nBut Sir Engamore, who had by now recovered from his fall, was greatly\ncast down, for he said unto himself, \u201cWho am I in the presence of these\nnoble lords?\u201d So he stood aside and was very downcast of heart and\noppressed in his spirits.\n\nThen the Lady Ettard set a very fine feast and Sir Pellias and Sir\nBrandiles and Sir Mador de la Porte were exceedingly glad thereof. And\nupon her right hand she placed Sir Pellias, and upon her left hand she\nplaced Sir Engamore. And Sir Engamore was still more cast down, for,\nuntil now, he had always sat upon the right hand of the Lady Ettard.\n\nNow because Sir Pellias wore that wonderful collar which the Lady of the\nLake had given unto him, the Lady Ettard could not keep her regard from\nhim. So after they had refreshed themselves and had gone forth into the\ncastle pleasaunce for to walk in the warm sunshine, the lady would have\nSir Pellias continually beside her. And when it came time for those\nforeign knights to quit the castle, she besought Sir Pellias that he\nwould stay a while longer. Now Sir Pellias was very glad to do that, for\nhe was pleased beyond measure with the graciousness and the beauty of\nthe Lady Ettard.\n\nSo by and by Sir Brandiles and Sir Mador de la Porte went back unto\ntheir pavilions, and Sir Pellias remained in the castle of Grantmesnle\nfor a while longer.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias and the Lady Ettard feast together._]\n\nNow that night the Lady Ettard let to be made a supper for herself and\nSir Pellias, and at that supper she and Sir Pellias alone sat at the\ntable, and the damsel Parcenet waited in attendance upon the lady.\nWhiles they ate, certain young pages and esquires played very sweetly\nupon harps, and certain maidens who were attendant upon the Court of the\nlady sang so sweetly that it expanded the heart of the listener to hear\nthem. And Sir Pellias was so enchanted with the sweetness of the music,\nand with the beauty of the Lady Ettard, that he wist not whether he were\nindeed upon the earth or in Paradise, wherefore, because of his great\npleasure, he said unto the Lady Ettard, \u201cLady, I would that I might do\nsomewhat for thee to show unto thee how high is the regard and the honor\nin which I hold thee.\u201d\n\nNow as Sir Pellias sat beside her, the Lady Ettard had continually held\nin observation that wonderful collar of gold and of emerald and of opal\nstones which hung about his neck; and she coveted that collar\nexceedingly. Wherefore, she now said unto Sir Pellias, \u201cSir Knight, thou\nmayst indeed do me great favor if thou hast a mind for to do so.\u201d \u201cWhat\nfavor may I do thee, Lady?\u201d said Sir Pellias. \u201cSir,\u201d said the Lady\nEttard, \u201cthou mayst give unto me that collar which hangeth about thy\nneck.\u201d\n\nAt this the countenance of Sir Pellias fell, and he said, \u201cLady, I may\nnot do that; for that collar came unto me in such an extraordinary\nfashion that I may not part it from me.\u201d\n\nThen the Lady Ettard said, \u201cWhy mayst thou not part it from thee, Sir\nPellias?\u201d\n\nThereupon Sir Pellias told her all of that extraordinary adventure with\nthe Lady of the Lake, and of how that fairy lady had given the collar\nunto him.\n\nAt this the Lady Ettard was greatly astonished, and she said, \u201cSir\nPellias, that is a very wonderful story. Ne\u2019theless, though thou mayst\nnot give that collar unto me, yet thou mayst let me wear it for a little\nwhile. For indeed I am charmed by the beauty of that collar beyond all\nmanner of liking, wherefore I do beseech thee for to let me wear it for\na little.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias lets the Lady Ettard wear the collar._]\n\nThen Sir Pellias could refuse her no longer, so he said, \u201cLady, thou\nshalt have it to wear for a while.\u201d Thereupon he took the collar from\noff of his neck, and he hung it about the neck of the Lady Ettard.\n\nThen, after a little time the virtue of that jewel departed from Sir\nPellias and entered into the Lady Ettard, and the Lady Ettard looked\nupon Sir Pellias with altogether different eyes than those with which\nshe had before regarded him. Wherefore she said unto herself: \u201cHah! what\nailed me that I should have been so enchanted with that knight to the\ndiscredit of my champion who hath served me so faithfully? Hath not this\nknight done me grievous discredit? Hath he not come hitherward for no\nother reason than for that purpose? Hath he not overthrown mine own true\nknight in scorn of me? What then hath ailed me that I should have given\nhim such regard as I have bestowed upon him?\u201d But though she thought all\nthis, yet she made no sign thereof unto Sir Pellias, but appeared to\nlaugh and talk very cheerfully. Nevertheless, she immediately began to\ncast about in her mind for some means whereby she might be revenged upon\nSir Pellias; for she said unto herself, \u201cLo! is he not mine enemy and is\nnot mine enemy now in my power? Wherefore should I not take full measure\nof revenge upon him for all that which he hath done unto us of\nGrantmesnle?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady Ettard layeth plans against Sir Pellias._]\n\nSo by and by she made an excuse and arose and left Sir Pellias. And she\ntook Parcenet aside, and she said unto the damsel Parcenet, \u201cGo and\nfetch me hither presently a powerful sleeping-draught.\u201d Then Parcenet\nsaid, \u201cLady, what would you do?\u201d And the Lady Ettard said, \u201cNo matter.\u201d\nAnd Parcenet said, \u201cWould you give unto that noble knight a\nsleeping-draught?\u201d And the lady said, \u201cI would.\u201d Then Parcenet said,\n\u201cLady, that would surely be an ill thing to do unto one who sitteth in\npeace at your table and eateth of your salt.\u201d Whereunto the Lady Ettard\nsaid, \u201cTake thou no care as to that, girl, but go thou straightway and\ndo as I bid thee.\u201d\n\nThen Parcenet saw that it was not wise for her to disobey the lady.\nWherefore she went straightway and did as she was bidden. So she brought\nthe sleeping-draught to the lady in a chalice of pure wine, and the Lady\nEttard took the chalice and said to Sir Pellias, \u201cTake thou this chalice\nof wine, Sir Knight, and drink it unto me according to the measure of\nthat good will thou hast unto me.\u201d Now Parcenet stood behind her lady\u2019s\nchair, and when Sir Pellias took the chalice she frowned and shook her\nhead at him. But Sir Pellias saw it not, for he was intoxicated with the\nbeauty of the Lady Ettard, and with the enchantment of the collar of\nemeralds and opal stones and gold which she now wore. Wherefore he said\nunto her, \u201cLady, if there were poison in that chalice, yet would I drink\nof the wine that is in it at thy command.\u201d\n\nAt that the Lady Ettard fell a-laughing beyond measure, and she said,\n\u201cSir Knight, there is no poison in that cup.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Pellias took the chalice and drank the wine, and he said, \u201cLady,\nhow is this? The wine is bitter.\u201d To which the Lady Ettard made reply,\n\u201cSir, that cannot be.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias sleepeth._]\n\nThen in a little while Sir Pellias his head waxed exceedingly heavy as\nif it were of lead, wherefore he bowed his head upon the table where he\nsat. That while the Lady Ettard remained watching him very strangely,\nand by and by she said, \u201cSir Knight, dost thou sleep?\u201d To the which Sir\nPellias replied not, for the fumes of the sleeping-draught had ascended\ninto his brains and he slept.\n\nThen the Lady Ettard arose laughing, and she smote her hands together\nand summoned her attendants. And she said to them, \u201cTake this knight\naway, and convey him into an inner apartment, and when ye have brought\nhim thither, strip him of his gay clothes and of his ornaments so that\nonly his undergarments shall remain upon him. And when ye have done\nthat, lay him upon a pallet and convey him out of the castle and into\nthat meadow beneath the walls where he overthrew Sir Engamore, so that\nwhen the morning shall arise he shall become a mock and a jest unto all\nwho shall behold him. Thus shall we humiliate him in that same field\nwherein he overthrew Sir Engamore, and his humiliation shall be greater\nthan the humiliation of Sir Engamore hath been.\u201d\n\nNow when the damsel Parcenet heard this she was greatly afflicted, so\nthat she withdrew herself apart and wept for Sir Pellias. But the others\ntook Sir Pellias and did unto him as the Lady Ettard had commanded.\n\nNow when the next morning had come, Sir Pellias awoke with the sun\nshining into his face. And he wist not at all where he was, for his\nbrains were befogged by the sleeping-draught which he had taken. So he\nsaid unto himself, \u201cAm I dreaming, or am I awake? for certes, the last\nthat I remember was that I sat at supper with the Lady Ettard, yet here\nI am now in an open field with the sun shining upon me.\u201d\n\nSo he raised himself upon his elbow, and behold! he lay beneath the\ncastle walls nigh to the postern gate. And above him, upon the top of\nthe wall, was a great concourse of people, who, when they beheld that he\nwas awake, laughed at him and mocked at him. And the Lady Ettard also\ngazed down at him from a window and he saw that she laughed at him and\nmade herself merry. And lo! he beheld that he lay there clad only in his\nlinen undervestment, and that he was in his bare feet as though he were\nprepared to sleep at night. So he sat upon the cot, saying unto himself,\n\u201cCertainly this must be some shameful dream that oppresses me.\u201d Nor was\nhe at all able to recover from his bewilderment.\n\n[Sidenote: _The damsel Parcenet bringeth succor to Sir Pellias._]\n\nNow, as he sat thus, the postern gate was opened of a sudden, and the\ndamsel Parcenet came out thence. And her face was all be-wet with tears,\nand she bare in her hand a flame-colored mantle. Straightway she ran to\nSir Pellias, and said, \u201cThou good and gentle knight, take thou this and\nwrap thyself in it.\u201d\n\nUpon this Sir Pellias wist that this was no dream, but a truth of great\nshame; wherefore he was possessed with an extreme agony of shame, so\nthat he fell to trembling, whilst his teeth chattered as though with an\nague. Then he said to Parcenet, \u201cMaiden, I thank thee.\u201d And he could\nfind no more words to say. So he took the mantle and wrapped himself in\nit.\n\nNow when the people upon the walls beheld what Parcenet had done, they\nhooted her and reviled her with many words of ill-regard. So the maiden\nran back again into the castle, but Sir Pellias arose and went his way\ntoward his pavilion wrapped in that mantle. And as he went he staggered\nand tottered like a drunken man, for a great burden of shame lay upon\nhim almost more than he could carry.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias taketh great grief because of his shame._]\n\nSo when Sir Pellias had reached his pavilion, he entered it and threw\nhimself on his face upon his couch and lay there without saying\nanything. And by and by Sir Brandiles and Mador de la Porte heard of\nthat plight into which Sir Pellias had fallen, and thereupon they\nhastened to where he lay and made much sorrow over him. Likewise, they\nwere exceedingly wroth at the shame that had been put upon him;\nwherefore they said, \u201cWe will get us aid from Camelot, and we will burst\nopen yonder castle and we will fetch the Lady Ettard hither to crave thy\npardon for this affront. This we will do even if we have to drag her\nhither by the hair of her head.\u201d\n\nBut Sir Pellias lifted not his head, only he groaned and he said, \u201cLet\nbe, Messires; for under no circumstance shall ye do that thing, she\nbeing a woman. As it is, I would defend her honor even though I died in\nthat defence. For I know not whether I am bewitched or what it is that\nails me, but I love her with a very great passion and I cannot tear my\nheart away from her.\u201d\n\nAt this Sir Brandiles and Sir Mador de la Porte were greatly astonished,\nwherefore they said the one to the other, \u201cCertes, that lady hath laid\nsome powerful spell upon him.\u201d\n\nThen after a while Sir Pellias bade them go away and leave him, and they\ndid so, though not with any very good will.\n\nSo Sir Pellias lay there for all that day until the afternoon had come.\nThen he aroused himself and bade his esquire for to bring him his armor.\nNow when Sir Brandiles and Sir Mador de la Porte heard news of this they\nwent to where he was and said, \u201cSir, what have ye a mind to do?\u201d To this\nSir Pellias said, \u201cI am going to try to win me unto the Lady Ettard\u2019s\npresence.\u201d Then they said, \u201cWhat madness is this?\u201d \u201cI know not,\u201d said\nSir Pellias, \u201cbut, meseems, that if I do not behold the Lady Ettard and\ntalk with her I shall surely die of longing to see her.\u201d And they say,\n\u201cCertes, this is madness.\u201d Whereunto he replied, \u201cI know not whether it\nis madness or whether I am caught in some enchantment.\u201d\n\nSo the esquire fetched unto Sir Pellias his armor as he had commanded,\nand he clad Sir Pellias in it so that he was altogether armed from head\nto foot. Thereupon straightway Sir Pellias mounted his horse and rode\nout toward the castle of Grantmesnle.\n\nNow when the Lady Ettard beheld Sir Pellias again parading the meadow\nbelow the castle, she called unto her six of her best knights, and she\nsaid unto them, \u201cBehold, Messires, yonder is that knight who brought so\nmuch shame upon us yesterday. Now I bid ye for to go forth against him\nand to punish him as he deserveth.\u201d\n\nSo those six knights went and armed themselves, and when they had done\nso they straightway rode forth against Sir Pellias.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias overcometh six knights._]\n\nNow, when Sir Pellias beheld these approach, his heart overflowed with\nfury and he shouted in a great voice and drave forward against them. And\nfor a while they withstood him, but he was not to be withstood, but\nfought with surpassing fury, wherefore they presently brake from before\nhim and fled. So he pursued them with great fury about that field and\nsmote four of them down from their horses. Then, when there were but two\nof those knights remaining, Sir Pellias of a sudden ceased to fight, and\nhe cried out unto those two knights, \u201cMessires, I surrender myself unto\nye.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias yields himself prisoner._]\n\nNow at that those two knights were greatly astonished, for they were\nentirely filled with the fear of his strength, and wist not why he\nshould yield to them. Nevertheless they came and laid hands upon him and\ntook him toward the castle. Upon this Sir Pellias said unto himself,\n\u201cNow they will bring me unto the Lady Ettard, and I shall have speech\nwith her.\u201d For it was for this that he had suffered himself to be taken\nby those two knights.\n\nBut it was not to be as Sir Pellias willed it. For when they had brought\nhim close under the castle, the Lady Ettard called unto them from a\nwindow in the wall. And she said, \u201cWhat do you with that knight?\u201d They\nsay, \u201cWe bring him to you, Lady.\u201d Upon this she cried out very\nvehemently, \u201cBring him not to me, but take him and tie his hands behind\nhis back and tie his feet beneath his horse\u2019s belly, and send him back\nunto his companions.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Pellias lifted up his eyes unto that window and he cried out in\na great passion of despair, \u201cLady, it was unto thee I surrendered, and\nnot unto these unworthy knights.\u201d\n\nBut the Lady Ettard cried out all the more vehemently, \u201cDrive him hence,\nfor I do hate the sight of him.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady Ettard puts shame upon Sir Pellias._]\n\nSo those two knights did as the Lady Ettard said; they took Sir Pellias\nand bound him hand and foot upon his horse. And when they had done so\nthey allowed his horse for to bear him back again unto his companions in\nthat wise.\n\nNow when Sir Brandiles and Sir Mador de la Porte beheld how Sir Pellias\ncame unto them with his hands bound behind his back and his feet tied\nbeneath his horse\u2019s belly, they were altogether filled with grief and\ndespair. So they loosed those cords from about his hands and feet, and\nthey cried out upon Sir Pellias, \u201cSir Knight, Sir Knight, art thou not\nashamed to permit such infamy as this?\u201d And Sir Pellias shook and\ntrembled as though with an ague, and he cried out in great despair, \u201cI\ncare not what happens unto me!\u201d They said, \u201cNot unto thyself, Sir\nKnight; but what shame dost thou bring upon King Arthur and his Round\nTable!\u201d Upon this Sir Pellias cried aloud, with a great and terrible\nvoice, \u201cI care not for them, either.\u201d\n\nAll of this befell because of the powerful enchantment of the collar of\nemeralds and opal stones and of gold which Sir Pellias had given unto\nthe Lady Ettard, and which she continually wore. For it was beyond the\npower of any man to withstand the enchantment of that collar. So it was\nthat Sir Pellias was bewitched and brought to that great pass of shame.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: The Lady of the Lake sits by the Fountain in Arroy.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Fourth.\n\n_How Queen Guinevere Quarrelled With Sir Gawaine, and How Sir Gawaine\nLeft the Court of King Arthur For a While._\n\n\nNow, in the same measure that Queen Guinevere felt high regard for Sir\nPellias, in that same degree she felt misliking for Sir Gawaine. For,\nthough Sir Gawaine was said of many to have a silver tongue, and whiles\nhe could upon occasion talk in such a manner as to beguile others unto\nhis will, yet he was of a proud temper and very stern and haughty.\nWherefore he would not always brook that the Lady Guinevere should\ncommand him unto her will as she did other knights of that Court.\nMoreover, she could not ever forget how Sir Gawaine did deny her that\ntime at Cameliard when she besought him and his companions for aid, in\nher time of trouble, nor how discourteous his speech had been to her\nupon that occasion. So there was no great liking between these two proud\nsouls, for Queen Guinevere held to her way and Sir Gawaine held to his\nway under all circumstances.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine and others sit beneath the Queen\u2019s window._]\n\nNow it happened upon an occasion that Sir Gawaine and Sir Griflet and\nSir Constantine of Cornwall sat talking with five ladies of the Queen\u2019s\nCourt in a pleached garden that lay beneath the tower of the Lady\nGuinevere, and they made very pleasant discourse together. For some\nwhiles they would talk and make them merry with jests and contes, and\nother whiles one or another would take a lute that they had with them\nand would play upon it and would sing.\n\nNow while these lords and ladies sat thus enjoying pleasant discourse\nand singing in that manner, Queen Guinevere sat at a window that\noverlooked the garden, and which was not very high from the ground,\nwherefore she could overhear all that they said. But these lords and\nladies were altogether unaware that the Queen could overhear them, so\nthat they talked and laughed very freely, and the Queen greatly enjoyed\ntheir discourse and the music that they made.\n\nThat day was extraordinarily balmy, and it being well toward the sloping\nof the afternoon, those lords and ladies were clad in very gay attire.\nAnd of all who were there Sir Gawaine was the most gayly clad, for he\nwas dressed in sky-blue silk embroidered with threads of silver. And Sir\nGawaine was playing upon the lute and singing a ballad in an exceedingly\npleasing voice so that Queen Guinevere, as she sat at the window beside\nthe open casement, was very well content for to listen to him.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine striketh the Queen\u2019s hound._]\n\nNow there was a certain greyhound of which Queen Guinevere was\nwonderfully fond; so much so that she had adorned its neck with a collar\nof gold inset with carbuncles. At that moment the hound came running\ninto that garden and his feet were wet and soiled with earth. So,\nhearing Sir Gawaine singing and playing upon the lute, that hound ran\nunto him and leaped upon him. At this Sir Gawaine was very wroth,\nwherefore he clinched his hand and smote the hound upon the head with\nthe knuckles thereof, so that the hound lifted up his voice with great\noutcry.\n\nBut when Queen Guinevere beheld that blow she was greatly offended,\nwherefore she called out from her window, \u201cWhy dost thou smite my dog,\nMessire?\u201d And those lords and ladies who were below in the garden were\nvery much surprised and were greatly abashed to find that the Queen was\nso nigh unto them as to overhear all that they had said and to behold\nall that they did.\n\nBut Sir Gawaine spake up very boldly, saying, \u201cThy dog affronted me,\nLady, and whosoever affronteth me, him I strike.\u201d\n\nThen Queen Guinevere grew very angry with Sir Gawaine, wherefore she\nsaid, \u201cThy speech is over-bold, Messire,\u201d and Sir Gawaine said, \u201cNot\nover-bold, Lady; but only bold enough for to maintain my rights.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the quarrel of the Queen and Sir Gawaine._]\n\nAt this speech the Lady Guinevere\u2019s face flamed like fire and her eyes\nshone very bright and she said, \u201cI am sure that thou dost forget unto\nwhom thou speakest, Sir Knight,\u201d at the which Sir Gawaine smiled very\nbitterly and said, \u201cAnd thou, Lady, dost not remember that I am the son\nof a king so powerful that he needs no help from any other king for to\nmaintain his rights.\u201d\n\nAt these words all those who were there fell as silent as though they\nwere turned into stones, for that speech was exceedingly bold and\nhaughty. Wherefore all looked upon the ground, for they durst not look\neither upon Queen Guinevere nor upon Sir Gawaine. And the Lady\nGuinevere, also, was silent for a long time, endeavoring to recover\nherself from that speech, and when she spake, it was as though she was\nhalf smothered by her anger. And she said, \u201cSir Knight, thou art proud\nand arrogant beyond measure, for I did never hear of anyone who dared\nto give reply unto his Queen as thou hast spoken unto me. But this is my\nCourt, and I may command in it as I choose; wherefore I do now bid thee\nfor to begone and to show thy face no more, either here nor in Hall nor\nany of the places where I hold my Court. For thou art an offence unto\nme, wherefore in none of these places shalt thou have leave to show thy\nface until thou dost ask my pardon for the affront which thou hast put\nupon me.