HEROES OF CHIVALRY 
 
 BY LOUISE MAITLAND 
 
 ^ 7 
 
 STOKES OF HEROES 
 
 EDJTED BY 
 
 HARLE5 RGHBEKF 
 
 SILVER, BURDETT S> COMPANY | 
 
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GIFT OF 
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STORIES OF HEROES 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 CHARLES B. GILBERT 
 
 FORMERLY SUPERINTENDENT OF 80HOOL8, ROCHESTER, NEW YORK 
 
 HEROES OF CHIVALRY 
 
STORIES OF HEROES. 
 
 Edited by CHARLES B. GILBERT, 
 
 Formerly Superintendent of Schools, Rochester, New York. 
 
 A unique series of Readers, teaching history by gathering into 
 separate volumes the stories of men representative of different 
 stages of civilization, advancing from the lower to the higher, and 
 in an order carefully adapted to the child's own development. 
 
 NOW READY: 
 
 HEROES OF MYTH. By Lillian L. Price, Normal and 
 Training School, Newark, N.J., and Charles B. Gilbert, 
 formerly Superintendent of Schools, Rochester, N. Y. Illus- 
 trated. 50 cents. 
 
 WANDERING HEROES. By Lillian L. Price, Normal and 
 Training School, Newark, N.J. Illustrated. 50 cents. 
 
 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. By Louise Maitland. Illus- 
 trated. 50 cents. 
 
 IN PREPARATION: 
 
 HEROES OF CONQUEST AND EMPIRE. By Louise 
 
 Maitland. Illustrated. 
 HEROES OF DISCOVERY AND SCIENCE. By Florence 
 
 Jackson. Illustrated. 
 HEROES OF FREEDOM. By Helen M. Montgomery. 
 
 Illustrated. 
 
 SILVER, BURDETT & COMPANY. 
 
 NEW YORK. BOSTON. CHICAGO. 
 
Q 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
STORIES OF HEROES 
 
 HEROES OF CHIVALRY 
 
 BY 
 
 LOUISE MAITLAND 
 
 ILLUSTRATED 
 
 SILVER, BURDETT AND COMPANY 
 
 NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO 
 
Copyright, 1903, 
 By SILVER, BUEDETT AND COMPANY. 
 
 Gift 
 
 R.D .LINGUIST 
 
 EDUCATION DEFT. 
 
GENERAL PREFACE. 
 
 Whether, as Carlyle would have it, history 
 consists properly in the biographies of conspicu- 
 ous men ; or, according to Freeman and his school, 
 in the development of peoples ; or in the evolution 
 of ideas, as Hegel argues ; is a question for philoso- 
 phers. For children history is biography, and the 
 biography of heroes. For them types must be 
 individualized and apotheosized. History must be 
 a series of pictures with heroes in the foreground. 
 
 To children chronology is without meaning. 
 Whether an event occurred yesterday or a thou- 
 sand years ago makes no difference. " Long, long 
 ago " and u once upon a time " are quite as in- 
 telligible and more effective than " three thousand 
 years ago " or " in the year 56 B.C." 
 
 Of vastly greater importance in the education 
 of children than chronological sequence is psycho- 
 logical sequence. In the earlier years of a child's 
 study of history, events should be presented to 
 him in the order in which he is able to apperceive 
 them, rather than in the order of occurrence. This 
 order will depend upon social and psychological 
 
 vii 
 
 5 75833 
 
viii GENERAL PREFACE. 
 
 similarities. For example, the prehistoric Greek 
 is more nearly allied to the German of the early 
 Eoman Empire than the latter to his contem- 
 porary, the imperial Eoman ; and the modern 
 Bedouin is much nearer to Abraham than to the 
 modern Englishman. 
 
 This principle of psychological order has been 
 followed in the present series of historical stories. 
 Types representing similar stages of civilization 
 are presented in conjunction, without regard to 
 chronology. It is hoped that through these 
 stories, thus grouped, children may be interested 
 at the proper times of their own development in 
 the various phases of the evolution of society and 
 in history itself, and that the interest thus awak- 
 ened may lead to a better study of history than is 
 common in elementary schools. 
 
 The stories may be classified as follows : — 
 
 First, myths. These are the beginnings of his- 
 tory, and should be presented to the child when 
 his imagination is vivid enough to absorb without 
 a shock the marvels of mythology merely as 
 stories, and when his appetite is keen for all 
 marvels. 
 
 Second, stories of nomadic life. These repre- 
 sent a very early stage of history, which should 
 be presented to children when the demand for 
 " true stories " arises and when the " tramp in- 
 
GENERAL PKEFACE. IX 
 
 stinct" awakens. The stories tell of wanderers of 
 various times and different types, who may be 
 roughly classified as Pastoral Nomads, Religious 
 Nomads, and Warlike Nomads. Their common 
 characteristic is the absence of devotion to a fixed 
 home, the readiness with which they moved from 
 place to place in search of pasture or conquest^ 
 or to satisfy some personal craving. The differ- 
 ences are due mainly to race characteristics and 
 geographic conditions. 
 
 Third, chivalry. The stories of this period, as 
 well as the myths and tales of nomads, belong to 
 the period of childhood in the development of 
 civilized society. They may be said to represent 
 the minority of society. The stories are drawn 
 from two sources chiefly, the legends clustering 
 about King Arthur and his Round Table and 
 those relating to the followers of Charlemagne, 
 especially as given in the " Chanson de Roland." 
 
 Fourth, conquest and empire. The establish- 
 ment of great personal empires, through conquest 
 followed by organization, by men of extraordinary 
 power, indicates a vastly higher order of civiliza- 
 tion than those typified by the nomad and the 
 knight errant. It may be said to represent the 
 young manhood of society. It precedes and pre* 
 pares the way for that higher development mani- 
 fested in democratic freedom. 
 
X GENERAL PREFACE. 
 
 Fifth, freedom. This stands for the highest 
 stage of social evolution yet attained by man. It 
 is the full manhood of society. Its heroes are 
 actuated by nobler motives than those of any 
 other social state. Altruism is here the ruling 
 motive, growing out of the great value put upon 
 individual liberty. 
 
 Other books will follow, containing tales of the 
 heroes who in various ways have made life worth 
 living in an organized and highly developed society. 
 
 C. B. GILBERT. 
 Rochester, N.Y. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Once, long ago, brave men thought that the 
 noblest thing to do was to go about and fight other 
 brave men like themselves, simply to show how 
 well they could fight, and to win the praise of men 
 and women. 
 
 The men who thus went about fighting were called 
 Knights Errant. They usually traveled on horse- 
 back, wore heavy armor made of steel to protect 
 themselves from the blows of their opponents, and 
 fought with swords and spears. In those days they 
 had no guns, for gunpowder had not been invented. 
 They fought for all sorts of reasons, but the most 
 common one was " for their ladies' sake," each 
 knight claiming that his lady-love was the fairest, 
 the noblest, and the best in the world. 
 
 They all served some king, and when not wan- 
 dering in search of a foe, they came back to his 
 court. ■ At these courts u tournaments " were often 
 held, at which the knights fought one another for 
 their honor, while the king and queen and the ladies 
 of the court looked on and applauded the victors. 
 The most famous of these kings were Arthur, king 
 of the Britons, and Charlemagne, king of the 
 French. 
 
 xi 
 
xii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Marvelous and impossible stories were told of 
 the wonderful deeds of these knights, and some of 
 them, like the stories of the mythical heroes, have 
 been put into beautiful poems. Some of these 
 stories are told in this book. 
 
NOTE. 
 
