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diff --git a/25654-h/25654-h.htm b/25654-h/25654-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..379e423 --- /dev/null +++ b/25654-h/25654-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4075 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Stories of King Arthur's Knights, by Mary MacGregor + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; font-size: 110%; } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; } + hr { width: 65%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; } + hr.fm { width: 40%; /* front matter */ + margin-top: 5em; margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; + clear: both; color:black; } + p.quotsig { /* author signature at end of letter */ + text-align: right; } + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + body{margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; } + .fm1 {text-align: center; font-size: 200%; font-weight:bold; /* front matter */ + margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 5em;} + .fm2 { text-align: center; font-size: 200%; font-weight:bold; + margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;} + .fm3 { text-align: center; font-size: 110%; font-weight:bold; + margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 3em; } + .fm4 { text-align: left; font-size: 100%; font-weight:bold; + margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 5em;} + .fm5 { text-align: center; font-size: 90%; font-weight:bold; + margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + .fm6 { text-align: center; font-size: 150%; font-weight:bold; + margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + .fm7 { text-align: center; font-size: 120%; font-weight:bold; + margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + .pad { margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 3em } + .toc {position: relative; margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; /* table of contents */ } + .tocsub { padding-left: 1.5em; } + .pagenum { position: absolute; /* page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + right: 5%; + font-size: 70%; + text-align: right; + text-decoration: none; + color: silver; background-color: inherit; } + .pagenum a {text-decoration: none; color: #5a5a5a; background-color: inherit; } + a {text-decoration: none;} + a[name] {position:absolute; /* Fix Opera bug */} + img.plain { /* image with no border or padding, see float */ + border: none; padding: 0; } + .tn {text-align: left; font-size: 100%; background: #eeeeee;} /* transcriber's notes */ + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .caption {text-align: right; text-indent: 30%; margin-top: .2em; margin-bottom: .2em; font-size: 85%;} + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center; margin-bottom: 2em; margin-top: 2em; } + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left; font-size: 110%;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's Stories of King Arthur's Knights, by Mary MacGregor + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Stories of King Arthur's Knights + Told to the Children by Mary MacGregor + +Author: Mary MacGregor + +Editor: Louey Chisholm + +Illustrator: Katharine Cameron + +Release Date: May 31, 2008 [EBook #25654] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STORIES OF KING ARTHUR'S KNIGHTS *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Lindy Walsh, Suzan Flanagan and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<hr /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 385px;"> +<a href="images/icover.jpg"><img src="images/icovertn3a.jpg" width="385" height="500" class="plain" alt="Cover" title="Cover" /></a> +</div> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[i]</a></span></p> +<table summary="alignment container"><tr><td align="left"> +<p class="fm4">TOLD TO THE CHILDREN SERIES<br /> +<span class="smcap">Edited by Louey Chisholm</span></p> +</td></tr> +<tr><td> + +<p class="fm1">KING ARTHUR’S KNIGHTS</p> +</td></tr></table> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[ii]</a></span></p> +<p class="fm3">TO<br /> +MARIE WINIFRED</p> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[iii]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 366px;"><a name="Frontispiece" id="Frontispiece"></a> +<a href="images/i006a.jpg"><img src="images/i006atn2.jpg" width="366" height="500" class="plain" alt="BESIDE HER STOOD HER BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER" title="BESIDE HER STOOD HER BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER" /></a> +<p class="caption"><a href="#Page_7">Page 7</a></p> +</div> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[iv]</a></span></p> +<p class="fm6">STORIES OF</p> + +<p class="fm2">King Arthur’s Knights</p> + +<p class="fm5">TOLD TO THE CHILDREN BY</p> + +<p class="fm6">MARY MACGREGOR</p> + +<p class="fm5">WITH PICTURES BY</p> + +<p class="fm7">KATHARINE CAMERON</p> + +<div class="pad"> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> +<a href="images/i007.jpg"><img src="images/i007tn.jpg" width="200" height="187" class="plain" alt="Children reading" title="Children reading" /></a> +</div> +</div> + +<p class="fm5">LONDON: T. C. & E. C. JACK</p> +<p class="fm5">NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON & CO.</p> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="ABOUT_THIS_BOOK" id="ABOUT_THIS_BOOK"></a>ABOUT THIS BOOK</h2> + + +<p>More than four hundred years ago there +lived a diligent man called Sir Thomas +Malory, who wrote in English words many +of the beautiful Welsh tales about King +Arthur’s Knights, that the people of Wales +loved so well.</p> + +<p>All the stories in this little book were +found in Malory’s big book, except ‘Geraint +and Enid.’ But it, too, is one of the old +Welsh tales that tell of the brave knights +and fair ladies of King Arthur’s court.</p> + +<p>Many times, since Sir Thomas Malory +wrote his book, have these stories been +told again to old and young, but perhaps +never before have they been told to the +children so simply as in this little book.</p> + +<p class="quotsig">MARY MACGREGOR.</p> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[vi]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="LIST_OF_STORIES" id="LIST_OF_STORIES"></a>LIST OF STORIES</h2> + +<div class="toc"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="List of Stories" width="300"> +<col style="width:90%" /> +<col style="width:5%" /> +<col style="width:5%" /> + +<tr><td></td><td></td><td align="right"><span class="smcap">Page</span></td></tr> + +<tr><td><a href="#GERAINT_AND_ENID">Geraint and Enid,</a></td><td></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td><a href="#LANCELOT_AND_ELAINE">Lancelot and Elaine,</a></td><td></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td><a href="#PELLEAS_AND_ETTARDE">Pelleas and Ettarde,</a></td><td></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_45">45</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td><a href="#GARETH_AND_LYNETTE">Gareth and Lynette,</a></td><td></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td><a href="#SIR_GALAHAD_AND_THE">Sir Galahad and the Sacred Cup,</a></td><td></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_88">88</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td><a href="#THE_DEATH_OF_KING_ARTHUR">The Death of King Arthur,</a></td><td></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_107">107</a></td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[vii]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="LIST_OF_PICTURES" id="LIST_OF_PICTURES"></a>LIST OF PICTURES</h2> + +<div class="toc"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="List of Pictures" width="500"> +<col style="width:90%" /> +<col style="width:5%" /> +<col style="width:5%" /> + +<tr><td><a href="#GERAINT_AND_ENID">GERAINT AND ENID.</a></td><td></td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tocsub"><a href="#Frontispiece">Beside her stood her beautiful daughter,</a></td><td></td><td align="right"><i><a href="#Frontispiece">Frontispiece</a></i></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td><td></td><td align="right">At page</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tocsub"><a href="#THROUGH_WOODS">Through woods and swamps Enid and Geraint rode<br /> +<span style="padding-left: 1.5em;">silently,</span></a></td><td></td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#Page_20">20</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td><a href="#LANCELOT_AND_ELAINE">LANCELOT AND ELAINE.</a></td><td></td><td></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tocsub"><a href="#LILY_MAID">The Lily Maid of Astolat,</a></td><td></td><td align="right" valign="baseline"><a href="#Page_44">44</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td><a href="#PELLEAS_AND_ETTARDE">PELLEAS AND ETTARDE.</a></td><td></td><td></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tocsub"><a href="#SIR_PELLEAS">Sir Pelleas was always at his lady’s side,</a></td><td></td><td align="right" valign="baseline"><a href="#Page_50">50</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td><a href="#GARETH_AND_LYNETTE">GARETH AND LYNETTE.</a></td><td></td><td></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tocsub"><a href="#SOMETIMES">Sometimes the birds and beasts, his woodland<br /> +<span style="padding-left: 1.5em;">friends, would call to him,</span></a></td><td></td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#Page_62">62</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tocsub"><a href="#LADY">The Lady Lyonors,</a></td><td></td><td align="right" valign="baseline"><a href="#Page_84">84</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td><a href="#SIR_GALAHAD_AND_THE">SIR GALAHAD AND THE SACRED CUP.</a></td><td></td><td></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tocsub"><a href="#STRENGTH">‘My strength is as the strength of ten<br /> +<span style="padding-left: 0.25em;">Because my heart is pure,’</span></a></td><td></td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#Page_102">102</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td><a href="#DEATH">THE DEATH OF KING ARTHUR,</a></td><td></td><td align="right" valign="baseline"><a href="#Page_114">114</a></td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="GERAINT_AND_ENID" id="GERAINT_AND_ENID"></a>GERAINT AND ENID</h2> + + +<p>Queen Guinevere lay idly in bed dreaming +beautiful dreams. The sunny morning hours +were slipping away, but she was so happy in +dreamland, that she did not remember that +her little maid had called her long ago.</p> + +<p>But the Queen’s dreams came to an end at +last, and all at once she remembered that this +was the morning she had promised to go to +the hunt with King Arthur.</p> + +<p>Even in the hunting-field, the King was not +quite happy if his beautiful Queen Guinevere +were not there. This morning he had waited +for her in vain, for in dreamland the Queen +had forgotten all about the hunt.</p> + +<p>‘If I dress quickly, I shall not be very late,’ +thought the Queen, as she heard the far-off +sound of the hunting-horn. And she was so +quick that in a very short time she and her +little waiting-maid were out, and riding up +to a grassy knoll. But the huntsmen were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> +already far away. ‘We will wait here to see +them ride homewards,’ said the Queen, and +they drew up their horses to watch and +listen.</p> + +<p>They had not waited long, when they +heard the sound of horse’s hoofs, and turning +round, the Queen saw Prince Geraint, +one of Arthur’s knights. He was unarmed, +except that his sword hung at his side. He +wore a suit of silk, with a purple sash round +his waist, and at each end of the sash was a +golden apple, which sparkled in the sunlight.</p> + +<p>‘You are late for the hunt, Prince Geraint,’ +said the Queen.</p> + +<p>‘Like you, I have come, not to join the +hunt, but to see it pass,’ said the Prince, +bowing low to the beautiful Queen. And +he asked to be allowed to wait with her +and the little maid.</p> + +<p>As they waited, three people, a lady, a +knight and a dwarf, came out of the forest, +and rode slowly past. The knight had his +helmet off, and the Queen saw that he looked +young and bold.</p> + +<p>‘I cannot remember if he is one of Arthur’s<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> +knights. I must know his name,’ she said. +And she sent her little maid to find out who +the strange knight was.</p> + +<p>But when the little maid asked the dwarf +his master’s name, the dwarf answered rudely +that he would not tell her.</p> + +<p>‘Then I will ask your master himself,’ +said the maid. But as she stepped towards +the knight, the dwarf struck her with his +whip, and the little maid, half-angry and half-frightened, +hurried back to the Queen, and +told her how the dwarf had treated her.</p> + +<p>Prince Geraint was angry when he heard +how rude the dwarf had been to the Queen’s +little messenger, and said that he would go +and find out the knight’s name.</p> + +<p>But the dwarf, by his master’s orders, +treated the Prince as rudely as he had treated +the little maid. When Geraint felt the dwarf’s +whip strike his cheek, and saw the blood +dropping on to his purple sash, he felt for the +sword at his side. Then he remembered that +while he was tall and strong, the dwarf was +small and weak, and he scorned to touch him.</p> + +<p>Going back to the Queen, Geraint told her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +that he had not been able to find out the +knight’s name either, ‘but with your leave, I +will follow him to his home, and compel him to +ask your pardon,’ said the Prince. And the +Queen allowed him to follow the knight.</p> + +<p>‘When you come back, you will perhaps +bring a bride with you,’ said the Queen. ‘If +she be a great lady, or if she be only a beggar-maid, +I will dress her in beautiful robes, and +she shall stand among the fairest ladies of +my court.’</p> + +<p>‘In three days I shall come back, if I am +not slain in battle with the knight,’ said +Geraint. And he rode away, a little sorry +not to hear the merry sound of the hunter’s +horn, and a little vexed that he had undertaken +this strange adventure.</p> + +<p>Through valleys and over hills Geraint +followed the lady, the knight and the dwarf, +till at last, in the evening, he saw them go +through the narrow streets of a little town, +and reach a white fortress. Into this fortress +the lady, the knight and the dwarf disappeared.</p> + +<p>‘I shall find the knight there to-morrow,’<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +thought Geraint ‘Now I must go to an inn +for food and a bed,’ for he was hungry and +tired after his long ride.</p> + +<p>But all the inns in the little town were full, +and every one seemed too busy to take any +notice of the stranger.</p> + +<p>‘Why is there such a bustle in your +town this evening?’ asked Geraint, first of +one person and then of another. But they +hurried past him, muttering, ‘The Sparrow-hawk +has his tournament here to-morrow.’</p> + +<p>‘The Sparrow-hawk! that is a strange +name,’ thought Geraint. But he did not +know that this was one of the names of the +knight he had followed so far.</p> + +<p>Soon Geraint reached a smithy, and he +looked in, and saw that the smith was busy +sharpening swords and spears. ‘I will go +in and buy arms,’ thought Geraint.</p> + +<p>And because the smith saw that the +stranger was dressed like a Prince, he +stopped his work for a moment to speak +to him.</p> + +<p>‘Arms?’ he said, when Geraint told him +what he wanted. ‘There are no arms to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +spare, for the Sparrow-hawk holds his tournament +here to-morrow.’</p> + +<p>‘The Sparrow-hawk again!’ thought +Geraint. ‘I wonder who he can be.’ Then +he turned to the smith again and said, +‘Though you cannot give me arms, perhaps +you can tell me where to find food and +a bed.’</p> + +<p>‘The old Earl Yniol might give you +shelter. He lives in that half-ruined castle +across the bridge,’ said the smith. And he +turned again to his work, muttering, ‘Those +who work for the Sparrow-hawk have no +time to waste in talk.’</p> + +<p>So Geraint rode wearily on across the +bridge and reached the castle. The courtyard +was quite empty and looked very +dreary, for it was all overgrown with weeds +and thistles. At the door of the half-ruined +castle stood the old Earl.</p> + +<p>‘It is growing late. Will you not come in +and rest,’ said Earl Yniol, ‘although the castle +be bare, and the fare simple?’