Book: The Legends Of King Arthur And His Knights

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So, riding to the knight who held the damsel, he cried out, "Sir knight,
lay your hand off that maid, or else ye be but dead."

At that the knight set down the maid, and dropped his shield, and drew
forth his sword against Sir Bors, who ran at him, and smote him through
both shield and shoulder, and threw him to the earth; and when he pulled
his spear forth, the knight swooned. Then the maid thanked Sir Bors
heartily, and he set her on the knight's horse, and brought her to her
men-at-arms, who presently came riding after her. And they made much joy,
and besought him to come to her father, a great lord, and he should be
right welcome. But "truly," said he, "I may not at this time, for I have a
great adventure yet to do;" and commending them to God, he departed in
great haste to find his brother.

So he rode, seeking him by the track of the horses a great while. Anon he
met a seeming holy man riding upon a strong black horse, and asked him,
had he seen pass by that way a knight led bound and beaten with thorns by
two others.

"Yea, truly, such an one I saw," said the man; "but he is dead, and lo!
his body is hard by in a bush."

Then he showed him a newly slain body lying in a thick bush, which seemed
indeed to be Sir Lionel. Then made Sir Bors such mourning and sorrow that
by-and-by he fell into a swoon upon the ground. And when he came to
himself again, he took the body in his arms and put it on his horse's
saddle, and bore it to a chapel hard by, and would have buried it. But
when he made the sign of the cross, he heard a full great noise and cry as
though all the fiends of hell had been about him, and suddenly the body
and the chapel and the old man vanished all away. Then he knew that it was
the devil who had thus beguiled him, and that his brother yet lived.

Then held he up his hands to heaven, and thanked God for his own escape
from hurt, and rode onwards; and anon, as he passed by an hermitage in a
forest, he saw his brother sitting armed by the door. And when he saw him
he was filled with joy, and lighted from his horse, and ran to him and
said, "Fair brother, when came ye hither?"

But Sir Lionel answered, with an angry face, "What vain words be these,
when for you I might have been slain? Did ye not see me bound and led away
to death, and left me in that peril to go succouring a gentlewoman, the
like whereof no brother ever yet hath done? Now, for thy false misdeed, I
do defy thee, and ensure thee speedy death."

Then Sir Bors prayed his brother to abate his anger, and said, "Fair
brother, remember the love that should be between us twain."

But Sir Lionel would not hear, and prepared to fight and mounted his horse
and came before him, crying, "Sir Bors, keep thee from me, for I shall do
to thee as a felon and a traitor; therefore, start upon thy horse, for if
thou wilt not, I will run upon thee as thou standest."

But for all his words Sir Bors would not defend himself against his
brother. And anon the fiend stirred up Sir Lionel to such rage, that he
rushed over him and overthrew him with his horse's hoofs, so that he lay
swooning on the ground. Then would he have rent off his helm and slain
him, but the hermit of that place ran out, and prayed him to forbear, and
shielded Sir Bors with his body.

Then Sir Lionel cried out, "Now, God so help me, sir priest, but I shall
slay thee else thou depart, and him too after thee."

And when the good man utterly refused to leave Sir Bors, he smote him on
the head until he died, and then he took his brother by the helm and
unlaced it, to have stricken off his head, and so he would have done, but
suddenly was pulled off backwards by a knight of the Round Table, who, by
the will of Heaven, was passing by that place--Sir Colgrevance by name.

"Sir Lionel," he cried, "will ye slay your brother, one of the best
knights of all the world? That ought no man to suffer."

"Why," said Sir Lionel, "will ye hinder me and meddle in this strife?
beware, lest I shall slay both thee and him."

And when Sir Colgrevance refused to let them be, Sir Lionel defied him,
and gave him a great stroke through the helmet, whereat Sir Colgrevance
drew his sword, and smote again right manfully. And so long they fought
together that Sir Bors awoke from his swoon, and tried to rise and part
them, but had no strength to stand upon his feet.

Anon Sir Colgrevance saw him, and cried out to him for help, for now Sir
Lionel had nigh defeated him. When Sir Bors heard that, he struggled to
his feet, and put his helmet on, and took his sword. But before he could
come to him, Sir Lionel had smitten off Sir Colgrevance's helm, and thrown
him to the earth and slain him. Then turned he to his brother as a man
possessed by fiends, and gave him such a stroke as bent him nearly double.

But still Sir Bors prayed him for God's sake to quit that battle, "For if
it befell us that we either slew the other we should die for care of that
sin."

"Never will I spare thee if I master thee," cried out Sir Lionel.