 The stories in this book have been drawn, in the main, 
 from " Le Roman de Merlin," edited by Sommer ; the 
 " Morte D' Arthur " of Sir Thomas Malory, edited by Som- 
 mer ; and the " High History of the Holy Grail," trans- 
 lated by Sebastian Evans. Other sources also have been 
 consulted. In some instances the original wording has 
 been retained, in some it has been condensed, and in some 
 changed altogether. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 The Story of Arthur: 
 
 1. How Arthur won his Crown 
 
 2. The Battle of Carleon 
 
 3. The Famous Fight at Bedingran 
 
 4. The Romans and the Saxons send Ambassadors 
 
 5. How Arthur won his Wife .... 
 
 6. The Betrothal of Arthur and Guinevere 
 
 7. King Arthur fights with King Rions . 
 
 8. Arthur wins Friends 
 
 9. The Marriage of Arthur and Guinevere 
 
 10. The Fellowship of the Round Table . 
 
 11. Arthur gets his Sword, Excalibur 
 
 12. Sir Lancelot and Sir Lionel seek Adventures 
 
 13. Sir Lancelot fights' Sir Turquin . 
 
 14. Sir Fair -hands 
 
 3 
 
 10 
 16 
 
 28 
 31 
 40 
 44 
 47 
 55 
 62 
 66 
 70 
 78 
 83 
 
 II. The Quest of the Holy Grail: 
 
 1. The Boyhood of Sir Perceval .... 93 
 
 2. The Visions of Dindrane and Perceval . . 99 
 
 3. King Arthur rides to the Forest Adventurous . 106 
 
 4. The Black Rider 109 
 
 5. The Bald Damsel 116 
 
 6. Dindrane and Sir Perceval at the Palace of the 
 
 King 120 
 
 7. The Seat Perilous 124 
 
xvi CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 8. The Knights take Vows to seek the Grail . . 129 
 
 9. The Vision of Sir Gawain 132 
 
 10. Sir Perceval has an Adventure with a Good 
 
 Knight 139 
 
 11. Sir Perceval rescues Dindrane .... 143 
 
 12. The Castle of the Queen of the Maidens . . 149 
 
 13. How Sir Perceval saw the King of Mortal Castle 
 
 again ... c ... . 154 
 
 14. Sir Lancelot and Sir Galahad .... 165 
 
 15. The Vision of Sir Lancelot ..... 172 
 
 16. Sir Galahad, Sir Perceval, Sir Bors, and Din- 
 
 drane 175 
 
 17. Dindrane gives her Life for a Lady . . . 184 
 
 18. The Finding of the Grail ..... 188 
 
 III. The Story of Roland : 
 
 1. Roland's Youth 199 
 
 2. How Roland won the Love of the Emperor . 202 
 
 3. How Roland won his Knighthood . . . 206 
 
 4. Roland wins a Friend 214 
 
 5. How Fair France lost Roland .... 220 
 
FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 ■ They ran at each other with drawn swords " . Frontisp 
 
 iecc 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Ruins of King Arthur's Castle in Wales .... 11 
 
 " But Arthur raised her " 41 
 
 The Vigil .......... 53 
 
 " Sir Lancelot lay under the apple tree, fast asleep " .73 
 
 " Perceval saw a maiden making moan over a dead knight " 103 
 
 Sir Galahad 127 
 
 The Dream of Sir Lancelot 167 
 
 A Knight of the Round Table 179 
 
 " Sir Galahad kneeled before the table, praying " . . 193 
 
 " Roland hurled himself upon Eaumont " 211 
 
 Roland's Tower 229 
 
 xvii 
 
I. 
 
 THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 
 
;. THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 
 
 i. HOW ARTHUR WON HIS CROWN. 
 
 KING UTHER PENDRAGON 1 had ruled 
 over Britain for many years and waged 
 many wars with his fierce enemies, but now his 
 strength was failing. Some years before he fell 
 grievously sick, he had married the Lady Igraine. 
 To them had been born a little son, whom they 
 called Arthur. 
 
 Very soon after the boy was born he had been 
 given into the hands of Merlin to bring up. Now 
 Merlin was a very wise man and the chief coun- 
 cilor of King Uther Pendragon. He put Arthur 
 in the care of a knight of high degree named 
 Sir Ector. 2 Sir Ector most gladly received the 
 young prince into his castle, although he knew 
 not who he was. In the household of Sir- Ector 
 Arthur was trained up to all honorable deeds such 
 as become a good knight. When Uther Pendragon 
 
 1 Uther Pendragon = U'-ther Pen'-dra-gon. 2 Ector = Ek'-tpr. 
 
 3 
 
4 HEROES OF CHIVALKY. 
 
 fell sick, his enemies quickly took the opportunity 
 to invade his lands and kill his people. His 
 barons and knights knew not what to do, and in 
 their distress they sent for Merlin. 
 
 " Sir," said Merlin to the king, " you must get 
 to the field, even if it be in a horse-litter; for 
 never will your enemies be defeated unless you 
 yourself are present. But if you do as I say, you 
 shall have a great victory." 
 
 Then the king had himself carried in a litter, 
 and led a great host against his enemies, and King 
 Uther Pendragon's host met the host from the north 
 and did mighty deeds. But of all the knights 
 Sir Ulphius 1 and Sir Brastias 2 were the great- 
 est and slew many, and the rest they put to flight. 
 Then the king returned to London and made a 
 noble feast. 
 
 After a little while the king became sick unto 
 death, and he lay for three days and nights quite 
 speechless. His people were much troubled, and 
 again they asked counsel of the wise Merlin. 
 
 He said to them : " There is no remedy in this 
 matter, but that God's will be done. But look 
 you that all the king's barons be before him to- 
 morrow, and God and I shall make him speak." 
 
 1 Ulphius = Ul'-fi-as. 2 Brastias = Bras'-ti-as. 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 5 
 
 On the following day Merlin and the chief 
 barons went in nnto the king, and Merlin said, 
 " Sire, shall your son Arthur be king after you ? " 
 
 Then Uther Pendragon turned and said in the 
 hearing of them all, "I give him God's blessing 
 and mine, and bid him to pray for my soul, and 
 to claim the crown." After saying this he died. 
 Then they made a royal funeral for the king, and 
 Queen Igraine grieved very sorely. 
 
 After this the kingdom was in great peril, for 
 every man thought of himself alone, and they that 
 were powerful gathered all their men together, 
 each hoping to be chosen king. 
 
 By the advice of Merlin, the Archbishop of 
 Canterbury 1 summoned all the lords of the king- 
 dom and all the men at arms to assemble in Lon- 
 don at Christmas. He hoped that some miracle 
 would happen then which would show to all the 
 people who should be the rightful king of Britain. 
 
 The archbishop did all that Merlin had advised, 
 and in the great church in London all the lords 
 and barons assembled to pray. After their prayers 
 were over, they found in the churchyard a great 
 stone which they had not seen when they went in, 
 and in the stone was standing a sword, sticking in 
 
 1 Canterbury = Kan'-ter-ber-i. 
 
6 HEEOES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 by the point. On it was written in letters of gold, 
 " Whosoever pulleth this sword out of this stone is 
 the rightful king of Britain.' ' 
 
 Such as longed and hoped to be king were quick 
 to try to draw out the sword, but not one could 
 make it stir. Then the archbishop commanded that 
 ten knights should watch the sword, till he should 
 come who was the rightful king. And so it was 
 done, and a cry went up over all the land that all 
 men should try to win the sword. 
 
 After this, in order that all the people might be 
 kept together till the king came, a great tourna- 
 ment was made on New Year's Day, and the 
 knights and barons tried their skill in joust and 
 tourney. 
 
 Now it happened that many of the lands owned 
 by Sir Ector lay near London, so on New Year's 
 Day he rode into the city with Arthur, and his son 
 Sir Kay. 1 As these three rode together Sir Kay 
 found that he had left his sword behind at his 
 father's lodging, and he asked Arthur to ride 
 back and bring it. 
 
 "That I shall willingly do," said Arthur, and 
 he rode back as fast as he could after the sword. 
 When he got to the house he found it empty. 
 
 i Kay = Ka. 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 7 
 
 for every one had gone forth to see the joust- 
 ing, and he could nowhere find the sword. At 
 this Arthur was angry, and he said to himself, 
 "My brother, Sir Kay, must have a sword this 
 day," and he rode off to the churchyard. 
 