</p> + +<p>And Geraint said he would like to stay +there, for he was so hungry that the plainest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +food would seem a feast.</p> + +<p>As he entered the castle, he heard some +one singing. The song was so beautiful, +and the voice was so pure and clear, that +Geraint thought it was the sweetest song in +all the world, and the old castle seemed less +gloomy as he listened.</p> + +<p>Then Earl Yniol led Geraint into a long +low room, and this room was both dining-room +and kitchen.</p> + +<p>The Earl’s wife sat there, and she wore a +dress that must have been very grand once, +but now it was old.</p> + +<p>Beside her stood her beautiful daughter, +and she wore a faded silk gown, but +Geraint thought he had never seen so fair +a face.</p> + +<p>‘This is the maiden who sang the beautiful +song,’ he thought. ‘If I can win her for +my bride, she shall come back with me to +Queen Guinevere. But the brightest silks +the Queen can dress her in, will not make her +look more fair than she does in this old +gown,’ he murmured to himself.</p> + +<p>‘Enid,’ said the Earl, ‘take the stranger’s<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +horse to the stable, and then go to the town +and buy food for supper.’</p> + +<p>Geraint did not like the beautiful girl to +wait on him, and he got up eagerly to help +her.</p> + +<p>‘We are poor, and have no servants, but +we cannot let our guest wait upon himself,’ +said the Earl proudly. And Geraint had to +sit down, while Enid took his horse to the +stall, and went across the bridge to the little +town to buy meat and cakes for supper.</p> + +<p>And as the dining-room was the kitchen +too, Geraint could watch Enid as she cooked +the food and set the table.</p> + +<p>At first it grieved him that she should +work at all, but afterwards he thought, +‘She touches everything with such grace +and gentleness, that the work grows beautiful +under her white hands.’</p> + +<p>And when supper was ready, Enid stood +behind, and waited, and Geraint almost forgot +that he was very hungry, as he took the +dishes from her careful hands.</p> + +<p>When supper was over, Geraint turned to +the Earl. ‘Who is this Sparrow-hawk of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +whom all the townspeople chatter? Yet if +he should be the knight of the white fortress, +do not tell me his real name. That I must +find out for myself.’ And he told the Earl that +he was Prince Geraint, and that he had come +to punish the knight, because he allowed his +dwarf to be so rude to the Queen’s messengers.</p> + +<p>The Earl was glad when he heard his +guest’s name. ‘I have often told Enid of +your noble deeds and wonderful adventures,’ +he said, ‘and when I stopped, she would call +to me to go on. She loves to hear of the +noble deeds of Arthur’s knights. But now I +will tell you about the Sparrow-hawk. He +lives in the white fortress, and he is my +nephew. He is a fierce and cruel man, and +when I would not allow him to marry Enid, +he hated me, and made the people believe +I was unkind to him. He said I had stolen +his father’s money from him. And the people +believed him,’ said the Earl, ‘and were full of +rage against me. One evening, just before +Enid’s birthday, three years ago, they broke +into our home, and turned us out, and took +away all our treasures. Then the Sparrow-hawk<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +built himself the white fortress for +safety, but us he keeps in this old half-ruined +castle.’</p> + +<p>‘Give me arms,’ said Geraint, ‘and I will +fight this knight in to-morrow’s tournament.’</p> + +<p>‘Arms I can give you,’ said the Earl, +‘though they are old and rusty; but you +cannot fight to-morrow.’ And the Earl +told Geraint that the Sparrow-hawk gave +a prize at the tournament. ‘But every +knight who fights to-morrow must have a +lady with him,’ said the Earl, ‘so that if +he wins the prize in fair fight from the +Sparrow-hawk, he may give it to her. But +you have no lady to whom you could give the +prize, so you will not be allowed to fight.’</p> + +<p>‘Let me fight as your beautiful Enid’s +knight,’ said Geraint. ‘And if I win the +prize for her, let me marry her, for I love her +more than any one else in all the world.’</p> + +<p>Then the Earl was pleased, for he knew +that if the Prince took Enid away, she would +go to a beautiful home. And though the +old castle would be more dreary than ever +without her, he loved his fair daughter too<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +well to wish to keep her there.</p> + +<p>‘Her mother will tell Enid to be at the +tournament to-morrow,’ said the Earl, ‘if she +be willing to have you as her knight.’</p> + +<p>And Enid was willing. And when she +slept that night she dreamed of noble deeds +and true knights, and always in her dream +the face of each knight was like the face +of Prince Geraint.</p> + +<p>Early in the morning Enid woke her +mother, and together they went through the +meadows to the place where the tournament +was to be held.</p> + +<p>And the Earl and Geraint followed, and +the Prince wore the Earl’s rusty arms, but +in spite of these, every one could see that he +was a Prince.</p> + +<p>A great many lords and ladies and all the +townspeople came to see the tournament.</p> + +<p>Then the Sparrow-hawk came to the front +of the great crowd, and asked if any one +claimed his prize. And he thought, ‘No one +here is brave enough to fight with me.’</p> + +<p>But Geraint was brave, and he called out +loudly, ‘I claim the prize for the fairest lady<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +in the field.’ And he glanced at Enid in her +faded silk dress.</p> + +<p>Then, in a great rage, the Sparrow-hawk +got ready for the fight with Enid’s champion, +and they fought so fiercely that three times +they broke their spears. Then they got off +their horses, and fought with their swords. +And the lords and ladies and all the townspeople +marvelled that Geraint was still alive, +for the Sparrow-hawk’s sword flashed like +lightning round the Prince’s head.</p> + +<p>But Geraint, because he was fighting for +the Queen, and to win the gracious Enid +for his bride, brought down his sword with +all his strength on the Sparrow-hawk’s +helmet. The blow brought the knight to +the ground, and Geraint put his foot on +him, and demanded his name.</p> + +<p>And all the pride of the Sparrow-hawk was +gone because Enid had seen his fall, and he +quickly told Geraint his name was Edyrn.</p> + +<p>‘I will spare your life,’ said Geraint, ‘but +you must go to the Queen and ask her to +forgive you, and you must take the dwarf +with you. And you must give back to Earl<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +Yniol his earldom and all his treasures.’</p> + +<p>Edyrn went to the Queen and she forgave +him; and he stayed at the court and +grew ashamed of his rough and cruel +deeds. At last he began to fight for King +Arthur, and lived ever after as a true +knight.</p> + +<p>When the tournament was over, Geraint +took the prize to Enid, and asked her if she +would be his bride, and go to the Queen’s +court with him the next day. And Enid was +glad, and said she would go.</p> + +<p>In the early morning, Enid lay thinking +of her journey. ‘I have only my faded silk +dress to wear,’ she sighed, and it seemed to +her shabbier and more faded than ever, as it +hung there in the morning light. ‘If only I +had a few days longer, I would weave myself +a dress. I would weave it so delicately that +when Geraint took me to the Queen, he +would be proud of it,’ she thought. For in +her heart she was afraid that Geraint would +be ashamed of the old faded silk, when they +reached the court.</p> + +<p>And her thoughts wandered back to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +the evening before her birthday, three +long years ago. She could never forget +that evening, for it was then that their home +had been sacked. Then she thought of +the morning of that day when her mother +had brought her a beautiful gift. It was a +dress, made all of silk, with beautiful silk +flowers woven into it. If only she could have +worn that, but the robbers had taken it away.</p> + +<p>But what had happened? Enid sat up and +rubbed her eyes. For at that moment her +mother came into the room, and over her +arm was the very dress Enid had been +thinking of.</p> + +<p>‘The colours are as bright as ever,’ said +the mother, touching the silk softly. And +she told Enid how last night their scattered +treasures had been brought back, and how +she had found the dress among them.</p> + +<p>‘I will wear it at once,’ said Enid, a glad +look in her eyes. And with loving hands +her mother helped her to put on the old +birthday gift.</p> + +<p>Downstairs the Earl was telling Geraint +that last night the Sparrow-hawk had sent<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +back all their treasures. ‘Among them is +one of Enid’s beautiful dresses. At last +you will see her dressed as a Princess,’ said +the Earl gladly.</p> + +<p>But Geraint remembered that he had first +seen and loved Enid in the faded gown, and +he thought, ‘I will ask her to wear it again +to-day for my sake.’</p> + +<p>And Enid loved the Prince so dearly, that +when she heard his wish, she took off the +beautiful dress she had been so glad to wear, +and went down to him in the old silk gown. +And when Geraint saw Enid, the gladness +in his face made her glad too, and she forgot +all about the old dress.</p> + +<p>All that day Queen Guinevere sat in a high +tower and often glanced out of the window +to look for Geraint and his bride. When +she saw them riding along the white road, +she went down to the gate herself to welcome +them. And when the Queen had dressed +Enid in soft and shining silk, all the court +marvelled at her beauty.</p> + +<p>But because Geraint had first seen and +loved her in the old faded silk, Enid folded<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +it up with care and put it away among the +things she loved.</p> + +<p>And a feast was made for the wedding-day, +and in great joy Geraint and Enid were +married.</p> + +<p>Day by day Geraint loved his wife more +dearly. And Enid was happy in this strange +new life, and she wondered at the merry +lords and ladies, and she loved the beautiful +Queen, who was so kind to her.</p> + +<p>And Geraint was glad that Enid was often +with the Queen, till one day he heard some +people say that though the Queen was very +beautiful, she was not good. And Geraint +heard this so often, that he learned to +believe it.</p> + +<p>‘I must take Enid away from the court,’ +he thought, ‘for she worships the Queen and +may grow like her.’</p> + +<p>So Geraint went to King Arthur, and +asked to be allowed to go to his own +country. He told the King that robbers +trampled down his cornfields, and carried +away his cattle. ‘I wish to go and fight +these robbers,’ he said. And King Arthur<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +allowed him to go.</p> + +<p>And Enid left the Queen and the lords +and ladies gladly, to go with Geraint.</p> + +<p>But all the time Geraint could not help +thinking, ‘Enid is longing for the knights +and ladies she knew at the court.’</p> + +<p>When Geraint reached his own country, +he forgot all about the robbers, who were +destroying his land. He forgot to go to the +hunt, or the tournament, or to look after the +poor people. And this was all because he +loved Enid so much. He thought, ‘I will +stay with her all day. I will be so kind +to her that she will forget the gay lords +and ladies, and be happy here, alone with +me.’</p> + +<p>But Enid grew sadder and paler every day. +She did not wish Geraint to wait on her and +forget every one else. She wanted him to be +a true knight.</p> + +<p>And the people began to scoff and jeer +whenever Geraint’s name was spoken. ‘The +Prince is no knight,’ they said. ‘The robbers +spoil his land and carry off his cattle, but +he neither cares nor fights. He does nothing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +but wait on the fair Lady Enid.’</p> + +<p>Enid knew what the people said, and she +thought, ‘I must tell Geraint, and then surely +he will be ashamed, and become a brave +knight once more.’ But always her courage +failed.</p> + +<p>‘I think I could buckle on his armour and +ride with him to battle,’ thought Enid, ‘but +how can I tell him he is no worthy knight?’</p> + +<p>And her tears fell fast, and Geraint coming +in, saw her weeping, and thought, ‘She weeps +for the gay lords and ladies of Arthur’s court.’</p> + +<p>Then all at once he hated his idle life. +‘It has only made Enid despise me,’ he +thought. ‘We will go together into the +wilderness, and I will show her I can still +fight.’ And half in anger and half in sadness +he called for his war-horse.</p> + +<p>Then Geraint told Enid to put on her +oldest dress and ride with him into the +wilderness. And because he was angry with +himself for thinking that Enid wept for the +gay knights and ladies at Arthur’s court, +he would not ride with her, but told her to go +on in front, and ‘whatever you see or hear,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +do not speak to me,’ he said sternly.</p> + +<p>Then Enid remembered the old faded silk +gown. ‘I will wear that, for he loved me in +it,’ she thought.</p> + +<p>Through woods and swamps Enid and +Geraint rode in silence. And while Enid’s +heart cried, ‘Why is Geraint angry with +me?’ her eyes were busy glancing into +every bush and corner, in case robbers +should attack her lord.</p> + +<p>At last in the shadow of some trees, Enid +saw three tall knights. They were armed, +and she heard them whisper, when they saw +Geraint, ‘This is a craven-looking knight. +We will slay him, and take his armour and +his maiden.’</p> + +<p>And Enid thought, ‘Even if it makes Geraint +angry, I must tell him what the knights +say, or they will attack him before he knows +they are there.’ And Enid turned back. +Geraint frowned as he saw her coming to +speak to him, but Enid said bravely, ‘There +are three knights in front of us. They say +they will fight with you.’</p> + +<p>‘I do not want your warning,’ said Geraint<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +roughly, ‘but you shall see I can fight.’</p> + +<p>Sad and pale, Enid watched the three +knights spring suddenly out of their ambush +and attack her lord.</p> + +<p>But Geraint threw his spear at the tallest +knight, and it pierced his breast. Then with +two sword thrusts, he stunned the other two.</p> + +<p>Geraint dismounted, and took the armour +of the three fallen knights, and tied it round +their horses. Twining the three bridle reins +into one, he gave it to Enid.</p> + +<p>‘Drive these horses in front, and whatever +you see or hear, do not speak to me,’ said +Geraint. But he rode a little nearer Enid +than before, and that made her glad.</p> + +<p>Soon they came to a wood, and in the +wood Enid again saw three knights. One +was taller and looked stronger than Geraint, +and Enid trembled as she looked at him.</p> + +<p>‘The knight hangs his head, and the +horses are driven by a girl,’ she heard them +mutter. ‘We will kill the knight, and take +his damsel and his horses for ourselves.’</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 350px;"> +<a name="THROUGH_WOODS" id="THROUGH_WOODS"></a><a href="images/i037.jpg"><img src="images/i037tn2.jpg" width="350" height="500" class="plain" alt="THROUGH WOODS AND SWAMPS ENID AND GERAINT RODE IN SILENCE +Page 19" title="THROUGH WOODS AND SWAMPS ENID AND GERAINT RODE IN SILENCE Page 19" /></a> +<p class="caption"><a href="#Page_19">Page 19</a></p> +</div> + +<p>‘Surely,’ thought Enid, ‘I may warn +Geraint this time, for he is faint and tired<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +after the last battle.’</p> + +<p>And Enid waited till Geraint rode up +to her, and told him there were three evil +men in front of them. ‘One is stronger +than you,’ she said, ‘and he means to kill +you.’</p> + +<p>And Geraint answered angrily, ‘If you +would but obey me, I would fight one +hundred knights gladly.’ Yet Geraint loved +Enid all the time, though he spoke so +roughly.</p> + +<p>Then Enid stood out of the way, and she +hardly dared to look as the strongest knight +attacked Geraint. But Geraint hurled his +spear through the strong knight’s armour, +and he fell over and died.</p> + +<p>The other two knights came slowly towards +Geraint, but he shouted his battle-cry, +and they turned and fled. But Geraint +caught them, and killed them.