Then Sir Bors drew his sword all weeping, and said, "Now, God have mercy
on me, though I defend my life against my brother;" with that he lifted up
his sword to strike, but suddenly he heard a mighty voice, "Put up thy
sword, Sir Bors, and flee, or thou shalt surely slay him." And then there
fell upon them both a fiery cloud, which flamed and burned their shields,
and they fell to the earth in sore dread.

Anon Sir Bors rose to his feet, and saw that Sir Lionel had taken no harm.
Then came the voice again, and said, "Sir Bors, go hence and leave thy
brother, and ride thou forward to the sea, for there Sir Percival abideth
thee."

Then he said to his brother, "Brother, forgive me all my trespass against
thee."

And Sir Lionel answered, "God forgive it thee, as I do."

Then he departed and rode to the sea, and on the strand he found a ship
all covered with white samite, and as soon as he had entered thereinto,
it put forth from the shore. And in the midst of the ship there stood an
armed knight, whom he knew to be Sir Percival. Then they rejoiced greatly
over each other, and said, "We lack nothing now but the good knight Sir
Galahad."

Now when Sir Galahad had rescued Sir Percival from the twenty knights he
rode into a vast forest. And after many days it befell that he came to a
castle whereat was a tournament. And the knights of the castle were put to
the worse; which when he saw, he set his spear in rest and ran to help
them, and smote down many of their adversaries. And as it chanced, Sir
Gawain was amongst the stranger knights, and when he saw the white shield
with the red cross, he knew it was Sir Galahad, and proffered to joust
with him. So they encountered, and having broken their spears, they drew
their swords, and Sir Galahad smote Sir Gawain so sorely on the helm that
he clove it through, and struck on slanting to the earth, carving the
horse's shoulder in twain, and Sir Gawain fell to the earth. Then Sir
Galahad beat back all who warred against the castle, yet would he not wait
for thanks, but rode away that no man might know him.

And he rested that night at a hermitage, and when he was asleep, he heard
a knocking at the door. So he rose, and found a damsel there, who said,
"Sir Galahad, I will that ye arm you, and mount upon your horse and follow
me, for I will show you within these three days the highest adventure that
ever any knight saw."

Anon Sir Galahad armed him, and took his horse, and commended himself to
God, and bade the gentlewoman go, and he would follow where she liked.

So they rode onwards to the sea as fast as their horses might gallop, and
at night they came to a castle in a valley, inclosed by running water, and
by strong and high walls, whereinto they entered and had great cheer, for
the lady of the castle was the damsel's mistress.

And when he was unarmed, the damsel said to her lady, "Madam, shall we
abide here this night?"

"Nay," said she, "but only till he hath dined and slept a little."

So he ate and slept a while, till the maid called him, and armed him by
torchlight; and when he had saluted the lady of the castle, the damsel and
Sir Galahad rode on.

Anon they came to the seaside, and lo! the ship, wherein were Sir Percival
and Sir Bors, abode by the shore. Then they cried, "Welcome, Sir Galahad,
for we have awaited thee long."

Then they rejoiced to see each other, and told of all their adventures and
temptations. And the damsel went into the ship with them, and spake to Sir
Percival: "Sir Percival, know ye not who I am?"

And he replied, "Nay, certainly, I know thee not."

Then said she, "I am thy sister, the daughter of King Pellinore, and am
sent to help thee and these knights, thy fellows, to achieve the quest
which ye all follow."

So Sir Percival rejoiced to see his sister, and they departed from the
shore. And after a while they came upon a whirlpool, where their ship
could not live. Then saw they another greater ship hard by and went
towards it, but saw neither man nor woman therein. And on the end of it
these words were written, "Thou who shalt enter me, beware that thou be in
steadfast belief, for I am Faith; and if thou doubtest, I cannot help
thee." Then were they all adread, but, commending themselves to God, they
entered in.

As soon as they were on board they saw a fair bed; whereon lay a crown of
silk, and at the foot was a fair and rich sword drawn from its scabbard
half a foot and more. The pommel was of precious stones of many colours,
every colour having a different virtue, and the scales of the haft were of
two ribs of different beasts. The one was bone of a serpent from Calidone
forest, named the serpent of the fiend; and its virtue saveth all men who
hold it from weariness. The other was of a fish that haunteth the floods
of Euphrates, named Ertanax; and its virtue causeth whoever holdeth it to
forget all other things, whether of joy or pain, save the thing he seeth
before him.