 When he came there, he saw that the ten knights 
 were also gone to the jousting. Then he took hold 
 of the sword by the handle, and "lightly and 
 fiercely" he pulled it out of the stone, and rode 
 away with it to his brother. 
 
 Sir Kay knew at once what sword this was, and 
 took it to his father, saying, " Lo ! here is the 
 sword of the stone; I must be the king of this 
 land." 
 
 When Sir Ector saw the sword, he rode back 
 with Arthur and his son to the churchyard. There 
 he made Sir Kay swear upon a book how he came 
 by the sword. 
 
 He said to his father, " Sir, my brother Arthur 
 brought it to me." 
 
 " How did you get the sword ? " said Sir Ector 
 to Arthur; and Arthur told him. 
 
 Then said Sir Ector : "I understand ! You are 
 the king of this land." 
 
 " Wherefore ? " said Arthur. 
 
 "It is the will of God," answered Sir Ector. 
 
8 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 " Now show me if you can put back the sword, and 
 draw it out again." 
 
 So Arthur put back the sword as it had been in 
 the stone. Then Sir Ector first made Sir Kay try 
 to draw it out, but he could in no way make it 
 stir ; but Arthur pulled it out again easily. Then 
 Sir Ector and Sir Kay kneeled down before 
 Arthur. 
 
 "Alas," said Arthur, "iny own dear father and 
 brother, why do you kneel to me ? " 
 
 Then Sir Ector told him that he was no son of 
 his, but that Merlin had brought him to them that 
 he might be trained. Arthur was most sorrowful 
 when he heard that Sir Ector was not his father. 
 
 " Sir," said Sir Ector, u will you be my good and 
 gracious lord when you are king ? " 
 
 " I were much to blame," said Arthur, " if I did 
 otherwise, for to you and your good lady I owe 
 much ; for even as if I were her own son, has she 
 fostered me and kept me. If indeed it be God's 
 will that I be king, whatever you shall ask of me, 
 God forbid that I should fail you." 
 
 "Sir," answered Sir Ector, "I ask no more of 
 you but only this, that you make Sir Kay your 
 seneschal." 
 
 " That will I do most gladly," said Arthur, " and 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 9 
 
 more, for none but he shall have that office as long 
 as he and I do live." 
 
 Then they three went to the archbishop and 
 told him how the sword had been won and by 
 whom. On the twelfth day all the barons came 
 again together to try the sword, but none could 
 draw it from the stone but Arthur. At this all the 
 lords were very angry. u It would indeed be shame 
 to all this land," they said, " to be ruled by a lad 
 not high-born." No agreement could be made 
 with them, and the matter was put off till the 
 Feast of Pentecost. 
 
 When the Feast of Pentecost had come, all men 
 who would tried to draw out the sword ; but none 
 were able, only Arthur, and he pulled it lightly out 
 in the sight of all the lords and the commons. 
 Therefore all the commons cried out : " We will 
 have Arthur for our king. We will have no more 
 delays; it is God's will that he should have the 
 crown, and whoso is any more against it, we will 
 slay him." Then they all kneeled down and 
 prayed Arthur to forgive them for having opposed 
 him so long. 
 
 Arthur forgave them willingly, and taking the 
 sword in both his hands, he brought it to the altar 
 where the archbishop was, in order that he might 
 
10 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 receive his blessing. And then Arthur received 
 knighthood at the hands of the highest man 
 present. 
 
 Splendid were the preparations for his coronation. 
 And when he had been solemnly crowned, Arthur 
 swore to the lords and barons that he would be 
 their true king and that he would stand on the 
 side of justice all his days. And he commanded 
 those lords and barons who had held aloof to come 
 and do him homage. 
 
 2. THE BATTLE OF CARLEON. 
 
 After these events King Arthur went into Wales 
 and prepared a great feast, and he sent word 
 through all the land that the feast would be held, 
 after he had been crowned again, in the city of 
 Carleon. 1 
 
 There were present in answer to the king's 
 summons King Lot of Lothian 2 and Orkney, 3 the 
 husband of King Arthur's sister, with five hundred 
 knights ; King Urience 4 of Gore with four hundred ; 
 King Neutres 5 of Garloth 6 with seven hundred; 
 
 1 Carleon = Kar'-le-on. 4 Urience = L T/ -ri-ens. 
 
 2 Lothian = Lo'-thi-an. 5 Xeutres = Nu'-tr. 
 
 8 Orkney = Ork'-ni. 6 Garloth = Gar'-loth. 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 13 
 
 the king of Scotland with six hundred ; the king 
 of Carados 1 with five hundred ; and the King of an 
 Hundred Knights. There were in all, knights and 
 soldiers, about thirty thousand men. A very 
 gallant array they made, as they marched into 
 Carleon with horses prancing and banners waving. 
 
 King Arthur was very glad of their coming, 
 because he thought that they had come for love of 
 him, and he sent rich presents to both kings and 
 knights. But the haughty men only flouted his 
 messengers, and said to them : " We will have 
 none of the gifts of a beardless boy of low birth. 
 Shame would it be to us, and to this great land, to 
 have such a boy to rule over us." 
 
 The messengers returned again to Arthur with 
 the gifts, and told him what those proud lords had 
 said. For this cause, by the advice of Merlin and 
 such barons as were true to him, Arthur betook 
 himself to a strong and safe tower outside the 
 walls of the city. There went with him five hun- 
 dred faithful knights. The unruly lords at once 
 laid siege to Arthur's stronghold, but he was well 
 supplied with food, and so able to withstand them. 
 
 When about fifteen days had passed, Merlin 
 entered the city of Carleon, to the great joy of the 
 
 1 Carados = Kar'-Qrdos. 
 
14 HEROES OF CHIVALEY. 
 
 rebellious kings. They asked him, saying, " Why 
 is this beardless boy made king ? " 
 
 " Sirs, I will tell you ; because he is the son of 
 the great Uther Pendragon, and I say he shall be 
 king and overcome all his enemies. Before he dies 
 he shall have under his rule Britain, north and 
 south, Wales, Scotland, and many other realms/ ' 
 
 Some of the kings were astounded at what 
 Merlin told them and would have joined with King 
 Arthur ; but King Lot of Orkney and some others 
 laughed Merlin to scorn and called him a wizard, 
 and would have nothing to do with him. But 
 before he left them, they agreed with Merlin that 
 Arthur should come out and speak to them in safety. 
 
 Then Merlin went to King Arthur and told him 
 what he had arranged. " Come out boldly," he 
 said to the king, " and do not spare them, but 
 answer them as befits their king and chieftain. 
 In the end you shall overcome them all, whether 
 they will or not." 
 
 Then King Arthur came out of his tower. 
 Underneath his robes he wore a coat of double 
 mail, strong and sure. With him went the arch- 
 bishop, Sir Bondwine, 1 Sir Kay the Seneschal, 
 and Sir Brastias. 
 
 1 Bondwine = Bond'-wln. 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 15 
 
 When they met the rebel kings, there were but 
 .few words of kindness spoken. They greeted each 
 other proudly. King Arthur said he wonld make 
 them bow to him if he lived, and they were very 
 angry and left him in a rage. So Arthur returned 
 to his tower and all his armed men with him. 
 
 Merlin went again to the rebels and asked them 
 what they would do now. "You had better cease 
 your fighting, for if you were ten times the num- 
 ber, you would not prevail," said he. 
 
 Then answered King Lot, " Shall we be shamed 
 by a reader of dreams ? " With this Merlin van- 
 ished suddenly from them and came to King 
 Arthur and told him to set on them fiercely. 
 
 And Arthur was comforted, for three hundred 
 of the most valiant men among the rebel kings 
 came to him to be his men. Merlin said to the 
 king, "Fight not with the sword that brought 
 you the kingdom till you see that you are 
 getting the worse, but then draw it out and do 
 your uttermost." 
 