</p> + +<p>Again Geraint tied the armour of the three +slain knights round their horses. Then he +twisted the three reins together, and handed +them to Enid.</p> + +<p>‘Drive these on in front,’ said Geraint.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +And now Enid had six horses to drive, +and Geraint saw that they were difficult +to manage. Then he rode nearer Enid.</p> + +<p>They had left the wood behind them now, +and were riding through cornfields, where +reapers were busy cutting down the waving +corn.</p> + +<p>Coming down the path towards them, they +saw a fair-haired boy. He was carrying +food to the reapers. Geraint thought Enid +looked faint, and he was very hungry, so +he stopped the lad and asked for food.</p> + +<p>‘I can give you some of this; it is the +reapers’ dinner,’ said the boy. ‘But it is +coarse and plain food,’ and he glanced +doubtfully at the lady with the sad eyes +and her stern-looking knight.</p> + +<p>But Geraint thanked him, and took the +food to Enid. And to please him she ate +a little, but Geraint was so hungry that +he finished all the reapers’ dinner.</p> + +<p>‘I will reward you,’ said Geraint, for the +lad was dismayed to find nothing left for +the reapers to eat. And he told him to take +one of the horses, with the suit of armour<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +bound round it.</p> + +<p>Then the boy was full of glee, and thought +himself a knight, as he led the horse away.</p> + +<p>Geraint and Enid then went to the little +village near the cornfields, and lodged there +for one night.</p> + +<p>The country they were in belonged to +a cruel Earl. He had once wanted to +marry Enid. When he heard that she was +in his country, he made up his mind to +kill Geraint, and make Enid marry him +after all.</p> + +<p>‘I will go to the inn while they are still +asleep,’ thought the Earl, ‘and kill the knight +and take Enid away.’</p> + +<p>But Geraint and Enid had got up very +early that morning, and had left the five +horses and the five suits of armour with +the landlord, to pay him for their food +and shelter.</p> + +<p>By the time the Earl reached the inn +Geraint and Enid had ridden a long way +into a wild country.</p> + +<p>Then the wicked Earl galloped after them, +and Enid heard the sound of horse’s hoofs<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +coming nearer and nearer. As the horseman +dashed down upon Geraint, Enid hid +her face, and asked God to spare her dear +lord’s life once more.</p> + +<p>The fight was long and fierce, but at +last Geraint overthrew the Earl, and left +him lying half-dead in the dust.</p> + +<p>Still a little in front, Enid rode silently +on, and Geraint followed, but he had been +wounded in the fight with the Earl, though +he did not tell Enid. And the wound bled +inside his armour, till Geraint felt very faint, +and suddenly everything seemed black in +front of him. He reeled and fell from his +horse on to a bank of grass.</p> + +<p>Enid heard the crash of his armour as +he fell, and in a moment she was beside him. +She unbuckled the armour and took off +his helmet Then she took her veil of faded +silk and bound up his wound. But Geraint +lay quite still.</p> + +<p>Enid’s horse wandered into a forest and +was lost, but Geraint’s noble war-horse kept +watch with Enid, as if he understood.</p> + +<p>About noon, the Earl, in whose country<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +they now were, passed along with his +followers. He saw the two by the wayside, +and shouted to Enid, ‘Is he dead?’</p> + +<p>‘No, no, not dead; he cannot be dead. +Let him be carried out of the sun,’ she +entreated.</p> + +<p>And Enid’s great sorrow, and her great +beauty, made the Earl a little less rough, and +he told his men to carry Geraint to the hall. +‘His charger is a noble one, bring it too,’ +shouted the Earl.</p> + +<p>His men unwillingly carried Geraint to +the hall, and laid him down on a stretcher +there, and left him.</p> + +<p>Enid bent over him, chafing his cold +hands, and calling him to come back to her.</p> + +<p>After a long time Geraint opened his eyes. +He saw Enid tenderly watching him, and +he felt Enid’s tears dropping on his face. +‘She weeps for me,’ he thought; but he +did not move, but lay there as if he were +dead.</p> + +<p>In the evening the Earl came into the +great hall and called for dinner, and many +knights and ladies sat down with him, but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +no one remembered Enid. But when the +Earl had finished eating and drinking, his +eye fell on her. He remembered how she +had wept for her wounded lord in the +morning.</p> + +<p>‘Do not weep any more, but eat and be +merry. Then I will marry you, and you +shall share my earldom, and I will hunt +for you,’ said the wild Earl.</p> + +<p>Enid’s head drooped lower, and she +murmured, ‘Leave me alone, I beseech +you, for my lord is surely dead.’</p> + +<p>The Earl hardly heard what she said, but +thought Enid was thanking him. ‘Yes, +eat and be glad,’ he repeated, ‘for you are +mine.’</p> + +<p>‘How can I ever be glad again?’ said +Enid, thinking, ‘Surely Geraint is dead.’</p> + +<p>But the Earl was growing impatient. He +seized her roughly, and made her sit at the +table, and he put food before her, shouting, +‘Eat.’</p> + +<p>‘No,’ said Enid, ‘I will not eat, till my lord +arises and eats with me.’</p> + +<p>‘Then drink,’ said the Earl, and he thrust<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +a cup to her lips.</p> + +<p>‘No,’ said Enid, ‘I will not drink, till my +lord arises and drinks with me; and if he +does not arise, I will not drink wine till +I die.’</p> + +<p>The Earl strode up and down the hall +in a great rage. ‘If you will neither eat +nor drink, will you take off this old faded +dress?’ said the Earl. And he told one of +his women to bring Enid a robe, which had +been woven across the sea, and which was +covered with many gems.</p> + +<p>But Enid told the Earl how Geraint had +first seen and loved her in the dress she +wore, and how he had asked her to wear it +when he took her to the Queen. ‘And when +we started on this sad journey, I wore it +again, to win back his love,’ she said, ‘and I +will never take it off till he arises and bids +me.’</p> + +<p>Then the Earl was angry. He came close +to Enid, and struck her on the cheek with +his hand.</p> + +<p>And Enid thought, ‘He would not have +dared to strike me, if he had not known<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +that my lord was truly dead,’ and she gave +a bitter cry.</p> + +<p>When Geraint heard Enid’s cry, with one +bound he leaped to where the huge Earl +stood, and with one swing of his sword cut +off the Earl’s head, and it fell down and +rolled along the floor.</p> + +<p>Then all the lords and ladies were afraid, +for they had thought Geraint was dead, and +they fled, and Geraint and Enid were left +alone.</p> + +<p>And Geraint never again thought that +Enid loved the gay lords and ladies at King +Arthur’s court better than she loved him.</p> + +<p>Then they went back to their own land. +And soon the people knew that Prince +Geraint had come back a true knight, and +the old whispers that he was a coward +faded away, and the people called him +‘Geraint the Brave.’</p> + +<p>And her ladies called Enid, ‘Enid the Fair,’ +but the people on the land called her ‘Enid +the Good.’</p> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="LANCELOT_AND_ELAINE" id="LANCELOT_AND_ELAINE"></a>LANCELOT AND ELAINE</h2> + + +<p>Her name was Elaine. But she was so fair +that her father called her ‘Elaine the Fair,’ +and she was so lovable that her brothers +called her ‘Elaine the Lovable,’ and that +was the name she liked best of all.</p> + +<p>The country people, who lived round about +the castle of Astolat, which was Elaine’s +home, had another and a very beautiful +name for her. As she passed their windows +in her white frock, they looked at the white +lilies growing in their gardens, and they +said, ‘She is tall and graceful and pure as +these,’ and they called her the ‘Lily Maid +of Astolat.’</p> + +<p>Elaine lived in the castle alone with her +father and her two brothers, and an old +dumb servant who had waited on her since +she was a baby.</p> + +<p>To her father Elaine seemed always a +bright and winsome child, though she was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +growing up now. He would watch her +serious face as she listened to Sir Torre, +the grave elder brother, while he told her +that wise maidens stayed at home to cook +and sew. And he would laugh as he saw +her, when Sir Torre turned away, run off +wilfully to the woods.</p> + +<p>Elaine spent long happy days out of doors +with her younger brother Lavaine. When +they grew tired of chasing the butterflies +and gathering the wildflowers, they would +sit under the pine-trees and speak of Arthur’s +knights and their noble deeds, and they +longed to see the heroes of whom they +talked.</p> + +<p>‘And the tournament will be held at +Camelot this year,’ Lavaine reminded his +sister. ‘If some of the knights ride past +Astolat, we may see them as they pass.’ +And Elaine and Lavaine counted the days +till the tournament would begin.</p> + +<p>Now Arthur had offered the prize of a +large diamond to the knight who fought +most bravely at the tournament.</p> + +<p>But the knights murmured to each other,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +‘We need not hope to win the prize, for Sir +Lancelot will be on the field, and who can +stand before the greatest knight of Arthur’s +court?’</p> + +<p>And the Queen heard what the knights +said to each other, and she told Lancelot +how they lost courage and hope when he +came on to the field. ‘They begin to think +some magic is at work when they see you, +and they cannot fight their best. But I +have a plan. You must go to the tournament +at Camelot in disguise. And though +the knights do not know with whom they +fight, they will still fall before the strength +of Lancelot’s arm,’ added the Queen, smiling +up to him.</p> + +<p>Then Lancelot disguised himself, and left +the court and rode towards Camelot. But +when he was near Astolat he lost his way, +and wandered into the old castle grounds, +where Elaine stood, with her father and +brothers.</p> + +<p>And as Elaine’s father, the old Baron, +welcomed the knight, Lavaine and Elaine +whispered together, ‘This is better than to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +see many knights passing on their way to +Camelot.’</p> + +<p>And Lancelot stayed at Astolat till evening, +and he told many tales of Arthur’s court.</p> + +<p>As Elaine and Lavaine listened to his +voice, and looked at his face, with the scars +of many battles on it, they loved him. ‘I +will be his squire and follow him,’ thought +Lavaine, and Elaine wished that she might +follow the strange knight too. But Sir Torre, +the grave elder brother, looked gloomily at +the stranger, and wished he had not come +to Astolat.</p> + +<p>In the evening Sir Lancelot told the Baron +how he was going in disguise to the tournament, +and how, by mistake, he had brought +his own shield with him. ‘If you can lend +me another, I will leave my shield with +you till I come back from Camelot,’ said +the knight.</p> + +<p>Then they gave him Sir Torre’s shield, for +Sir Torre had been wounded in his first +battle, and could not go to the tournament. +And Elaine came running gladly to take +the strange knight’s shield under her care.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +But none of them knew that it was Sir +Lancelot’s shield, for he had not told them +his name.</p> + +<p>And Elaine, carrying the shield with her, +climbed the tower stair, up to her own little +room. And she put the shield carefully into +a corner, thinking, ‘I will sew a cover for it, +to keep it safe and bright.’ Then she went +downstairs again, and saw that the knight +was going, and that Lavaine was going +too.</p> + +<p>‘He has asked the knight to take him as +his squire,’ she thought. ‘But although I +cannot go,’ she murmured sadly, ‘I can ask +him to wear my favour at the tournament.’ +For in those days a knight often wore the +colours of the lady who loved him.</p> + +<p>Very shyly Elaine told the knight her wish. +Would he wear her favour at the tournament? +It was a red sleeve, embroidered with white +pearls.</p> + +<p>Lancelot thought how fair Elaine was, as +she looked up at him with love and trust in +her eyes, but he told her gently that he had +never yet worn a lady’s favour, and that he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +could not wear hers.</p> + +<p>‘If you have never worn one before, wear +this,’ she urged timidly. ‘It will make your +disguise more complete.’ And Lancelot +knew that what she said was true, and he +took the red sleeve embroidered with pearls, +and tied it on his helmet.</p> + +<p>So Elaine was glad, and after the knight +and Lavaine had ridden away, she went up +the turret stair again to her little room. She +took the shield from the corner, and handled +the bruises and dints in it lovingly, and made +pictures to herself of all the battles and +tournaments it had been through with her +knight.</p> + +<p>Then Elaine sat down and sewed, as Sir +Torre would have wise maidens do. But +what she sewed was a beautiful cover for the +shield, and that Sir Torre would not have +her do, for he cared neither for the strange +knight nor his shield.</p> + +<p>Lancelot rode on towards Camelot, with +Lavaine as his squire, till they came to a +wood where a hermit lived. And they +stayed at the hermitage all night, and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +next morning they rode on till they reached +Camelot.</p> + +<p>And when Lavaine saw the King sitting +on a high throne, ready to judge which +knight was worthy to have the diamond, he +did not think of the grandeur of the throne, +nor of the King’s marvellous dress of rich +gold, nor of the jewels in his crown. He +could think only of the nobleness and beauty +of the great King’s face, and wish that his +fair sister Elaine might see him too.</p> + +<p>Then many brave knights began to fight, +and all wondered why Sir Lancelot was not +there. And they wondered more at the +strange knight, with the bare shield and the +red sleeve with pearls on his helmet, who +fought so bravely and overthrew the others +one by one.</p> + +<p>And the King said, ‘Surely this is Sir +Lancelot himself.’ But when he saw the +lady’s favour on the knight’s helmet, he said, +‘No, it cannot be Sir Lancelot.’</p> + +<p>When at last the tournament was over, +the King proclaimed that the strange knight +who wore the red sleeve embroidered with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +pearls had won the prize, and he called him +to come to take the diamond.</p> + +<p>But no one came, and the knight with the +red sleeve was nowhere to be seen. For Sir +Lancelot had been wounded in his last fight, +and when it was over, had ridden hastily +from the field, calling Lavaine to follow. +And when they had ridden a little way into +the wood, Sir Lancelot fell from his horse. +‘The head of the spear is still in my side,’ +he moaned; ‘draw it out, Lavaine.’</p> + +<p>At first Lavaine was afraid, for he thought +of the pain it would give the knight, and he +was afraid too that the wound would bleed +till his knight bled to death. But because +Sir Lancelot was in great suffering, Lavaine +at last took courage, and pulled the head of +the spear out of Lancelot’s side. Then he, +with great difficulty, helped the knight on to +his horse, and slowly and painfully they rode +towards the hermitage.</p> + +<p>They reached it at last, and the hermit +came out and called two of his servants +to carry the knight into his cell; and they +unarmed him and put him to bed. Then<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +the hermit dressed the knight’s wound and +gave him wine to drink.</p> + +<p>When King Arthur found the strange +knight had disappeared, and heard that he +was wounded, he said that the prize should +be sent to so gallant a victor. ‘He was tired +and wounded, and cannot have ridden far,’ +said the King. And turning to Sir Gawaine, +he gave him the diamond, and told him to go +and find the knight and give him the prize +he had won so bravely.</p> + +<p>But Sir Gawaine did not want to obey the +King. He did not want to leave the feasting +and merriment that followed the tournament. +Yet since all Arthur’s knights had taken a +vow of obedience, Gawaine was ashamed +not to go, so sulkily, like no true knight, +he left the feast.