"In the name of God," said Sir Percival, "I shall assay to handle this
sword; "and set his hand to it, but could not grasp it. "By my faith,"
said he, "now have I failed."

Sir Bors set his hand to it, and failed also.

Then came Sir Galahad, and saw these letters written red as blood, "None
shall draw me forth save the hardiest of all men; but he that draweth me
shall never be shamed or wounded to death." "By my faith," said Sir
Galahad, "I would draw it forth, but dare not try."

"Ye may try safely," said the gentlewoman, Sir Percival's sister, "for be
ye well assured the drawing of this sword is forbid to all but you. For
this was the sword of David, King of Israel, and Solomon his son made for
it this marvellous pommel and this wondrous sheath, and laid it on this
bed till thou shouldest come and take it up; and though before thee some
have dared to raise it, yet have they all been maimed or wounded for their
daring."

"Where," said Sir Galahad, "shall we find a girdle for it?"

"Fair sir," said she, "dismay you not;" and therewith took from out a box
a girdle, nobly wrought with golden thread, set full of precious stones
and with a rich gold buckle. "This girdle, lords," said she, "is made for
the most part of mine own hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I
loved full well; but when I knew that this adventure was ordained me, I
cut off and wove as ye now see."

[Illustration: "This girdle, lords," said she, "is made for the most part
of mine own hair, which, while I was yet in the world, I loved full
well."]

Then they all prayed Sir Galahad to take the sword, and so anon he gripped
it in his fingers; and the maiden girt it round his waist, saying, "Now
reck I not though I die, for I have made thee the worthiest knight of all
the world."

"Fair damsel," said Sir Galahad, "ye have done so much that I shall be
your knight all the days of my life."

Then the ship sailed a great way on the sea, and brought them to land near
the Castle of Carteloise. When they were landed came a squire and asked
them, "Be ye of King Arthur's court?"

"We are," said they.

"In an evil hour are ye come," said he, and went back swiftly to the
castle.

Within a while they heard a great horn blow, and saw a multitude of
well-armed knights come forth, who bade them yield or die. At that they
ran together, and Sir Percival smote one to the earth and mounted his
horse, and so likewise did Sir Bors and Sir Galahad, and soon had they
routed all their enemies and alighted on foot, and with their swords slew
them downright, and entered into the castle.

Then came there forth a priest, to whom Sir Galahad kneeled and said, "In
sooth, good father, I repent me of this slaughter; but we were first
assailed, or else it had not been."

"Repent ye not," said the good man, "for if ye lived as long as the world
lasted ye could do no better deed, for these were all the felon sons of a
good knight, Earl Hernox, whom they have thrown into a dungeon, and in his
name have slain priests and clerks, and beat down chapels far and near."

Then Sir Galahad prayed the priest to bring him to the earl; who, when he
saw Sir Galahad, cried out, "Long have I waited for thy coming, and now I
pray thee hold me in thine arms that I may die in peace."

And therewith, when Sir Galahad had taken him in his arms, his soul
departed from his body.

Then came a voice in the hearing of them all, "Depart now, Sir Galahad,
and go quickly to the maimed king, for he hath long abided to receive
health from thy hand."

So the three knights departed, and Sir Percival's sister with them, and
came to a vast forest, and saw before them a white hart, exceeding fair,
led by four lions; and marvelling greatly at that sight, they followed.

Anon they came to a hermitage and a chapel, whereunto the hart entered,
and the lions with it. Then a priest offered mass, and presently they saw
the hart change into the figure of a man, most sweet and comely to behold;
and the four lions also changed and became a man, an eagle, a lion, and an
ox. And suddenly all those five figures vanished without sound. Then the
knights marvelled greatly, and fell upon their knees, and when they rose
they prayed the priest to tell them what that sight might mean.

"What saw ye, sirs?" said he, "for I saw nothing." Then they told him.

"Ah, lords!" said he, "ye are full welcome; now know I well ye be the
knights who shall achieve the Sangreal, for unto them alone such
mysteries are revealed. The hart ye saw is One above all men, white and
without blemish, and the four lions with Him are the four evangelists."

When they heard that they heartily rejoiced, and thanking the priest,
departed.

Anon, as they passed by a certain castle, an armed knight suddenly came
after them, and cried out to the damsel, "By the holy cross, ye shall not
go till ye have yielded to the custom of the castle."

"Let her go," said Sir Percival, "for a maiden, wheresoever she cometh, is
free."

"Whatever maiden passeth here," replied the knight, "must give a dishful
of her blood from her right arm."