 Then King Arthur and all his knights went forth 
 quickly and set on his enemies while they were yet 
 in their tents. Sir Bondwine, Sir Kay, and Sir 
 Brastias slew on the right hand and on the left in 
 mighty fashion. But always King Arthur on 
 
16 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 horseback laid about him with his sword, and did 
 wondrous deeds that day. Many rejoiced in his 
 skill and great courage. 
 
 King Lot and King Carados went round with 
 their men and set on Arthur in the rear fiercely ; 
 but Arthur and his knights slew all they met, be- 
 hind and before. Arthur was ever found in the 
 hardest press of the battle till his horse was killed 
 under him. When King Lot saw this he fell on 
 Arthur and smote him down, but four of Arthur's 
 knights raised him and set him on a horse again. 
 
 Then King Arthur, with a mighty shout,, drew 
 his shining sword. It flashed so brightly in the 
 faces of his enemies that it gave a light as of 
 thirty torches, and with it he slew many men. At 
 this all the commons of Carleon joined themselves 
 with Arthur, and, armed with clubs and staves, they 
 killed many of his enemies. The rebel kings held 
 together with their knights that remained alive, 
 and fled from the field. 
 
 3. THE FAMOUS FIGHT AT BEDINGRAN. 
 
 King Arthur returned to London and called a 
 great council of his knights. But they did not 
 
THE STOEY OF ARTHUR. 17 
 
 know what should be done, and so Arthur said 
 to them, "Fair sirs, will ye hear Merlin?" and 
 they all consented gladly. Now Merlin knew 
 that all the rebels would quickly gather together 
 with all their men at arms to avenge themselves 
 on Arthur. 
 
 When he had been called to the council, Merlin 
 addressed them, saying, " King Arthur and all ye 
 mighty barons, I warn you all that your enemies 
 are some of the most renowned knights alive. 
 Already, in their preparations, they have won over 
 to them four more kings and a great and mighty 
 duke. If King Arthur had more chivalry around 
 him, he might very well fight them in his own realm, 
 but now if he fights, he will surely be overcome. 
 Beyond the seas are two brothers, good knights 
 both, who before time lived in Britain. One is 
 called King Ban of Benoic 1 and the other King 
 Bors 2 of Gaul. They wage war with King Claudas 
 of the Desert, who would dispossess them of their 
 lands. Let our king send two trusty knights to 
 bear a message to them, saying, ? Come over and 
 help us, and we will return and fight your enemies.' 
 What say you to my words ? " 
 
 " It is well thought of," said they all ; and in 
 
 1 Benoic = Be-no'-ik. 2 Bors = Bors. 
 
 
 
18 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 great haste Sir Ulphius and Sir Brastias were made 
 the messengers. 
 
 These two brave knights succeeded in their mis- 
 sion and brought back with them King Ban and 
 King Bors. King Arthur made very magnificent 
 preparations to meet them. After a great feast 
 and a tournament the king held a council in his 
 palace, and it was determined what they should 
 do. 
 
 King Arthur should send orders to all parts of 
 his kingdom, that those who of right were his men 
 should assemble in the Forest of Bedingran. 1 All 
 the barons and lords and knights should bring 
 with them their attendant knights and men at 
 arms, mounted and unmounted. Merlin should 
 go over into Little Britain, there to raise an army 
 of the men of King Ban and King Bors, and to 
 confer with their seneschals as to the safety of 
 their queens and their lands while their lords re- 
 mained with Arthur. 
 
 Then Merlin, with the seal ring of King Ban, 
 went to the principal cities of King Ban and King 
 Bors, and he collected from all the country round 
 ten thousand chosen men ; and when all was ready, 
 he departed with many rich presents from the 
 
 1 Bedingran = Bed'-ing-ran. 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 19 
 
 queens. Then Merlin came to the seashore and 
 set sail with the army for Britain. 
 
 While Merlin was away King Arthur busied 
 himself, with the aid of his knights and barons, 
 in raising a great army. When he had gotten 
 more than ten thousand men and horses, he sent 
 them to the Forest of Bedingran. Then he set 
 guards at all the passes and on all the highways. 
 
 The eleven kings had been very angry at their 
 defeat at Carleon, and were more determined than 
 ever to resist King Arthur. They had met in 
 solemn conclave, and they and all their knights 
 and men at arms had sworn a solemn oath that 
 they would destroy King Arthur and his knights, 
 and drive them from the kingdom. 
 
 To this end they had drawn up an immense 
 army near the great Forest of Bedingran. Their 
 army numbered in all forty thousand men, and 
 they felt very sure of their success over the 
 " young, beardless boy." They knew that Arthur 
 was preparing to meet them, and they sent spies 
 throughout the land, trying to find out where his 
 army was. 
 
 When Merlin arrived with the army he had 
 brought, Sir Ulphius said to him, " If the rebel 
 kings lay hold on you, they will slay you, for they 
 
20 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 have sworn to destroy you for giving aid to King 
 Arthur." 
 
 " They do rightly," said Merlin ; " for they have 
 no greater enemy than I am, nor one who will do 
 them more harm than I, while they fight against 
 their rightful overlord. Great caution must we 
 use in fighting them. They lie near by the forest, 
 forty thousand strong, and not one man can we 
 spare of our small army." 
 
 Then Merlin came to King Arthur and said : 
 " Know, sire, because you are a very young man, 
 and you have a very great kingdom to rule over, 
 and your barons help you scarcely at all, save 
 such as loved King Uther Pendragon, the rest of 
 the people would soon turn from you, were it not 
 for the royal state and magnificence that you 
 maintain and the many gifts you give to them. 
 Here, under this spot where you stand, lies buried 
 a very great treasure, which you will do wisely to 
 guard well, till such time as you can bring it away 
 safely." 
 
 Soon after this King Arthur and his friends 
 were sitting near a beautiful clear fountain, when 
 Merlin came to them and said : " Sirs, it is time 
 to fall upon your enemies. But the host must 
 move secretly by night and make the first attack 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 21 
 
 two hours before the dawn. Let us order things 
 in such a fashion that not a soul may know before- 
 hand any of our plans. They are a mighty host 
 of men, and we are but a handful." 
 
 Then, with beating heart, King Arthur set his 
 host in battle array. They started soon after 
 sundown. The night was clear, with a bright 
 moon, and very still, but bitter cold, for it was the 
 month of January. Under the shadow of the deep 
 forest they stole silently into the positions the king 
 had designed for them. 
 
 The order of the battle was that Arthur's divi- 
 sion should lead the attack and fall on the enemy 
 while they were yet in their tents. After they had 
 fought till they were weary, reinforcements were 
 to come up under the brothers, King Ban and 
 King Bors, and finish the battle if possible, with- 
 out leaving their enemies time to rally. 
 
 The army of the eleven rebel kings was twice 
 as large as King Arthur's, but they were far from 
 their homes. They did not yet know where King 
 Arthur was, and they had not the least idea 
 that he was so near to them. Yet they did not 
 even set guards or sentries, so careless and confi- 
 dent had their great number made them. 
 
 The eleven kings all slept together in one great 
 
22 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 tent. King Lot of Orkney had a very terrible 
 dream, so that he cried out in his sleep. He 
 dreamed that there came a terrible wind that blew 
 down all the houses and steeples. This was fol- 
 lowed by fearful thunder and lightning. After 
 this came a great flood that washed everything 
 away. He awoke his fellows in the tent, and 
 asked them what they thought of his dream. 
 They were all filled with fear and trembling, and 
 they took counsel together and armed themselves ; 
 for they said, " There is coming a great and mar- 
 velous battle, and we must be ready." 
 
 Now Merlin, who knew so many things, knew 
 about this dream, so he hastened the coming of 
 Arthur's men. Long before the rebel kings could 
 warn their host, Arthur's men were upon them. 
 It was dark, for the moon had set ; and there rose 
 a great cry in the rebel host of : " Treason ! Trea- 
 son ! Some traitor has betrayed us." 
 