\u201d Then Sir Gawaine arose and bowed very low to the Queen\nGuinevere and he said, \u201cLady, I go. Nor will I return thitherward until\nthou art willing for to tell me that thou art sorry for the discourteous\nway in which thou hast entreated me now and at other times before my\npeers.\u201d\n\nSo saying, Sir Gawaine took his leave from that place, nor did he turn\nhis head to look behind him. And Queen Guinevere went into her chamber\nand wept in secret for anger and for shame. For indeed she was greatly\ngrieved at what had befallen; yet was she so proud that she would in no\nwise have recalled the words that she had spoken, even had she been able\nfor to have done so.\n\nNow when the news of that quarrel had gone about the castle it came unto\nthe ears of Sir Ewaine, wherefore Sir Ewaine went straightway unto Sir\nGawaine, and asked him what was ado, and Sir Gawaine, who was like one\ndistraught and in great despair, told him everything. Then Sir Ewaine\nsaid: \u201cThou wert certainly wrong for to speak unto the Queen as thou\ndidst. Nevertheless, if thou art banished from this Court, I will go\nwith thee, for thou art my cousin-german and my companion, and my heart\ncleaveth unto thee.\u201d So Sir Ewaine went unto King Arthur, and he said,\n\u201cLord, my cousin, Sir Gawaine, hath been banished from this Court by the\nQueen. And though I may not say that he hath not deserved that\npunishment, yet I would fain crave thy leave for to go along with him.\u201d\n\nAt this King Arthur was very grieved, but he maintained a steadfast\ncountenance, and said, \u201cMessire, I will not stay thee from going where\nit pleases thee. As for thy kinsman, I daresay he gave the Queen such\ngreat offence that she could not do otherwise than as she did.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine quit the Court._]\n\nSo both Sir Ewaine and Sir Gawaine went unto their inns and commanded\ntheir esquires for to arm them. Then they, with their esquires, went\nforth from Camelot, betaking their way toward the forest lands.\n\nThere those two knights and their esquires travelled for all that day\nuntil the gray of the eventide, what time the birds were singing their\nlast songs ere closing their eyes for the night. So, finding the evening\ndrawing on apace, those knights were afraid that they would not be able\nto find kindly lodging ere the night should descend upon them, and they\ntalked together a great deal concerning that thing. But as they came to\nthe top of a certain hill, they beheld below them a valley, very fair\nand well tilled, with many cottages and farm-crofts. And in the midst of\nthat valley was a goodly abbey very fair to look upon; wherefore Sir\nGawaine said unto Sir Ewaine: \u201cIf yonder abbey is an abbey of monks, I\nbelieve we shall find excellent lodging there for to-night.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _They come to an abbey of monks._]\n\nSo they rode down into that valley and to the abbey, and they found a\nporter at the wicket of whom they learned that it was indeed an abbey of\nmonks. Wherefore they were very glad and made great rejoicing.\n\nBut when the abbot of that abbey learned who they were and of what\nquality and high estate, he was exceedingly pleased for to welcome them,\nwherefore he brought them into that part of the abbey where he himself\ndwelt. There he bade them welcome and had set before them a good supper,\nwhereat they were very much rejoiced. Now the abbot was merry of soul,\nand took great pleasure in discourse with strangers, so he diligently\ninquired of those two knights concerning the reason why they were\nerrant. But they told him naught concerning that quarrel at Court, but\nonly that they were in search of adventure. Upon this the abbot said,\n\u201cHa, Messires, if ye are in search of adventures, ye may find one not\nvery far from this place.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The abbot telleth the knights of a good adventure._]\n\nSo Sir Gawaine said, \u201cWhat adventure is that?\u201d And the abbot replied, \u201cI\nwill tell ye; if ye will travel to the eastward from this place, ye will\ncome, after a while, to a spot where ye shall find a very fair castle of\ngray stone. In front of that castle ye will find a good level meadow,\nand in the midst of the meadow a sycamore-tree, and upon the\nsycamore-tree a shield to which certain ladies offer affront in a very\nsingular manner. If ye forbid those ladies to affront that shield you\nwill discover a very good adventure.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine said, \u201cThat is a very strange matter. Now, to-morrow\nmorning we will go to that place and will endeavor to discover of what\nsort that adventure may be.\u201d And the abbot said, \u201cDo so,\u201d and laughed in\ngreat measure.\n\nSo when the next morning had come, Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine gave adieu\nunto the abbot, and took their leave of that place, riding away unto the\neastward, as the abbot had advised. And after they had ridden in that\ndirection for two or three hours or more they beheld before them the\nborders of a forest all green and shady with foliage, and very cheerful\nin the warmth of the early summer day. And, lo! immediately at the edge\nof the woodland there stood a fair, strong castle of gray stone, with\nwindows of glass shining very bright against the sky.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine behold the damsels assailing the\nshield._]\n\nThen Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine beheld that everything was as the abbot\nhad said; for in front of the castle was a smooth, level meadow with a\nsycamore-tree in the midst thereof. And as they drew near they perceived\nthat a sable shield hung in the branches of the tree, and in a little\nthey could see that it bore the device of three white goshawks\ndisplayed. But that which was very extraordinary was that in front of\nthat shield there stood seven young damsels, exceedingly fair of face,\nand that these seven damsels continually offered a great deal of insult\nto that shield. For some of those damsels smote it ever and anon with\npeeled rods of osier, and others flung lumps of clay upon it, so that\nthe shield was greatly defaced therewith. Now nigh to the shield was a\nvery noble-appearing knight clad all in black armor, and seated upon a\nblack war-horse, and it was very plain to be seen that the shield\nbelonged unto that knight, for otherwise he had no shield. Yet, though\nthat was very likely his shield, yet the knight offered no protest\neither by word or by act to stay those damoiselles from offering affront\nthereunto.\n\nThen Sir Ewaine said unto Sir Gawaine, \u201cYonder is a very strange thing\nthat I behold; belike one of us is to encounter yonder knight.\u201d And Sir\nGawaine said, \u201cMaybe so.\u201d Then Sir Ewaine said, \u201cIf it be so then I will\nundertake the adventure.\u201d \u201cNot so,\u201d said Sir Gawaine, \u201cfor I will\nundertake it myself, I being the elder of us twain, and the better\nseasoned in knighthood.\u201d So Sir Ewaine said, \u201cVery well. Let it be that\nway, for thou art a very much more powerful knight than I, and it would\nbe a pity for one of us to fail in this undertaking.\u201d Thereupon Sir\nGawaine said, \u201cLet be, then, and I will undertake it.\u201d\n\nSo he set spurs to his horse and he rode rapidly to where those damsels\noffered affront in that way to the sable shield. And he set his spear in\nrest and shouted in a loud voice, \u201cGet ye away! Get ye away!\u201d So when\nthose damsels beheld the armed knight riding at them in that wise they\nfled away shrieking from before him.\n\nThen the Sable Knight, who sat not a great distance away, rode forward\nin a very stately manner unto Sir Gawaine, and he said, \u201cSir Knight, why\ndost thou interfere with those ladies?\u201d Whereunto Sir Gawaine replied,\n\u201cBecause they offered insult unto what appeared to me to be a noble and\nknightly shield.\u201d At this the Sable Knight spake very haughtily, saying,\n\u201cSir Knight, that shield belongeth unto me and I do assure thee that I\nam very well able for to take care of it without the interference of\nany other defender.\u201d To which Sir Gawaine said, \u201cIt would appear not,\nSir Knight.\u201d\n\nThen the Sable Knight said, \u201cMessire, an thou thinkest that thou art\nbetter able to take care of that shield than I, I think that thou\nwouldst do very well to make thy words good with thy body.\u201d To this Sir\nGawaine said, \u201cI will do my endeavor to show thee that I am better able\nto guard that shield than thou art who ownest it.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine and the Black Knight engage in battle._]\n\nUpon this the Sable Knight, without further ado, rode unto the\nsycamore-tree, and took down from thence the shield that hung there. And\nhe dressed the shield upon his arm and took his spear in hand and made\nhim ready for defence. And Sir Gawaine likewise made him ready for\ndefence, and then each knight took such station upon the field as\nappeared unto him to be fitting.\n\nNow, when the people of that castle perceived that a combat of arms was\ntoward, they crowded in great numbers to the walls, so that there were\nas many as twoscore ladies and esquires and folk of different degrees\nlooking down upon that field of battle from the walls.\n\nSo when those knights were altogether prepared, Sir Ewaine gave the\nsignal for encounter and each knight shouted aloud and drave spurs into\nhis charger and rushed forward to the assault with a noise like thunder\nfor loudness.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Black Knight overthroweth Sir Gawaine._]\n\nNow, Sir Gawaine thought that he should easily overcome his adversary in\nthis assault and that he would be able to cast him down from out of his\nsaddle without much pains, for there was hardly any knight in that realm\nequal to Sir Gawaine for prowess. And, indeed, he had never yet been\nunhorsed in combat excepting by King Arthur. So when those two rode to\nthe assault, the one against the other, Sir Gawaine thought of a surety\nthat his adversary would fall before him. But it was not so, for in that\nattack Sir Gawaine\u2019s spear was broken into many pieces, but the spear of\nthe Sable Knight held, so that Sir Gawaine was cast with great violence\nout of the saddle, smiting the dust with a terrible noise of falling.\nAnd so astonished was he at that fall that it appeared unto him not as\nthough he fell from his saddle, but as though the earth rose up and\nsmote him. Wherefore he lay for a while all stunned with the blow and\nwith the astonishment thereof.\n\nBut when he heard the shouts of the people upon the castle wall, he\nimmediately aroused himself from where he lay in the dust, and he was so\nfilled with rage and shame that he was like one altogether intoxicated.\nWherefore he drew his sword and rushed with great fury upon his enemy\nwith intent to hew him down by main strength. Then that other knight,\nseeing him come thus at him, immediately voided his own saddle and drew\nhis sword and put himself in posture either for assault or for defence.\nSo they lashed together, tracing this way and that, and smiting with\nsuch fury that the blows they gave were most terrible for to behold. But\nwhen Sir Ewaine beheld how fierce was that assault, he set spurs unto\nhis horse and pushed him between the knights-contestant, crying out\naloud, \u201cSir Knights! Sir Knights! what is this? Here is no cause for\nsuch desperate battle.\u201d But Sir Gawaine cried out very furiously, \u201cLet\nbe! let be! and stand aside! for this quarrel concerns thee not.\u201d And\nthe Sable Knight said, \u201cA-horse or afoot, I am ready to meet that knight\nat any time.\u201d\n\nBut Sir Ewaine said, \u201cNot so; ye shall fight no more in this quarrel.\nFor shame, Gawaine! For shame to seek such desperate quarrel with a\nknight that did but meet thee in a friendly fashion in a fair contest!\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine was aware that Sir Ewaine was both just and right;\nwherefore he put up his sword in silence, albeit he was like to weep for\nvexation at the shame of his overthrow. And the Sable Knight put up his\nsword also, and so peace was made betwixt those two.\n\nThen the Sable Knight said, \u201cI am glad that this quarrel is ended, for I\nperceive, Messires, that ye are assuredly knights of great nobility and\ngentleness of breeding; wherefore I would that we might henceforth be\nfriends and companions instead of enemies. Wherefore I do beseech ye for\nto come with me a little ways from here where I have taken up my inn, so\nthat we may rest and refresh ourselves in my pavilion.\u201d\n\nUnto this Sir Ewaine said, \u201cI give thee gramercy for thy courtesy, Sir\nKnight; and we will go with thee with all the pleasure that it is\npossible to feel.\u201d And Sir Gawaine said, \u201cI am content.\u201d So these three\nknights straightway left the field of battle.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine come to the pavilion of the Black\nKnight._]\n\nAnd when they had come to the edge of the forest Sir Gawaine and Sir\nEwaine perceived a very fine pavilion of green silk set up beneath the\ntree. And about that pavilion were many attendants of divers sorts all\nclad in colors of green and white. So Sir Gawaine perceived that the\nknight who had overthrown him was certainly someone of very high estate,\nwherefore he was very greatly comforted. Then the esquires of those\nthree knights came and removed the helmet, each esquire from his knight,\nso that the knight might be made comfortable thereby. And when this was\ndone Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine perceived that the Sable Knight was very\ncomely of countenance, being ruddy of face and with hair like to copper\nfor redness. Then Sir Ewaine said unto the knight, \u201cSir Unknown Knight,\nthis knight, my companion, is Sir Gawaine, son of King Urien of Gore,\nand I am Ewaine, the son of King Lot of Orkney. Now, I crave of thee\nthat wilt make thyself known unto us in like manner.\u201d\n\n\u201cHa,\u201d said the other; \u201cI am glad that ye are such very famous and royal\nknights, for I am also of royal blood, being Sir Marhaus, the son of the\nKing of Ireland.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine was very glad to discover how exalted was the quality\nof that knight who overthrew him and he said unto Sir Marhaus, \u201cMessire,\nI make my vow, that thou art one of the most terrible knights in the\nworld. For thou hast done unto me this day what only one knight in all\nthe world hath ever done, and that is King Arthur, who is my uncle and\nmy lord. Now thou must certainly come unto the Court of King Arthur, for\nhe will be wonderfully glad for to see thee, and maybe he will make thee\na Knight of his Round Table--and there is no honor in all of the world\nthat can be so great as that.\u201d Thus he spoke unthinkingly; and then he\nremembered. Wherefore he smote his fist against his forehead, crying\nout, \u201cAha! aha! who am I for to bid thee to come unto the Court of King\nArthur, who only yesterday was disgraced and banished therefrom?\u201d\n\nThen Sir Marhaus was very sorry for Sir Gawaine, and he inquired\nconcerning the trouble that lay upon him, and Sir Ewaine told Sir\nMarhaus all about that quarrel; at that Sir Marhaus was still more sorry\nfor Sir Gawaine, wherefore he said, \u201cMessires, I like ye both\nwonderfully well, and I would fain become your companion in the\nadventures ye are to undertake. For now I need remain here no longer. Ye\nmust know that I was obliged to defend those ladies who assailed my\nshield until I had overthrown seven knights in their behalf. And I must\ntell ye that Sir Gawaine was the seventh knight I have overthrown.\nWherefore, since I have now overthrown him, I am now released from my\nobligation and may go with ye.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Marhaus telleth his story._]\n\nThen Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine were very much astonished that any\nknight should lie beneath so strange an obligation as that--to defend\nthose who assailed his shield--and they besought Sir Marhaus to tell\nthem why he should have been obliged to fulfil such a pledge. So Sir\nMarhaus said, \u201cI will tell ye. The case was this: Some whiles ago I was\ntravelling in these parts with a hawk upon my wrist. At that time I was\nclad very lightly in holiday attire, to wit: I wore a tunic of green\nsilk, and hosen one of green and one of white. And I had nothing upon me\nby way of defence but a light buckler and a short sword. Now, coming\nunto a certain stream of water, very deep and rapid, I perceived before\nme a bridge of stone crossing that stream, but so narrow that only one\nhorseman might cross the bridge at a time. So I entered upon that bridge\nand was part way across it, when I perceived a knight in armor coming\nthe other way. And behind the knight there sat upon a pillion a very\nfair lady with golden hair and very proud of demeanor. Now, when that\nknight perceived me upon the bridge, he cried aloud, \u2018Get back! get\nback! and suffer me to pass!\u2019 But this I would not do, but said, \u2018Not\nso, Sir Knight, for, having advanced so far upon this bridge, I have\ncertes the right of way to complete my passage, and it is for you to\nwait and to permit me to cross.\u2019 But the knight would not do so, but\nimmediately put himself in posture of offence and straightway came\nagainst me upon the bridge with intent either to slay me or to drive me\nback unto the other extremity of the bridge. But this he was not able to\ndo, for I defended myself very well with my light weapons. And I so\npushed my horse against his horse that I drave him backward from off the\nbridge and into the water, whereinto the horse and the knight and the\nlady all of them fell with a terrible uproar.\n\n\u201cAt this the lady shrieked in great measure and both she and the knight\nwere like to drown in the water, the knight being altogether clad in\narmor, so that he could not uplift himself above the flood. Wherefore,\nbeholding their extremity, I leaped from off my horse and into the\nwater, and with great ado and with much danger unto myself, I was able\nto bring them both unto the land.\n\n\u201cBut that lady was very greatly offended with me, for her fair raiment\nwas altogether wet and spoiled by the water, wherefore she upbraided me\nwith great vehemence. So I kneeled down before her and besought her\npardon with all humility, but she still continued to upbraid me. Then I\noffered unto her for to perform any penance that she might set upon me.\nAt this the lady appeared to be greatly mollified, for she said, \u2018Very\nwell, I will set thee a penance,\u2019 and when her knight had recovered she\nsaid, \u2018Come with us,\u2019 and so I mounted my horse and followed them. So\nafter we had gone a considerable distance we came to this place and here\nshe commanded me as follows: \u2018Sir Knight,\u2019 quoth she, \u2018this castle\nbelongeth unto me and unto this knight who is my lord. Now, this shall\nbe the penance for the affront thou hast given me: thou shalt take thy\nshield and hang it up in yonder sycamore-tree and every day I will send\ncertain damsels of mine own out from the castle. And they shall offend\nagainst that shield and thou shalt not only suffer whatever offence they\nmay offer, but thou shalt defend them against all comers until thou hast\novercome seven knights.\u2019\n\n\u201cSo I have done until this morning, when thou, Sir Gawaine, camest\nhither. Thou art the seventh knight against whom I have contended, and\nas I have overcome thee, my penance is now ended and I am free.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine gave Sir Marhaus great joy that his\npenance was completed, and they were very well satisfied each party with\nthe others. So Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine abided that night in the\npavilion of Sir Marhaus and the next morning they arose and, having\nlaved themselves in a forest stream, they departed from that place where\nthey were.\n\nSo they entered the forest land once more and made their way by certain\npaths, they knew not whitherward; and they travelled all that morning\nand until the afternoon was come.\n\n[Sidenote: _The three knights enter the Forest of Adventure._]\n\nNow, as they travelled thus Sir Marhaus said of a sudden, \u201cMessires,\nknow ye where we are come to?\u201d \u201cNay,\u201d they said, \u201cwe know not.\u201d Then Sir\nMarhaus said, \u201cThis part of the forest is called Arroy and it is further\ncalled \u2018The Forest of Adventure.\u2019 For it is very well known that when a\nknight, or a party of knights enter this forest, they will assuredly\nmeet with an adventure of some sort, from which some come forth with\ncredit while others fail therein.\u201d And Sir Ewaine said, \u201cI am glad that\nwe have come hither. Now let us go forward into this forest.\u201d\n\nSo those three knights and their esquires continued onward in that\nwoodland where was silence so deep that even the tread of their horses\nupon the earth was scarcely to be heard. And there was no note of bird\nand no sound of voice and hardly did any light penetrate into the gloom\nof that woodland. Wherefore those knights said unto one another, \u201cThis\nis soothly a very strange place and one, maybe, of enchantment.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _They behold a white fawn in the forest._]\n\n[Sidenote: _They behold a beautiful lady in the forest._]\n\nNow when they had come into the very midst of these dark woodlands, they\nperceived of a sudden, in the pathway before them, a fawn as white as\nmilk. And round the neck of the fawn was a collar of pure gold. And the\nfawn stood and looked at them, but when they had come nigh to it, it\nturned and ran along a very narrow path. Then Sir Gawaine said, \u201cLet us\nfollow that fawn and see where it goeth.\u201d And the others said, \u201cWe are\ncontent.\u201d So they followed that narrow path until of a sudden they came\nto where was a little open lawn very bright with sunlight. In the midst\nof the lawn was a fountain of water, and there was no fawn to be seen,\nbut, lo! beside the fountain there sat a wonderfully beautiful lady,\nclad all in garments of green. And the lady combed her hair with a\ngolden comb, and her hair was like to the wing of a raven for blackness.\nAnd upon her arms she wore very wonderful bracelets of emeralds and of\nopal stones inset into cunningly wrought gold. Moreover, the face of\nthe lady was like ivory for whiteness and her eyes were bright like\njewels set in ivory. Now, when this lady perceived the knights she arose\nand laid aside her golden comb and bound up the locks of her hair with\nribbons of scarlet silk, and thereupon, she came to those knights and\ngave them greeting.