"It is a foul and shameful custom," cried Sir Galahad and both his
fellows, "and sooner will we die than let this maiden yield thereto."

"Then shall ye die," replied the knight, and as he spake there came out
from a gate hard by, ten or twelve more, and encountered with them,
running upon them vehemently with a great cry. But the three knights
withstood them, and set their hands to their swords, and beat them down
and slew them.

At that came forth a company of threescore knights, all armed. "Fair
lords," said Sir Galahad, "have mercy on yourselves and keep from us."

"Nay, fair lords," they answered, "rather be advised by us, and yield ye
to our custom."

"It is an idle word," said Galahad, "in vain ye speak it."

"Well," said they, "will ye die?"

"We be not come thereto as yet," replied Sir Galahad.

Then did they fall upon each other, and Sir Galahad drew forth his sword,
and smote on the right hand and on the left, and slew so mightily that
all who saw him thought he was a monster and no earthly man. And both his
comrades helped him well, and so they held the field against that
multitude till it was night. Then came a good knight forward from the
enemy and said, "Fair knights, abide with us to-night and be right
welcome; by the faith of our bodies as we are true knights, to-morrow ye
shall rise unharmed, and meanwhile maybe ye will, of your own accord,
accept the custom of the castle when ye know it better."

So they entered and alighted and made great cheer. Anon, they asked them
whence that custom came. "The lady of this castle is a leper," said they,
"and can be no way cured save by the blood of a pure virgin and a king's
daughter; therefore to save her life are we her servants bound to stay
every maid that passeth by, and try if her blood may not cure our
mistress."

Then said the damsel, "Take ye of my blood as much as ye will, if it may
avail your lady."

And though the three knights urged her not to put her life in that great
peril, she replied, "If I die to heal another's body, I shall get health
to my soul," and would not be persuaded to refuse.

So on the morrow she was brought to the sick lady, and her arm was bared,
and a vein thereof was opened, and the dish filled with her blood. Then
the sick lady was anointed therewith, and anon she was whole of her
malady. With that Sir Percival's sister lifted up her hand and blessed
her, saying, "Madam, I am come to my death to make you whole; for God's
love pray for me;" and thus saying she fell down in a swoon.

Then Sir Galahad, Sir Percival, and Sir Bors started to lift her up and
staunch her blood, but she had lost too much to live. So when she came to
herself she said to Sir Percival, "Fair brother, I must die for the
healing of this lady, and now, I pray thee, bury me not here, but when I
am dead put me in a boat at the next haven and let me float at venture on
the sea. And when ye come to the city of Sarras, to achieve the Sangreal,
shall ye find me waiting by a tower, and there I pray thee bury me, for
there shall Sir Galahad and ye also be laid." Thus having said, she died.

Then Sir Percival wrote all the story of her life and put it in her right
hand, and so laid her in a barge and covered it with silk. And the wind
arising drove the barge from land, and all the knights stood watching it
till it was out of sight.

Anon they returned to the castle, and forthwith fell a sudden tempest of
thunder and lightning and rain, as if the earth were broken up: and half
the castle was thrown down. Then came a voice to the three knights which
said, "Depart ye now asunder till ye meet again where the maimed king is
lying." So they parted and rode divers ways.

Now after Sir Lancelot had left the hermit, he rode a long while till he
knew not whither to turn, and so he lay down to sleep, if haply he might
dream whither to go.

And in his sleep a vision came to him saying, "Lancelot, rise up and take
thine armour, and enter the first ship that thou shalt find."

When he awoke he obeyed the vision, and rode till he came to the
sea-shore, and found there a ship without sails or oars, and as soon as he
was in it he smelt the sweetest savour he had ever known, and seemed
filled with all things he could think of or desire. And looking round he
saw a fair bed, and thereon a gentlewoman lying dead, who was Sir
Percival's sister. And as Sir Lancelot looked on her he spied the writing
in her right hand, and, taking it, he read therein her story. And more
than a month thereafter he abode in that ship and was nourished by the
grace of Heaven, as Israel was fed with manna in the desert.

And on a certain night he went ashore to pass the time, for he was
somewhat weary, and, listening, he heard a horse come towards him, from
which a knight alighted and went up into the ship; who, when he saw Sir
Lancelot, said, "Fair sir, ye be right welcome to mine eyes, for I am thy
son Galahad, and long time I have sought for thee." With that he kneeled
and asked his blessing, and took off his helm and kissed him, and the
great joy there was between them no tongue can tell.

Then for half a year they dwelt together in the ship, and served God night
and day with all their powers, and went to many unknown islands, where none
but wild beasts haunted, and there found many strange and perilous
adventures.