</p> + +<p>And Sir Gawaine rode through the wood +and past the hermitage where the wounded +knight lay; and because he was thinking +only of his own disappointment, his search +was careless, and he did not see the shelter +Sir Lancelot had found. He rode on till +he came to Astolat. And when Elaine and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +her father and her brother Sir Torre saw +the knight, they called to him to come in +and tell them about the tournament, and +who had won the prize.</p> + +<p>Then Sir Gawaine told how the knight +with the red sleeve embroidered with white +pearls had gained the prize, but how, being +wounded, he had ridden away without claiming +it. He told too how the King had sent +him to find the unknown knight and to +give him the diamond.</p> + +<p>But because Elaine was very fair, and +because he did not greatly wish to do the +order of the King, Sir Gawaine lingered +there, wandering in the old castle garden, +with ‘the Lily Maid of Astolat.’ And he +told Elaine courtly tales of lords and ladies, +and tried to win her love, but she cared for +no one but the knight whose shield she +guarded.</p> + +<p>One day, as Elaine grew impatient with +the idle Sir Gawaine, she said she would +show him the shield the strange knight +had left with her. ‘If you know the arms +engraved on the shield, you will know the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +name of the knight you seek, and perhaps +find him the sooner,’ she said.</p> + +<p>And when Sir Gawaine saw the shield he +cried, ‘It is the shield of Sir Lancelot, the +noblest knight in Arthur’s court.’</p> + +<p>Elaine touched the shield lovingly, and +murmured, ‘The noblest knight in Arthur’s +court.’</p> + +<p>‘You love Sir Lancelot, and will know +where to find him,’ said Sir Gawaine. ‘I +will give you the diamond, and you shall +fulfil the King’s command.’</p> + +<p>And Sir Gawaine rode away from Astolat, +kissing the hands of the fair Elaine, and +leaving the diamond with her. And when +he reached the court he told the lords and +ladies about the fair maid of Astolat who +loved Sir Lancelot. ‘He wore her favour, +and she guards his shield,’ he said.</p> + +<p>But when the King heard that Sir Gawaine +had come back, without finding the strange +knight, and leaving the diamond with the +fair maid of Astolat, he was displeased. +‘You have not served me as a true knight,’ +he said gravely; and Sir Gawaine was silent,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +for he remembered how he had lingered at +Astolat.</p> + +<p>When Elaine took the diamond from Sir +Gawaine she went to her father. ‘Let me +go to find the wounded knight and Lavaine,’ +she said. ‘I will nurse the knight as +maidens nurse those who have worn their +favours.’ And her father let her go.</p> + +<p>With the grave Sir Torre to guard her, +Elaine rode into the wood, and near the +hermitage she saw Lavaine.</p> + +<p>‘Take me to Sir Lancelot,’ cried the Fair +Elaine. And Lavaine marvelled that she +knew the knight’s name.</p> + +<p>Then Elaine told her brother about Sir +Gawaine, and his careless search for +Lancelot, and she showed him the diamond +she brought for the wounded knight.</p> + +<p>‘Take me to him,’ she cried again. And +as they went, Sir Torre turned and rode +gloomily back to Astolat, for it did not please +him that the Fair Elaine should love Sir +Lancelot.</p> + +<p>When Lavaine and Elaine reached the +hermitage, the hermit welcomed the fair maid,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +and took her to the cell where Lancelot lay.</p> + +<p>‘The knight is pale and thin,’ said Elaine; +‘I will nurse him.’</p> + +<p>Day by day and for many nights Elaine +nursed him tenderly as a maiden should, +till at last one glad morning the hermit +told her she had saved the knight’s life.</p> + +<p>Then when Sir Lancelot grew stronger, +Elaine gave him the diamond, and told him +how the King had sent him the prize he had +won so hardly. And Lancelot grew restless, +and longed to be at the King’s court once +more.</p> + +<p>When the knight was able to ride, he +went back to Astolat with Elaine and +Lavaine. And as he rested there, he +thought, ‘Before I go, I must thank the +Lily Maid, and reward her for all she has +done for me.’</p> + +<p>But when he asked Elaine how he could +reward her, she would answer only that she +loved him, and wished to go to court with +him, as Lavaine would do.</p> + +<p>‘I cannot take you with me,’ said the +knight courteously; ‘but when you are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +wedded, I will give you and your husband +a thousand pounds every year.’</p> + +<p>But Elaine wanted nothing but to be +with Sir Lancelot.</p> + +<p>‘My Lily Maid will break her heart,’ said +her father sadly, ‘unless the knight treats +her less gently.’</p> + +<p>But Sir Lancelot could not be unkind to +the maid who had nursed him so tenderly. +Only, next morning when he rode away, +carrying his shield with him, though he +knew Elaine watched him from her turret +window, he neither looked up nor waved +farewell. And Elaine knew she would never +see Sir Lancelot again.</p> + +<p>Then day by day she grew more sad and +still. ‘She will die,’ said her father sadly, +as he watched her; and the grave Sir Torre +sobbed, for he loved his sister dearly.</p> + +<p>One day Elaine sent for her father to +come to her little turret room.</p> + +<p>‘Promise me that when I die you will do +as I wish. Fasten the letter I shall write +tightly in my hand, and clothe me in +my fairest dress. Carry me down to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +river and lay me in the barge, and, alone +with our old dumb servant, let me be taken +to the palace.’</p> + +<p>And her father promised. And when Elaine +died there was great sadness in Astolat.</p> + +<p>Then her father took the letter and bound +it in her hand, and by her side he placed +a lily. And they clothed her in her fairest +dress, and carried her down to the river, +and laid her in the barge, alone with the +old dumb servant.</p> + +<p>And the barge floated quietly down the +stream, guided by the old dumb man.</p> + +<p>Then when it reached the palace steps, +it stopped, and the King and the Queen and +all the knights and ladies came to see the +strange sight.</p> + +<p>And the King took the letter from the fair +maid’s hand and read it aloud.</p> + +<p>‘I am the Lily Maid of Astolat, and because +Sir Lancelot left me, I make unto all ladies +my moan. Pray for my soul.’</p> + +<p>When they heard it the lords and ladies +wept with pity.</p> + +<p>And Sir Lancelot buried Elaine sadly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +And sometimes when those who loved him +were jealous and unkind, he thought tenderly +of the pure and simple love of the Lily Maid +of Astolat.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="LILY_MAID" id="LILY_MAID"></a> +<a href="images/i061.jpg"><img src="images/i061tn2.jpg" width="500" height="350" class="plain" alt="THE LILY MAID OF ASTOLAT +Page 44" title="THE LILY MAID OF ASTOLAT Page 44" /></a> +<p class="caption"><a href="#Page_44">Page 44</a></p> +</div> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="PELLEAS_AND_ETTARDE" id="PELLEAS_AND_ETTARDE"></a>PELLEAS AND ETTARDE</h2> + + +<p>Far away in a dreary land there lived a lad +called Pelleas. The men were rough and +the women grave in the dreary land where +Pelleas lived.</p> + +<p>To this far-away country there had come +tales of the gay lords and ladies of Arthur’s +court.</p> + +<p>Pelleas heard, in great astonishment, that +the men in Arthur’s country were brave and +gentle, and that the women smiled. He +would go away from his own land, he +thought, and see these strange and happy +people.</p> + +<p>Soon the rough men in his country laughed +at Pelleas, for he began to grow brave and +gentle like the knights who were so often in +his thoughts.</p> + +<p>And the grave women looked at each other +in surprise, as they saw the lad’s bright face +and caught the smile on his lips. Pelleas<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +had been dreaming about the gay ladies he +had heard of, till some of their gladness had +passed into his face.</p> + +<p>When he was older Pelleas left his country +and all the land that belonged to him there. +He would take his horse and his sword and +ask the great King Arthur to make him +one of his knights, for had he not learned +knightly ways from the wonderful tales he +had heard long ago?</p> + +<p>After many days Pelleas reached the court. +And when the King had listened to the +young man’s story, and had seen his beauty +and strength, he gladly made him his knight.</p> + +<p>Then Pelleas was ready to begin his adventures. +He would go to Carleon, where, +for three days, the King’s tournament was to +be held.</p> + +<p>The King had promised a golden circlet +and a good sword to the knight who showed +himself the strongest. The golden circlet +was to be given to the fairest lady in the +field, and she was to be called the ‘Queen of +Beauty.’</p> + +<p>On his way to Carleon, Pelleas rode along<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +a hot and dusty road. There were no trees +to shelter him from the scorching sun, but +he rode on steadfastly, for he knew that a +great shady forest lay before him.</p> + +<p>When at last Pelleas reached the forest, +he was so hot and tired that he dismounted, +and tying his horse to a tree, he lay down +gratefully under a large oak and fell asleep.</p> + +<p>Sounds of laughter and merriment woke +him, and opening his eyes he saw a group of +maidens close by.</p> + +<p>Pelleas was bewildered. Could they be +wild woodland nymphs, he thought, as, only +half-awake, he lay there, and watched them +flitting in and out among the tall trees.</p> + +<p>They wore bright dresses, blue and yellow +and purple, and to Pelleas the forest seemed +all aglow.</p> + +<p>The maidens were talking together, and +looking first in one direction and then in +another. They were lost in the forest, on +their way to the great tournament at +Carleon.</p> + +<p>Then the lost maidens caught sight of the +knight, lying half-asleep under the oak-tree.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +‘He will be able to show us the way,’ they +said joyfully to one another, for they guessed +that he too was on his way to the tournament.</p> + +<p>‘I will speak to the knight,’ said the Lady +Ettarde, the tallest and most beautiful of +all the maidens, and she left the others and +went towards Pelleas. But when she told +the knight that she and her lords and ladies +had lost their way, and asked him to tell +her how to reach Carleon, he only looked +at her in silence. Was she one of the +woodland nymphs? Was he still dreaming, +and was she the lady of his dreams?</p> + +<p>As the lady still stood there, he roused +himself and tried to speak. But because he +was bewildered by her beauty, he stammered +and answered foolishly.</p> + +<p>The Lady Ettarde turned to the merry +lords and ladies who had followed her. ‘The +knight cannot speak, though he is so strong +and good-looking,’ she said scornfully.</p> + +<p>But Sir Pelleas was wide-awake at last. +He sprang to his feet, and told the Lady +Ettarde that he had been dreaming, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +that she had seemed to him a part of his +dream. ‘But I too am going to Carleon,’ +he added, ‘and I will show you the way.’</p> + +<p>And as they rode through the forest +Sir Pelleas was always at his lady’s side. +When the branches were in her way he +pushed them aside, when the path was +rough he guided her horse. In the evening +when the Lady Ettarde dismounted, Pelleas +was there to help her, and in the morning +again it was Pelleas who brought her horse +and helped her to mount.</p> + +<p>Now the Lady Ettarde was a great lady +in her own land; knights who had fought +many battles and won great fame had served +her, and she cared nothing for the young +untried knight’s love and service.</p> + +<p>‘Still he looks so strong, that I will +pretend to care for him,’ she thought, ‘and +then perhaps he will try to win the golden +circlet for me, and I shall be called the +“Queen of Beauty.”’ For the Lady Ettarde +was a cruel and vain lady, and cared more +for the golden circlet and to be called the +‘Queen of Beauty,’ than for the happiness<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +of the young knight Pelleas. And so for +many days the Lady Ettarde was kind to +Sir Pelleas, and at last she told him that she +would love him if he would win the golden +circlet for her.</p> + +<p>‘The lady of my dreams will love me,’ +the knight murmured. And aloud he said +proudly that if there were any strength +in his right arm, he would win the prize +for the Lady Ettarde.</p> + +<p>Then the lords and ladies that were with +Ettarde pitied the young knight, for they +knew their lady only mocked him.</p> + +<p>At last they all reached Carleon, and the +next morning the tournament began.</p> + +<p>And the Lady Ettarde watched her +knight merrily, as each day he overcame +and threw from their horses twenty men.</p> + +<p>‘The circlet will be mine,’ she whispered +to her lords and ladies. But they looked +at her coldly, for they knew how unkindly +she would reward Sir Pelleas.</p> + +<p>At the end of three days the tournament +was over, and King Arthur proclaimed that +the young knight Pelleas had won the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +golden circlet and the sword.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="SIR_PELLEAS" id="SIR_PELLEAS"></a> +<a href="images/i069.jpg"><img src="images/i069tn2.jpg" width="500" height="347" class="plain" alt="SIR PELLEAS WAS ALWAYS AT HIS LADY’S SIDE +Page 49" title="SIR PELLEAS WAS ALWAYS AT HIS LADY’S SIDE Page 49" /></a> +<p class="caption"><a href="#Page_49">Page 49</a></p> +</div> + +<p>Then in the presence of all the people, +Sir Pelleas took the golden circlet and +handed it to the Lady Ettarde, saying +aloud that she was the fairest lady on the +field and the Queen of Beauty.</p> + +<p>The Lady Ettarde was so pleased with +her prize, that for a day or two she was +kind to her knight, but soon she grew tired +of him, and wished that she might never +see him again.</p> + +<p>Still even when she was unkind, Sir +Pelleas was happy, for he trusted the +beautiful lady, and said to himself, ‘She +proves me, to see if I really love her.’</p> + +<p>But the Lady Ettarde knew she would +never love Sir Pelleas, even if he died for +her.</p> + +<p>Then her ladies were angry, as they saw +how she mocked the knight, for they knew +that greater and fairer ladies would have +loved Sir Pelleas for his strength and great +knightliness.</p> + +<p>‘I will go back to my own country,’ said +the Lady Ettarde, ‘and see my faithful<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +knight no more.’ + +When Pelleas heard that the Lady +Ettarde was going home he was glad. +He remembered the happy days he had +spent as they rode together through the +forest, and he looked forward to other +happy days in the open air, when he could +again shield the lady from the roughness +of the road.</p> + +<p>But when the Lady Ettarde saw that +Sir Pelleas was following her into her own +country, she was angry.</p> + +<p>‘I will not have the knight near me,’ she +said proudly to her ladies. ‘I will have an +older warrior for my love.’ And they knew +their lady’s cruel ways, and in pity kept +the knight away.</p> + +<p>As they rode along the days seemed long +to Pelleas, for he neither saw nor spoke +to the Lady Ettarde.</p> + +<p>When she got near her own castle, she +rode on more swiftly, telling her lords and +ladies to follow her closely. The drawbridge +was down, and the Lady Ettarde rode +across it, and waiting only till her lords and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +ladies crossed it, ordered the bridge to be +drawn up, while Pelleas was still on the +other side.</p> + +<p>The knight was puzzled. Was this a +test of his love too, or did the lady for whom +he had won the golden circlet indeed not +care for him? But that he would not believe. +‘She will grow kinder if I am faithful,’ he +thought, and he lived in a tent beneath the +castle walls for many days.</p> + +<p>The Lady Ettarde heard that Pelleas still +lingered near the castle, and in her anger she +said, ‘I will send ten of my lords to fight +this knight, and then I shall never see +his face again.’