\n\nThen those three knights gat them down straightway from off their\nhorses, and Sir Gawaine said, \u201cLady, I believe that thou art not of\nmortal sort, but that thou art of fa\u00ebrie.\u201d Unto this the lady said, \u201cSir\nGawaine, thou art right,\u201d and Sir Gawaine marvelled that she should know\nhis name so well. Then he said to her, \u201cLady, who art thou?\u201d and she\nmade answer, \u201cMy name is Nymue and I am the chiefest of those Ladies of\nthe Lake of whom thou mayst have heard. For it was I who gave unto King\nArthur his sword Excalibur; for I am very friendly unto King Arthur and\nto all the noble Knights of his Court. So it is that I know ye all. And\nI know that thou, Sir Marhaus, shall become one of the most famous\nKnights of the Round Table.\u201d And all they three marvelled at the lady\u2019s\nwords. Then she said, \u201cI prithee tell me what it is that ye seek in\nthese parts?\u201d And they say, \u201cWe seek adventure.\u201d \u201cWell,\u201d said she, \u201cI\nwill bring you unto adventure, but it is Sir Gawaine who must undertake\nit.\u201d And Sir Gawaine said, \u201cThat is very glad news.\u201d Then the lady said,\n\u201cTake me behind you upon your saddle, Sir Gawaine, and I will show unto\nyou that adventure.\u201d So Sir Gawaine took the lady up behind him upon the\nsaddle, and lo! she brought with her a fragrance such as he had never\nknown before; for that fragrance was so subtle that it seemed to Sir\nGawaine that the forest gave forth that perfume which the Lady of the\nLake brought with her.\n\nSo the Lady of the Lake brought them by many devious ways out from that\npart of the forest; and she brought them by sundry roads and paths until\nthey came out into an open country, very fruitful and pleasant to\nbehold; and she brought them up a very high hill, and from the top of\nthe hill they looked down upon a fruitful and level plain as upon a\ntable spread out before them. And they beheld that in the midst of the\nplain was a noble castle built all of red stone and of red bricks; and\nthey beheld that there was a small town built also of red bricks.\n\n[Sidenote: _The three knights behold a very singular assault-at-arms._]\n\nNow as they sat their horses there on top of the hill they perceived of\na sudden a knight clad all in red armor who came forth from a glade of\ntrees. And they saw that the knight paraded the meadow that lay in front\nof the castle, and they saw that he gave challenge to those within the\ncastle. Then they perceived that the drawbridge of the castle was\nlet fall of a sudden and that there issued from thence ten knights clad in\ncomplete armor. And they beheld those ten knights assail the one knight\nin red armor, and they beheld the one knight assail the ten. And they\nbeheld that for a while those ten withstood the one, but that he\nassailed them so terribly that he smote down four of them very quickly.\nThen they beheld that the rest brake and fled from before that one, and\nthat the Red Knight pursued the others about the meadow with great fury.\nAnd they saw that he smote down one from out his saddle and another and\nanother until but two of those knights were left.\n\nThen Sir Gawaine said, \u201cThat is certainly a very wonderful sight for to\nsee.\u201d But the Lady of the Lake only smiled and said, \u201cWait a little.\u201d\n\nSo they waited and they saw that when the Red Knight had smitten down\nall of his enemies but those two, and that when he had put those two in\ngreat peril of their lives, he of a sudden sheathed his sword and\nsurrendered himself unto them. And they saw that those two knights\nbrought the Red Knight to the castle, and that when they had brought him\nthere a lady upon the wall thereof bespake that Red Knight as with great\nviolence of language. And they beheld that those two knights took the\nRed Knight and bound his hands behind his back, and that they bound his\nfeet beneath his horse\u2019s belly, and that they drave him away from that\nplace.\n\nAll this they beheld from the top of that hill, and the Lady of the Lake\nsaid unto Sir Gawaine, \u201cThere thou shalt find thy adventure, Sir\nGawaine.\u201d And Sir Gawaine said, \u201cI will go,\u201d and the Lady of the Lake\nsaid, \u201cDo so.\u201d\n\nThereupon, lo! she vanished from their sight and they were greatly\namazed.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: Sir Gawaine sups with y\u1d49 Lady Ettard.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Fifth.\n\n_How Sir Gawaine Met Sir Pellias and How He Promised to Aid Him With the\nLady Ettard._\n\n\nNow, after that wonderful lady had disappeared from their sight in that\nmanner, those three knights stood for a little while altogether\nastonished, for they wist not how to believe what their eyes had beheld.\nThen, by and by, Sir Gawaine spake, saying, \u201cCertes, that was a very\nwonderful thing that happened to us, for in all my life I never knew so\nstrange a miracle to befall. Now, it is very plain that some excellent\nadventure lieth in what we have seen, wherefore let us descend into\nyonder valley, for there we shall doubtless discover what that signifies\nwhich we have just now beheld. For I make my vow that I have hardly ever\nseen so terribly powerful a knight as he who has just now fought yonder\nbattle, wherefore I can in no wise understand why, when he should so\nnearly have obtained a victory over his enemies, he should have\nsurrendered himself to them as he did.\u201d\n\nAnd Sir Ewaine and Sir Marhaus agreed that it would be well to go down\nand inquire what was the meaning of that which they had beheld.\n\nSo they three and their attendants rode down into the valley.\n\nAnd they rode forward until they had come to a certain glade of trees\nand there they beheld three goodly pavilions that stood there: the one\npavilion of white cloth, the second pavilion of green cloth, and the\nthird pavilion of scarlet cloth.\n\n[Sidenote: _The three knights meet the two._]\n\nNow, as the three knights-companion drew nigh to the pavilions, there\ncame forth two knights to meet them. And when Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine\nsaw the shields of the two, they immediately knew that they were Sir\nBrandiles and Sir Mador de la Porte. And in the same manner Sir\nBrandiles and Sir Mador de la Porte knew Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine, and\neach party was very much astonished at thus meeting the other in so\nstrange a place. So when they came together they gave one another very\njoyful greeting and clasped hands with strong love and good fellowship.\n\nThen Sir Gawaine made Sir Marhaus acquainted with Sir Brandiles and Sir\nMador de la Porte and thereupon the five knights all went together into\nthose three pavilions, discoursing the while with great amity and\npleasure. And when they had come into the pavilion of Sir Brandiles they\nfound there spread a good refreshment of white bread and wine of\nexcellent savor.\n\nThen after a while Sir Gawaine said to Sir Brandiles and Sir Mador de la\nPorte, \u201cMessires, we observed a little while ago a very singular thing;\nfor, as we stood together at the top of yonder hill and looked down into\nthis plain we beheld a single knight clad all in red armor who did\nbattle with ten knights. And that one knight in red armor combated the\nten with such fury that he drave them all from before him, though they\nwere so many and he but one. And truly I make my vow that I have hardly\never seen a knight show such great prowess in arms as he. Yet, when he\nhad overcome all but two of those knights, and was in fair way to win a\nclear victory, he suddenly yielded himself unto the two and suffered\nthem to take him and bind him and drive him with great indignity from\nthe field. Now, I pray ye, tell me what was the meaning of that which we\nbeheld, and who was that knight who fought so great a battle and yet\nyielded himself so shamefully.\u201d\n\nAt this Sir Brandiles and Sir Mador de la Porte made no answer, but\ndirected their looks another way, for they knew not what to say. But\nwhen Sir Gawaine beheld that they were abashed he began more than ever\nto wonder what that thing meant; wherefore he said, \u201cWhat is this? Why\ndo ye not answer me? I bid ye tell me what is the meaning of your looks,\nand who is that red knight!\u201d\n\nThen after a while Sir Mador de la Porte said, \u201cI shall not tell you,\nbut you may come and see.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine began to think maybe there was something in this that\nit would be better not to publish, and that, haply, he had best examine\nfurther into the matter alone. So he said unto the other knights, \u201cBide\nye here a little, Messires, and I will go with Sir Mador de la Porte.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Mador de la Porte bringeth Sir Gawaine to Sir Pellias._]\n\nSo Sir Gawaine went with Sir Mador de la Porte, and Sir Mador led him\nunto the white pavilion. And when they had come there Sir Mador drew\naside the curtains of the pavilion, and he said, \u201cEnter!\u201d and Sir\nGawaine entered.\n\nNow, when he had come into the pavilion he perceived that a man sat upon\na couch of rushes covered with an azure cloth, and in a little he\nperceived that man was Sir Pellias. But Sir Pellias saw not him\nimmediately, but sat with his head bowed, like one altogether\noverwhelmed by a great despair.\n\nBut when Sir Gawaine beheld who it was that sat upon the couch, he was\ngreatly amazed and cried out, \u201cHa! is it thou, Sir Pellias? is it thou?\u201d\n\nBut when Sir Pellias heard Sir Gawaine\u2019s voice, and when he perceived\nwho it was that spake to him, he emitted an exceedingly bitter cry. And\nsprang to his feet and ran as far away as the walls of the pavilion\nwould let him, and turned his face unto the walls thereof.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine rebukes Sir Pellias._]\n\nThen, after a while, Sir Gawaine spoke very sternly to Sir Pellias,\nsaying, \u201cMessire, I am astonished and very greatly ashamed that a Knight\nof King Arthur\u2019s Royal Court and of his Round Table should behave in so\ndishonorable a manner as I saw thee behave this day. For it is hardly to\nbe believed that a knight of such repute and nobility as thou would\nsuffer himself to be taken and bound by two obscure knights as thou\ndidst suffer thyself this day. How couldst thou bring thyself to submit\nto such indignity and insult? Now, I do demand of thee that thou wilt\nexplain this matter unto me.\u201d\n\nBut Sir Pellias was silent and would not make any reply. Then Sir\nGawaine cried out very fiercely, \u201cHa! wilt thou not answer me?\u201d and Sir\nPellias shook his head.\n\nThen Sir Gawaine said, still speaking very fiercely, \u201cMessire! thou\nshalt answer me one way or another! For either thou shalt tell me the\nmeaning of thy shameful conduct, or else thou shalt do extreme battle\nwith me. For I will not suffer it that thou shalt bring such shame upon\nKing Arthur and his Round Table without myself defending the honor and\nthe credit of him and of it. One while thou and I were dear friends, but\nunless thou dost immediately exculpate thyself I shall hold thee in\ncontempt, and shall regard thee as an enemy.\u201d\n\nUpon this Sir Pellias spake like unto one that was nigh distracted, and\nhe said, \u201cI will tell thee all.\u201d Then he confessed everything unto Sir\nGawaine, telling all that had befallen since that time when he had left\nthe May Court of Queen Guinevere to enter upon this adventure, and Sir\nGawaine listened unto him with great amazement. And when Sir Pellias had\nmade an end of telling all that had befallen him, Sir Gawaine said,\n\u201cCertes, this is very wonderful. Indeed, I cannot understand how thou\ncamest to be so entangled in the charms of this lady unless she hath\nbewitched thee with some great enchantment.\u201d\n\nUnto this Sir Pellias said, \u201cYea, I believe that I have been bewitched,\nfor I am altogether beside myself in this, and am entirely unable to\ncontain my passion.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine bethought him for a long while, considering that matter\nvery seriously; and by and by he said, \u201cI have a plan, and it is this: I\nwill go unto the Lady Ettard myself, and will inquire diligently into\nthis affair. And if I find that anyone hath entangled thee in\nenchantments, it will go hard with me but I will punish that one with\ngreat dolor. For I shall not have it that another enchanter shall\nbeguile thee as one hath already beguiled Merlin the Wise.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Pellias said unto Sir Gawaine, \u201cHow wilt thou accomplish this\nmatter so as to gain into the presence of the Lady Ettard?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine advises with Sir Pellias._]\n\nThereupon Sir Gawaine replied, \u201cThat I will tell thee. We twain shall\nexchange armor, and I will go unto the castle in thy armor. When I have\ncome there I shall say that I have overcome thee in an encounter, and\nhave taken thine armor away from thee. Then they will haply admit me\ninto the castle to hear my story, and I shall have speech with her.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Pellias said, \u201cVery well; it shall be as thou dost ordain.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Pellias summoned an esquire, and Sir Gawaine summoned his\nesquire, and those two removed the armor from Sir Pellias, and clad Sir\nGawaine therein. After they had done that Sir Gawaine mounted upon the\nhorse of Sir Pellias, and rode openly into that field wherein Sir\nPellias had aforetime paraded.\n\nNow, it happened that the Lady Ettard was at that time walking upon a\nplatform within the castle walls, from which place she looked down into\nthat meadow. So when she beheld a red knight parading in the meadow, she\nthought it was Sir Pellias come thither again, and at that she was vexed\nand affronted beyond all measure. Wherefore she said unto those nigh\nher, \u201cThat knight vexes me so wofully that I fear me I shall fall ill of\nvexation if he cometh here many more times. I would that I knew how to\nrid myself of him; for already, and only an hour ago, I sent ten good\nknights against him, and he overcame them all with great despatch and\nwith much dishonor unto them and unto me.\u201d\n\nSo she beckoned to the Red Knight, and when he had come nigh to the\nwalls of the castle, she said to him, \u201cSir Knight, why dost thou come\nhitherward to afflict me and to affront me thus? Canst thou not\nunderstand that the more often thou comest to tease me in this manner,\nthe more do I hate thee?\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine opened the umbril of his helmet and showed his face,\nand the Lady Ettard saw that the Red Knight was not Sir Pellias. And Sir\nGawaine said, \u201cLady, I am not that one whom thou supposest me to be, but\nanother. For, behold! I have thine enemy\u2019s armor upon my body, wherefore\nthou mayst see that I have overcome him. For thou mayst suppose that it\nis hardly to be thought that I could wear his armor unless I took it\nfrom him by force of arms. Wherefore thou needst trouble thyself no more\nabout him.\u201d\n\nThen the Lady Ettard could not think otherwise than this knight (whom\nshe knew not) had indeed overthrown Sir Pellias in a bout of arms, and\nhad taken his armor away from him. And indeed she was exceedingly\nastonished that such a thing could have happened; for it appeared to her\nthat Sir Pellias was one of the greatest knights in the world; wherefore\nshe marvelled who this knight could be who had overthrown him in battle.\nSo she gave command to sundry of those in attendance upon her that they\nshould go forth and bring that red knight into the castle and that they\nshould pay him great honor; for that he must assuredly be one of the\nvery greatest champions in the world.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine entereth Grantmesnle._]\n\nThus Sir Gawaine came into the castle and was brought before the Lady\nEttard where she stood in a wonderfully large and noble hall. For that\nhall was illuminated by seven tall windows of colored glass, and it was\nhung around with tapestries and hangings, very rich and of a most\nexcellent quality, wherefore Sir Gawaine was greatly astonished at the\nmagnificence of all that he beheld in that place.\n\nNow, Sir Gawaine had taken the helmet from off his head, and he bore it\nunder his arm and against his hip, and his head was bare so that all who\nwere there could see his face very plainly. Wherefore they all perceived\nthat he was exceedingly comely, that his eyes were as blue as steel, his\nnose high and curved, and his hair and beard very dark and rich in\ncolor. Moreover, his bearing was exceedingly steadfast and haughty, so\nthat those who beheld him were awed by the great knightliness of his\naspect.\n\nThen the Lady Ettard came to Sir Gawaine and gave him her hand, and he\nkneeled down and set it to his lips. And the lady bespoke him very\ngraciously, saying, \u201cSir Knight, it would give me a great deal of\npleasure if thou wouldst make us acquainted with thy name, and if thou\nwouldst proclaim thy degree of estate unto us.\u201d\n\nUnto this Sir Gawaine made reply, \u201cLady, I cannot inform you of these\nthings at these present, being just now vowed unto secrecy upon those\npoints, wherefore I do crave your patience for a little.\u201d\n\nThen the Lady Ettard said, \u201cSir Knight, it is a great pity that we may\nnot know thy name and degree; ne\u2019theless, though we are as yet in\nignorance as to thy quality, I yet hope that thou wilt give us the\npleasure of thy company awhile, and that thou wilt condescend to remain\nwithin this poor place for two days or three, whiles we offer thee such\nrefreshment as we are able to do.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The magical necklace enchanteth Sir Gawaine._]\n\nNow here a very untoward thing befell. To wit, it was this: The Lady\nEttard had come to love that necklace of emeralds and of opal stones and\nof gold that she had borrowed from Sir Pellias, and that to such a\ndegree that she never let it depart from her whether by day or by night.\nWherefore she wore it at that moment hanging about her neck and her\nthroat. So, as she talked to Sir Gawaine, he looked upon that necklace,\nand the enchantment thereof began to take a very great hold upon him.\nFor he presently began to feel as though his heart was drawn with\nexceeding ardency out of his bosom and unto the Lady Ettard; so much so\nthat, in a little while, he could not at all keep his regard withdrawn\nfrom her. And the more that he looked upon the necklace and the lady the\nmore did the enchantment of the jewel take hold upon his spirits.\nAccordingly, when the Lady Ettard spake so graciously unto him, he was\nvery glad to accept of her kindness; wherefore he said, gazing very\nardently at her the whiles, \u201cLady, thou art exceedingly gentle to extend\nso great a courtesy unto me; wherefore I shall be glad beyond measure\nfor to stay with thee for a short while.\u201d\n\nAt these words the Lady Ettard was very greatly pleased, for she said to\nherself, \u201cCertes, this knight (albeit I know not who he may be) must be\na champion of extraordinary prowess and of exalted achievement. Now, if\nI can persuade him to remain in this castle as my champion, then shall I\ndoubtless gain very great credit thereby; for I shall have one for to\ndefend my rights who must assuredly be the greatest knight in all the\nworld.\u201d Wherefore she set forth every charm and grace of demeanor to\nplease Sir Gawaine, and Sir Gawaine was altogether delighted by the\nkindness of her manner.\n\nNow, Sir Engamore was there present at that time, wherefore he was very\ngreatly troubled in spirit. For in the same degree that Sir Gawaine\nreceived courtesy from the Lady Ettard, in that same degree Sir Engamore\nwas cast down into great sorrow and distress--so much so that it was a\npity for to see him. For Sir Engamore said to himself, \u201cAforetime, ere\nthese foreign knights came hitherward, the Lady Ettard was very kind to\nme, and was willing to take me for her champion and lord. But first came\nSir Pellias and overthrew me, and now cometh this strange knight and\noverthroweth him, wherefore, in the presence of such a great champion\nas this, I am come to be as nothing in her sight.\u201d So Sir Engamore\nwithdrew himself from that place and went unto his closet, where he sat\nhimself down alone in great sorrow.\n\nNow the Lady Ettard had given command that a very noble and splendid\nfeast should be prepared for Sir Gawaine and for herself, and whilst it\nwas preparing she and Sir Gawaine walked together in the pleasaunce of\nthe castle. For there was a very pleasant shade in the place, and\nflowers grew there in great abundance, and many birds sang very sweetly\nin among the blossoms of the trees. And as Sir Gawaine and the lady\nwalked thus together, the attendants stood at a little distance and\nregarded them. And they said to one another, \u201cAssuredly it would be a\nvery good thing if the Lady Ettard would take this knight for her\nchampion, and if he should stay here in Grantmesnle forever.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine and the Lady Ettard feast together._]\n\nSo Sir Gawaine and the lady walked together, talking very cheerfully,\nuntil sunset, and at that time the supper was prepared and they went in\nand sat down to it. And as they supped, a number of pages, very fair of\nface, played upon harps before them; and sundry damsels sang very\nsweetly in accord to that music, so that the bosom of Sir Gawaine was\ngreatly expanded with joy. Wherefore he said to himself, \u201cWhy should I\never leave this place? Lo! I have been banished from King Arthur\u2019s\nCourt; why then should I not establish here a Court of mine own that\nmight, in time, prove to be like to his for glory?\u201d And the Lady Ettard\nwas so beautiful in his eyes that this seemed to him to be a wonderfully\npleasant thought.\n\n * * * * *\n\nNow turn we unto Sir Pellias:\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias is a-doubt._]\n\nFor after Sir Gawaine had left him, the heart of Sir Pellias began to\nmisgive him that he had not been wise; and at last he said to himself,\n\u201cSuppose that Sir Gawaine should forget his duty to me when he meeteth\nthe Lady Ettard. For it seems that haply she possesses some potent charm\nthat might well draw the heart of Sir Gawaine unto her. Wherefore if Sir\nGawaine should come within the circle of such enchantment as that, he\nmay forget his duty unto me and may transgress against the honor of his\nknighthood.