And upon a time they came to the edge of a forest, before a cross of
stone, and saw a knight armed all in white, leading a white horse. Then
the knight saluted them, and said to Galahad, "Ye have been long time
enough with your father; now, therefore, leave him and ride this horse
till ye achieve the Holy Quest."

Then went Sir Galahad to his father and kissed him full courteously, and
said, "Fair father, I know not when I shall see thee again."

And as he took his horse a voice spake in their hearing, "Ye shall meet no
more in this life."

"Now, my son, Sir Galahad," said Sir Lancelot, "since we must so part and
see each other never more, I pray the High Father of Heaven to preserve
both you and me."

Then they bade farewell, and Sir Galahad entered the forest, and Sir
Lancelot returned to the ship, and the wind rose and drove him more than a
month through the sea, whereby he slept but little, yet ever prayed that
he might see the Sangreal.

So it befell upon a certain midnight, the moon shining clear, he came
before a fair and rich castle, whereof the postern gate was open towards
the sea, having no keeper save two lions in the entry.

Anon Sir Lancelot heard a voice: "Leave now thy ship and go within the
castle, and thou shalt see a part of thy desire."

Then he armed and went towards the gate, and coming to the lions he drew
out his sword, but suddenly a dwarf rushed out and smote him on the arm,
so that he dropt his sword, and heard again the voice, "Oh, man of evil
faith, and poor belief, wherefore trustest thou thine arms above thy
Maker?" Then he put up his sword and signed the cross upon his forehead,
and so passed by the lions without hurt.

And going in, he found a chamber with the door shut, which in vain he
tried to open. And listening thereat he heard a voice within, which sang
so sweetly that it seemed no earthly thing, "Joy and honour be to the
Father of Heaven!" Then he kneeled down at the door, for he knew well the
Sangreal was there within.

Anon the door was opened without hands, and forthwith came thereout so
great a splendour as if all the torches of the world had been alight
together. But when he would have entered in, a voice forbad him; wherefore
he drew back, and looked, standing upon the threshold of the door. And
there he saw a table of silver, and the holy vessel covered with red
samite, and many angels round it holding burning candles and a cross and
all the ornaments of the altar.

Then a priest stood up and offered mass, and when he took the vessel up,
he seemed to sink beneath that burden. At that Sir Lancelot cried, "O
Father, take it not for sin that I go in to help the priest, who hath much
need thereof." So saying, he went in, but when he came towards the table
he felt a breath of fire which issued out therefrom and smote him to the
ground, so that he had no power to rise.

Then felt he many hands about him, which took him up and laid him down
outside the chapel door. There lay he in a swoon all through that night,
and on the morrow certain people found him senseless, and bore him to an
inner chamber and laid him on a bed. And there he rested, living, but
moving no limbs, twenty-four days and nights.

On the twenty-fifth day he opened his eyes and saw those standing round,
and said, "Why have ye waked me? for I have seen marvels that no tongue
can tell, and more than any heart can think."

Then he asked where he was, and they told him, "In the Castle of
Carbonek."

"Tell your lord, King Pelles," said he, "that I am Sir Lancelot."

At that they marvelled greatly, and told their lord it was Sir Lancelot
who had lain there so long.

Then was King Pelles wondrous glad and went to see him, and prayed him to
abide there for a season. But Sir Lancelot said, "I know well that I have
now seen as much as mine eyes may behold of the Sangreal; wherefore I will
return to my own country." So he took leave of King Pelles, and departed
towards Logris.

Now after Sir Galahad had parted from Sir Lancelot, he rode many days,
till he came to the monastery where the blind King Evelake lay, whom Sir
Percival had seen. And on the morrow, when he had heard mass, Sir Galahad
desired to see the king, who cried out, "Welcome, Sir Galahad, servant of
the Lord! long have I abided thy coming. Take me now in thine arms, that I
may die in peace."

At that Sir Galahad embraced him; and when he had so done the king's eyes
were opened, and he said, "Fair Lord Jesus, suffer me now to come to
Thee;" and anon his soul departed.

Then they buried him royally, as a king should be; and Sir Galahad went on
his way.

Within a while he came to a chapel in a forest, in the crypt whereof he
saw a tomb which always blazed and burnt. And asking the brethren what
that might mean, they told him, "Joseph of Arimathea's son did found this
monastery, and one who wronged him hath lain here these three hundred and
fifty years and burneth evermore, until that perfect knight who shall
achieve the Sangreal doth quench the fire."

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