</p> + +<p>But when Pelleas saw the ten lords +coming towards him, he armed himself, and +fought so bravely that he overthrew each +of them.</p> + +<p>But after he had overthrown them, he +allowed them to get up and to bind him +hand and foot, and carry him into the castle. +‘For they will carry me into the presence of +the Lady Ettarde,’ he thought.</p> + +<p>But when she saw Pelleas, the Lady<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +Ettarde mocked him, and told her lords to +tie him to the tail of a horse and turn +him out of the castle.</p> + +<p>‘She does it to find out if I love her truly,’ +thought Sir Pelleas again, as he struggled +back to his tent below the castle.</p> + +<p>Another ten lords were sent to fight the +faithful knight, and again Pelleas overthrew +them, and again he let himself be bound +and carried before the Lady Ettarde.</p> + +<p>But when she spoke to him even more +unkindly than before, and mocked at his +love for her, Sir Pelleas turned away. ‘If +she were good as she is beautiful, she could +not be so cruel,’ he thought sadly.</p> + +<p>And he told her that though he would +always love her, he would not try to see her +any more.</p> + +<p>Now one of King Arthur’s knights, called +Sir Gawaine, had been riding past the castle +when the ten lords attacked Sir Pelleas.</p> + +<p>And Sir Gawaine had looked on in dismay. +He had seen the knight overthrow +the ten lords, and stand there quietly while +the conquered men got to their feet. He had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +seen them bind him hand and foot, and carry +him into the castle.</p> + +<p>‘To-morrow I will look for him, and offer +him my help,’ thought Sir Gawaine, for he +was sorry for the brave young knight.</p> + +<p>The next morning he found Sir Pelleas in +his tent, looking very sad. And when Sir +Gawaine asked the knight why he was so +sad, Sir Pelleas told him of his love for +the Lady Ettarde and of her unkindness. +‘I would rather die a hundred times +than be bound by her lords,’ he said, ‘if +it were not that they take me into her +presence.’</p> + +<p>Then Sir Gawaine cheered Sir Pelleas and +offered to help him, for he too was one of +Arthur’s knights.</p> + +<p>And Sir Pelleas trusted him, for had not +all King Arthur’s knights taken the vows of +brotherhood and truth?</p> + +<p>‘Give me your horse and armour,’ said Sir +Gawaine. ‘I will go to the castle with them, +and tell the Lady Ettarde that I have slain +you. Then she will ask me to come in, and +I will talk of your great love and strength,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> +till she learns to love you.’</p> + +<p>And Sir Gawaine rode away, wearing the +armour and helmet of Sir Pelleas, and promising +to come back in three days.</p> + +<p>The Lady Ettarde was walking up and down +outside the castle, when she saw the knight +approaching. ‘Sir Pelleas again,’ she thought +angrily, and turned to go into the castle.</p> + +<p>But Sir Gawaine called to her to stay. ‘I +am not Sir Pelleas, but a knight who has +slain him.’</p> + +<p>‘Take off your helmet that I may see your +face,’ said the Lady Ettarde, as she turned +to look at him.</p> + +<p>When she saw that it was really a strange +knight, she took him into her castle. ‘Because +you have slain Sir Pelleas, whom I hated, I +will love you,’ said the cruel Lady Ettarde.</p> + +<p>Sir Gawaine saw how beautiful the lady +was, and he forgot her unkindness to Sir +Pelleas, and he loved her. And because he +was not a true knight, Sir Gawaine did not +think of Pelleas, who waited so anxiously +for his return.</p> + +<p>Three days passed, but he did not go back,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +and in the castle all was joy and merriment.</p> + +<p>Six days passed, and still Sir Gawaine +stayed with the beautiful Lady Ettarde.</p> + +<p>At last Sir Pelleas could bear his loneliness +no longer. That night he went up to +the castle, and swam across the river. +When he reached the front of the castle, +he saw a great many tents. And all the +lords and ladies were asleep in their tents, +and Sir Gawaine was there too.</p> + +<p>‘He has forgotten me, and will stay here +always with the Lady Ettarde,’ muttered Sir +Pelleas in scorn, and he drew the sword he +had won at the tournament, to slay the false +knight Sir Gawaine.</p> + +<p>Then, all at once, he remembered the vows +he had taken, when the great King had +knighted him, and slowly he sheathed his +sword, and went gloomily down to the +river.</p> + +<p>But Sir Pelleas could not make up his +mind to go away, and again he turned and +went back to the tent, where Sir Gawaine +lay, still asleep.</p> + +<p>Once more Sir Pelleas drew his sword, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +laid it across the false knight’s bare neck.</p> + +<p>When Sir Gawaine woke in the morning, +he felt the cold steel, and putting up his +hand, he found the sword that Sir Pelleas +had left.</p> + +<p>Sir Gawaine did not know how the sword +had come there, but when he told the Lady +Ettarde what had happened, and showed her +the sword, she knew it was the one that Sir +Pelleas had won at the tournament, when he +had given her the golden circlet.</p> + +<p>‘You have not slain the knight who loved +me,’ cried the Lady Ettarde, ‘for he has been +here, and left his sword across your throat.’ +And then she hated Gawaine because he had +told her a lie, and she drove him from her +castle.</p> + +<p>And the Lady Ettarde thought of her true +knight Sir Pelleas, and at last she loved him +with all her heart.</p> + +<p>But when he had left his sword across Sir +Gawaine’s throat, Pelleas had gone sadly +back to his tent, and taking off his armour, +had lain down to die.</p> + +<p>Then the knight’s servant was in great<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +distress, because his master would neither +eat nor sleep, but lay in his tent getting +more pale and more thin day by day. And +the servant was wandering sadly along the +bank of the river, wondering how he could +help his master, when he met a beautiful +maiden called the ‘Lady of the Lake.’</p> + +<p>The maiden asked why he looked so sad, +and, won by her gentleness, he told her how +his master had been hated by the Lady +Ettarde, and betrayed by the false knight +Sir Gawaine.</p> + +<p>‘Bring me to your master,’ said the Lady +of the Lake.</p> + +<p>And when she had come to the tent and +saw Sir Pelleas, she loved him.</p> + +<p>‘I will send him to sleep,’ she murmured, +‘and when he wakes he will be well.’ And +she threw an enchantment over him, and he +slept.</p> + +<p>When Sir Pelleas awoke, he felt strong +once more, and at last he knew that the +cruel Lady Ettarde had never been the lady +of his dreams, and he loved her no longer.</p> + +<p>But when the Lady Ettarde knew that Sir<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +Pelleas loved her no more, she wept sorrowfully, +and died of her grief.</p> + +<p>Then the gentle Lady of the Lake asked +Pelleas to come with her to her own beautiful +Lake-land. And as they rode together, her +simple kindness made the knight happy +again, and he learned to love the Lady of the +Lake, and they lived together and loved each +other all their lives long.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="GARETH_AND_LYNETTE" id="GARETH_AND_LYNETTE"></a>GARETH AND LYNETTE</h2> + + +<p>Gareth was a little prince. His home was +an old grey castle, and there were great +mountains all round the castle. Gareth loved +these mountains and his beautiful home at +the foot of them. He had lived there all his +life.</p> + +<p>Gareth had no little boys or girls to play +with, for there were no houses near his +mountain home.</p> + +<p>But Gareth was happy all day long. Sometimes +in the bright summer mornings the +streams would call to him. Then he would +follow them up the mountains, till he found +the place where the streams ended in tiny +silver threads.</p> + +<p>Sometimes the birds and beasts, his woodland +friends, would call to him, and then +Gareth would wander about in the forest +with them till evening came. Then he +would tell his mother the wonderful things<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +he had seen, and the wonderful things he +had heard in the forests and on the mountain-sides.</p> + +<p>Gareth’s mother, the Queen of Orkney, +loved the little prince so much that she was +never dull. She had no one to talk to except +her little son, for her husband was old, so old +that he could not talk to his Queen. And if +she talked to him, he was almost too deaf +to hear what she said.</p> + +<p>But though the Queen was never dull, she +was sometimes unhappy. She was afraid +that some day, when Gareth was older, he +would want to leave her to go into the world, +perhaps to go to the great King Arthur’s +court, as his three brothers had done.</p> + +<p>Now Gareth had already heard stories +about the brave deeds of King Arthur’s +knights. He knew that they were strong +men, and that they fought for the weak +people, and that they often had great +adventures, when they were sent to punish +the King’s enemies. And Gareth longed +to be a man, for ‘when I am a man, I +will be one of Arthur’s knights, too,’ he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +thought.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 350px;"><a name="SOMETIMES" id="SOMETIMES"></a> +<a href="images/i083.jpg"><img src="images/i083tn2.jpg" width="350" height="500" class="plain" alt="SOMETIMES THE BIRDS & BEASTS HIS WOODLAND FRIENDS WOULD CALL TO HIM +Page 61" title="SOMETIMES THE BIRDS & BEASTS HIS WOODLAND FRIENDS WOULD CALL TO HIM Page 61" /></a> +<p class="caption"><a href="#Page_61">Page 61</a></p> +</div> + +<p>At last, one day, his mother knew that +what she had been afraid of had come to pass. +She knew that Gareth would not be content +to stay among the mountains much longer. +But when he threw his arms round her, and +coaxed her to let him go, she thought, ‘Surely +I can keep him a little longer.’ And she said, +‘Your father is old, and your brothers have +left me, you will not leave me alone, Gareth. +You will stay and be a great huntsman and +follow the deer.’ But all the time her heart +whispered, ‘He will not stay.’</p> + +<p>And Gareth said, ‘Let me go, sweet mother. +Now I am a man, I must do a man’s work. +“Follow the deer!” No; now I must follow +the King.’</p> + +<p>But still his mother would not let him go. +‘The next time he asks me, I will try another +way,’ she thought. And when Gareth came +again and pleaded to be allowed to go to the +court, she said, ‘Yes, you may go, if for one +whole year you will tell no one your name, +or that you are a prince, and if for that +whole year you will go into the King’s kitchen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +and work there.’ ‘These things will be too +difficult for my princely boy,’ she thought.</p> + +<p>But Gareth wanted to go so much, that he +promised not to tell any one his name, nor +that he was a prince. ‘And I will go to the +court, only to work in the King’s kitchen for +a year,’ promised Gareth proudly. And then +his mother knew that her plan had failed, +and she wept.</p> + +<p>But Gareth was glad. He got up early +one morning, and without saying good-bye +to his mother, for he could not bear to see +her sad face again, he left his mountain home, +and went out into the wide world.</p> + +<p>When three men, dressed like ploughmen, +left the castle, no one would have known +that one of them was a prince. For Gareth +had left all his beautiful clothes behind him, +and was dressed just like the two servants +he took with him. But still he was glad, +for though he remembered he was going to +work in a kitchen, he thought a year would +soon pass, and then, perhaps, King Arthur +would make him one of his knights.</p> + +<p>On a certain day, every year, there was a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +great feast at Arthur’s court. Now the King +would not sit down to the feast till he had +heard if any of his people were in trouble, +and if they wished one of his knights to go +to help them. And on this day too, people +could come into the King’s presence to ask +for any boon or good thing they wished. +Gareth reached the court, with his two +servants, on one of these feast-days.</p> + +<p>‘The King will listen to my wish to-day. +I will go to him at once,’ thought Gareth. +And leaning on the shoulders of his servants, +so as to look less princely, he came +into the large dining-hall.</p> + +<p>‘Grant me only this boon,’ Gareth entreated +the King, ‘that I may work in your kitchen +and eat and drink there for a year. After +that I will fight.’</p> + +<p>And King Arthur looked at Gareth, and +saw that though he leaned on his servants +he was tall and strong, and that though he +wore rough clothes, he was as noble-looking +as any of his knights.</p> + +<p>‘You ask but a small boon,’ said the King. +‘Would you not rather serve me as my<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +knight?’</p> + +<p>And Gareth longed to say ‘Yes.’ But as he +could not break the promise he had given to +his mother, he said again, that the only boon +he asked was to be allowed to work in the +King’s kitchen.</p> + +<p>Then the King sent for Sir Kay, the +steward of his kitchen, and told him to +make Gareth one of his kitchen-boys. But +Sir Kay did not wish this noble-looking lad +in his kitchen, and he made fun of him and +mocked him, because he would not tell his +name, nor where his home was.</p> + +<p>But Sir Lancelot, the noblest knight in all +the land, was kind to Gareth, and Gareth’s +brother, Sir Gavaine, who had gone to +Arthur’s court long ago, was kind to him +too. Yet Sir Gavaine did not know that +Gareth was his brother, for the little prince +he had left at home looked very different +to the King’s new kitchen-boy.</p> + +<p>In the kitchen Gareth soon began to find +out what a difficult task he had undertaken, +for the sake of one day being a knight. He +ate his meals with rough kitchen-boys, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +as Gareth’s mother had taught her little +prince daintily, he did not like their rough +ways; and at night he slept in a shed with +dirty kitchen-boys.</p> + +<p>And because Sir Kay did not like Gareth, +he would bustle and hurry him, and make +him work harder than any of the other lads, +and give him all the roughest work to do. +It was Gareth who had to draw the water +and cut the wood, while the other servants +played.</p> + +<p>But when at last his work was done, +Gareth would listen gladly as the servants +talked of Lancelot and the King. He loved +to hear how Lancelot had twice saved the +King’s life, and how since then there had +grown up a great friendship between the +King and his brave knight.</p> + +<p>And Gareth was glad when he heard that +though Lancelot was first in all the tournaments +or mock battles, yet on the battle-field +his hero King was mightiest of all.</p> + +<p>But when the servants’ talk was rough and +rude, Gareth would not listen, but sang some +of his old mountain-songs, carolling like any<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +lark, and the servants stopped their talk to +listen.</p> + +<p>It seemed a long year to Gareth, the +longest year in all his life, but at last it +came to an end. A whole year had passed, +and another of the King’s great feast-days +had begun.</p> + +<p>Gareth woke up on that morning, thinking, +‘Now at last I can be one of King +Arthur’s knights; now at last I am free.’</p> + +<p>In the dining-room he sprang eagerly to +the King’s side. ‘A boon, King Arthur, +grant me this boon,’ he cried, ‘that I serve +you no longer as a kitchen-page, but as a +knight.’</p> + +<p>Arthur loved the noble-looking lad, and +was pleased with his eagerness. ‘I make +you my knight, to win glory and honour for +our land,’ said the King. But the secret of +Gareth’s knighthood was to be kept from all +but Sir Lancelot, till the new knight, Sir +Gareth, had won for himself great fame.</p> + +<p>‘You shall begin at once,’ said the King. +And he promised Gareth that he should be +the first of all his knights to leave his court<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +that day.</p> + +<p>As he spoke, a beautiful lady called Lynette +came into the hall, in great haste. ‘A knight +to rescue my sister, King Arthur,’ she cried.</p> + +<p>‘Who is your sister, and why does she +need a knight?’ asked the King.