\u201d\n\nAnd the more that Sir Pellias thought of this the more troubled he grew\nin his mind. So at last, when evening had fallen, he called an esquire\nunto him and he said, \u201cGo, and fetch me hither the garb of a black\nfriar, for I would fain go unto the castle of Grantmesnle in disguise.\u201d\nSo the esquire went as he commanded and brought him such a garb, and Sir\nPellias clad himself therein.\n\nNow, by that time, the darkness had come entirely over the face of the\nearth so that it would not have been possible for anyone to know Sir\nPellias, even if they had seen his face. So he went unto the castle, and\nthey who were there, thinking that he was a black friar, as he appeared\nto be, admitted him into the castle by the postern gate.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias cometh to the castle in disguise._]\n\nSo, as soon as Sir Pellias had come into the castle, he began to make\ndiligent inquiry concerning where he might find that knight who had come\nthither in the afternoon, and those within the castle, still thinking\nhim to be a friar of black orders, said unto him, \u201cWhat would ye with\nthat knight?\u201d To the which Sir Pellias said, \u201cI have a message for him.\u201d\nThey of the castle said, \u201cYe cannot come at that knight just now, for he\nis at supper with the Lady Ettard, and he holds her in pleasant\ndiscourse.\u201d\n\nAt this Sir Pellias began to wax very angry, for he greatly misliked the\nthought that Sir Gawaine should then make merry with the Lady Ettard. So\nhe said, speaking very sternly, \u201cI must presently have speech with that\nknight, wherefore I bid ye to bring me unto him without delay.\u201d Then\nthey of the castle said, \u201cWait and we will see if that knight is willing\nto have you come to him.\u201d\n\nSo one of the attendants went unto that place where Sir Gawaine sat at\nsupper with the Lady Ettard, and he said, \u201cSir Knight, there hath come\nhither a black friar who demandeth to have present speech with thee, and\nhe will not be denied, but continually maketh that demand.\u201d\n\nAt this Sir Gawaine was greatly troubled in his conscience, for he knew\nthat he was not dealing honorably by Sir Pellias, and he pondered\nwhether or not this black friar might be a messenger from his friend.\nBut yet he could not see how he might deny such a messenger speech with\nhim. So, after a while of thought, he said, \u201cFetch the black friar\nhither and let him deliver his message to me.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Pellias, in the garb of a black friar, was brought by the\nattendants into the outer room of that place where Sir Gawaine sat at\nsupper with the lady. But for a little time Sir Pellias did not enter\nthe room, but stood behind the curtain of the ante-room and looked upon\nthem, for he desired to make sure as to whether or no Sir Gawaine was\ntrue to him.\n\nNow everything in that room where the knight and the lady sat was\nbedight with extraordinary splendor, and it was illuminated by a light\nof several score of waxen tapers that sent forth a most delightful\nperfume as they burned. And as Sir Pellias stood behind the curtains, he\nbeheld Sir Gawaine and the Lady Ettard as they sat at the table\ntogether, and he saw that they were filled with pleasure in the company\nof one another. And he saw that Sir Gawaine and the lady quaffed wine\nout of the same chalice and that the cup was of gold. And as he saw\nthose two making merry with one another, he was filled with great anger\nand indignation, for he now perceived that Sir Gawaine had betrayed him.\n\nSo, by and by, he could contain himself no longer, wherefore he took\nfive steps into that room and stood before Sir Gawaine and the Lady\nEttard. And, when they looked upon him in great surprise, he cast back\nthe hood from his face and they knew him. Then the Lady Ettard shrieked\nwith great vehemence, crying out, \u201cI have been betrayed!\u201d and Sir\nGawaine sat altogether silent, for he had not a single word to say\neither to the lady or to Sir Pellias.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias places affront upon Sir Gawaine._]\n\nThen Sir Pellias came close to the Lady Ettard with such a fell\ncountenance that she could not move for fear. And when he had come nigh\nto her he catched that necklace of emeralds and opal stones and gold\nwith such violence that he brake the clasp thereof and so plucked it\nfrom her neck. Then he said, \u201cThis is mine and thou hast no right to\nit!\u201d And therewith he thrust it into his bosom. Then he turned upon Sir\nGawaine where he sat, and he said, \u201cThou art false both unto thy\nknighthood and unto thy friendship, for thou hast betrayed me utterly.\u201d\nThereupon he raised his arm and smote Sir Gawaine upon the face with the\nback of his hand so violently that the mark of his fingers was left in\nred all across the cheek of Sir Gawaine.\n\nThen Sir Gawaine fell as pale as ashes and he cried out, \u201cSir, I have in\nsooth betrayed thee, but thou hast offered such affront to me that our\ninjury is equal.\u201d To the which Sir Pellias made reply, \u201cNot so; for the\ninjury I gave to thee is only upon thy cheek, but the injury thou gavest\nto me is upon my heart. Ne\u2019theless, I will answer unto thee for the\naffront I have done thee. But thou also shalt answer unto me for the\noffence thou hast done unto me, in that thou hast betrayed me.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine said, \u201cI am willing to answer unto thee in full\nmeasure.\u201d And Sir Pellias said, \u201cThou shalt indeed do so.\u201d Thereupon he\nturned and left that place, nor did he so much as look again either at\nSir Gawaine or at the Lady Ettard.\n\nBut, now that the Lady Ettard no longer had the magic collar about her\nneck, Sir Gawaine felt nothing of the great enchantment that had\naforetime drawn him so vehemently unto her. Accordingly, he now suffered\na misliking for her as great as that liking which had aforetime drawn\nhim unto her. Wherefore he said to himself, \u201cHow was it possible that\nfor this lady I could have so betrayed my knighthood and have done so\nmuch harm unto my friend!\u201d So he pushed back his chair very violently\nand arose from that table with intent to leave her.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine and the Lady Ettard speak bitterly together._]\n\nBut when the Lady Ettard saw his intent she spake to him with very great\nanger, for she was very much affronted in that he had deceived her when\nhe said that he had overcome Sir Pellias. Wherefore she said with great\nheat, \u201cThou mayst go, and I am very willing for to have thee do so, for\nthou didst say false when thou didst tell me that thou hadst overcome\nSir Pellias. For now I perceive that he is both a stronger and a nobler\nknight than thou. For he smote thee as though thou wert his servant, and\nthou yet bearest the marks of his fingers upon thy cheek.\u201d\n\nAt this Sir Gawaine was exceedingly wroth and entirely filled with the\nshame of that which had befallen him, wherefore he said, \u201cLady, I think\nthou hast bewitched me to bring me to such a pass of dishonor. As for\nSir Pellias, look forth into that meadow to-morrow and see if I do not\nput a deeper mark upon him than ever he hath put upon me.\u201d Thereupon he\nleft that place and went down into the court-yard and called upon the\nattendants who were there for to fetch him his horse. So they did as he\ncommanded and he straightway rode forth into the night.\n\nAnd he was very glad of the darkness of the night, for it appeared to\nhim that it was easier to bear his shame in the darkness, wherefore when\nhe had come to the glade of trees he would not enter the pavilion where\nhis friends were. And also, when Sir Ewaine and Sir Marhaus came out\nunto him and bade him to come in, he would not do so but stayed without\nin the darkness; for he said unto himself, \u201cIf I go in where is a light,\nhaply they will behold the mark of Sir Pellias his hand upon my face.\u201d\n\nSo he stayed without in the darkness and bade them to go away and leave\nhim alone.\n\nBut when they had gone he called his esquire unto him and he said, \u201cTake\nthis red armor off me and carry it into the pavilion of Sir Pellias, for\nI hate it.\u201d So the esquire did as Sir Gawaine commanded, and Sir Gawaine\nwalked up and down for the entire night, greatly troubled in spirit and\nin heart.\n\n[Illustration: The Lady of the Lake finds Sr. Pellias wounded.]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Sixth.\n\n_How the Lady of the Lake Took Back Her Necklace From Sir Pellias._\n\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine issues challenge to Sir Pellias._]\n\nNow, when the next morning had come, Sir Gawaine summoned his esquire\nunto him and said, \u201cFetch hither my armor and case me in it.\u201d And the\nesquire did so. Then Sir Gawaine said, \u201cHelp me unto my horse,\u201d and the\nesquire did so. And the morning was still very early, with the grass all\nlustrous and sparkling with dew, and the little birds singing with such\nvehemence that it might have caused anyone great joy to be alive.\nWherefore, when Sir Gawaine was seated a-horseback and in armor, he\nbegan to take more courage unto himself, and the dark vapors that had\nwhilom overshadowed him lifted themselves a little. So he bespoke his\nesquire with stronger voice, saying, \u201cTake this glove of mine and bear\nit to Sir Pellias and tell him that Sir Gawaine parades in the meadow in\nfront of the castle and that he there challenges Sir Pellias for to meet\nhim a-horse or afoot, howsoever that knight may choose.\u201d\n\nAt these that esquire was very much astonished, for Sir Gawaine and Sir\nPellias had always been such close friends that there was hardly their\nlike for friendship in all that land, wherefore their love for one\nanother had become a byword with all men. But he held his peace\nconcerning his thoughts and only said, \u201cWilt thou not eat food ere thou\ngoest to battle?\u201d And Sir Gawaine said, \u201cNay, I will not eat until I\nhave fought. Wherefore do thou go and do as I have bid thee.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Gawaine\u2019s esquire went to Sir Pellias in his pavilion and he gave\nunto that knight the glove of Sir Gawaine, and he delivered Sir\nGawaine\u2019s message to him. And Sir Pellias said, \u201cTell thy master that I\nwill come forth to meet him as soon as I have broken my fast.\u201d\n\nNow, when the news of that challenge had come to the ears of Sir\nBrandiles and Sir Mador de la Porte and Sir Ewaine and Sir Marhaus,\nthose knights were greatly disturbed thereat, and Sir Ewaine said to\nthe others, \u201cMessires, let us go and make inquiries concerning this\nbusiness.\u201d So the four knights went to the white pavilion where Sir\nPellias was breaking his fast.\n\nAnd when they had come into the presence of Sir Pellias, Sir Ewaine said\nto him, \u201cWhat is this quarrel betwixt my kinsman and thee?\u201d And Sir\nPellias made reply, \u201cI will not tell thee, so, let be and meddle not\nwith it.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Ewaine said, \u201cWouldst thou do serious battle with thy friend?\u201d\nTo which Sir Pellias said, \u201cHe is a friend to me no longer.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Brandiles cried out, \u201cIt is a great pity that a quarrel should\nlie betwixt such friends as thou and Sir Gawaine. Wilt thou not let us\nmake peace betwixt you?\u201d But Sir Pellias replied, \u201cYe cannot make peace,\nfor this quarrel cannot be stayed until it is ended.\u201d\n\nThen those knights saw that their words could be of no avail and they\nwent away and left Sir Pellias.\n\nSo when Sir Pellias had broken his fast he summoned an esquire named\nMontenoir, and he bade him case him in that red armor that he had worn\nfor all this time, and Montenoir did so. Then, when Sir Pellias was clad\nin that armor, he rode forth into the meadow before the castle where Sir\nGawaine paraded. And when he had come thither those four other knights\ncame to him again and besought him that he would let peace be made\nbetwixt him and Sir Gawaine, but Sir Pellias would not listen to them,\nand so they went away again and left him, and he rode forth into the\nfield before the castle of Grantmesnle.\n\nNow a great concourse of people had come down upon the castle walls for\nto behold that assault-at-arms, for news thereof had gone all about that\nplace. And it had also come to be known that the knight that would do\ncombat with Sir Pellias was that very famous royal knight hight Sir\nGawaine, the son of King Lot of Orkney, and a nephew of King Arthur;\nwherefore all the people were very desirous to behold so famous a knight\ndo battle.\n\nLikewise the Lady Ettard came down to the walls and took her stand in a\nlesser tower that overlooked the field of battle. And when she had taken\nher stand at that place she beheld that Sir Pellias wore that necklace\nof emeralds and opal stones and gold above his body armor, and her heart\nwent out to him because of it, wherefore she hoped that he might be the\nvictor in that encounter.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias and Sir Gawaine do battle._]\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias overthroweth Sir Gawaine._]\n\nThen each knight took his station in such place as seemed to him to be\nfitting, and they dressed each his spear and his shield and made him\nready for the assault. Then, when they were in all ways prepared, Sir\nMarhaus gave the signal for the assault. Thereupon each knight instantly\nquitted that station which he held, dashing against the other with the\nspeed of lightning, and with such fury that the earth thundered and\nshook beneath their horses\u2019 hoofs. So they met fairly in the centre of\nthe course, each knight striking the other in the very midst of his\ndefences. And in that encounter the spear of Sir Gawaine burst even to\nthe hand-guard, but the spear of Sir Pellias held, so that Sir Gawaine\nwas cast out of his saddle with terrible violence, smiting the earth\nwith such force that he rolled thrice over in the dust and then lay\naltogether motionless as though bereft of life.\n\nAt this, all those people upon the walls shouted with a great voice, for\nit was an exceedingly noble assault-at-arms.\n\nThen the four knights who stood watching that encounter made all haste\nunto Sir Gawaine where he lay; and Sir Pellias also rode back and sat\nhis horse nigh at hand. Then Sir Ewaine and Sir Gawaine\u2019s esquire\nunlaced the helmet of Sir Gawaine with all speed, and, behold! his face\nwas the color of ashes and they could not see that he breathed.\n\nThereupon Sir Marhaus said, \u201cI believe that thou hast slain this knight,\nSir Pellias,\u201d and Sir Pellias said, \u201cDost thou think so?\u201d \u201cYea,\u201d quoth\nSir Marhaus, \u201cand I deem it a great pity.\u201d Unto which Sir Pellias made\nreply, \u201cHe hath not suffered more than he deserved.\u201d\n\nAt these words Sir Ewaine was filled with great indignation, wherefore\nhe cried out, \u201cSir Knight, I think that thou forgettest the quality of\nthis knight. For not only is he a fellow-companion of the Round Table,\nto whom thou hast vowed entire brotherhood, but he is also the son of a\nking and the nephew of King Arthur himself.\u201d\n\nBut to this Sir Pellias maintained a very steadfast countenance and\nreplied, \u201cI would not repent me of this were that knight a king in his\nown right instead of the son of a king.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Ewaine lifted up his voice with great indignation, crying out\nupon Sir Pellias, \u201cBegone! or a great ill may befall thee.\u201d \u201cWell,\u201d said\nSir Pellias, \u201cI will go.\u201d\n\nUpon this he turned his horse and rode away from that place and entered\nthe woodland and so was gone from their sight.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias departs into the forest._]\n\nThen those others present lifted up Sir Gawaine and bare him away unto\nthe pavilion late of Sir Pellias, and there they laid him upon the couch\nof Sir Pellias. But it was above an hour ere he recovered himself again;\nand for a great part of that while those nigh unto him believed him to\nhave been dead.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias is sore wounded._]\n\nBut not one of those knights wist what was the case; to wit, that Sir\nPellias had been so sorely wounded in the side in that encounter that it\nwas not to be hoped that he could live for more than that day. For,\nthough the spear of Sir Gawaine had burst, and though Sir Pellias had\noverthrown him entirely, yet the head of Sir Gawaine\u2019s spear had pierced\nthe armor of Sir Pellias, and had entered his side and had there broken\noff, so that of the iron of the spear, the length of the breadth of a\npalm had remained in the body of Sir Pellias a little above the midriff.\nWherefore, while Sir Pellias sat there talking so steadfastly unto those\nfour knights, he was yet whiles in a great passion of pain, and the\nblood ran down into his armor in abundance. So, what with the loss of\nthe blood, and of the great agony which he suffered, the brain of Sir\nPellias swam as light as a feather all the time that he held talk with\nthose others. But he said not a word unto them concerning the grievous\nwound he had received, but rode away very proudly into the forest.\n\nBut when he had come into the forest he could not forbear him any\nlonger, but fell to groaning very sorely, crying out, \u201cAlas! alas! I\nhave certes got my death-wound in this battle!\u201d\n\nNow it chanced that morn that the damsel Parcenet had ridden forth to\nfly a young gerfalcon, and a dwarf belonging to the Lady Ettard had\nridden with her for company. So, as the damsel and the dwarf rode\nthrough a certain part of the forest skirt, not a very great distance\nfrom Grantmesnle, where the thicker part of the woodland began and the\nthinner part thereof ceased, the damsel heard a voice in the woodlands,\nlamenting with very great dolor. So she stopped and harkened, and by and\nby she heard that voice again making a great moan. Then Parcenet said to\nthe dwarf, \u201cWhat is that I hear? Certes, it is the voice of someone in\nlamentation. Now let us go and see who it is that maketh such woful\nmoan.\u201d And the dwarf said, \u201cIt shall be as thou sayest.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _How Parcenet findeth Sir Pellias wounded in the forest._]\n\nSo the damsel and the dwarf went a little way farther and there they\nbeheld a knight sitting upon a black horse beneath an oak-tree. And that\nknight was clad altogether in red armor, wherefore, Parcenet knew that\nit must be Sir Pellias. And she saw that Sir Pellias leaned with the\nbutt of his spear upon the ground and so upheld himself upon his horse\nfrom which he would otherwise have fallen because of his great weakness,\nand all the while he made that great moan that Parcenet had heard. So,\nseeing him in this sorry condition, Parcenet was overcome with great\npity, and she made haste to him crying out, \u201cAlas! Sir Pellias, what\nails thee?\u201d\n\nThen Sir Pellias looked at her as though she were a great way removed\nfrom him, and, because of the faintness of his soul, he beheld her, as\nit were, through thin water. And he said, very faintly, \u201cMaiden, I am\nsore hurt.\u201d Thereupon she said, \u201cHow art thou hurt, Sir Pellias?\u201d And he\nreplied, \u201cI have a grievous wound in my side, for a spear\u2019s point\nstandeth therein nigh a palm\u2019s breadth deep so that it reaches nearly to\nmy heart, wherefore, meseems that I shall not live for very long.\u201d\n\nUpon this the maiden cried out, \u201cAlas! alas! what is this!\u201d and she made\ngreat lament and smote her hands together with sorrow that that noble\nknight should have come to so grievous an extremity.\n\nThen the dwarf that was with Parcenet, seeing how greatly she was\ndistracted by sorrow, said, \u201cDamsel, I know of a certain place in this\nforest (albeit it is a considerable distance from this) where there\ndwelleth a certain very holy hermit who is an extraordinarily skilful\nleech. Now, an we may bring this knight unto the chapel where that\nhermit dwelleth, I believe that he may be greatly holpen unto health and\nease again.\u201d\n\nUpon this Parcenet said, \u201cGansaret\u201d--for Gansaret was the dwarf\u2019s\nname--\u201cGansaret, let us take this knight unto that place as quickly as\nwe are able. For I tell thee sooth when I say that I have a very great\ndeal of love for him.\u201d \u201cWell,\u201d said the dwarf, \u201cI will show thee where\nthat chapel is.\u201d\n\nSo the dwarf took the horse of Sir Pellias by the bridle-rein and led\nthe way through that forest, and Parcenet rode beside Sir Pellias and\nupheld him upon his saddle. For some whiles Sir Pellias fainted with\nsickness and with pain so that he would else have fallen had she not\nupheld him. Thus they went forward very sorrowfully and at so slow a\npace that it was noontide ere they came to that certain very dense and\nlonely part of the forest where the hermit abided.\n\nAnd when they had come unto that place the dwarf said, \u201cYonder, damsel,\nis the chapel whereof I spake.\u201d\n\nThen Parcenet lifted up her eyes and she beheld where was a little\nwoodland chapel built in among the leafy trees of the forest. And around\nthis chapel was a little open lawn bedight with flowers, and nigh to the\ndoor of the hermitage was a fountain of water as clear as crystal. And\nthis was a very secret and lonely place and withal very silent and\npeaceful, for in front of the chapel they beheld a wild doe and her fawn\nbrowsing upon the tender grass and herbs without any fear of harm. And\nwhen the dwarf and the maiden and the wounded knight drew nigh, the doe\nand the fawn looked up with great wide eyes and spread their large ears\nwith wonder, yet fled not, fearing no harm, but by and by began their\nbrowsing again. Likewise all about the chapel in the branches of the\ntrees were great quantities of birds, singing and chirping very\ncheerfully. And those birds were waiting for their mid-day meal that the\nhermit was used to cast unto them.\n\n(Now this was that same forest sanctuary whereunto King Arthur had come\nthat time when he had been so sorely wounded by Sir Pellinore as hath\nbeen aforetold in this history.)\n\nAs the maiden and the dwarf and the wounded knight drew nigh to this\nchapel, a little bell began ringing very sweetly so that the sound\nthereof echoed all through those quiet woodlands, for it was now the\nhour of noon. And Sir Pellias heard that bell as it were a great way\noff, and first he said, \u201cWhither am I come?\u201d and then he made shift to\ncross himself. And Parcenet crossed herself and the dwarf kneeled down\nand crossed himself. Then when the bell had ceased ringing, the dwarf\ncried out in a loud voice, \u201cWhat ho! what ho! here is one needing help!