 Then there was rushing to and fro, men in their 
 haste seizing what arms they could lay hands on. 
 Horses galloped here and there, dashing about in 
 the wildest fear, and trampling down their masters. 
 Then came a great wind which blew down the 
 tents, and men got entangled in their sheets and 
 in the tents ; and a dense fog came stealing up 
 
THE STORY OE ARTHUR. 23 
 
 which hid friend from friend, so that all were 
 foes together. Some, in the fright and darkness, 
 thought that a host of giants had fallen on them, 
 and ran for their lives, while others wandered 
 about, half crazy with fear, moaning and crying, 
 and wringing their hands. And Arthur's men 
 fell on all they found, and killed them right and 
 left. 
 
 Now the rebel kings had left their tent and 
 stationed themselves in the open field. They 
 commanded that a trumpeter should sound a great 
 blast, high and clear, so that their frightened host 
 might rally to their standards outside the camp. 
 When such as could clear themselves finally made 
 their way to the place where the rebel kings stood, 
 they found that of all the great host only twenty 
 thousand had been able to come together. 
 
 By this time the morning light had come, and 
 King Arthur had drawn off his men. He and Sir 
 Kay and Merlin debated what was best to do. 
 Then Merlin said : " Sire, go round with Sir 
 Ulphius and pass the . river by a ford that lies 
 lower down, and fall on the front of the twenty 
 thousand men remaining to them. I will go to 
 King Ban and King Bors, and bring them through 
 the forest to attack the enemy in the rear. They 
 
24 HEEOES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 will be sore afraid when they see your allies behind 
 them and you and your men in front, and they 
 will make but a poor defense against you." 
 
 Then King Arthur rode off with his own division 
 to cross the little river, on the other side of which 
 the rebels had re-formed their army. When they 
 saw the king, at the head of his men, passing the 
 river with horses prancing and banners waving, 
 they knew not what to think. " Can such a small 
 host have done us so much hurt ? " they cried. 
 " They are only a few thousand, and we are still 
 twenty thousand." And they were angry and 
 ashamed. 
 
 They held themselves in such close array that 
 when Arthur came up, he could not penetrate their 
 ranks, on this side or on that. Soon Sir Ulphius 
 came to join Arthur, and then Sir Bretel, 1 and 
 they made such an onslaught that their enemies 
 had much to do to defend themselves. Then they 
 all fell to fighting furiously, man with man, and 
 fierce were the attacks on both sides. Men came 
 together and did such deeds that their companions 
 marveled. 
 
 The horse of Sir Ulphius was killed under him, 
 and he would have been trodden in the press had 
 
 1 Bretel = Bre'-tel. 
 
.THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 25 
 
 not Sir Bretel seen his danger and slain the knight 
 he was fighting with. Then he took the enemy's 
 horse and gave it to Sir Ulphius. Men fought as 
 if they had been mad with rage and anger, but 
 between friends each was ever ready to risk his 
 life for the other. It would be of little use to 
 single out one or two and tell their deeds, when 
 each one fought so bravely, and there was no dis- 
 tinction Detween men of high estate and low. All 
 men said that the young King Arthur surpassed 
 all others in valor, and even the foe paid a tribute 
 to his lion-hearted courage. 
 
 Now King Lot and the rebel kings, when they 
 found that they could make no headway against 
 King Arthur, withdrew together to take counsel. 
 " I know not," said King Lot, " the mind of each 
 one of you, but this I know, that as long as four or 
 five men are left, I will fight to the death, for I 
 fear me the day is lost." The rest had little to 
 say, for they thought the same. 
 
 "I will tell you," continued King Lot, "what 
 we can do. Five of our leaders shall take their 
 men and shall return to the battle. Six of us will 
 remain here and hold ourselves ready. When the 
 foe is weary with fighting, we will fall on them. 
 By this we shall do them greater damage than if 
 
26 HEEOES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 we all together fall on them at one time. With out 
 men we will hold ourselves ready by this wood 
 near this little river." 
 
 Then the other six kings galloped to the field 
 again, each at the head of two thousand men. 
 King Arthur and his knights were eager to fall 
 on them, and met them, and again the weary 
 righting went on. 
 
 Now while this battle was raging in the field, 
 King Lot and the kings with him were astounded 
 to see coming from the wood behind them King 
 Bors and King Ban with their men. Their banners 
 were gleaming and their horses were prancing and 
 champing their bits, for they were not weary with 
 fighting as were King Arthur and his knights. 
 King Lot said : " I fear me, now, that we shall be 
 beaten indeed. There are no two brothers living 
 more valiant and renowned." 
 
 When King Ban and his brother rode into the 
 field of battle, they laid about them so fiercely that 
 their strokes resounded far and near. The rebel 
 knights drew closer together and were afraid. 
 Then King Lot and the rest rode into the field 
 again to rescue their companions. 
 
 King Carados and the King of an Hundred 
 Knights had a mighty encounter with Ban and 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 27 
 
 Bors. They fought together till the valiant 
 brothers were both dismounted. Then King Lot 
 and the others surrounded them, thinking now to 
 get the better of them. But King. Arthur, who, 
 though weary, was ever to be found where his 
 help was the most needed, came up, and, singling 
 out a knight most richly armed, gave him such a 
 blow on the helmet that he drove the knight off 
 his horse to the ground, dead. Then he took the 
 horse by his golden bridle and rode up with hirn 
 to King Ban, who lightly disentangled himself 
 from his enemies and mounted. Sir Ulphius did 
 the like for King Bors. . 
 
 By this time so many had been slain that the 
 rebel host lost heart, and knowing not which way 
 to turn, they fled wildly in all directions. It soon 
 became a general rout, but the rebel kings rode 
 slowly from the field and made a final stand at the 
 river, trying to cover the retreat of their beaten 
 army. 
 
 By this victory Arthur was firmly established 
 on the throne, and in the years that followed, 
 most of the rebel kings at one time or another 
 became reconciled to him as their overlord. 
 
 After returning thanks for this great victory, 
 the three kings made their way with the army to 
 
28 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 London. All round the city in the meadows great 
 tents and pavilions were pitched for the men at 
 arms. All the townspeople swarmed out from the 
 city to greet them, and there was great feasting 
 and rejoicing for many days. 
 
 Arthur gave command that all the treasure that 
 had been collected from the camp and battle-field, 
 after the flight of the rebels, should be gathered 
 in one great heap. Then the three kings distrib- 
 uted it to their men, according to their degree. 
 They gave away the war horses with their accou- 
 terments, the rich armor, and the gold and silken 
 cloth, till there was none left for themselves. And 
 the people returned to their homes well contented, 
 and ready to come forth and fight for Arthur when- 
 ever he should call them, for he was a great warrior 
 and a generous king. 
 
 4. THE ROMANS AND THE SAXONS SEND 
 AMBASSADORS. 
 
 While King Arthur held his court at London, the 
 Emperor of Rome sent to him demanding tribute 
 money and homage from him as overlord of the 
 land of Britain. But Arthur, after calmly debat- 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR, 29 
 
 ing with his great lords and barons, said : " I owe 
 the emperor no tribute, nor do I hold my realm 
 under him. On a fair field will I pay tribute with 
 a long spear and a sharp sword, and, by the soul 
 of my father, Uther Pendragon, it will not be long 
 before I pay this to him." The ambassadors de- 
 parted very wroth. 
 
 There came a very different message of defiance 
 to King Arthur from the Saxons, which, as we shall 
 see, led, curiously enough, to his falling in love 
 with the beautiful Guinevere. As he was sitting 
 at meat with his barons and knights, a bold and 
 swaggering man came into the great hall. 
 
 " Fellow, what will you here ? " said the king. 
 
 " I greet you, Sir King, from my lord King 
 Rions, 1 and this is the message I bear : King 
 Eions has overcome eleven kings, and each one of 
 them has done him homage. This was the hom- 
 age they did him. They gave him their beards 
 flayed from their faces. With these King Rions 
 has trimmed his mantle, but there lacks one place 
 without any beard; wherefore do you, Arthur, 
 send him yours. If not, he will enter your lands 
 and burn and slay, and never leave till he has the 
 head with the beard on it." 
 