</p> + +<p>And Lynette told Arthur that her sister +was called the Lady Lyonors, and that +Lyonors was rich and had many castles of +her own, but a cruel knight, called the Red +Knight, had shut her up in one of her own +castles. The name of the castle in which +she was a prisoner was Castle Dangerous. +And the Red Knight said he would keep +Lady Lyonors there, till he had fought King +Arthur’s bravest knight. Then he would +make Lyonors his wife. ‘But,’ said Lynette, +‘my sister will never be the bride of the Red +Knight, for she does not love him.’</p> + +<p>Then Arthur, looking round his knights, +saw Gareth’s eyes growing bright, and heard +Gareth’s voice ringing out, ‘Your promise, +King.’</p> + +<p>And the King said to Gareth, ‘Go and +rescue the Lady Lyonors from the Red<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +Knight.’</p> + +<p>‘A kitchen-page go to rescue the Lady +Lyonors!’ shouted Sir Kay in scorn.</p> + +<p>When Lynette heard that, she was angry, +and said, ‘I came for Sir Lancelot, the greatest +of all your knights, and you give me a +kitchen-boy.’ In her anger, she walked out +of the palace gates, and rode quickly down +the streets. She neither looked nor waited +to see if Gareth followed.</p> + +<p>‘I will wait for nothing,’ thought the +new knight, and he hurried after Lynette +to the palace gates, but there he was +stopped.</p> + +<p>Gareth’s mother had not forgotten that a +year had passed since her boy had left her. +In her quiet castle she had been busy planning +a surprise for her prince.</p> + +<p>‘Gareth will be a knight to-day,’ she +thought. ‘I will send our dwarf to him +with a noble war-horse and armour fit for a +knight. Surely he will begin his adventures +the more gladly, that I help to send him +forth,’ she murmured, thinking half-regretfully +of the long year she had made him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +spend in the kitchen.</p> + +<p>And Gareth was glad when he saw his +mother’s gift; and when he had put on the +armour, there was no more handsome +knight in all King Arthur’s court than Sir +Gareth. He mounted his horse, and, telling +the dwarf to follow, rode quickly after +Lynette.</p> + +<p>But Gareth had not gone far, when he +heard shouts behind him, and, turning, he +saw that Sir Kay was riding after him.</p> + +<p>‘If it is possible, I will bring my kitchen-boy +boy back again,’ thought Sir Kay, ‘for he +works well.’ ‘Have you forgotten that I am +your master?’ he shouted, as he reached +Gareth.</p> + +<p>‘You are no longer my master,’ said +Gareth, ‘and I know that you are the most +unkind of all Arthur’s knights.’</p> + +<p>Then Sir Kay was so angry that he drew +his sword, and Gareth drew his and struck +Sir Kay so hard a blow, that he tumbled off +his horse, and lay on the ground as if he +were dead. Then Gareth took away his old +master’s sword and shield, and telling the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +dwarf to take Sir Kay’s horse, he once more +hurried on to reach Lynette.</p> + +<p>Both Lancelot and Lynette had seen Sir +Gareth fight with Sir Kay, for the King had +asked Sir Lancelot to ride on before Gareth, +that he might know if his new knight could +use his sword.</p> + +<p>When Lancelot had seen Sir Kay fall to +the ground, he rode back to the court to tell +King Arthur that his knight, Sir Gareth, was +strong and true. And he sent men to bring +home the wounded Sir Kay.</p> + +<p>Now Lynette was more cross than ever +because Lancelot had left her, and when +Gareth at last rode up to her, she cried +rudely, ‘You are only a kitchen-knave. Your +clothes smell of cooking, and your dress is +soiled with grease and tallow. Ride further +off from me.’</p> + +<p>But what she said was not true, for Gareth +had put on the beautiful armour his mother +had sent him.</p> + +<p>As Lynette mocked, Gareth rode quietly +behind. In spite of her unkindness, he was +happy. After the long days spent in the hot<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +kitchen, the forest breeze seemed to touch +him more gently than in the old days, and +the trees seemed to him more beautiful. +But though the streams seemed more clear, +they still called to him, just as the streams +in his own mountains used to do.</p> + +<p>But Gareth had not much time to think of +the trees and streams, for suddenly he heard +the steps of some one hurrying through the +forest, crushing the fallen twigs and crisp +leaves underfoot in his great haste. Was it +an adventure?</p> + +<p>‘Where are you running to?’ said Gareth, +as a man came in sight.</p> + +<p>‘O sir, six thieves have fallen upon my +lord, and bound him to a tree, and I am +afraid they will kill him.’</p> + +<p>‘Show me where your lord is,’ said Gareth. +And they rode together to the place where +the knight was tied to a tree.</p> + +<p>Then Gareth struck the first robber down +with his sword, and killed another, and slew +the third as he turned to run away.</p> + +<p>‘There were six thieves,’ thought Gareth; +but when he turned to look for the other<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +three, they were nowhere to be seen. They +had all run away in great fright.</p> + +<p>Then Gareth unbound the knight. And +the knight was very grateful, and said, +‘Come and stay at my castle to-night, and +to-morrow I will reward you.’</p> + +<p>‘I want no reward,’ said Gareth. ‘And +besides, I must follow this lady.’ But when +he rode up to Lynette, she said, ‘Ride +further off, for still you smell of the kitchen.’ +‘You are no knight, though you killed the +robbers.’</p> + +<p>Then the knight who had been set free +rode up, and asked Lynette to come to his +castle, and as it was getting dark in the +forest, she was glad to stay with him that +night.</p> + +<p>At supper-time, the knight put a chair for +Gareth beside Lynette.</p> + +<p>‘Sir Knight, you are wrong to put a +kitchen-knave beside me,’ said the lady, ‘for +I am of noble birth.’</p> + +<p>‘The noble-looking knight a kitchen-knave! +What does the lady mean!’ But +he took Gareth to another table, and sat<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +there himself with him.</p> + +<p>The next morning Gareth and Lynette +thanked the knight, and rode on, till they +came to another great forest, and at the end +of the forest they reached a broad river. +There was only one place where the river +was narrow and could be crossed, and this +passage was guarded by two knights.</p> + +<p>‘Will you fight two knights,’ mocked +Lynette, ‘or will you turn back again?’</p> + +<p>‘Six knights would not make me turn +back,’ said Gareth, as he rushed into +the river. One knight rushed in from the +further side, and Gareth and he fought with +their swords in the middle of the stream. +At last Gareth smote him on the helmet so +violently that he fell down into the water +and was drowned.</p> + +<p>Then Gareth spurred his horse up the +bank where the other knight stood waiting +for him, and this knight fought so fiercely +that he broke Gareth’s spear. Then they +both drew their swords, and fought for a long +time, till in the end Gareth won the victory.</p> + +<p>Gareth then crossed over the river again<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +to Lynette, and told her to ride on, for the +passage across the river was clear.</p> + +<p>‘Alas, that a kitchen-page should kill +two brave knights!’ cried Lynette. ‘But do +not think your skill killed these men.’ And +she told Gareth she had seen the horse of +the first knight stumble, and that that was +why he was drowned. ‘And, as for the second +knight, you came behind and slew him like +a coward,’ she said.</p> + +<p>‘Lady,’ said Gareth, ‘say what you like; +but lead on, and I follow to deliver your +sister.’ So Gareth and the lady rode on +till evening.</p> + +<p>In the evening they came to a strange +and dreary country, where everything looked +black. On one side of a black hawthorn +hung a black banner, on the other side hung +a black shield. Beside the shield there was +a long black spear, and close to the spear +there was a great black horse, covered with +silk, and the silk was black. And looking +blacker than all the rest was a huge black +rock.</p> + +<p>Through the darkness they could see some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +one sitting near the rock. It was a knight, +and he was armed in black armour, and his +name was ‘the Knight of the Black Land.’</p> + +<p>Lynette saw the knight. ‘Flee down the +valley, before the Black Knight saddles his +horse,’ she called to Gareth. But she knew +that even the Black Knight would not +frighten her kitchen-knave.</p> + +<p>The Black Knight saddled his horse and +rode up to them. ‘Is this your knight, +and has he come to fight me?’ he asked +Lynette.</p> + +<p>‘He is only a kitchen-boy, he is no knight +of mine,’ Lynette answered. And in a cruel +voice she added, ‘I wish you could slay him +and take him out of my way; but he does +wonderful deeds with his sword, and has +just slain two knights.’</p> + +<p>‘If he is no knight, I will take his horse +and armour, and let him go. It would be a +shame to take his life,’ said the Black Knight.</p> + +<p>Gareth was very angry when he heard this. +‘I am on my way to Castle Dangerous, and +I mean to reach it,’ he said to the Black +Knight. ‘And as for my horse and armour,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +you cannot have them unless you take them +from me in fair fight.’</p> + +<p>Then they began to fight on foot, and +the Black Knight wounded Gareth, but +Gareth smote him with such strength, that +his sword cut through the knight’s armour, +and then the Black Knight fell to the +ground and died. This was the fiercest +fight Gareth had ever fought, and it lasted +for an hour and a half.</p> + +<p>Once more Gareth went back to Lynette +a conqueror, but still she cried, ‘Do not come +near me, kitchen-knave. You have slain a +noble knight. Let me ride on alone.’</p> + +<p>‘Whatever happens I will follow you till +we reach the Lady Lyonors,’ said Gareth.</p> + +<p>They were coming near to Castle Dangerous +now, but before they reached it, a knight +dressed all in green stopped them.</p> + +<p>And Gareth fought the Green Knight too. +But when he had struck him to the ground, +the Green Knight begged Gareth to spare +his life.</p> + +<p>‘It is useless to ask me to spare your life, +for you shall die, unless the Lady Lynette<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +asks me to set you free,’ said Gareth. And +he began to undo the helmet of the Green +Knight, as if he meant to slay him.</p> + +<p>‘I will never ask a favour of a kitchen-page,’ +said Lynette haughtily. ‘I will never +ask you to spare the Green Knight’s life.’</p> + +<p>‘Spare my life,’ entreated the Green +Knight, ‘and I and my thirty followers will +serve you for ever.’</p> + +<p>‘It is useless for you to ask me,’ repeated +Gareth. ‘Only the Lady Lynette can save +your life.’ And again he lifted his sword, as +if to slay the Green Knight.</p> + +<p>‘You will not slay him, for if you do, you +will be sorry,’ stammered Lynette, as she +saw Gareth’s sword coming down to kill the +knight.</p> + +<p>Gareth heard Lynette’s voice, and at once +put away his sword, and gave the Green +Knight his freedom.</p> + +<p>In his gratitude the knight persuaded +Gareth and Lynette to stay with him that +night, ‘and in the morning I will help you +to reach Castle Dangerous,’ he said.</p> + +<p>That evening at supper-time, Lynette<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +again mocked Gareth. He had never asked +her to be more gentle to him, but now +he said, ‘Mock me no more, for in spite +of all your taunts I have killed many +knights, and cleared the forests of the +King’s enemies.’</p> + +<p>Now Lynette had begun to feel ashamed +of her unkindness, and as she listened to +Gareth, and thought how loyally he had +served her, she felt sorry that she had been +so unkind. And she asked Gareth to forgive +her for being so rude.</p> + +<p>‘I forgive you with all my heart,’ said +Gareth, and at last they rode on happily +side by side.</p> + +<p>Then Gareth sent his dwarf on in front to +tell Lynette’s sister that they were near her +castle. And the Lady Lyonors asked the +dwarf a great many questions about his +master.</p> + +<p>‘He is a noble knight and a kind master,’ +said the dwarf; and he told the lady of all +the adventures they had met on their way +to her castle. And Lyonors longed to see +the knight who had fought so often and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +so bravely to reach her.</p> + +<p>And now there was only the Red Knight +between Gareth and the Lady Lyonors.</p> + +<p>On the great tree, outside the castle, +Gareth saw hanging the bodies of forty +knights, with their shields round their +necks and their spurs on their heels. As +he looked at this terrible sight, Gareth was +afraid.</p> + +<p>Then Lynette reminded him of all his +victories, and of how even the Black Knight +had yielded to him. But what encouraged +Gareth more than all Lynette said was that, +when he looked up to the castle, he saw a +beautiful lady at one of the windows. She +smiled and waved her hands to him, and +he knew that this was the Lady Lyonors. +Then all his courage came back.</p> + +<p>‘This is the fairest lady I have ever seen,’ +thought Gareth. ‘I ask nothing better than +to be allowed to do battle for her, and win +her from the Red Knight.’</p> + +<p>Outside the castle, hanging on a sycamore +tree, was a great horn, made of an elephant’s +bone, and whoever wished to fight the Red<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +Knight must blow this horn.</p> + +<p>Gareth looked again at the window where +Lyonors still watched, and hesitating no +longer, blew the horn so piercingly and so +long, that he woke all the echoes of the +wood.</p> + +<p>Then the Knight of the Red Lands armed +himself in great haste, and his barons +brought him a red spear, and a steed +covered with red silk. And the Red Knight +rode proudly down into the valley, to slay +Gareth, as he had slain the other forty +knights.</p> + +<p>‘Do not look any longer at the castle +window,’ said the Red Knight roughly to +Gareth. ‘The Lady Lyonors is mine. I +have fought many battles for her.’</p> + +<p>‘I know that the Lady Lyonors does not +love you nor your ways, for they are cruel,’ +said Gareth, ‘and I will rescue her from you, +or die.’</p> + +<p>‘Look at the dead knights on those trees, +and beware,’ said the Red Knight, ‘or soon +I will hang your body beside theirs.’</p> + +<p>‘That is a sight that makes me only more<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +anxious to fight,’ said Gareth, ‘for you break +the rules of all true knights by your cruelty.’</p> + +<p>‘Talk no more,’ said the Red Knight, ‘but +get ready for the combat.’</p> + +<p>Then Gareth told Lynette to go further +off, to a place of safety.</p> + +<p>And the two knights smote each other +so fiercely in the front of their shields that +they both fell off their horses, still holding +the reins in their hands. And they lay +stunned on the ground so long, that those +who were watching from the castle thought +their necks were broken.</p> + +<p>But after a time, leaving their horses, they +fought on foot. And the battle was so rough +that great pieces of their shields and armour +were knocked off, and left lying on the field.</p> + +<p>And they fought till twelve o’clock. But +by that time they were so worn out that +they staggered about, scarcely knowing +where they went, and their wounds bled so +much that they were faint.</p> + +<p>They fought till evening, and then they +both agreed to rest for a little while.</p> + +<p>Then Gareth took off his helmet, and looked<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +up to the castle window. And when he saw +the Lady Lyonors looking down at him, with +great kindness in her eyes, his heart felt all +at once light and glad.</p> + +<p>And her kindness made him strong, and +he started up quickly and called to the Red +Knight to fight, ‘and this time to the death,’ +said Gareth.</p> + +<p>In his fury the Red Knight knocked the +sword out of Gareth’s hand, and before he +could get it again, he gave him such a blow +on his helmet that Gareth stumbled and fell +to the ground.</p> + +<p>Then Lynette called out, ‘O Gareth, have +you lost your courage? My sister weeps +and breaks her heart, because her true +knight has fallen.’</p> + +<p>When Gareth heard that, he got up, +and with a great effort leaped to where +his sword lay, and caught it in his hand, +and began to fight as if he fought a new +battle.