\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Parcenet and the dwarf bring Sir Pellias to the hermit of\nthe forest._]\n\nThen the door of the sanctuary was opened and there came forth from that\nplace a very venerable man with a long white beard as it were of finely\ncarded wool. And, lo! as he came forth, all those birds that waited\nthere flew about him in great quantities, for they thought that he had\ncome forth for to feed them; wherefore the hermit was compelled to brush\nthose small fowls away with his hands as he came unto where the three\nwere stationed.\n\nAnd when he had come unto them he demanded of them who they were and why\nthey had come thither with that wounded knight. So Parcenet told him how\nit was with them, and of how they had found Sir Pellias so sorely\nwounded in the forest that morning and had brought him hitherward.\n\nThen, when the hermit had heard all of her story, he said, \u201cIt is well\nand I will take him in.\u201d So he took Sir Pellias into his cell, and when\nthey had helped lay him upon the couch, Parcenet and the dwarf went\ntheir way homeward again.\n\nAfter they had gone, the hermit examined the hurt of Sir Pellias, and\nSir Pellias lay in a deep swoon. And the swoon was so deep that the\nhermit beheld that it was the death-swoon, and that the knight was nigh\nto his end. So he said, \u201cThis knight must assuredly die in a very little\nwhile, for I can do naught to save him.\u201d Wherefore he immediately\nquitted the side of Sir Pellias and set about in haste to prepare the\nlast sacrament such as might be administered unto a noble knight who was\ndying.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady of the Lake cometh to Sir Pellias._]\n\nNow whiles the hermit was about this business the door opened of a\nsudden and there came into that place a very strange lady clad all in green\nand bedight around the arms with armlets of emeralds and opal stones inset\ninto gold. And her hair, which was very soft, was entirely black and was\ntied about with a cord of crimson ribbon. And the hermit beheld that her\nface was like to ivory for whiteness and that her eyes were bright, like\nunto jewels set into ivory, wherefore he knew that she was no ordinary\nmortal.\n\nAnd this lady went straight to Sir Pellias and leaned over him so that\nher breath touched his forehead. And she said, \u201cAlas! Sir Pellias, that\nthou shouldst lie so.\u201d \u201cLady,\u201d said the hermit, \u201cthou mayst well say\n\u2018Alas,\u2019 for this knight hath only a few minutes to live.\u201d To this the\nlady said, \u201cNot so, thou holy man, for I tell thee that this knight\nshall have a long while yet to live.\u201d And when she had said this she\nstooped and took from about his neck that necklace of emeralds and opal\nstones and gold that encircled it and she hung it about her own neck.\n\nNow when the hermit beheld what she did, he said, \u201cLady, what is this\nthat thou doest, and why dost thou take that ornament from a dying man?\u201d\n\nBut the lady made reply very tranquilly, \u201cI gave it unto him, wherefore\nI do but take back again what is mine own. But now I prithee let me be\nwith this knight for a little while, for I have great hope that I may\nbring back life unto him again.\u201d\n\nThen the hermit was a-doubt and he said, \u201cWilt thou endeavor to heal him\nby magic?\u201d And the lady said, \u201cIf I do, it will not be by magic that is\nblack.\u201d\n\nSo the hermit was satisfied and went away, and left the lady alone with\nSir Pellias.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Lady of the Lake healeth Sir Pellias._]\n\nNow when the lady was thus alone with the wounded knight she immediately\nset about doing sundry very strange things. For first she brought forth\na loadstone of great power and potency and this she set to the wound.\nAnd, lo! the iron of the spear-head came forth from the wound; and as it\ncame Sir Pellias groaned with great passion. And when the spear-point\ncame forth there burst out a great issue of blood like to a fountain of\ncrimson. But the lady immediately pressed a fragrant napkin of fine\ncambric linen to the wound and stanched the blood, and it bled no more,\nfor she held it within the veins by very potent spells of magic. So, the\nblood being stanched in this wise, the lady brought forth from her bosom\na small crystal phial filled with an elixir of blue color and of a very\nsingular fragrance. And she poured some of this elixir between the cold\nand leaden lips of the knight; and when the elixir touched his lips the\nlife began to enter into his body once more; for, in a little while, he\nopened his eyes and gazed about him with a very strange look, and the\nfirst thing that he beheld was that lady clad in green who stood beside\nhim, and she was so beautiful that he thought that haply he had died and\nwas in Paradise, wherefore he said, \u201cAm I then dead?\u201d\n\n\u201cNay, thou art not dead,\u201d said the lady, \u201cyet hast thou been parlously\nnigh to death.\u201d \u201cWhere then am I?\u201d said Sir Pellias. And she replied,\n\u201cThou art in a deep part of the forest, and this is the cell of a\nsaint-like hermit of the forest.\u201d At this Sir Pellias said, \u201cWho is it\nthat hath brought me back to life?\u201d Upon this the lady smiled and said,\n\u201cIt was I.\u201d\n\nNow for a little while Sir Pellias lay very silent, then by and by he\nspake and said, \u201cLady, I feel very strangely.\u201d \u201cYea,\u201d said the lady,\n\u201cthat is because thou hast now a different life.\u201d Then Sir Pellias said,\n\u201cHow is it with me?\u201d And the lady said, \u201cIt is thus: that to bring thee\nback to life I gave thee to drink of a certain draught of an _elixir\nvit\u00e6_ so that thou art now only half as thou wert before; for if by the\none half thou art mortal, by the other half thou art fay.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias loveth the Lady of the Lake._]\n\nThen Sir Pellias looked up and beheld that the lady had about her neck\nthe collar of emeralds and opal stones and gold which he had aforetime\nworn. And, lo! his heart went out to her with exceeding ardor, and he\nsaid, \u201cLady, thou sayest that I am half fay, and I do perceive that thou\nart altogether fay. Now, I pray thee to let it be that henceforth I may\nabide nigh unto where thou art.\u201d And the lady said, \u201cIt shall be as thou\ndost ask, for it was to that end I have suffered thee nearly to die, and\nthen have brought thee back unto life again.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Pellias said, \u201cWhen may I go with thee?\u201d And she said, \u201cIn a\nlittle when thou hast had to drink.\u201d \u201cHow may that be?\u201d said Sir\nPellias, \u201cseeing that I am but yet like unto a little child for\nweakness.\u201d To the which the lady made reply, \u201cWhen thou hast drunk of\nwater thy strength shall return unto thee, and thou shalt be altogether\nwell and whole again.\u201d\n\nSo the Lady of the Lake went out, and presently returned, bearing in her\nhand an earthen crock filled with water from the fountain near at hand.\nAnd when Sir Pellias had drunk that water he felt, of a sudden, his\nstrength come altogether back to him.\n\nYet he was not at all as he had been before, for now his body felt as\nlight as air, and his soul was dilated with a pure joy such as he had\nnever felt in his life before that time. Wherefore he immediately uprose\nfrom his couch of pain, and he said, \u201cThou hast given life unto me\nagain, now do I give that life unto thee forever.\u201d\n\nThen the lady looked upon him and smiled with great loving-kindness. And\nshe said, \u201cSir Pellias, I have held thee in tender regard ever since I\nbeheld thee one day in thy young knighthood drink a draught of milk at a\ncottager\u2019s hut in this forest. For the day was warm and thou hadst set\naside thy helmet, and a young milkmaid, brown of face and with bare\nfeet, came and brought thee a bowl of milk, which same thou didst drink\nof with great appetite. That was the first time that I beheld\nthee--although thou didst not see me. Since that time I have had great\nfriendship for all thy fellowship of King Arthur\u2019s Court and for King\nArthur himself, all for thy sake.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Pellias said, \u201cLady, wilt thou accept me for thy knight?\u201d and\nshe said, \u201cAye.\u201d Then Sir Pellias said, \u201cMay I salute thee?\u201d And she\nsaid, \u201cYea, if it pleasures thee.\u201d So Sir Pellias kissed her upon the\nlips, and so their troth was plighted.\n\n * * * * *\n\nNow return we unto Parcenet and the dwarf:\n\n[Sidenote: _Parcenet bringeth news of Sir Pellias to Sir Mador de la\nPorte._]\n\nAfter those two had left that hermitage in the woodland, they betook\ntheir way again toward Grantmesnle, and when they had come nigh out of\nthe forest at a place not far from the glade of trees wherein those\nknights-companion had taken up their inn, they met one of those knights\nclad in half-armor, and that knight was Sir Mador de la Porte. Then\nParcenet called upon him by name, saying, \u201cAlas! Sir Mador, I have but\nthis short time quitted a hermit\u2019s cell in the forest where I left Sir\nPellias sorely wounded to death, so I fear me he hath only a little\nwhile to live.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Mador de la Porte cried out, \u201cHa! maiden, what is this thou\ntellest me? That is a very hard thing to believe; for when Sir Pellias\nquitted us this morn he gave no sign of wound or disease of any sort.\u201d\n\nBut Parcenet replied, \u201cNe\u2019theless, I myself beheld him lying in great\npain and dole, and, ere he swooned his death-swoon, he himself told me\nthat he had the iron of a spear in his side.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Mador de la Porte said, \u201cAlas! alas! that is sorry news! Now,\ndamsel, by thy leave and grace, I will leave thee and hasten to my\ncompanions to tell them this news.\u201d And Parcenet said, \u201cI prithee do\nso.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Mador de la Porte made haste to the pavilion where were his\ncompanions, and he told them the news that he had heard.\n\nNow at this time Sir Gawaine was altogether recovered from the violent\noverthrow he had suffered that morning, wherefore when he heard the news\nthat Sir Mador de la Porte brought to him, he smote his hands together\nand cried out aloud, \u201cWoe is me! what have I done! For first I betrayed\nmy friend, and now I have slain him. Now I will go forth straightway to\nfind him and to crave his forgiveness ere he die.\u201d\n\nBut Sir Ewaine said, \u201cWhat is this that thou wouldst do? Thou art not\nyet fit to undertake any journey.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine departeth to find Sir Pellias._]\n\nSir Gawaine said, \u201cI care not, for I am determined to go and find my\nfriend.\u201d Nor would he suffer any of his companions to accompany him; but\nwhen he had summoned his esquire to bring him his horse, he mounted\nthereon and rode away into the forest alone, betaking his way to the\nwestward, and lamenting with great sorrow as he journeyed forward.\n\nNow when the afternoon had fallen very late, so that the sun was sloping\nto its setting, and the light fell as red as fire through the forest\nleaves, Sir Gawaine came to that hermit\u2019s cell where it stood in the\nsilent and solitary part of the forest woodland. And he beheld that the\nhermit was outside of his cell digging in a little garden of lentils. So\nwhen the hermit saw the armed knight come into that lawn all in the red\nlight of the setting sun, he stopped digging and leaned upon his trowel.\nThen Sir Gawaine drew nigh, and, as he sat upon his horse, he told the\nholy man of the business whereon he had come.\n\nTo this the hermit said, \u201cThere came a lady hither several hours ago,\nand she was clad all in green, and was of a very singular appearance, so\nthat it was easy to see that she was fay. And by means of certain charms\nof magic that lady cured thy friend, and after she had healed him, the\ntwo rode away into the forest together.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine was very much amazed, and he said, \u201cThis is a very\nstrange thing that thou tellest me, that a knight who is dying should be\nbrought back to life again in so short a time, and should so suddenly\nride forth from a bed of pain. Now, I prithee tell me whither they\nwent.\u201d The hermit said, \u201cThey went to the westward.\u201d Whereupon, when Sir\nGawaine heard this, he said, \u201cI will follow them.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine follows a singular light._]\n\nSo he rode away and left the hermit gazing after him. And as he rode\nforward upon his way, the twilight began to fall apace, so that the\nwoodlands after a while grew very dark and strange all around him. But\nas the darkness descended a very singular miracle happened, for, lo!\nthere appeared before Sir Gawaine, a light of a pale blue color, and it\nwent before him and showed him the way, and he followed it, much\nmarvelling.\n\nNow after he had followed the light for a very long time he came at\nlast, of a sudden, to where the woodland ceased, and where there was a\nwide, open plain of very great extent. And this plain was all\nilluminated by a singular radiance which was like that of a clear full\nmoonlight, albeit no moon was shining at that time. And in that pale and\nsilver light Sir Gawaine could see everything with wonderful\ndistinctness; wherefore he beheld that he was in a plain covered all\nover with flowers of divers sorts, the odors whereof so filled the night\nthat it appeared to press upon the bosom with a great pleasure. And he\nbeheld that in front of him lay a great lake, very wide and still. And\nall those things appeared so strange in that light that Sir Gawaine\nwotted that he had come into a land of fa\u00ebry. So he rode among tall\nflowers toward that lake in a sort of fear, for he wist not what was to\nbefall him.\n\nNow as he drew near the lake he perceived a knight and a lady\napproaching him; and when they had come nigh he beheld that the knight\nwas Sir Pellias, and that his countenance was exceedingly strange. And\nhe beheld that the lady was she whom he had aforetime seen all clad in\ngreen apparel when he had travelled in the Forest of Adventure with Sir\nEwaine and Sir Marhaus.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine findeth Sir Pellias._]\n\nNow when Sir Gawaine first beheld Sir Pellias he was filled with a great\nfear, for he thought it was a spirit that he saw. But when he perceived\nthat Sir Pellias was alive, there came into his bosom a joy as great as\nthat fear had been; wherefore he made haste toward Sir Pellias. And when\nhe had come near to Sir Pellias, he leaped from off of his horse, crying\nout, \u201cForgive! Forgive!\u201d with great vehemence of passion. Then he would\nhave taken Sir Pellias into his arms, but Sir Pellias withdrew himself\nfrom the contact of Sir Gawaine, though not with any violence of anger.\nAnd Sir Pellias spake in a voice very thin and of a silvery clearness as\nthough it came from a considerable distance, and he said, \u201cTouch me not,\nfor I am not as I was aforetime, being not all human, but part fay. But\nconcerning my forgiveness: I do forgive thee whatsoever injury I may\nhave suffered at thy hands. And more than this I give unto thee my love,\nand I greatly hope for thy joy and happiness. But now I go away to leave\nthee, dear friend, and haply I shall not behold thee again, wherefore I\ndo leave this with thee as my last behest; to wit, that thou dost go\nback to King Arthur\u2019s Court and make thy peace with the Queen. So thou\nmayst bring them news of all that hath happened unto me.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine cried out in great sorrow, \u201cWhither wouldst thou go?\u201d\n\nAnd Sir Pellias said, \u201cI shall go to yonder wonderful city of gold and\nazure which lieth in yonder valley of flowers.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine said, \u201cI see no city but only a lake of water.\u201d\n\nWhereupon Sir Pellias replied, \u201cNe\u2019theless, there is a city yonder and\nthither I go, wherefore I do now bid thee farewell.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine looked into the face of Sir Pellias and beheld again\nthat strange light that it was of a very singular appearance, for, lo!\nit was white like to ivory and his eyes shone like jewels set in ivory,\nand a smile lay upon his lips and grew neither more nor less, but always\nremained the same. (For those who were of that sort had always that\nsingular appearance and smiled in that manner--to wit, the Lady of the\nLake, and Sir Pellias, and Sir Launcelot of the Lake.)\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias disappeareth into the lake._]\n\nThen Sir Pellias and the Lady of the Lake turned and left Sir Gawaine\nwhere he stood, and they went toward the lake, and they entered the\nlake, and when the feet of the horse of Sir Pellias had touched the\nwater of the lake, lo! Sir Pellias was gone and Sir Gawaine beheld him\nno more, although he stood there for a long time weeping with great\npassion.\n\nSo endeth the story of Sir Pellias.\n\n * * * * *\n\nBut Sir Gawaine returned unto the Court of King Arthur as he had\npromised Sir Pellias to do, and he made his peace with Queen Guinevere\nand, thereafter, though the Queen loved him not, yet there was a peace\nbetwixt them. And Sir Gawaine published these things to the Court of\nKing Arthur and all men marvelled at what he told.\n\nAnd only twice thereafter was Sir Pellias ever seen of any of his\naforetime companions.\n\nAnd Sir Marhaus was made a Companion of the Round Table and became one\nof the foremost knights thereof.\n\nAnd the Lady Ettard took Sir Engamore into favor again, and that summer\nthey were wedded and Sir Engamore became lord of Grantmesnle.\n\nSo endeth this story.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nPART III\n\nThe Story of Sir Gawaine\n\n\n_Here followeth the story of Sir Gawaine and of how he discovered such\nwonderful faithfulness unto King Arthur, who was his lord, that I do not\nbelieve that the like of such faithfulness was ever seen before.\n\nFor indeed, though Sir Gawaine was at times very rough and harsh in his\nmanner, and though he was always so plain-spoken that his words hid the\ngentle nature that lay within him, yet, under this pride of manner, was\nmuch courtesy; and at times he was so urbane of manner and so soft of\nspeech that he was called by many the Knight of the Silver Tongue.\n\nSo here ye shall read how his faithfulness unto King Arthur brought him\nsuch high reward that almost anyone in all the world might envy him his\ngreat good fortune._\n\n[Illustration: Sir Gawaine the Son of Lot, King of Orkney]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter First.\n\n_How a White Hart Appeared Before King Arthur, and How Sir Gawaine and\nGaheris, His Brother, Went in Pursuit Thereof, and of What Befell Them\nin That Quest._\n\n\nUpon a certain time King Arthur, together with Queen Guinevere and all\nof his Court, were making progression through that part of his kingdom\nwhich was not very near to Camelot. At this time the King journeyed in\nvery great state, and Queen Guinevere had her Court about her, so there\nwere many esquires and pages; wherefore, what with knights, lords, and\nladies in attendance, more than six score of people were with the King\nand Queen.\n\nNow it chanced that at this time the season of the year was very warm,\nso that when the middle of the day had come the King commanded that a\nnumber of pavilions should be spread for their accommodation, wherein\nthat they might rest there until the heat of the day had passed. So the\nattendants spread three pavilions in a pleasant glade upon the outskirts\nof the forest.\n\nWhen this had been done, the King gave command that the tables, whereat\nthey were to eat their mid-day meal, should be spread beneath the shadow\nof that glade of trees; for there was a gentle wind blowing and there\nwere many birds singing, so that it was very pleasant to sit in the open\nair.\n\nAccordingly the attendants of the Court did as the King commanded, and\nthe tables were set upon the grass beneath the shade, and the King and\nQueen and all the lords and ladies of their Courts sat down to that\ncheerful repast.\n\n[Sidenote: _A white hart and a white hound appear before King Arthur at\nfeast._]\n\nNow whiles they sat there feasting with great content of spirit, and\nwith much mirth and goodly talk among themselves, there came of a sudden\na great outcry from the woodland that was near by, and therewith there\nburst forth from the cover of that leafy wilderness a very beautiful\nwhite hart pursued by a white brachet of equal beauty. And there was not\na hair upon either of these animals that was not as white as milk, and\neach wore about its neck a collar of gold very beautiful to behold.\n\nThe hound pursued the white hart with a very great outcry and bellowing,\nand the hart fled in the utmost terror. In this wise they ran thrice\naround the table where King Arthur and his Court sat at meat, and twice\nin that chase the hound caught the hart and pinched it on its haunch,\nand therewith the hart leaped away, and all they who sat there observed\nthat there was blood at two places upon its haunch where the hound had\npinched it. But each time the hart escaped from the hound, and the hound\nfollowed after it with much outcry of yelling so that King Arthur and\nQueen Guinevere and all their Court were annoyed at the noise and tumult\nthat those two creatures made. Then the hart fled away into the forest\nagain by another path, and the hound pursued it and both were gone, and\nthe baying of the hound sounded more and more distant as it ran away\ninto the woodland.\n\nNow, ere the King and Queen and their Court had recovered from their\nastonishment at these things, there suddenly appeared at that part of\nthe forest whence the hart and the hound had emerged, a knight and a\nlady, and the knight was of very lordly presence and the lady was\nexceedingly beautiful. The knight was clad in half-armor, and the lady\nwas clad in green as though for the chase; and the knight rode upon a\ncharger of dapple gray, and the lady upon a piebald palfrey. With them\nwere two esquires, also clad for the chase.\n\nThese, seeing the considerable company gathered there, paused as though\nin surprise, and whilst they stood so, there suddenly appeared another\nknight upon a black horse, clad in complete armor, and he seemed to be\nvery angry. For he ran upon the half-armed knight and smote him so sorry\na blow with his sword, that the first knight fell down from his horse\nand lay upon the ground as though dead; whereat the lady who was with\nhim shrieked with great dolor.