 1 Rions = Ry'-ons. 
 
30 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 Arthur and his court laughed long and loudly, 
 for he was too young yet to have a beard. 
 Then Arthur said to the messenger : " Tell thy 
 king this : I owe him no homage, nor shall I 
 pay him any, but on his knees shall he do hom- 
 age to me, or else he shall lose his head. This 
 is the most shameful message that ever I heard 
 speak of." 
 
 Soon after this King Arthur came to Merlin and 
 said to him : " My lords and barons will leave me 
 no peace, but say that I must take a wife. Aid 
 me with your wisdom, for I know no maid whom 
 I would wish to wed." 
 
 And Merlin said, " Let us talk of it with King 
 Ban and King Bors." 
 
 When they were come, Merlin said : " There lives 
 to the northward a great king whose name is 
 Leodgrance. 1 He has a very rich kingdom, and 
 King Rions fights against him. If it were not for 
 the Knights of the Round Table that Uther Pen- 
 dragon gave him, long before this he would have 
 been overcome, for he is very old. He has one 
 daughter, the damsel Guinevere 2 ; she is more beau- 
 tiful, and wise, and rich, than any other maid in the 
 land, and very well she will suit King Arthur for 
 
 1 Leodgrance = Le-od'-grans. 2 Guinevere = Guin'-e-ver. 
 
THE STORY OF AETHUE. 31 
 
 a wife. Go ye, all three, and fight the battles of 
 King Leodgrance for him, "and Arthur shall see 
 Guinevere." 
 
 At first King Ban and King Bors objected. 
 They thought it not wise to remain so long away 
 from their own kingdoms, but Merlin showed them 
 how much stronger they would be with the alli- 
 ance of both Arthur and the rich King Leodgrance. 
 " One must take a long run if one wishes to jump 
 far," said Merlin. " If we do as I say, it will not 
 be time lost." 
 
 " We will be advised by thee," said they. " For 
 never have we found a wiser man than thou." 
 
 5. HOW ARTHUR WON HIS WIFE. 
 
 Then Arthur, Ban, Bors, and a chosen band of 
 knights led by Merlin set out for the country of 
 King Leodgrance. On Easter eve they arrived at 
 Carmelhide l and entered the city. They rode to 
 the palace of King Leodgrance, whom they found 
 in a state of great dismay. King Bions had 
 entered his lands in company with five great 
 barons, and had laid siege to his rich and beautiful 
 
 1 Carmelhide = Kar'-mel-hld. 
 
32 HEROES OF CHIVALKY. 
 
 city of Daneblaise. 1 Leodgrance was sitting with a 
 company of his barons whom he had summoned to 
 the council chamber, when Arthur and his friends 
 arrived at the palace. When they were ushered 
 in, King Leodgrance saw at a glance that they 
 must be mighty lords, so noble was their bearing 
 and so gentle and courteous were their manners. 
 
 King Ban became the spokesman. u Sire," he 
 said, bowing low, " take us to be your men." 
 
 " In good sooth, ye are welcome if ye come on a 
 good errand." 
 
 " Truly, sire, we will prove it by our deeds. 
 Suffer us to withhold our names till such time as 
 we have proved ourselves. We come here to serve 
 you, and loyal are we and true." 
 
 Leodgrance replied, "I will confer with my 
 barons ; if they are agreed, I will gladly accept 
 your help." 
 
 Then he consulted with the Knights of the Round 
 Table, whether the strangers should be received or 
 not. His knights replied, " Sire, to keep them 
 with us can do no harm, for we can see they are 
 full knightly in their bearing." 
 
 So Leodgrance came to them and said, " Gentle 
 knights, gladly will I accept your help, and I pray 
 
 1 Daneblaise = Dan'-e-blaz. 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 33 
 
 you by the love I bear you, to let us know your 
 names as soon as may be." Then the allied kings 
 were full of joy, and swore to help Leodgrance to 
 the best of their power. 
 
 King Leodgrance gave commands that his army 
 should be assembled by Ascension Day, and some 
 of his barons he sent out to collect provisions, that 
 there might be no lack. Then followed busy days 
 for all. Merlin was sometimes with Arthur, and 
 sometimes he left him for days at a time. He 
 visited all parts of the kingdom that he might 
 bring tidings to Arthur of all that went on. 
 
 King Leodgrance and his knights set their war 
 harness in order and all their weapons. All day 
 long, and at night too, might be heard the clang 
 of steel and iron as the armorers worked, strength- 
 ening rivets and bolts and sharpening spears and 
 swords. All the people in Carmelhide who could 
 carry arms and all the country people gathered in 
 such numbers that seven thousand were lodged 
 within the city gates, and outside the walls in 
 tents and pavilions were forty thousand more of 
 horse and foot soldiers. 
 
 Then word was brought to King Leodgrance 
 that his enemies were carrying off the provisions 
 from the country-side and burning the crops and 
 
34 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 iiouses. They came so near the city that the cries 
 of the men and the animals they were driving away 
 could be heard within the walls. Then King 
 Leodgrance was angry and gave command that 
 the army should march at once. 
 
 Cleodalis, 1 the seneschal, led the army of the 
 people, and with them rode the city knights. 
 Before them was carried the great gonfalon or 
 banner of their king. Leodgrance himself rode 
 with a separate band, the Knights of the Round 
 Table. They numbered two hundred and fifty men, 
 and carried before them the little scarlet gonfalon 
 of their king — a field sown with golden crowns, 
 and crossed with two long stripes of scarlet. 
 
 The allied kings were not behindhand in their 
 preparations, but quickly made ready with all 
 their company. Merlin himself carried Arthur's 
 standard. Many wondered when they looked at 
 it, for it bore a great dragon with a writhing body, 
 and from his open jaws he thrust his tongue, 
 spitting fire. With banner waving in their midst, 
 and all in flashing armor, horse and man, they 
 made a brave show, not to be outdone by that 
 of the venerable King Leodgrance and his lusty 
 knights. 
 
 1 Cleodalis = Kle-o'-da-lis. 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 35 
 
 By the orders of Leodgrance the army had 
 assembled within the city walls, and when they 
 came to the gates, they found them closed against 
 the enemy. Now Merlin, with the three allied 
 kings, wanted to be the first in the field. The 
 guards would not open the gates without the 
 orders of Leodgrance, and so Merlin, leaving the 
 three kings to parley with the guards, walked to 
 the gates and laid his hand on them — and lo ! 
 they flew open at once. Before the guards could 
 recover from their astonishment, Arthur's company 
 passed through and the gates closed behind them. 
 
 King Arthur, King Ban, and King Bors, and the 
 knights with them were as much astonished as 
 any one ; but Merlin cried aloud the battle-cry of 
 King Arthur, and as one man they galloped at the 
 enemy. They came up with a band of nearly two 
 thousand men, who were driving off a number of 
 beasts. Then Merlin waved the flaming banner 
 high, and Arthur's company fell upon the foe. 
 After they had wounded and slain the greater part, 
 the rest made off, and Arthur's men turned the 
 cattle and drove them toward the city. 
 
 By this time the Saxons, with King Rions of 
 the red beard at their head, had drawn up their 
 army in force, fifteen thousand men in all. They 
 
36 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 had with them great quantities of spoil which 
 they had hoped to carry off. 
 
 King Leodgrance, meanwhile, saw what was hap- 
 pening, and commanded that the city gates should 
 be thrown open. At the head of his knights he 
 issued forth, followed by Cleodalis leading the 
 great army. 
 
 King Arthur, when he saw how he was to be 
 supported, turned and faced the army of the 
 Saxons. The two armies came together with a 
 terrific clash. Arthur and his knights performed 
 prodigies of valor, nor did King Leodgrance and 
 his knights do less. The slaughter for a while 
 was terrible. When there came a pause in the 
 fight, it was seen that in the turmoil King Leod- 
 grance had been separated from his friends, and 
 thrown down and taken prisoner. 
 