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 345px;"><a name="LADY" id="LADY"></a> +<a href="images/i107.jpg"><img src="images/i107tn2.jpg" width="345" height="500" class="plain" alt="THE LADY LYONORS +Page 84" title="THE LADY LYONORS Page 84" /></a> +<p class="caption"><a href="#Page_84">Page 84</a></p> +</div> + +<p>And his strokes fell so quickly on his foe, +that the Red Knight lost his sword and fell +to the ground, and Gareth threw himself on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +him to slay him. But the knight begged +piteously for his life.</p> + +<p>‘Go to the castle and yield your homage +to the Lady Lyonors,’ said Gareth. ‘And if +she is willing to pardon you, you are free, +after you restore the lands and castles +you have taken from her.’</p> + +<p>Then the Red Knight gladly restored all +he had stolen. And after he had been forgiven +by the Lady Lyonors, he journeyed +to the court, and told Arthur all that Sir +Gareth had done.</p> + +<p>And Lynette came and took off Gareth’s +armour and bathed his wounds, and he +rested in his tent for ten days.</p> + +<p>‘I will go to the castle and ask Lyonors +to come home with me and be my wife,’ +thought Gareth, as soon as his wounds +were healed. But when he came to the +castle, he found the drawbridge pulled up, +and many armed men were there, who +would not let him enter.</p> + +<p>‘But Lyonors, I must see Lyonors,’ +thought Gareth. ‘Surely she will wish to +see me,’ and he looked wistfully up to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +window, and there beautiful as ever, was +his Lady Lyonors.</p> + +<p>‘I cannot love you altogether,’ said +Lyonors, ‘till you have been King Arthur’s +knight for another year, and helped to clear +the land from his enemies.’</p> + +<p>Though he was a good knight, Gareth’s +heart was heavy as he listened. ‘If I do +not see Lyonors for a year,’ he thought, +‘the months will pass more slowly and +seem more empty than those long months I +spent in the King’s kitchen.’ But as Gareth +was a right loyal knight, he bowed to his +lady’s will. He had freed the castle from +the Red Knight, and now it was open to +every one, only he himself was banished. +And he went away sadly but faithfully to +find new adventures.</p> + +<p>And when Gareth slept in the forests or +on the wild mountain-sides, he often dreamed +of the day that would come when his year’s +wanderings were over, when Lyonors would +be his wife, and together they would go back +to King Arthur’s court, and he would at last +be known to every one as Sir Gareth and a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +prince.</p> + +<p>He dreamed, too, of the happier day, when +he would take the beautiful Lyonors to his +mother, and show her the mountain home he +loved so well.</p> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="SIR_GALAHAD_AND_THE" id="SIR_GALAHAD_AND_THE"></a>SIR GALAHAD AND THE +SACRED CUP</h2> + + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">‘My strength is as the strength of ten,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"> Because my heart is pure,’<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>sang Galahad gladly. He was only a boy, +but he had just been made a knight by Sir +Lancelot, and the old abbey, where he had +lived all his life, rang with the echo of his +song.</p> + +<p>Sir Lancelot heard the boy’s clear voice +singing in triumph. As he stopped to listen, +he caught the words,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">‘My strength is as the strength of ten,<br /></span> +<span class="i0"> Because my heart is pure,’<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>and the great knight wished he were a boy +again, and could sing that song too.</p> + +<p>Twelve nuns lived in the quiet abbey, and +they had taught Galahad lovingly and carefully, +ever since he had come to them as a +beautiful little child. And the boy had dwelt +happily with them there in the still old abbey,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> +and he would be sorry to leave them, but he +was a knight now. He would fight for the +King he reverenced so greatly, and for the +country he loved so well.</p> + +<p>Yet when Sir Lancelot left the abbey the +next day, Galahad did not go with him. He +would stay in his old home a little longer, he +thought. He would not grieve the nuns by +a hurried farewell.</p> + +<p>Sir Lancelot left the abbey alone, but as +he rode along he met two knights, and +together they reached Camelot, where the +King was holding a great festival.</p> + +<p>King Arthur welcomed Sir Lancelot and +the two knights. ‘Now all the seats at our +table will be filled,’ he said gladly. For it +pleased the King when the circle of his +knights was unbroken.</p> + +<p>Then all the King’s household went to +service at the minster, and when they came +back to the palace they saw a strange sight.</p> + +<p>In the dining-hall the Round Table at +which the King and his knights always sat +seemed strangely bright.</p> + +<p>The King looked more closely, and saw<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +that at one place on this Round Table were +large gold letters. And he read, ‘This is +the seat of Sir Galahad, the Pure-hearted.’ +But only Sir Lancelot knew that Sir Galahad +was the boy-knight he had left behind him +in the quiet old abbey.</p> + +<p>‘We will cover the letters till the Knight +of the Pure Heart comes,’ said Sir Lancelot; +and he took silk and laid it over the glittering +letters.</p> + +<p>Then as they sat down to table they were +disturbed by Sir Kay, the steward of the +King’s kitchen.</p> + +<p>‘You do not sit down to eat at this +festival,’ Sir Kay reminded the King, ‘till you +have seen or heard some great adventure.’ +And the King told his steward that the +writing in gold had made him forget his +usual custom.</p> + +<p>As they waited a squire came hastily +into the hall. ‘I have a strange tale to +tell,’ he said. ‘As I walked along the +bank of the river I saw a great stone, +and it floated on the top of the water, +and into the stone there has been thrust<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +a sword.’</p> + +<p>Then the King and all his knights went +down to the river, and they saw the stone, +and it was like red marble. And the sword +that had been thrust into the stone was +strong and fair. The handle of it was studded +with precious stones, and among the stones +there were letters of gold.</p> + +<p>The King stepped forward, and bending +over the sword read these words: ‘No +one shall take me away but he to whom +I belong. I will hang only by the side of +the best knight in the world.’</p> + +<p>The King turned to Sir Lancelot. ‘The +sword is yours, for surely there lives no +truer knight.’</p> + +<p>But Sir Lancelot answered gravely, ‘The +sword is not mine. It will never hang by +my side, for I dare not try to take it.’</p> + +<p>The King was sorry that his great knight’s +courage failed, but he turned to Sir Gawaine +and asked him to try to take the sword.</p> + +<p>And at first Sir Gawaine hesitated. But +when he looked again at the precious stones +that sparkled on the handle, he hesitated<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +no longer. But he no sooner touched the +sword than it wounded him, so that he +could not use his arm for many days.</p> + +<p>Then the King turned to Sir Percivale. +And because Arthur wished it, Sir Percivale +tried to take the sword; but he could not +move it. And after that no other knight +dared to touch the fair sword; so they +turned and went back to the palace.</p> + +<p>In the dining-hall the King and his knights +sat down once more at the Round Table, +and each knight knew his own chair. And +all the seats were filled except the chair +opposite the writing in gold.</p> + +<p>It had been a day full of surprise, but +now the most wonderful thing of all +happened. For as they sat down, suddenly +all the doors of the palace shut with a loud +noise, but no one had touched the doors. +And all the windows were softly closed, but +no one saw the hands that closed them.</p> + +<p>Then one of the doors opened, and there +came in a very old man dressed all in white, +and no one knew whence he came.</p> + +<p>By his side was a young man in red<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +armour. He had neither sword nor shield, +but hanging by his side was an empty +sheath.</p> + +<p>There was a great silence in the hall +as the old man said slowly and solemnly, +‘I bring you the young knight Sir Galahad, +who is descended from a king. He shall +do many great deeds, and he shall see the +Holy Grail.’</p> + +<p>‘He shall see the Holy Grail,’ the knights +repeated, with awe on their faces.</p> + +<p>For far back, in the days of their boyhood, +they had heard the story of the Holy Grail. +It was the Sacred Cup out of which their +Lord had drunk before He died.</p> + +<p>And they had been told how sometimes +it was seen carried by angels, and how +at other times in a gleam of light. But +in whatever way it appeared, it was seen +only by those who were pure in heart.</p> + +<p>And as the old man’s words, ‘He shall see +the Holy Grail,’ fell on their ears, the knights +thought of the story they had heard so long +ago, and they were sorry, for they had never +seen the Sacred Cup, and they knew that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +it was unseen only by those who had done +wrong.</p> + +<p>But the old man was telling the boy-knight +to follow him. He led him to the empty +chair, and lifted the silk that covered the +golden letters. ‘This is the seat of Sir +Galahad, the Pure-hearted,’ he read aloud. +And the young knight sat in the empty +seat that belonged to him.</p> + +<p>Then the old man left the palace, and +twenty noble squires met him, and took him +back to his own country.</p> + +<p>When dinner was ended, the King went +over to the chair where his boy-knight sat, +and welcomed him to the circle of the Round +Table. Afterwards he took Sir Galahad’s +hand, and led him out of the palace to show +him the strange red stone that floated on +the river. When Sir Galahad heard how +the knights could not draw the sword out +of the stone, he knew that this adventure +was his.</p> + +<p>‘I will try to take the sword,’ said the +boy-knight, ‘and place it in my sheath, for +it is empty,’ and he pointed to his side.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +Then he laid his hand on the wonderful +sword, and easily drew it out of the stone, +and placed it in his sheath.</p> + +<p>‘God has sent you the sword, now He +will send you a shield as well,’ said King +Arthur.</p> + +<p>Then the King proclaimed that the next +day there would be a tournament in the +meadows of Camelot. For before his knights +went out to new adventures, he would see +Sir Galahad proved.</p> + +<p>And in the morning the meadows lay +bright in the sunshine. And the boy-knight +rode bravely to his first combat, and overthrew +many men; but Sir Lancelot and +Sir Percivale he could not overthrow.</p> + +<p>When the tournament was over the King +and his knights went home to supper, and +each sat in his own seat at the Round Table.</p> + +<p>All at once there was a loud crashing +noise, a noise that was louder than any peal +of thunder. Was the King’s wonderful +palace falling to pieces?</p> + +<p>But while the noise still sounded a +marvellous light stole into the room, a light<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +brighter than any sunbeam.</p> + +<p>As the knights looked at one another, +each seemed to the other to have a new +glory and a new beauty in his face.</p> + +<p>And down the sunbeam glided the Holy +Grail. It was the Sacred Cup they had all +longed to see. But no one saw it, for it +was invisible to all but the pure-hearted +Sir Galahad.</p> + +<p>As the strange light faded away, King +Arthur heard his knights vowing that they +would go in search of the Holy Grail, and never +give up the quest till they had found it.</p> + +<p>And the boy-knight knew that he too +would go over land and sea, till he saw +again the wonderful vision.</p> + +<p>That night the King could not sleep, for +his sorrow was great. His knights would +wander into far-off countries, and many of +them would forget that they were in search +of the Holy Grail. Would they not have +found the Sacred Cup one day if they +had stayed with their King and helped to +clear the country of its enemies?</p> + +<p>In the morning the streets of Camelot<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +were crowded with rich and poor. And the +people wept as they watched the knights +ride away on their strange quest. And the +King wept too, for he knew that now there +would be many empty chairs at the Round +Table.</p> + +<p>The knights rode together to a strange +city and stayed there all night. The next day +they separated, each going a different way.</p> + +<p>Sir Galahad rode on for four days without +adventure. At last he came to a white +abbey, where he was received very kindly. +And he found two knights there, and one +was a King.</p> + +<p>‘What adventure has brought you here?’ +asked the boy-knight.</p> + +<p>Then they told him that in this abbey +there was a shield. And if any man tried +to carry it, he was either wounded or dead +within three days.</p> + +<p>‘But to-morrow I shall try to bear it,’ +said the King.</p> + +<p>‘In the name of God, let me take the +shield,’ said Sir Galahad gravely.</p> + +<p>‘If I fail, you shall try to bear it,’ said the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +King. And Galahad was glad, for he had +still no shield of his own.</p> + +<p>Then a monk took the King and the +young knight behind the altar, and showed +them where the shield hung. It was as +white as snow, but in the middle there +was a red cross.</p> + +<p>‘The shield can be borne only by the +worthiest knight in the world,’ the monk +warned the King.</p> + +<p>‘I will try to bear it, though I am no +worthy knight,’ insisted the King; and he +took the shield and rode down into the valley.</p> + +<p>And Galahad waited at the abbey, for the +King had said he would send his squire +to tell the young knight how the shield had +protected him.</p> + +<p>For two miles the King rode through the +valley, till he reached a hermitage. And +he saw a warrior there, dressed in white +armour, and sitting on a white horse.</p> + +<p>The warrior rode quickly towards the +King, and struck him so hard that he broke +his armour. Then he thrust his spear +through the King’s right shoulder, as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> +though he held no shield.</p> + +<p>‘The shield can be borne only by a peerless +knight. It does not belong to you,’ said +the warrior, as he gave it to the squire, +telling him to carry it back to the abbey +and to give it to Sir Galahad with his +greeting.</p> + +<p>‘Then tell me your name,’ said the +squire.</p> + +<p>‘I will tell neither you nor any one on +earth,’ said the warrior. And he disappeared, +and the squire saw him no more.</p> + +<p>‘I will take the wounded King to an +abbey, that his wounds may be dressed,’ +thought the squire.</p> + +<p>And with great difficulty the King and +his squire reached an abbey. And the +monks thought his life could not be saved, +but after many days he was cured.</p> + +<p>Then the squire rode back to the abbey +where Galahad waited. ‘The warrior who +wounded the King bids you bear this shield,’ +he said.</p> + +<p>Galahad hung the shield round his neck +joyfully, and rode into the valley to seek the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +warrior dressed in white.</p> + +<p>And when they met they saluted each +other courteously. And the warrior told +Sir Galahad strange tales of the white +shield, till the knight thanked God that +now it was his. And all his life long the +white shield with the red cross was one +of his great treasures.</p> + +<p>Now Galahad rode back to the abbey, and +the monks were glad to see him again. ‘We +have need of a pure knight,’ they said, +as they took Sir Galahad to a tomb in the +churchyard.</p> + +<p>A pitiful noise was heard, and a voice +from the tomb cried, ‘Galahad, servant of +God, do not come near me.’ But the young +knight went towards the tomb and raised +the stone.</p> + +<p>Then a thick smoke was seen, and through +the smoke a figure uglier than any man +leaped from the tomb, shouting, ‘Angels are +round thee, Galahad, servant of God. I can +do you no harm.’</p> + +<p>The knight stooped down and saw a body +all dressed in armour lying there, and a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +sword lay by its side.