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur and his Court behold a knight carry off a lady\nprisoner._]\n\nThen the full-armed knight upon the black horse ran to the lady and\ncatched her, and he lifted her from her palfrey and laid her across the\nhorn of his saddle, and thereupon he rode back into the forest again.\nThe lady screamed with such vehemence of violent outcry, that it was a\ngreat pity to hear her, but the knight paid no attention to her\nshrieking, but bore her away by main force into the forest.\n\nThen, after he and the lady had gone, the two esquires came and lifted\nup the wounded knight upon his horse, and then they also went away into\nthe forest and were gone.\n\nAll this King Arthur and his Court beheld from a distance, and they were\nso far away that they could not stay that knight upon the black horse\nfrom doing what he did to carry away the lady into the forest; nor could\nthey bring succor to that other knight in half-armor whom they had\nbeheld struck down in that wise. So they were very greatly grieved at\nwhat they had beheld and knew not what to think of it. Then King Arthur\nsaid to his Court, \u201cMessires, is there not some one of you who will\nfollow up this adventure and discover what is the significance of that\nwhich we have seen, and compel that knight to tell why he behaved as he\ndid?\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine and Gaheris undertake the adventure of these\nthings._]\n\nUpon this Sir Gawaine said, \u201cLord, I shall be very glad indeed to take\nupon me this adventure if I have thy leave to do so.\u201d And King Arthur\nsaid, \u201cThou hast my leave.\u201d Then Sir Gawaine said, \u201cLord, I would that\nthou would also let me take my younger brother, Gaheris, with me as mine\nesquire in this undertaking, for he groweth apace unto manhood, and yet\nhe hath never beheld any considerable adventure at arms.\u201d So King Arthur\nsaid, \u201cThou hast my leave to take thy brother with thee.\u201d\n\nAt this Gaheris was very glad, for he was of an adventurous spirit,\nwherefore the thought of going with his brother upon this quest gave him\ngreat pleasure.\n\nSo they two went to the pavilion of Sir Gawaine, and there Gaheris aided\nSir Gawaine as his esquire to don his armor. Then they rode forth upon\nthat quest which Sir Gawaine had undertaken.\n\nNow they journeyed onward for a very considerable distance, following\nthat direction which they had seen the hart take when it had sped away\nfrom before the hound, and when, from time to time, they would meet\nsome of the forest folk, they would inquire of them whither had fled\nthat white brachet and the white hart, and whither had fled the knight\nand the lady, and so they followed that adventure apace.\n\n[Sidenote: _They behold two knights fighting._]\n\nBy and by, after a long pass--it being far advanced in the\nafternoon--they were suddenly aware of a great uproar of conflict, as of\na fierce battle in progress. So they followed this sound, and after a\nwhile they came to an open meadow-land with very fair and level sward.\nHere they beheld two knights fighting with great vehemence of passion,\nand with a very deadly purpose. Then Sir Gawaine said, \u201cWhat is this?\nLet us go see.\u201d So he and Gaheris rode forward to where those two\nknights were engaged, and as they approached, the two knights paused in\ntheir encounter, and rested upon their weapons. Then Sir Gawaine said,\n\u201cHa! Messires, what is to do and why do ye fight with such passion, the\none against the other, in that wise?\u201d Then one of the knights said to\nSir Gawaine, \u201cSir, this does not concern you;\u201d and the other said,\n\u201cMeddle not with us, for this battle is of our own choosing.\u201d\n\n\u201cMessires,\u201d said Sir Gawaine, \u201cI would be very sorry to interfere in\nyour quarrel, but I am in pursuit of a white hart and a white brachet\nthat came this way, and also of a knight who hath carried off a lady\nupon the same pass. Now I would be greatly beholden to ye if you would\ntell me if ye have seen aught of one or the other.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _One of the knights tells their story._]\n\nThen that knight who had first spoken said, \u201cSir, this is a very strange\nmatter, for it was upon account of that very white hart and that\nbrachet, and of the knight and the lady that we two were just now\nengaged in that battle as thou didst behold. For the case is this: We\ntwo are two brothers, and we were riding together in great amity when\nthat hart and that hound came hitherward. Then my brother said he very\ngreatly hoped that the white hart would escape from the hound, and I\nsaid that I hoped that the hound would overtake the hart and bring it to\nearth. Then came that knight with that lady, his captive, and I said\nthat I would follow that knight and rescue the lady, and my brother said\nthat he would undertake that adventure.\n\n\u201cUpon these points we fell into dispute; for it appeared to me that I\nfelt great affection for that hound, and my brother felt as\nextraordinary regard for the white hart, and that as I had first spoken\nI should have the right to follow that adventure; but my brother felt\naffection for the hart, and he considered that as he was the elder of us\ntwain, he had the best right to the adventure. So we quarrelled, and by\nand by we fell to upon that fight in which thou did see us engaged.\u201d\n\nAt this Sir Gawaine was very greatly astonished, and he said, \u201cMessires,\nI cannot understand how so great a quarrel should have arisen from so\nsmall a dispute; and, certes, it is a great pity for two brothers to\nquarrel as ye have done, and to give one another such sore cuts and\nwounds as I perceive you have both received.\u201d\n\n\u201cMessires,\u201d said the second knight, \u201cI think thou art right, and I now\nfind myself to be very much ashamed of that quarrel.\u201d And the other\nsaid, \u201cI too am sorry for what I have done.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine said, \u201cSirs, I would be very glad indeed if you would\ntell me your names.\u201d And the one knight said, \u201cI am called Sir Sorloise\nof the Forest.\u201d And the other said, \u201cI am called Sir Brian of the\nForest.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Sorloise said, \u201cSir Knight, I would deem it a very great\ncourtesy if thou wouldst tell me who thou art.\u201d\n\n\u201cI would be very glad to do that,\u201d said Sir Gawaine, and therewith he\ntold them his name and condition. Now, when they heard who Sir Gawaine\nwas, those two knights were very greatly astonished and pleased; for no\none in all the courts of chivalry was more famous than Sir Gawaine, the\nson of King Lot of Orkney. Wherefore those two brothers said, \u201cIt is\ncertainly a great joy to us to meet so famous a knight as thou art, Sir\nGawaine.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine said, \u201cSir Knights, that hart and that hound came only\na short while ago to where King Arthur and Queen Guinevere and their\nCourts of lords and ladies were at feast, and there, likewise, all we\nbeheld that knight seize upon the lady and make her captive. Wherefore,\nI and my brother have come forth upon command of King Arthur for to\ndiscover what is the meaning of that which we beheld. Now I shall deem\nit a very great courtesy upon your part if you will cease from this\nadventure and will go in amity unto the Court of the King, and will tell\nhim of what ye beheld and of how you quarrelled and of how we met. For\notherwise I myself will have to engage ye both, and that would be a\ngreat pity; for ye are weary with battle and I am fresh.\u201d\n\nThen these two knights said, \u201cSir, we will do as you desire, for we have\nno wish to have to do with so powerful a knight as you.\u201d\n\nThereupon those two knights departed and went to the Court of King\nArthur as Sir Gawaine ordained, and Sir Gawaine and his brother rode\nforward upon their adventure.\n\n[Sidenote:_Sir Gawaine and Gaheris meet a knight beside the river._]\n\nNow, by and by they came nigh to a great river, and there they beheld\nbefore them a single knight in full armor, who carried a spear in his\nhand and a shield hanging to his saddle-bow. Thereupon Sir Gawaine\nmade haste forward and he called aloud to the knight, and the knight\npaused and waited until Sir Gawaine had overtaken him. And when Sir\nGawaine came up to that knight he said, \u201cSir Knight, hast thou seen a\nwhite hart and a white hound pass by this way? And hast thou seen a\nknight bearing off a captive lady?\u201d\n\nUnto this the knight said, \u201cYea, I beheld them both, and I am even now\nfollowing after them with intent to discover whither they are bound.\u201d\nThen Sir Gawaine said, \u201cSir Knight, I bid thee not to follow this\nadventure farther, for I myself am set upon it. Wherefore I desire thee\nfor to give it over so that I may undertake it in thy stead.\u201d \u201cSir,\u201d\nsaid the other knight, speaking with a very great deal of heat, \u201cI know\nnot who thou art, nor do I care a very great deal. But touching the\npursuance of this adventure, I do tell thee that I myself intend to\nfollow it to the end and so will I do, let who will undertake to stay\nme.\u201d\n\nThereupon Sir Gawaine said, \u201cMessire, thou shalt not go forward upon\nthis adventure unless thou hast first to do with me.\u201d And the knight\nsaid, \u201cSir, I am very willing for that.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine overthroweth the knight._]\n\nSo each knight took such stand upon that field as appeared to him to be\nbest, and each put himself into a posture of defence and dressed his\nshield and his spear. Then, when they were thus prepared in all ways,\nthey immediately launched forth, the one against the other, rushing\ntogether with great speed and with such an uproar that the ground\ntrembled and shook beneath them. So they met together in the midst of\nthe course and the spear of the strange knight burst all into small\npieces, but the spear of Sir Gawaine held; wherefore he hurled that\nknight out of his saddle with such violence that he smote the ground\nwith a blow like an earthquake.\n\nThen Sir Gawaine rode back to where his enemy was (for that knight was\nunable to arise), and he removed the helmet from the head of the fallen\nknight and beheld that he was very young and comely.\n\nNow, when the fresh air smote upon the knight\u2019s face, he presently awoke\nfrom his swoon and came back unto his senses again, whereupon Sir\nGawaine said, \u201cDost thou yield unto me?\u201d And the knight said, \u201cI do so.\u201d\nThen Sir Gawaine said, \u201cWho art thou?\u201d And the knight said, \u201cI am called\nSir Alardin of the Isles.\u201d \u201cVery well,\u201d said Sir Gawaine; \u201cthen I lay my\ncommand upon thee in this wise: that thou shalt go to the Court of King\nArthur and deliver thyself to him as a captive of my prowess. And thou\nart to tell him all that thou knowest of the hart and the hound and the\nknight and the lady. And thou shalt tell him all that hath befallen thee\nin this assault.\u201d\n\nSo the knight said that he would do that, and thereupon they parted, the\none party going the one way and the other party going the other way.\n\nAfter that Sir Gawaine and his brother, Gaheris, rode a considerable\ndistance until they came, by and by, through a woodland into an open\nplain, and it was now about the time of sunset. And they beheld in the\nmidst of the plain a very stately and noble castle with five towers and\nof very great strength.\n\n[Sidenote:_Sir Gawaine and Gaheris behold the dead brachet._]\n\nAnd right here they saw a sight that filled them with great sorrow, for\nthey beheld the dead body of that white brachet lying beside the road\nlike any carrion. And they saw that the hound was pierced through with\nthree arrows, wherefore they wist that it had been slain very violently.\n\nNow when Sir Gawaine beheld that beautiful hound lying dead in that\nwise, he was filled with great sorrow. \u201cWhat a pity it is,\u201d he cried,\n\u201cthat this noble hound should be slain in this wise; for I think that it\nwas the most beautiful hound that ever I saw in all my life. Here hath\nassuredly been great treachery against it; for it hath been foully dealt\nwith because of that white hart which it pursued. Now, I make my vow\nthat if I can find that hart I will slay it with mine own hands, because\nit was in that chase that this hound met its death.\u201d\n\nAfter that they rode forward toward that castle, and as they drew nigh,\nlo! they beheld that white hart with the golden collar browsing upon the\nmeadows before the castle.\n\nNow, as soon as the white hart beheld those two strangers, it fled with\ngreat speed toward the castle, and it ran into the court-yard of the\ncastle. And when Sir Gawaine beheld the stag, he gave chase in pursuit\nof it with great speed, and Gaheris followed after his brother.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine slayeth the white hart._]\n\nSo Sir Gawaine pursued the white hart into the court-yard of the castle\nand from thence it could not escape. Then Sir Gawaine leaped him down\nfrom his horse and drew his sword and slew the hart with a single blow\nof his weapon.\n\nThis he did in great haste, but when he had done that and it was too\nlate to mend it, he repented him of what he had done very sorely.\n\nNow with all this tumult, there came out the lord and the lady of that\ncastle; and the lord was one of very haughty and noble aspect, and the\nlady was extraordinarily graceful and very beautiful of appearance. And\nSir Gawaine looked upon the lady and he thought he had hardly ever seen\nso beautiful a dame, wherefore he was more sorry than ever that, in his\nhaste, he had slain that white hart.\n\nBut when the lady of the castle beheld the white hart, that it lay dead\nupon the stone pavement of the court-yard, she smote her hands together\nand shrieked with such shrillness and strength, that it pierced the ears\nto hear her. And she cried out, \u201cOh, my white hart, art thou then dead?\u201d\nAnd therewith she fell to weeping with great passion. Then Sir Gawaine\nsaid, \u201cLady, I am very sorry for what I have done, and I would that I\ncould undo it.\u201d Then the lord of that castle said to Sir Gawaine, \u201cSir,\ndidst thou slay that stag?\u201d \u201cYea,\u201d said Sir Gawaine. \u201cSir,\u201d said the\nlord of the castle, \u201cthou hast done very ill in this matter, and if thou\nwilt wait a little I will take full vengeance upon thee.\u201d Unto which Sir\nGawaine said, \u201cI will wait for thee as long as it shall please thee.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The knight of the castle assaileth Sir Gawaine._]\n\nThen the lord of the castle went into his chamber and clad himself in\nhis armor, and in a little while he came out very fiercely. \u201cSir,\u201d said\nSir Gawaine, \u201cwhat is thy quarrel with me?\u201d And the lord of the castle\nsaid, \u201cBecause thou hast slain the white hart that was so dear to my\nlady.\u201d To the which Sir Gawaine said, \u201cI would not have slain the white\nhart only that because of it the white brachet was so treacherously\nslain.\u201d Upon this the lord of the castle was more wroth than ever, and\nhe ran at Sir Gawaine and smote him unawares, so that he clave through\nthe epaulier of his armor and cut through the flesh and unto the bone of\nthe shoulder, so that Sir Gawaine was put to a great agony of pain at\nthe stroke. Then Sir Gawaine was filled with rage at the pain of the\nwound, wherefore he smote the knight so woful a blow that he cut through\nhis helmet and into the bone beneath, and thereupon the knight fell down\nupon his knees because of the fierceness of the blow, and he could not\nrise up again. Then Sir Gawaine catched his helmet and rushed it off\nfrom his head.\n\nUpon this the knight said in a weak voice, \u201cSir Knight, I crave mercy of\nyou, and yield myself to you.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine maketh to slay the knight of the castle._]\n\nBut Sir Gawaine was very furious with anger because of that unexpected\nblow which he had received and because of the great agony of the wound,\nwherefore he would not have mercy, but lifted up his sword with intent\nto slay that knight.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine striketh the lady of the castle without\nintent._]\n\nThen the lady of the castle beheld what Sir Gawaine was intent to do,\nand she brake away from her damsels and ran and flung herself upon the\nknight so as to shield him with her own body. And in that moment Sir\nGawaine was striking and could not stay his blow; nevertheless, he was\nable to turn his sword in his hand so that the edge thereof did not\nsmite the lady. But the flat of the sword struck her upon the neck a\nvery grievous blow, and the blade cut her a little, so that the blood\nran down her smooth white neck and over her kerchief; and with the\nviolence of the blow the lady fell down and lay upon the ground as\nthough she were dead.\n\nNow when Sir Gawaine beheld that, he thought that he had slain that lady\nin his haste, and he was all a-dread at what he had done, wherefore he\ncried, \u201cWoe is me! what have I done?\u201d\n\n\u201cAlas!\u201d said Gaheris, \u201cthat was a very shameful blow that thou didst\nstrike; and the shame of it is mine also because thou art my brother.\nNow I wish I had not come with thee to this place.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine said to the lord of that castle, \u201cSir, I will spare thy\nlife, for I am very sorry for what I have done in my haste.\u201d\n\nBut the knight of the castle was filled with great bitterness, because\nhe thought that his lady was dead, wherefore he cried out as in despair,\n\u201cI will not now have thy mercy, for thou art a knight without mercy and\nwithout pity. And since thou hast slain my lady, who is dearer to me\nthan my life, thou mayst slay me also. For that is the only service\nwhich thou canst now render me.\u201d\n\nBut by now the damsels of the lady had come to her where she lay, and\nthe chiefest of these cried out to the lord of the castle, \u201cHa, sir, thy\nlady is not dead, but only in a swoon from which she will presently\nrecover.\u201d\n\nThen when the lord of the castle heard that, he fell to weeping in great\nmeasure from pure joy; for now that he knew his lady was alive he could\nnot contain himself for joy. Therewith Sir Gawaine came to him and\nlifted him up from the ground where he was, and kissed him upon the\ncheek. Then certain others came and bare the lady away into her chamber,\nand there in a little while she recovered from that swoon and was but\nlittle the worse for the blow she had received.\n\nThat night Sir Gawaine, and his brother, Gaheris, abided with the knight\nand the lady, and when the knight learned who Sir Gawaine was, he felt\nit great honor to have so famous a knight in that place. So they feasted\ntogether that evening in great amity.\n\nNow, after they had refreshed themselves, Sir Gawaine said, \u201cI beseech\nyou, sir, to tell me what was the meaning of the white hart and the\nwhite brachet which led me into this adventure.\u201d\n\nTo this the lord of the castle (whose name was Sir Ablamor of the\nMarise) said, \u201cI will do so.\u201d And therewith he spake as follows:\n\n\u201cYou must know, sir, that I have a brother who hath always been very\ndear to me, and when I took this, my lady, unto wife, he took her sister\nas his wife.\n\n[Sidenote:_The lord of the castle telleth the story of the white hart\nand the white hound._]\n\n\u201cNow, my brother dwelt in a castle nigh to this, and we held commerce\ntogether in great amity. But it befell upon a day that my lady and my\nbrother\u2019s lady were riding through this forest together discoursing very\npleasantly. What time there appeared a lady unto them, exceedingly\nbeautiful, and of very strange appearance, for I do not think that\neither my lady or her sister ever beheld her like before.\n\n\u201cThis strange lady brought unto those two ladies a white hart and a\nwhite brachet, and the hart and the hound she held each by a silver\nchain attached to a golden collar that encircled its neck. And the white\nhart she gave unto my lady and the white brachet she gave unto my lady\u2019s\nsister. And then she went away leaving them very glad.\n\n\u201cBut their gladness did not last for very long, for ever since that time\nthere hath been nothing else but discord between my brother and myself,\nand between my lady and her sister, for the white hound hath ever sought\nthe white hart for to destroy it, wherefore I and my lady have\nentertained very great offence against my brother and his lady because\nthey did not keep the white brachet at home. So it has come to pass that\na number of times we have sought to destroy the hound, so that my\nbrother and his lady have held equal offence against us.\n\n\u201cNow this day it chanced I was toward the outskirts of the forest to the\neast of us, when I heard a great outcry in the woodland, and by and by\nthe white hart that belonged to my lady came fleeing through the\nwoodland, and the white brachet that belonged to my brother\u2019s lady was\nin pursuit of it; and my brother and his lady and two esquires followed\nrapidly after the hart and the brachet.\n\n\u201cThen I was very greatly angered, for it seemed to me that they were\nchasing that white hart out of despite of my lady and myself, wherefore\nI followed after them with all speed.\n\n\u201cSo I came upon them at the outskirts of the woodland, nigh to where\nthere were a number of pavilions pitched in the shade of a glade of\ntrees in the midst of the meadow, and there, in mine anger, I struck my\nbrother a great blow so that I smote him down from his horse. And I\ncatched his lady and I threw her across the horn of my saddle and I bore\nher here away to this castle, and here I have held her out of revenge\nbecause they pursued the white hart which belonged to my lady. For my\nlady loved that hart as she loved nothing else in the world, excepting\nmyself.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d said Sir Gawaine, \u201cthis is a very strange matter. Now I beseech\nthee to tell me of what appearance was that lady who gave the white hart\nand the white hound unto those two ladies?\u201d \u201cMessire,\u201d said the knight,\n\u201cshe was clad all in crimson, and about her throat and arms were a great\nmany ornaments of gold beset with stones of divers colors, and her hair\nwas red like gold and was enmeshed in a net of gold, and her eyes were\nvery black and shone with exceeding brightness, and her lips were like\ncoral, so that she possessed a very strange appearance.