 Now Leodgrance had, as we have heard, a beau- 
 tiful daughter called Guinevere. Many people 
 said that she was the most beautiful woman in 
 all the world. She and her favorite maidens had 
 stationed themselves on the walls of the city, 
 whence they could easily see what was taking 
 place. She had watched with curious interest the 
 prowess of the unknown knights ; but now with 
 a shriek of horror she saw her beloved old father 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 37 
 
 thrown from his horse and a prisoner in the hands 
 of his cruel enemies. Five hundred of them 
 quickly gathered round him to take him off to the 
 camp of King Rions. 
 
 When the Knights of the Round Table saw 
 what had happened, they were desperate. Taking 
 counsel together, they resolved that, now they had 
 lost their king, all that remained for them was 
 to die valiantly, for rescue him they could not. 
 At the first they had numbered only two hundred 
 and fifty; many had been killed in the furious 
 fighting, and those who remained were hemmed 
 in by hordes of the enemy. They set themselves 
 back to back and defended themselves so fiercely, 
 that a great wall of dying and dead enemies lay 
 all around where the last of the knights still 
 stood. 
 
 Now Arthur had been doing great deeds on 
 another part of the battle-field. He and his little 
 band of forty knights had joined themselves with 
 Cleodalis and his four thousand soldiers, and were 
 furiously attacking the fifteen thousand Saxons. 
 The field was strewn with the dead bodies of men 
 and of horses. Merlin, meanwhile, had seen what 
 happened to Leodgrance and his company. He rode 
 up and told King Arthur, and immediately the 
 
38 HEROES OF CHI V ALE Y. 
 
 king and his knights galloped after the band of 
 five hundred Saxons who were carrying off King 
 Leodgrance. 
 
 They came up with them in a little valley be- 
 tween the rocks, and it was as if a sudden tempest 
 had struck them, for Arthur shouted to his com- 
 pany, " Sirs, kill them all at once ; ye are all dead 
 men if a single one escapes us." Like a whirl- 
 wind they rushed on the five hundred, raging 
 back and forth among them till not one remained 
 alive, and so King Leodgrance was saved. 
 
 When he glanced around at the slaughter they 
 had made, Leodgrance marveled; and yet more 
 he marveled when he saw the standard that Mer- 
 lin bore. From the mouth of the great coiled, 
 writhing dragon leapt great tongues of flame, so 
 that the whole field was lighted up by the blaze of 
 light. Now Guinevere from the walls had seen all 
 this battle. 
 
 Then Arthur said: "Gentle companions, we 
 must not rest. Still there remain in sore peril 
 the Knights of the Kound Table." So they went 
 swiftly back and found scarce twenty remaining. 
 It was difficult for their friends to reach and 
 rescue them, so surrounded were they with great 
 heaps of slain. 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 39 
 
 Then they all entered the fight again: The 
 Seneschal Cleodalis proved himself a mighty war- 
 rior, as did many another at this terrible battle. 
 Once again poor old King Leodgrance was nearly 
 taken, but Arthur came to his rescue and killed 
 the Saxon foe. When Guinevere saw this, she 
 was overcome with joy, and she and her ladies wept 
 and prayed and blessed the stranger knights who 
 had done such noble deeds that day. At last, after 
 many an hour of weary watching, Guinevere saw 
 the Saxons fleeing in all directions, and she knew 
 that for this time at least the savage foe was 
 conquered. 
 
 The tired army turned back toward the city, 
 and mothers, wives, and maidens prepared baths, 
 and fair garments, and rich food to rest and 
 refresh them. But there was wailing and great 
 sorrow for those who would return no more. 
 
 The Princess Guinevere and her maidens at- 
 tended to the wants of the stranger knights. 
 When they had been clothed in beautiful robes 
 after their bath in the marble baths, they all 
 went to the feast spread out for them in the 
 great banqueting hall. The Lady Guinevere her- 
 self served Arthur at the table, and Arthur 
 thought that she was the fairest, stateliest maiden 
 
40 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 his eyes had ever rested on. Then Guinevere 
 fell on her knees before him and thanked him 
 in sweet words for saving the life of her father; 
 but Arthur raised her and would not let her kneel 
 to him. His heart swelled at her gracious speech, 
 and ever after he loved her. And we may well 
 believe that she loved him. 
 
 When the men had well feasted, they rose from 
 the table and w^ent into another great hall. Here 
 minstrels sang to them of the deeds of their 
 fathers, and of their fathers' fathers before them 
 in other days. They sang of love and adventure, 
 and even of the great deeds done in this battle. 
 
 6. BETROTHAL OF ARTHUR AND GUINEVERE. 
 
 Now King Leodgrance and all his people won- 
 dered much who these noble strangers could be. 
 The next day he sent for Merlin and asked of 
 him their names. Merlin said, u These knights are 
 men of very high lineage, sons of kings. He who 
 is first among them rides on his adventures, till 
 such time as he shall encounter the daughter of 
 a king worthy to be his wife." 
 
 Then said King Leodgrance : " Well I see that 
 
But Arthur raised her." 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 43 
 
 these be men of high estate, and men more gentle 
 and courteous and hardy have I never seen. 
 Willingly would I give my daughter to one as 
 these. She is most beautiful, and the best in- 
 structed and the wisest maid ever born in these 
 realms. After me, all my rich lands and cattle 
 and royal treasures will be hers, for she is the heir 
 of all my lands." 
 
 Merlin replied, "Very happy will my lord be, 
 for much he regards your daughter." 
 
 Then King Leodgrance bade Guinevere don her 
 richest robes, and, taking her by the hand, he led 
 her into the chamber wherein were assembled 
 Arthur and his friends, the few remaining Knights 
 of the Round Table, and all the mighty princes, 
 lords, and barons that had come to aid King 
 Leodgrance in his war against the Saxons. 
 
 When King Leodgrance appeared in the great 
 hall leading his daughter by the hand, King Arthur 
 and his friends came forward to meet them. Then 
 King Leodgrance spoke to Arthur in a loud voice 
 that could be heard throughout the hall. " Gentle 
 stranger, I know not your name, but this I know : 
 never have I seen before a gentler or more cour- 
 teous knight than you, nor one more courageous. 
 Gladly I give to you my beloved and cherished 
 
44 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 daughter to be your true wife." Saying this, he 
 laid the hand of Guinevere in that of Arthur. 
 Then they two were solemnly betrothed before all 
 the assembled company. 
 
 After this Merlin said to King Leodgrance, 
 " Sire, would you not gladly know the name of 
 this stranger to whom you have given your 
 daughter?" 
 
 " Truly," said King Leodgrance, " and that 
 would we all." 
 
 "Then know," said Merlin, "this is King 
 Arthur, your overlord, and overlord of all the 
 realm of Britain." 
 
 Then there was such joy and feasting at Car- 
 melhide as had never been known until that day. 
 And all the princes and barons and lords did 
 homage and swore fealty to King Arthur. 
 
 7. KING ARTHUR FIGHTS WITH KING RIONS. 
 
 Hardly was this joyful event over when King 
 Leodgrance and his guests had to take themselves 
 to war again. The Saxons were overrunning the 
 land in great hordes and threatening the whole 
 realm. A fresh division was made of the army 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 45 
 
 into ten great bands under ten men of great re- 
 nown — seventy-seven thousand men in all. 
 
 Before they left the city a farewell feast was 
 given to the leaders by the Princess Guinevere. 
 After it was over, with her own hands she buckled 
 on the armor of King Arthur. Then Merlin said, 
 " Sir, like the deftest of squires, she has armed 
 you at all points ; there is but one thing lacking 
 before you leave." Then Arthur clasped his fair 
 betrothed in his mailed arms and kissed her very 
 tenderly, and took his departure. 
 