</p> + +<p>‘This was a false knight,’ said Sir Galahad. +‘Let us carry his body away from this place.’</p> + +<p>‘You will stay in the abbey and live with us,’ +entreated the monks. But the boy-knight +could not rest. Would he see the light that +was brighter than any sunbeam again? +Would his adventures bring him at last to +the Holy Grail?</p> + +<p>Sir Galahad rode on many days, till at last +he reached a mountain. On the mountain +he found an old chapel. It was empty and +very desolate. Galahad knelt alone before +the altar, and asked God to tell him what to +do next.</p> + +<p>And as he prayed a voice said, ‘Thou brave +knight, go to the Castle of Maidens and +rescue them.’</p> + +<p>Galahad rose, and gladly journeyed on to +the Castle of Maidens.</p> + +<p>There he found seven knights, who long +ago had seized the castle from a maiden to +whom it belonged. And these knights had +imprisoned her and many other maidens.</p> + +<p>When the seven knights saw Sir Galahad<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +they came out of the castle. ‘We will take +this young knight captive, and keep him +in prison,’ they said to each other, as they +fell upon him.</p> + +<p>But Sir Galahad smote the first knight to +the ground, so that he almost broke his +neck. And as his wonderful sword flashed in +the light, sudden fear fell on the six knights +that were left, and they turned and fled.</p> + +<p>Then an old man took the keys of the castle +to Galahad. And the knight opened the +gates of the castle, and set free many +prisoners. He gave the castle back to the +maiden to whom it belonged, and sent for +all the knights in the country round about +to do her homage.</p> + +<p>Then once again Sir Galahad rode on in +search of the Holy Grail. And the way +seemed long, yet on and on he rode, till at +last he reached the sea.</p> + +<p>There, on the shore, stood a maiden, and +when she saw Sir Galahad, she led him to a +ship and told him to enter.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 348px;"><a name="STRENGTH" id="STRENGTH"></a> +<a href="images/i127.jpg"><img src="images/i127tn2.jpg" width="348" height="500" class="plain" alt="“MY STRENGTH IS AS THESTRENGTH OF TEN BECAUSE +MY HEART IS PURE” Page 88" title="“MY STRENGTH IS AS THE STRENGTH OF TEN BECAUSE MY HEART IS PURE” Page 88" /></a> +<p class="caption"><a href="#Page_88">Page 88</a></p> +</div> + +<p>The wind rose and drove the ship, with +Sir Galahad on board, between two rocks.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +But when the ship could not pass that way, +the knight left it, and entered a smaller one +that awaited him.</p> + +<p>In this ship was a table, and on the table, +covered with a red cloth, was the Holy Grail. +Reverently Sir Galahad sank on his knees. +But still the Sacred Cup was covered.</p> + +<p>At last the ship reached a strange city, +and on the shore sat a crippled man. Sir +Galahad asked his help to lift the table from +the ship.</p> + +<p>‘For ten years I have not walked without +crutches,’ said the man.</p> + +<p>‘Show that you are willing, and come to +me,’ urged the knight.</p> + +<p>And the cripple got up, and when he found +that he was cured, he ran to Sir Galahad, +and together they carried the wonderful +table to the shore.</p> + +<p>Then all the city was astonished, and the +people talked only of the great marvel. +‘The man that was a cripple for ten years +can walk,’ each said to the other.</p> + +<p>The King of the city heard the wonderful +tale, but he was a cruel King and a tyrant.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +‘The knight is not a good man,’ he said to +his people, and he commanded that Galahad +should be put in prison. And the prison +was underneath the palace, and it was dark +and cold there.</p> + +<p>But down into the darkness streamed the +light that had made Galahad so glad long +ago at Camelot. And in the light Galahad +saw the Holy Grail.</p> + +<p>A year passed and the cruel King was very +ill, and he thought he would die. Then he +remembered the knight he had treated so +unkindly, and who was still in the dark, cold +prison. ‘I will send for him, and ask him to +forgive me,’ murmured the King.</p> + +<p>And when Galahad was brought to the +palace, he willingly forgave the tyrant who +had put him in prison.</p> + +<p>Then the King died, and there was great +dismay in the city, for where would they find +a good ruler to sit on the throne?</p> + +<p>As they wondered, they heard a voice that +told them to make Sir Galahad their King, +and in great joy the knight was crowned.</p> + +<p>Then the new King ordered a box of gold<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +and precious stones to be made, and in this +box he placed the wonderful table he had +carried away from the ship. ‘And every +morning I and my people will come here to +pray,’ he said.</p> + +<p>For a year Sir Galahad ruled the country +well and wisely.</p> + +<p>‘A year ago they crowned me King,’ +thought Galahad gravely, as he woke one +morning. He would get up early, and go to +pray at the precious table.</p> + +<p>But before the King reached the table he +paused. It was early. Surely all the city +was asleep. Yet some one was already +there, kneeling before the table on which, +uncovered, stood the Sacred Cup.</p> + +<p>The man kneeling there looked holy as +the saints look. Surrounding him was a +circle of angels. Was it a saint who kneeled, +or was it the Lord Himself?</p> + +<p>When the man saw Sir Galahad, he said, +‘Come near, thou servant of Jesus Christ, +and thou shalt see what thou hast so much +longed to see.’</p> + +<p>And with joy Sir Galahad saw again the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +Holy Grail. Then as he kneeled before it in +prayer, his soul left his body and was carried +by angels into heaven.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="THE_DEATH_OF_KING_ARTHUR" id="THE_DEATH_OF_KING_ARTHUR"></a>THE DEATH OF KING ARTHUR</h2> + + +<p>It was not to win renown that King Arthur +had gone far across the sea, for he loved his +own country so well, that to gain glory at +home made him happiest of all.</p> + +<p>But a false knight with his followers was +laying waste the country across the sea, and +Arthur had gone to wage war against him.</p> + +<p>‘And you, Sir Modred, will rule the country +while I am gone,’ the King had said. And +the knight smiled as he thought of the +power that would be his.</p> + +<p>At first the people missed their great King +Arthur, but as the months passed they began +to forget him, and to talk only of Sir Modred +and his ways.</p> + +<p>And he, that he might gain the people’s +praise, made easier laws than ever Arthur +had done, till by and by there were many +in the country who wished that the King +would never come back.</p> + +<p>When Modred knew what the people<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +wished, he was glad, and he made up his +mind to do a cruel deed.</p> + +<p>He would cause letters to be written from +beyond the sea, and the letters would tell +that the great King Arthur had been slain +in battle.</p> + +<p>And when the letters came the people +read, ‘King Arthur is dead,’ and they believed +the news was true.</p> + +<p>And there were some who wept because +the noble King was slain, but some had no +time to weep. ‘We must find a new King,’ +they said. And because his laws were +easy, these chose Sir Modred to rule over +them.</p> + +<p>The wicked knight was pleased that the +people wished him to be their King. ‘They +shall take me to Canterbury to crown me,’ +he said proudly. And the nobles took him +there, and amid shouts and rejoicings he was +crowned.</p> + +<p>But it was not very long till other letters +came from across the sea, saying that King +Arthur had not been slain, and that he was +coming back to rule over his own country<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +once more.</p> + +<p>When Sir Modred heard that King Arthur +was on his way home, he collected a great +army and went to Dover to try to keep the +King from landing.</p> + +<p>But no army would have been strong +enough to keep Arthur and his knights away +from the country they loved so well. They +fought fiercely till they got on shore and +scattered all Sir Modred’s men.</p> + +<p>Then the knight gathered together another +army, and chose a new battle-field.</p> + +<p>But King Arthur fought so bravely that he +and his men were again victorious, and Sir +Modred fled to Canterbury.</p> + +<p>Many of the people began to forsake the +false knight now, and saying that he was a +traitor, they went back to King Arthur.</p> + +<p>But still Sir Modred wished to conquer +the King. He would go through the counties +of Kent and Surrey and raise a new army.</p> + +<p>Now King Arthur had dreamed that if he +fought with Sir Modred again he would be +slain. So when he heard that the knight +had raised another army, he thought, ‘I will<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> +meet this traitor who has betrayed me. When +he looks in my face, he will be ashamed and +remember his vow of obedience.’</p> + +<p>And he sent two bishops to Sir Modred. +‘Say to the knight that the King would +speak with him alone,’ said Arthur.</p> + +<p>And the traitor thought, ‘The King wishes +to give me gold or great power, if I send my +army away without fighting.’ ‘I will meet +King Arthur,’ he said to the bishops.</p> + +<p>But because he did not altogether trust +the King he said he would take fourteen +men with him to the meeting-place, ‘and the +King must have fourteen men with him too,’ +said Sir Modred. ‘And our armies shall keep +watch when we meet, and if a sword is lifted +it shall be the signal for battle.’</p> + +<p>Then King Arthur arranged a feast for Sir +Modred and his men. And as they feasted all +went merrily till an adder glided out of a +little bush and stung one of the knight’s +men. And the pain was so great, that the +man quickly drew his sword to kill the adder.</p> + +<p>And when the armies saw the sword flash +in the light, they sprang to their feet and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +began to fight, ‘for this is the signal for +battle,’ they thought.</p> + +<p>And when evening came there were many +thousand slain and wounded, and Sir Modred +was left alone. But Arthur had still two +knights with him, Sir Lucan and Sir Bedivere.</p> + +<p>When King Arthur saw that his army was +lost and all his knights slain but two, he +said, ‘Would to God I could find Sir Modred, +who has caused all this trouble.’</p> + +<p>‘He is yonder,’ said Sir Lucan, ‘but remember +your dream, and go not near him.’</p> + +<p>‘Whether I die or live,’ said the King, ‘he +shall not escape.’ And seizing his spear he +ran to Sir Modred, crying, ‘Now you shall +die.’</p> + +<p>And Arthur smote him under the shield, +and the spear passed through his body, and +he died.</p> + +<p>Then, wounded and exhausted, the King +fainted, and his knights lifted him and +took him to a little chapel not far from a +lake.</p> + +<p>As the King lay there, he heard cries<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +of fear and pain from the distant battle-field.</p> + +<p>‘What causes these cries?’ said the King +wearily. And to soothe the sick King, Sir +Lucan said he would go to see.</p> + +<p>And when he reached the battle-field, he +saw in the moonlight that robbers were on +the field stooping over the slain, and taking +from them their rings and their gold. And +those that were only wounded, the robbers +slew, that they might take their jewels +too.</p> + +<p>Sir Lucan hastened back, and told the +King what he had seen.</p> + +<p>‘We will carry you farther off, lest the +robbers find us here,’ said the knights. And +Sir Lucan lifted the King on one side and Sir +Bedivere lifted him on the other.</p> + +<p>But Sir Lucan had been wounded in the +battle, and as he lifted the King he fell back +and died.</p> + +<p>Then Arthur and Sir Bedivere wept for the +fallen knight.</p> + +<p>Now the King felt so ill that he thought he +would not live much longer, and he turned<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +to Sir Bedivere: ‘Take Excalibur, my good +sword,’ he said, ‘and go with it to the lake, +and throw it into its waters. Then come +quickly and tell me what you see.’</p> + +<p>Sir Bedivere took the sword and went +down to the lake. But as he looked at the +handle with its sparkling gems and the richness +of the sword, he thought he could not +throw it away. ‘I will hide it carefully here +among the rushes,’ thought the knight. And +when he had hidden it, he went slowly to the +King and told him he had thrown the sword +into the lake.</p> + +<p>‘What did you see?’ asked the King +eagerly.</p> + +<p>‘Nothing but the ripple of the waves as +they broke on the beach,’ said Sir Bedivere.</p> + +<p>‘You have not told me the truth,’ said the +King. ‘If you love me, go again to the lake, +and throw my sword into the water.’</p> + +<p>Again the knight went to the water’s edge. +He drew the sword from its hiding-place. +He would do the King’s will, for he loved him. +But again the beauty of the sword made him +pause. ‘It is a noble sword; I will not throw<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +it away,’ he murmured, as once more he hid +it among the rushes. Then he went back +more slowly, and told the King that he had +done his will.</p> + +<p>‘What did you see?’ asked the King.</p> + +<p>‘Nothing but the ripples of the waves as +they broke on the beach,’ repeated the +knight.</p> + +<p>‘You have betrayed me twice,’ said the +King sadly, ‘and yet you are a noble knight! +Go again to the lake, and do not betray me +for a rich sword.’</p> + +<p>Then for the third time Sir Bedivere went +to the water’s edge, and drawing the sword +from among the rushes, he flung it as far as +he could into the lake.</p> + +<p>And as the knight watched, an arm and a +hand appeared above the surface of the lake. +He saw the hand seize the sword, and shaking +it three times, disappear again under the +water. Then Sir Bedivere went back quickly +to the King, and told him what he had seen.</p> + +<p>‘Carry me to the lake,’ entreated Arthur, +‘for I have been here too long.’</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="DEATH" id="DEATH"></a> +<a href="images/i141.jpg"><img src="images/i141tn2.jpg" width="500" height="343" class="plain" alt="Page 115" title="Page 115" /></a> +<p class="caption"><a href="#Page_115">Page 115</a></p> +</div> + +<p>And the knight carried the King on his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +shoulders down to the water’s side. There +they found a barge lying, and seated in it were +three Queens, and each Queen wore a black +hood. And when they saw King Arthur they +wept.</p> + +<p>‘Lay me in the barge,’ said the King. And +when Sir Bedivere had laid him there, +King Arthur rested his head on the lap of the +fairest Queen. And they rowed from land.</p> + +<p>Sir Bedivere, left alone, watched the barge +as it drifted out of sight, and then he went +sorrowfully on his way, till he reached a +hermitage. And he lived there as a hermit +for the rest of his life.</p> + +<p>And the barge was rowed to a vale where +the King was healed of his wound.</p> + +<p>And some say that now he is dead, but +others say that King Arthur will come again, +and clear the country of its foes.</p> + + +<hr class="fm" /> +<p style="text-align: center;">Edinburgh: Printed by <span class="smcap">T.</span> and <span class="smcap">A.</span> <span class="smcap">Constable</span></p> + + +<p class="pad"><br /></p> + +<table border="2" class="tn" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="2" summary="Transcriber's Note"> +<tr><td align='center'> +<h3><a name="TRANSCRIBERS_NOTES" id="TRANSCRIBERS_NOTES"></a>TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES</h3> + +<p>Minor punctuation corrections have been made; however, all spellings appear as in the original.</p> + +<p>Removed a duplicate title page for GERAINT AND ENID.</p> +</td></tr> +</table> + +<p><br /></p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Stories of King Arthur's Knights, by Mary MacGregor + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STORIES OF KING ARTHUR'S KNIGHTS *** + +***** This file should be named 25654-h.htm or 25654-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/6/5/25654/ + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Lindy Walsh, Suzan Flanagan and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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