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine heareth of Vivien._]\n\n\u201cHa!\u201d said Sir Gawaine, \u201cfrom this description methinks that lady could\nhave been none other than the sorceress Vivien. For now she spendeth all\nof her time in doing such mischief as this by means of her enchantment,\nout of pure despite. And, indeed, I think it would be a very good thing\nif she were put out of this world so that she could do no more such\nmischief. But tell me, Messire, where now is that lady, thy wife\u2019s\nsister?\u201d \u201cSir,\u201d said the knight, \u201cshe is in this castle and is a\nprisoner of honor.\u201d \u201cWell,\u201d quoth Sir Gawaine, \u201csince now both the hart\nand the hound are dead, ye can assuredly bear no more enmity toward her\nand your brother, wherefore I do beseech you that you will let her go\nfree, and will enter again into a condition of amity and good-will the\none with the other, in such a manner as hath afore obtained between\nyou.\u201d And the lord of the castle said, \u201cSir, it shall be so.\u201d\n\nAnd so he set the lady free at that time, and thereafter there was amity\nbetween them as Sir Gawaine had ordained.\n\nAnd the next day Sir Gawaine and his brother, Gaheris, returned unto\nthis Court of the King and he told King Arthur and his Court all that\nhad befallen, hiding nothing from them.\n\n[Sidenote: _Queen Guinevere is displeased with Sir Gawaine._]\n\nNow, Queen Guinevere was very much displeased when she heard how Sir\nGawaine would show no mercy to that knight and how he had struck the\nlady with his sword. Wherefore she said aside to one of those who stood\nnigh to her, \u201cIt seems to me to be a very strange thing for a belted\nknight to do, to refuse to give mercy unto a fallen enemy and to strike\na lady with his sword; for I should think that any sword that had drawn\nblood from a lady in such wise would be dishonored for aye; and I cannot\nthink that anyone who would strike a lady in that wise would hold\nhimself guiltless unto his vow of knighthood.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine breaketh his sword._]\n\nThis Sir Gawaine overheard and he was exceedingly wroth thereat. But he\nconcealed his anger at that time. Only after he had gone away he said to\nGaheris, his brother, \u201cI believe that lady hateth me with all her heart;\nbut some time I will show to her that I have in me more courtesy and am\nmore gentle than she believes me to be. As for my sword, since she\ndeemeth it to be dishonored by that blow, I will not use it any more.\u201d\nSo he took the sword out of its sheath and brake it across his knee and\nflung it away.\n\nNow all this hath been told to set forth that which follows; for there\nye shall learn what great things of nobility Sir Gawaine could do when\nit behooved him to do them. For, haply, ye who have read this story may\nfeel as Queen Guinevere did, that Sir Gawaine was not rightwise\ncourteous as a belted knight should have been in that adventure\naforetold.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: King Arthur findeth y\u1d49 old woman in y\u1d49 hut:]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Second.\n\n_How King Arthur Became Lost in the Forest, and How He Fell Into a Very\nSingular Adventure in a Castle Unto Which He Came._\n\n\nNow, it befell upon a time some while after this, that King Arthur was\nat Tintagalon upon certain affairs of state. And Queen Guinevere and her\nCourt and the King\u2019s Court made progression from Camelot unto Carleon,\nand there they abided until the King should be through his business at\nTintagalon and should join them at Carleon.\n\nNow that time was the spring of the year, and all things were very jolly\nand gay, wherefore King Arthur became possessed with a great desire for\nadventure. So he called unto him a certain favorite esquire, hight\nBoisenard, and he said to him, \u201cBoisenard, this day is so pleasant that\nI hardly know how I may contain myself because of the joy I take in it,\nfor it seems to be that my heart is nigh ready to burst with a great\npleasure of desiring. So I am of a mind to go a-gadding with only thee\nfor companion.\u201d\n\nTo this Boisenard said, \u201cLord, I know of nothing that would give to me a\ngreater pleasure than that.\u201d\n\nSo King Arthur said, \u201cVery well, let us then go away from this place in\nsuch a manner that no one will be aware of our departure. And so we will\ngo to Carleon and surprise the Queen by coming unexpectedly to that\nplace.\u201d\n\nSo Boisenard brought armor, without device, and he clad the King in that\narmor; and then they two rode forth together, and no one wist that they\nhad left the castle.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur sets forth with his esquire._]\n\nAnd when they came forth into the fields, King Arthur whistled and sang\nand jested and laughed and made himself merry; for he was as a war-horse\nturned forth upon the grass that taketh glory in the sunshine and the\nwarm air and becometh like unto a colt again.\n\nSo by and by they came into the forest and rode that way with great\ncontent of spirit; and they took this path and they took that path for\nno reason but because the day was so gay and jolly. So, by and by, they\nlost their way in the mazes of the woodland and knew not where they\nwere.\n\n[Sidenote: _They are lost in the forest._]\n\nNow when they found themselves to be lost in that wise they journeyed\nwith more circumspection, going first by this way and then by that, but\nin no manner could they find their way out from their entanglement. And\nso fell night-time and they knew not where they were; but all became\nvery dark and obscure, with the woodland full of strange and unusual\nsounds around about them.\n\nThen King Arthur said, \u201cBoisenard, this is a very perplexing pass and I\ndo not know how we shall find lodging for this night.\u201d\n\nTo this Boisenard said, \u201cLord, if I have thy permission to do so, I will\nclimb one of these trees and see if I can discover any sign of\nhabitation in this wilderness.\u201d And King Arthur said, \u201cDo so, I pray\nthee.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Boisenard beholdeth a light._]\n\nSo Boisenard climbed a very tall tree and from the top of the tree he\nbeheld a light a great distance away, and he said, \u201cLord, I see a light\nin that direction.\u201d And therewith he came down from the tree again.\n\nSo King Arthur and Boisenard went in the direction that Boisenard had\nbeheld the light, and by and by they came out of the forest and into an\nopen place where they beheld a very great castle with several tall\ntowers, very grim and forbidding of appearance. And it was from this\ncastle that the light had appeared that Boisenard had seen. So they two\nrode up to the castle and Boisenard called aloud and smote upon the gate\nof the castle. Then immediately there came a porter and demanded of them\nwhat they would have. Unto him Boisenard said, \u201cSirrah, we would come in\nto lodge for to-night, for we are a-weary.\u201d So the porter said, \u201cWho are\nyou?\u201d--speaking very roughly and rudely to them, for he could not see of\nwhat condition they were because of the darkness. Then Boisenard said,\n\u201cThis is a knight of very good quality and I am his esquire, and we have\nlost our way in the forest and now we come hither seeking shelter.\u201d\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d said the porter, \u201cif ye know what is good for you, ye will sleep\nin the forest rather than come into this place, for this is no very good\nretreat for errant knights to shelter themselves.\u201d\n\nUpon this King Arthur bespake the porter, for that which the porter said\naroused great curiosity within him. So he said, \u201cNay, we will not go\naway from here and we demand to lodge here for this night.\u201d\n\nThen the porter said, \u201cVery well; ye may come in.\u201d And thereupon he\nopened the gate and they rode into the court-yard of that castle.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur and his esquire enter the castle._]\n\nNow at the noise of their coming, there appeared a great many lights\nwithin the castle, and there came running forth divers attendants. Some\nof these aided King Arthur and Boisenard to dismount, and others took\nthe horses, and others again brought basins of water for them to wash\nwithal. And after they had washed their faces and hands, other\nattendants brought them into the castle.\n\nNow as they came into the castle, they were aware of a great noise of\nvery many people talking and laughing together, with the sound of\nsinging and of harping. And so they came into the hall of the castle and\nbeheld that it was lighted with a great number of candles and tapers and\ntorches. Here they found a multitude of people gathered at a table\nspread for a feast, and at the head of the table there sat a knight,\nwell advanced in years and with hair and beard white as milk. Yet he was\nexceedingly strong and sturdy of frame, having shoulders of wonderful\nbroadness and a great girth of chest. This knight was of a very stern\nand forbidding appearance, and was clad altogether in black, and he wore\naround his neck a chain of gold, with a locket of gold hanging pendant\nfrom it.\n\nNow when this knight beheld King Arthur and Boisenard come into the\nhall, he called aloud to them in a very great voice bidding them to come\nand sit with him at the head of the table; and they did so, and those at\nthe head of the table made place for them, and thus they sat there\nbeside the knight.\n\nNow King Arthur and Boisenard were exceedingly hungry, wherefore they\nate with great appetite and made joy of the entertainment which they\nreceived, and meantime the knight held them in very pleasant discourse,\ntalking to them of such things as would give them the most\nentertainment. So after a while the feast was ended and they ceased from\neating.\n\n[Sidenote: _The knight of the castle challenges King Arthur to an\nadventure._]\n\nThen, of a sudden, the knight said to King Arthur, \u201cMessire, thou art\nyoung and lusty of spirit and I doubt not but thou hath a great heart\nwithin thee. What say you now to a little sport betwixt us two?\u201d Upon\nthis King Arthur regarded that knight very steadily and he believed that\nhis face was not so old as it looked; for his eyes were exceedingly\nbright and shone like sparks of light; wherefore he was a-doubt and he\nsaid, \u201cSir, what sport would you have?\u201d Upon this the knight fell\na-laughing in great measure and he said, \u201cThis is a very strange sport\nthat I have in mind, for it is this: That thou and I shall prove the one\nunto the other what courage each of us may have.\u201d And King Arthur said,\n\u201cHow shall we prove that?\u201d Whereunto the knight made reply, \u201cThis is\nwhat we shall do: Thou and I shall stand forth in the middle of this\nhall, and thou shalt have leave to try to strike off my head; and if I\ncan receive that blow without dying therefrom, then I shall have leave\nto strike thy head off in a like manner.\u201d\n\nUpon this speech King Arthur was greatly a-dread and he said, \u201cThat is\nvery strange sport for two men to engage upon.\u201d\n\nNow when King Arthur said this, all those who were in the hall burst out\nlaughing beyond all measure and as though they would never stint from\ntheir mirth. Then, when they had become in a measure quiet again, the\nknight of that castle said, \u201cSir, art thou afraid of that sport?\u201d Upon\nwhich King Arthur fell very angry and he said, \u201cNay, I am not afeared,\nfor no man hath ever yet had reason to say that I showed myself afeared\nof anyone.\u201d \u201cVery well,\u201d said the knight of the castle; \u201cthen let us try\nthat sport of which I spake.\u201d And King Arthur said, \u201cI am willing.\u201d\n\nThen Boisenard came to King Arthur where he was, and he said, \u201cLord, do\nnot thou enter into this thing, but rather let me undertake this venture\nin thy stead, for I am assured that some great treachery is meditated\nagainst thee.\u201d But King Arthur said, \u201cNay; no man shall take my danger\nupon himself, but I will assume mine own danger without calling upon any\nman to take it.\u201d So he said to the knight of the castle, \u201cSir, I am\nready for that sport of which thou didst speak, but who is to strike\nthat first blow and how shall we draw lots therefor?\u201d \u201cMessire,\u201d said\nthe knight of the castle, \u201cthere shall be no lots drawn. For, as thou\nart the guest of this place, so shall thou have first assay at that\nsport.\u201d\n\nTherewith that knight arose and laid aside his black robe, and he was\nclad beneath in a shirt of fine linen very cunningly worked. And he wore\nhosen of crimson. Then he opened that linen undergarment at the throat\nand he turned down the collar thereof so as to lay his neck bare to the\nblow. Thereupon he said, \u201cNow, Sir Knight, thou shalt have to strike\nwell if thou wouldst win at this sport.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur cuts off the head of the knight of the castle._]\n\nBut King Arthur showed no dread of that undertaking, for he arose and\ndrew Excalibur so that the blade of the sword flashed with exceeding\nbrightness. Then he measured his distance, and lifted the sword, and he\nsmote the knight of the castle with all his might upon the neck. And,\nlo! the blade cut through the neck of the knight of the castle with\nwonderful ease, so that the head flew from the body to a great distance\naway.\n\nBut the trunk of the body of that knight did not fall, but instead of\nthat it stood, and it walked to where the head lay, and the hands of the\ntrunk picked up the head and they set the head back upon the body and,\nlo! that knight was as sound and whole as ever he had been in all his\nlife.\n\nUpon this all those of the castle shouted and made great mirth, and they\ncalled upon King Arthur that it was now his turn to try that sport. So\nthe King prepared himself, laying aside his surcoat and opening his\nundergarment at the throat, as the knight of the castle had done. And at\nthat Boisenard made great lamentation. Then the knight of the castle\nsaid, \u201cSir, art thou afeared?\u201d And King Arthur said, \u201cNo, I am not\nafeared, for every man must come to his death some time, and it appears\nthat my time hath now come, and that I am to lay down my life in this\nfoolish fashion for no fault of mine own.\u201d\n\nThen the knight of the castle said, \u201cWell, stand thou away a little\ndistance so that I may not strike thee too close, and so lose the virtue\nof my blow.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The knight torments King Arthur._]\n\nSo King Arthur stood forth in the midst of the hall, and the knight of\nthe castle swung his sword several times, but did not strike. Likewise,\nhe several times laid the blade of the sword upon King Arthur\u2019s neck,\nand it was very cold. Then King Arthur cried out in great passion, \u201cSir,\nit is thy right to strike, but I beseech thee not to torment me in this\nmanner.\u201d \u201cNay,\u201d said the knight of the castle, \u201cit is my right to strike\nwhen it pleases me, and I will not strike any before that time. For if\nit please me I will torment thee for a great while ere I slay thee.\u201d So\nhe laid his sword several times more upon King Arthur\u2019s neck, and King\nArthur said no more, but bore that torment with a very steadfast spirit.\n\nThen the knight of the castle said, \u201cThou appearest to be a very\ncourageous and honorable knight, and I have a mind to make a covenant\nwith thee.\u201d And King Arthur said, \u201cWhat is that covenant?\u201d \u201cIt is this,\u201d\nsaid the knight of the castle, \u201cI will spare thee thy life for a year\nand a day if thou wilt pledge me thy knightly word to return hither at\nthe end of that time.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur said, \u201cVery well; it shall be so.\u201d And therewith he\npledged his knightly word to return at the end of that time, swearing to\nthat pledge upon the cross of the hilt of Excalibur.\n\n[Sidenote: _The knight of the castle sets King Arthur a riddle._]\n\nThen the knight of the castle said, \u201cI will make another covenant with\nthee.\u201d \u201cWhat is it?\u201d said King Arthur. \u201cMy second covenant is this,\u201d\nquoth the knight of the castle, \u201cI will give to thee a riddle, and if\nthou wilt answer that riddle when thou returnest hither, and if thou\nmakest no mistake in that answer, then will I spare thy life and set\nthee free.\u201d And King Arthur said, \u201cWhat is that riddle?\u201d To which the\nknight made reply, \u201cThe riddle is this: What is it that a woman desires\nmost of all in the world?\u201d\n\n\u201cSir,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cI will seek to find the answer to that riddle,\nand I give thee gramercy for sparing my life for so long a time as thou\nhast done, and for giving me the chance to escape my death.\u201d Upon this\nthe knight of the castle smiled very sourly, and he said, \u201cI do not\noffer this to thee because of mercy to thee, but because I find pleasure\nin tormenting thee. For what delight canst thou have in living thy life\nwhen thou knowest that thou must, for a surety, die at the end of one\nshort year? And what pleasure canst thou have in living even that year\nwhen thou shalt be tormented with anxiety to discover the answer to my\nriddle?\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur said, \u201cI think thou art very cruel.\u201d And the knight\nsaid, \u201cI am not denying that.\u201d\n\nSo that night King Arthur and Boisenard lay at the castle, and the next\nday they took their way thence. And King Arthur was very heavy and\ntroubled in spirit; ne\u2019theless he charged Boisenard that he should say\nnothing concerning that which had befallen, but that he should keep it\nin secret. And Boisenard did as the King commanded, and said nothing\nconcerning that adventure.\n\nNow in that year which followed, King Arthur settled his affairs. Also\nhe sought everywhere to find the answer to that riddle. Many there were\nwho gave him answers in plenty, for one said that a woman most desired\nwealth, and another said she most desired beauty, and one said she\ndesired power to please, and another said that she most desired fine\nraiment; and one said this, and another said that; but no answer\nappeared to King Arthur to be good and fitting for his purpose.\n\nSo the year passed by, until only a fortnight remained; and then King\nArthur could not abide to stay where he was any longer, for it seemed to\nhim his time was very near to hand, and he was filled with a very bitter\nanxiety of soul, wherefore he was very restless to be away.\n\nSo he called Boisenard to him, and he said, \u201cBoisenard, help me to arm,\nfor I am going away.\u201d\n\nThen Boisenard fell a-weeping in very great measure, and he said, \u201cLord,\ndo not go.\u201d\n\nAt this King Arthur looked very sternly at his esquire, and said,\n\u201cBoisenard, how is this? Wouldst thou tempt me to violate mine honor? It\nis not very hard to die, but it would be very bitter to live my life in\ndishonor; wherefore tempt me no more, but do my bidding and hold thy\npeace. And if I do not return in a month from this time, then mayst thou\ntell all that hath befallen. And thou mayst tell Sir Constantine of\nCornwall that he is to search the papers in my cabinet, and that there\nhe will find all that is to be done should death overtake me.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur set forth to return to the castle of the evil\nknight._]\n\nSo Boisenard put a plain suit of armor upon King Arthur, though he could\nhardly see what he was about for the tears that flowed down out of his\neyes in great abundance. And he laced upon the armor of the King a\nsurcoat without device, and he gave the King a shield without device.\nThereupon King Arthur rode away without considering whither his way took\nhim. And of everyone whom he met he inquired what that thing was that a\nwoman most desired, and no one could give him an answer that appeared to\nhim to be what it should be, wherefore he was in great doubt and torment\nof spirit.\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur cometh to the hut of an old woman._]\n\nNow the day before King Arthur was to keep his covenant at that castle,\nhe was wandering through the adjacent forest in great travail of soul,\nfor he wist not what he should do to save his life. As he wandered so,\nhe came of a sudden upon a small hut built up under an overhanging\noak-tree so that it was very hard to tell where the oak-tree ended and\nthe hut began. And there were a great many large rocks all about covered\nwith moss, so that the King might very easily have passed by the hut\nonly that he beheld a smoke to arise therefrom as from a fire that\nburned within. So he went to the hut and opened the door and entered. At\nfirst he thought there was no one there, but when he looked again he\nbeheld an old woman sitting bent over a small fire that burned upon the\nhearth. And King Arthur had never beheld such an ugly beldame as that\none who sat there bending over that fire, for her ears were very huge\nand flapped, and her hair hung down over her head like to snakes, and\nher face was covered all over with wrinkles so that there were not any\nplaces at all where there was not a wrinkle; and her eyes were bleared\nand covered over with a film, and the eyelids were red as with the\ncontinual weeping of her eyes, and she had but one tooth in her mouth,\nand her hands, which she spread out to the fire, were like claws of\nbone.\n\nThen King Arthur gave her greeting and she gave the King greeting, and\nshe said to him, \u201cMy lord King, whence come ye? and why do ye come to\nthis place?\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur was greatly astonished that that old woman should know\nhim, who he was, and he said, \u201cWho are you that appeareth to know me?\u201d\n\u201cNo matter,\u201d said she, \u201cI am one who meaneth you well; so tell me what\nis the trouble that brings you here at this time.\u201d So the King confessed\nall his trouble to that old woman, and he asked her if she knew the\nanswer to that riddle, \u201cWhat is it that a woman most desires?\u201d \u201cYea,\u201d\nsaid the old woman, \u201cI know the answer to that riddle very well, but I\nwill not tell it to thee unless thou wilt promise me something in\nreturn.\u201d\n\nAt this King Arthur was filled with very great joy that the old woman\nshould know the answer to that riddle, and he was filled with doubt of\nwhat she would demand of him, wherefore he said, \u201cWhat is it thou must\nhave in return for that answer?\u201d\n\nThen the old woman said, \u201cIf I aid thee to guess thy riddle aright, thou\nmust promise that I shall become wife unto one of the knights of thy\nCourt, whom I may choose when thou returnest homeward again.\u201d\n\n\u201cHa!\u201d said King Arthur, \u201chow may I promise that upon the behalf of\nanyone?\u201d Upon this the old woman said, \u201cAre not the knights of thy Court\nof such nobility that they will do that to save thee from death?\u201d \u201cI\nbelieve they are,\u201d said King Arthur. And with that he meditated a long\nwhile, saying unto himself, \u201cWhat will my kingdom do if I die at this\ntime? I have no right to die.\u201d So he said to the old woman, \u201cVery well,\nI will make that promise.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The old woman telleth King Arthur to answer the riddle._]\n\nThen she said unto the King, \u201cThis is the answer to that riddle: That\nwhich a woman most desires is to have her will.\u201d And the answer seemed\nto King Arthur to be altogether right.\n\nThen the old woman said, \u201cMy lord King, thou hast been played upon by\nthat knight who hath led thee into this trouble, for he is a great\nconjurer and a magician of a very evil sort. He carrieth his life not\nwithin his body, but in a crystal globe which he weareth in a locket\nhanging about his neck; wherefore it was that when thou didst cut the\nhead from off his body, his life remained in that locket and he did not\ndie. But if thou hadst destroyed that locket, then he would immediately\nhave died.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will mind me of that,\u201d said King Arthur.\n\nSo King Arthur abided with that old woman for that night, and she\nrefreshed him with meat and drink and served him very well. And the next\nmorning he set forth unto that castle where he had made his covenant,\nand his heart was more cheerful than it had been for a whole year.\n\n[Illustration: Sir Gawaine finds the beautiful Lady]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] Chapter Third.\n\n_How King Arthur Overcame the Knight-Enchanter, and How Sir Gawaine\nManifested the High Nobility of His Knighthood._\n\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur returneth to the castle of the evil knight._]\n\nNow, when King Arthur came to the castle, the gateway thereof was\nimmediately opened to him and he entered. And when he had entered,\nsundry attendants came and conducted him into the hall where he had\naforetime been. There he beheld the knight of that castle and a great\nmany people who had come to witness the conclusion of the adventure. And\nwhen the knight beheld King Arthur he said to him, \u201cSir, hast thou come\nto redeem thy pledge?\u201d \u201cYea,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cfor so I made my vow to\nthee.\u201d Then the knight of the castle said, \u201cSir, hast thou guessed that\nriddle?\u201d And King Arthur said, \u201cI believe that I have.\u201d The knight of\nthe castle said, \u201cThen let me hear thy answer thereto. But if thou\nmakest any mistake, or if thou dost not guess aright, then is thy life\nforfeit.\u201d \u201cVery well,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201clet it be that way. Now this\nis the answer to thy riddle: That which a woman most desires is to have\nher will.\u201d\n\nNow when the lord of the castle heard King Arthur guess aright he wist\nnot what to say or where to look, and those who were there also\nperceived that the King had guessed aright.\n\nThen King Arthur came very close to that knight with great sternness of\ndemeanor, and he said, \u201cNow, thou traitor knight! thou didst ask me to\nenter into thy sport with thee a year ago, so at these present it is my\nturn to ask thee to have sport with me. And this is the sport I will\nhave, that thou shalt give me that chain and locket that hang about thy\nneck, and that I shall give thee the collar which hangeth about my\nneck.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur slayeth the knight of the castle._]\n\nAt this, the face of that knight fell all pale, like to ashes, and he\nemitted a sound similar to the sound made by a hare when the hound lays\nhold upon it. Then King Arthur catched him very violently by the arm,\nand he catched the locket and brake it away from about the knight\u2019s\nneck, and upon that the knight shrieked very loud, and fell down upon\nhis knees and besought mercy of the King, and there was great uproar in\nthat place. Then King Arthur opened the locket and lo! there was a ball\nas of crystal, very clear and shining. And King Arthur said, \u201cI will\nhave no mercy,\u201d and therewith he flung the ball violently down upon the\nstone of the pavement so that it brake with a loud noise. Then, upon\nthat instant, the knight-conjurer gave a piercing bitter cry and fell\ndown upon the ground; and when they ran to raise him up, behold! he was\nentirely dead.\n\nNow when the people of that castle beheld their knight thus suddenly\ndead, and when they beheld King Arthur how he stood in the fury of his\nkingly majesty, they were greatly afeared so that they shrunk away from\nthe King where he stood. Then the King turned and went out from that\ncastle and no one stayed him, and he mounted his horse and rode away,\nand no one gave him let or hindrance in his going.\n\nNow when the King had left the castle in that wise, he went straight to\nthe hut where was the old beldame and he said to her, \u201cThou hast holpen\nme a very great deal in mine hour of need, so now will I fulfil that\npledge which I made unto thee, for I will take thee unto my Court and\nthou shalt choose one of my knights for thy husband. For I think there\nis not one knight in all my Court but would be very glad to do anything\nthat lieth in his power to reward one who hath saved me as thou hast\ndone this day.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _King Arthur taketh the old woman away with him._]\n\nTherewith he took that old woman and he lifted her up upon the crupper\nof his horse; then he himself mounted upon his horse, and so they rode\naway from that place. And the King comported himself to that aged\nbeldame in all ways with the utmost consideration as though she had been\na beautiful dame of the highest degree in the land. Likewise he showed\nher such respect that had she been a lady of royal blood, he could not\nhave shown greater respect to her.\n\nSo in due time they reached the Court, which was then at Carleon. And\nthey came there nigh about mid-day.\n\nNow about that time it chanced that the Queen and a number of the lords\nof the Court, and a number of the ladies of the Court, were out in the\nfields enjoying the pleasantness of the Maytime; for no one in all the\nworld, excepting the esquire, Boisenard, knew anything of the danger\nthat beset King Arthur; hence all were very glad of the pleasantness of\nthe season. Now as King Arthur drew nigh to that place, these lifted up\ntheir eyes and beheld him come, and they were astonished beyond all\nmeasure to see King Arthur come to them across that field with that old\nbeldame behind him upon the saddle, wherefore they stood still to wait\nuntil King Arthur reached them.\n\nBut when King Arthur had come to them, he did not dismount from his\nhorse, but sat thereon and regarded them all very steadfastly; and Queen\nGuinevere said, \u201cSir, what is this? Hast thou a mind to play some merry\njest this day that thou hast brought hither that old woman?\u201d\n\n\u201cLady,\u201d said King Arthur, \u201cexcepting for this old woman it were like to\nhave been a very sorry jest for thee and for me; for had she not aided\nme I would now have been a dead man and in a few days you would\ndoubtless all have been in great passion of sorrow.\u201d\n\nThen all they who were there marvelled very greatly at the King\u2019s words.\nAnd the Queen said, \u201cSir, what is it that hath befallen thee?\u201d\n\nThereupon King Arthur told them all that had happened to him from the\nvery beginning when he and Boisenard had left the castle of Tintagalon.\nAnd when he had ended his story, they were greatly amazed.\n\nNow there were seventeen lords of the Court there present. So when King\nArthur had ended his story, he said unto these, \u201cMessires, I have given\nmy pledge unto this aged woman that any one of you whom she may choose,\nshall take her unto him as his wife, and shall treat her with all the\nregard that it is possible for him to do; for this was the condition\nthat she laid upon me. Now tell me, did I do right in making unto her my\npledge that I would fulfil that which she desired?\u201d And all of those who\nwere present said, \u201cYea, lord, thou didst right, for we would do all in\nthe world for to save thee from such peril as that from which thou hast\nescaped.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _The old woman chooseth Sir Gawaine._]\n\nThen King Arthur said to that old woman, \u201cLady, is there any of these\nknights here whom you would choose for to be your husband?\u201d Upon this,\nthe old woman pointed with her very long, bony finger unto Sir Gawaine,\nsaying, \u201cYea, I would marry that lord, for I see by the chain that is\naround his neck and by the golden circlet upon his hair and by the\nhaughty nobility of his aspect, that he must be the son of a king.\u201d\n\nThen King Arthur said unto Sir Gawaine, \u201cSir, art thou willing to fulfil\nmy pledge unto this old woman?\u201d And Sir Gawaine said, \u201cYea, lord,\nwhatsoever thou requirest of me, that will I do.\u201d So Sir Gawaine came to\nthe old woman and took her hand into his and set it to his lips; and not\none of all those present so much as smiled. Then they all turned their\nfaces and returned unto the King\u2019s castle; and they were very silent and\ndowncast, for this was sore trouble that had come upon that Court.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine taketh the old woman to wife._]\n\nNow after they had returned unto the Court, they assigned certain\napartments therein to that old woman, and they clad her in rich raiment\nsuch as a queen might wear, and they assigned unto her a Court such as\nwas fit for a queen; and it seemed to all the Court that, in the rich\nrobes which she wore, she was ten times more ugly than she was before.\nSo when eleven days had passed, Sir Gawaine was wedded to that old\nwoman in the chapel of the King\u2019s Court with great ceremony and pomp of\ncircumstance, and all of those who were there were as sad and as\nsorrowful as though Sir Gawaine had been called upon to suffer his\ndeath.\n\nAfterward that they were married, Sir Gawaine and the old woman went to\nSir Gawaine\u2019s house and there Sir Gawaine shut himself off from all the\nworld and suffered no one to come nigh him; for he was proud beyond all\nmeasure, and in this great humiliation he suffered in such a wise that\nwords cannot tell how great was that humiliation. Wherefore he shut\nhimself away from the world that no one might behold his grief and his\nshame.\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine is in great sorrow._]\n\nAnd all the rest of that day he walked continually up and down his\nchamber, for he was altogether in such despair that it came unto his\nmind that it would be well if he took his own life; for it seemed to him\nimpossible for to suffer such shame as that which had come upon him. So\nafter a while it fell the dark of the early night and therewith a\ncertain strength came to Sir Gawaine and he said, \u201cThis is a shame for\nme for to behave in this way; for since I have married that lady she is\nmy true wedded wife and I do not treat her with that regard unto which\nshe hath the right.\u201d So he went out of that place and sought the\napartment of that old woman who was his wife, and by that time it was\naltogether dark. But when Sir Gawaine had come into that place where she\nwas, that old woman upbraided him, crying out upon him, \u201cSo, Sir! You\nhave treated me but ill upon this our wedding-day, for you have stayed\nall the afternoon away from me and now only come to me when it is dark\nnight.\u201d And Sir Gawaine said, \u201cLady, I could not help it, for I was very\nsore oppressed with many cares. But if I have disregarded thee this day,\nI do beseech thy forgiveness therefore, and I will hold myself willing\nto do all that is in my power to recompense thee for any neglect that I\nhave placed upon thee.\u201d Then the lady said, \u201cSir, it is very dark in\nthis place; let us then have a light.\u201d \u201cIt shall be as thou dost\ndesire,\u201d said Sir Gawaine, \u201cand I, myself, will go and fetch a light for\nthee.\u201d\n\nSo Sir Gawaine went forth from that place and he brought two waxen\ntapers, one in either hand, and he bore them in candlesticks of gold;\nfor he was minded to show all respect unto that old woman. And when he\ncame into the room he perceived that she was at the farther end of the\napartment and he went toward her, and she arose and stood before him as\nhe approached.\n\n[Sidenote: _Of the beautiful lady who appeareth to Sir Gawaine._]\n\nBut when the circle of light fell upon that old woman, and when Sir\nGawaine beheld her who stood before him, he cried out aloud in a very\ngreat voice because of the great marvel and wonder of that which he saw.\nFor, instead of that old woman whom he had left, he beheld a lady of\nextraordinary beauty and in the very flower of her youth. And he beheld\nthat her hair was long and glossy and very black, and that her eyes were\nlikewise black like to black jewels, and that her lips were like coral,\nand her teeth were like pearls. So, for a while, Sir Gawaine could not\nspeak, and then he cried out, \u201cLady! lady! who art thou?\u201d\n\nThen that lady smiled upon Sir Gawaine with such loving-kindness that he\nwist not what to think, other than that this was an angel who had\ndescended to that place out of paradise. Wherefore he stood before her\nfor a long time and could find no more words to say, and she continued\nto smile upon him very kindly in that wise. Then by and by Sir Gawaine\nsaid to her, \u201cLady, where is that dame who is my wife?\u201d And the lady\nsaid, \u201cSir Gawaine, I am she.\u201d \u201cIt is not possible,\u201d cried out Sir\nGawaine, \u201cfor she was old and extraordinarily ugly, but I believe that\nthou art beautiful beyond any lady whom I have beheld.\u201d And the lady\nsaid, \u201cNevertheless, I am she and because thou hast taken me for thy\nwife with thine own free will and with great courtesy, so is a part of\nthat enchantment that lay upon me removed from me. For I will now be\nable to appear before thee in mine own true shape. For whiles I was a\nlittle while ago so ugly and foul as thou didst behold me to be, now am\nI to be as thou seest me, for one-half the day--and the other half\nthereof I must be ugly as I was before.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine was filled beyond all words with great joy. And with\nthat joy there came an extreme passion of loving regard for that lady.\nSo he cried out aloud several times, \u201cThis is surely the most wonderful\nthing that ever befell any man in all the world.\u201d Therewith he fell down\nupon his knees and took that lady\u2019s hands into his own hands, and kissed\nher hands with great fervor, and all the while she smiled upon him as\nshe had done at first.\n\nThen again the lady said, \u201cCome, sit thee down beside me and let us\nconsider what part of the day I shall be in the one guise, and what part\nof the day I shall be in the other guise; for all day I may have the one\nappearance, and all night I may have the other appearance.\u201d\n\nThen Sir Gawaine said, \u201cI would have thee in this guise during the night\ntime, for then we are together at our own inn; and since thou art of\nthis sort that I now see thee, I do not at all reckon how the world may\nregard thee.\u201d\n\nUpon this the lady spake with great animation, saying, \u201cNo, sir, I would\nnot have it in that wise, for every woman loveth the regard of the\nworld, and I would fain enjoy such beauty as is mine before the world,\nand not endure the scorn and contempt of men and women.\u201d\n\nTo this Sir Gawaine said, \u201cLady, I would have it the other way.\u201d\n\nAnd she said, \u201cNay, I would have it my way.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine giveth the lady her will._]\n\nThen Sir Gawaine said, \u201cSo be it. For since I have taken thee for my\nwife, so must I show thee respect in all matters; wherefore thou shalt\nhave thy will in this and in all other things.\u201d\n\nThen that lady fell a-laughing beyond all measure and she said, \u201cSir, I\ndid but put this as a last trial upon thee, for as I am now, so shall I\nalways be.\u201d\n\nUpon this Sir Gawaine was so filled with joy that he knew not how to\ncontain himself.\n\nSo they sat together for a long time, hand in hand. Then after a while\nSir Gawaine said, \u201cLady, who art thou?\u201d Unto which she made reply, \u201cI am\none of the Ladies of the Lake; but for thy sake I have become mortal\nlike to other women and have quit that very beautiful home where I one\ntime dwelt. I have kept thee in my heart for a considerable while, for I\nwas not very far distant at that time when thou didst bid adieu to Sir\nPellias beside the lake. There I beheld how thou didst weep and bewail\nthyself when Sir Pellias left thee, wherefore my heart went out to thee\nwith great pity. So, after a while, I quitted that lake and became\nmortal for thy sake. Now, when I found the trouble into which King\nArthur had fallen I took that occasion to have him fetch me unto thee so\nthat I might test the entire nobility of thy knighthood; and, lo! I have\nfound it all that I deemed it possible to be. For though I appeared to\nthee so aged, so ugly, and so foul, yet hast thou treated me with such\nkind regard that I do not believe that thou couldst have behaved with\nmore courtesy to me had I been the daughter of a king. Wherefore it doth\nnow afford me such pleasure for to possess thee for my knight and my\ntrue lord, that I cannot very well tell thee how great is my joy\ntherein.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote:_Sir Gawaine lets make great rejoicing._]\n\nThen Sir Gawaine said, \u201cLady, I do not think it can be so great as my\njoy in possessing thee.\u201d And thereupon he came to her and laid his hand\nupon her shoulder and kissed her upon the lips.\n\nThen, after that, he went forth and called with a great voice all\nthrough that house, and the people of the house came running from\neverywhere. And he commanded that the people should bring lights and\nrefreshments, and they brought the lights, and when they had brought\nthem and beheld that beautiful lady instead of the aged dame, they were\nfilled with great wonder and joy; wherefore they cried out aloud and\nclapped their hands together and made much sound of rejoicing. And they\nset a great feast for Sir Gawaine and his lady, and in place of the\nsorrow and darkness that had been, there was joy and light, and music\nand singing; wherefore those of the King\u2019s Court, beholding this from a\ndistance, said, \u201cIt is very strange that Sir Gawaine should have taken\nso much joy of having wedded that old beldame.\u201d\n\nBut when the next morning had come, that lady clad herself in raiment of\nyellow silk, and she hung about her many strands of precious stones of\nseveral colors, and she set a golden crown upon her head. And Sir\nGawaine let call his horse, and he let call a snow-white palfrey for the\nlady, and thereupon they rode out from that place and entered the Court\nof the King. But when the King and the Queen and their several Courts\nbeheld that lady, they were filled with such great astonishment that\nthey wist not what to say for pure wonder. And when they heard all that\nhad happened, they gave great joy and loud acclaim so that all their\nmourning was changed into rejoicing. And, indeed, there was not one\nknight there of all that Court who would not have given half his life to\nhave been so fortunate in that matter as was Sir Gawaine, the son of\nKing Lot of Orkney.\n\n * * * * *\n\nSuch is the story of Sir Gawaine, and from it I draw this significance:\nas that poor ugly beldame appeared unto the eyes of Sir Gawaine, so doth\na man\u2019s duty sometimes appear to him to be ugly and exceedingly\nill-favored unto his desires. But when he shall have wedded himself unto\nthat duty so that he hath made it one with him as a bridegroom maketh\nhimself one with his bride, then doth that duty become of a sudden very\nbeautiful unto him and unto others.\n\nSo may it be with ye that you shall take duty unto yourselves no matter\nhow much it may mislike ye to do so. For indeed a man shall hardly have\nany real pleasure in his life unless his inclination becometh wedded\nunto his duty and cleaveth unto it as a husband cleaveth unto his wife.\nFor when inclination is thus wedded unto duty, then doth the soul take\ngreat joy unto itself as though a wedding had taken place betwixt a\nbridegroom and a bride within its tabernacle.\n\nLikewise, when you shall have become entirely wedded unto your duty,\nthen shall you become equally worthy with that good knight and gentleman\nSir Gawaine; for it needs not that a man shall wear armor for to be a\ntrue knight, but only that he shall do his best endeavor with all\npatience and humility as it hath been ordained for him to do. Wherefore,\nwhen your time cometh unto you to display your knightness by assuming\nyour duty, I do pray that you also may approve yourself as worthy as Sir\nGawaine approved himself in this story which I have told you of as above\nwritten.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration] CONCLUSION\n\n\n_So endeth this volume wherein hath been told, with every circumstance\nof narration, the history of those Three Worthies who were of the Court\nof King Arthur.\n\nAnd now, if God will give me the grace to do so, I will some time, at no\nvery great time from this, write the further history of sundry other\nknights and worthies of whom I have not yet spoken.\n\nAnd among the first of these shall be Sir Launcelot, whom all the world\nknoweth to have been the greatest knight in prowess of arms of any who\nhas lived, excepting Sir Galahad, who was his son. And I shall tell you\nthe story of Sir Ewaine and Sir Geraint, and of Sir Percival and of\nsundry others.\n\nBut of this another time. For now, with great regret I bid you adieu and\nbring this history unto a close.\n\nSo may God grant us to come together at another time with such happiness\nand prosperity that you may have a free and untroubled heart to enjoy\nthe narrated history of those excellent men which I shall then set\nbefore you. Amen._\n\n[Illustration]","title":"The Story of King Arthur and his Knights","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":115509}