 It would take too long to follow the details 
 of the conflict. The struggle was fierce, for the 
 Saxons were ferocious fighters and knew no mercy. 
 After long hours King Rions saw that the battle 
 was going against him. Mad with fury, he rode at 
 King Arthur, who was always the most notable 
 figure on the field. He drew his wonderful sword, 
 and rushed on Arthur like a mad bull. He dealt 
 him a terrific blow on the head, but the trusty 
 helmet, buckled on by the slender fingers of Guine- 
 vere, withstood the stroke. In return Arthur dealt 
 Rions such a blow on the shoulder that the sword 
 fell from the Saxon's hand. Then the gigantic 
 Rions gave a roar of rage, and, dashing at Arthur, 
 tried to drag him from the saddle by brute force. 
 
46 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 When Arthur felt the furious strength of his power- 
 ful foe, he threw his sword from him and grasped 
 his saddle with all his might, for he feared that his 
 adversary would hurl him to the ground. Then 
 Rions dragged and tore at Arthur, and they two 
 swayed backward and forward in their saddles. 
 But Rions could not unseat his enemy. 
 
 King Ban saw the fierce struggle, and, fearing for 
 Arthur's life, — for Rions was raging like a maniac, 
 — he rode full speed at them. When Rions saw 
 King Ban coming, he redoubled his efforts, but 
 without success. Ban struck a mighty blow with 
 his sword and cut down right through the shoulder 
 and side of King Rions. When Rions felt himself 
 so badly wounded and saw all his companions lying 
 dead on the ground, he was seized with fear, and, 
 giving a howl of rage, he set spurs into his horse, 
 and suddenly turned and fled from the field of 
 battle. As he went, he yelled back curses and 
 threats of dire revenge on Arthur for this day's 
 disaster. 
 
 Arthur and Ban looked at each other in amaze- 
 ment, for this was not the true knight's way of 
 fighting ; but they were happy to be alive and out 
 of the power of the terrible Saxon. Then they 
 rested and Arthur dismounted, and, unbuckling his 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 47 
 
 own scabbard, seized the sword of King Rions. 
 He brandished it in the air, marveling at its 
 wondrous flashing brightness. Then Arthur took 
 his own sword and buckled it on King Ban, who 
 graciously thanked his friend, and prayed that the 
 time might come when he could prove that his 
 new sword had no unworthy owner. 
 
 When the horrible slaughter was over, King 
 Leodgrance returned to the city ; but King Arthur 
 and King Ban and King Bors departed toward 
 London, each with a band of men, to clear the 
 country of the Saxons who still roved about after 
 the battle. They had many and surprising adven- 
 tures, which are to be found in the old books, 
 but we must pass them over. Finally they met 
 together again in the Forest of Bedingran. Well 
 pleased were they to see each other. They camped 
 in a fair green glade in the forest, under a spread- 
 ing tree near a little stream of clear and sparkling 
 water, where they rested and told one another their 
 adventures. 
 
 8. ARTHUR WINS FRIENDS. 
 
 There had been sad happenings at London while 
 Arthur was away. The Saxons had come and 
 
48 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 ravaged the land, burning and destroying all the 
 countryside and all the shipping on the river. But 
 assistance had come from a band of young warriors 
 who called themselves " The Children.' ' 
 
 When The Children heard that King Arthur was 
 advancing to his city of London, they rode out 
 with a great company to meet him. The day was 
 hot and the roads were dusty, as happens some- 
 times in the month of May. All the company 
 were weary, for they had been obliged to travel in 
 full armor, they and their horses, because of the 
 wandering bands of Saxons. When they were 
 come to the forest, they saw a company of knights 
 under the trees. The leader of The Children said, 
 "Fair sirs, can you tell me where to find King 
 Arthur?" 
 
 When the knights looked at The Children, they 
 were astonished, and said to each other, " Such fair 
 and beautiful and courteous youths must be men of 
 high lineage.' ' They greeted them very kindly 
 and said, " Gentle squires, there under that spread- 
 ing tree near by the little stream you will find the 
 king and his company." 
 
 Hand in hand the band of youths came to where 
 the king was, and kneeled down and saluted Arthur 
 and his companions. One spoke for the rest, say- 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 4§ 
 
 ing : " Sire, I have come with my brothers and 
 cousins and relatives to you as our liege lord. 
 These others with me are men, high princes and 
 great lords, who would fain receive knighthood 
 from your hands, for we have heard of all your 
 knightly prowess. AL this company will serve 
 you truly if you will accept our services. While 
 you have been far from your own land, we have 
 guarded it for you, and these have helped us. 
 To the best of our might we have proved ourselves 
 your liege men and true." 
 
 When King Arthur heard them speak in this 
 courteous fashion, he took them each by the hand, 
 saluting them. He asked their leader who they 
 were that thus addressed him. He replied, " Dear 
 lord, first we would know if you accept our ser- 
 vice, and then we will tell you who we are." 
 
 Then Arthur said, " Dear, sweet friends, I will 
 most gladly accept your service, and with mine 
 own hand I will bestow knighthood on you, and 
 you shall be my dear friends and companions." 
 The Children and their following knelt on their 
 knees and thanked the king. 
 
 Then Arthur took the leader by the hand and 
 raised him, and said, " Now, good friends and com- 
 panions, tell me who you are, that I may know." 
 
50 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 " Sire," said he, " I am called Gawain, 1 and these 
 are my brothers, and we are the sons of King Lot 
 of Orkney. Our mother has told us that she is 
 your sister. She is sad because of the war your 
 barons have made upon you, and desires much 
 that our father be reconciled with you. For 
 many months we fought with him against the 
 Saxons, the enemies of the whole realm. Now 
 we, The Children, have joined ourselves and have 
 come away secretly to London. We have fought 
 again with the Saxons whom we found there, and 
 have held your city safe for you against their 
 ravaging. These princes and lords whom you see 
 here with us have come from far distant lands to 
 London, where we all thought to find you — for 
 your fame has gone abroad in all lands. When 
 you hold your court in London, we pray you make 
 us knights. From no man's hand but yours will 
 we ever take this honor. We come to do you 
 homage as the overlord of Britain." 
 
 Then Gawain led each man singly to King 
 Arthur, and gave each his name and his titles. 
 Arthurs heart was glad within him because 
 of this goodly company ; and the followers of 
 Arthur made The Children welcome, and they 
 
 1 Gawain = Ga-wan'. 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 51 
 
 told one another of all the doings in the wars 
 they had been waging. 
 
 When Arthur had talked long with Gawain, he 
 threw his arm around his neck and said, " Dear 
 lad and fair nephew, friend after my own heart, 
 be thou the constable of all my estates, and the 
 heir of all my lands, highest lord in my kingdom 
 after me." And, all through the stormy begin- 
 ning of his reign, and afterward when there was 
 peace in the land, and again when the time of 
 treason came and war broke out once more in 
 Britain, King Arthur loved Gawain, and Gawain 
 loved Arthur and was true to him and to his noble 
 fellowship of the Round Table. Never a shadow 
 of misunderstanding or distrust darkened the close 
 love of these two friends. 
 
 Then the gallant company mounted on their 
 horses and rode away to London. They went to 
 the great palace which had all been strewn with 
 fresh, sweetly smelling herbs, and hung round 
 with beautiful silken embroideries. Hanging out 
 from the walls were the battle-stained banners of 
 the knights of old. Flowers and herbs strewn 
 thick on the streets sent up a delicious fragrance, as 
 they were crushed by the feet of the horses leaping 
 and prancing in that gay and glittering procession. 
 
52 HEKOES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 When Arthur arrived at the palace, he found, 
 waiting to meet him, his sister, the mother of 
 Gawain. They kissed and embraced each other 
 with great joy. When they all had bathed and 
 robed themselves, they entered the hall and sat at 
 meat, rejoicing after their long journey through 
 the hot and dusty roads. The evening was cool 
 and pleasant, and the odors from the sweet spring 
 herbs and flowers filled the air. Gay and happy 
 parties strolled in the streets for hours, singing and 
 rejoicing that King Arthur had returned. 
 
 That very night King Arthur ordained that The 
 Children and their companions should keep watch 
 in the great church over their arms. All night, 
 clad in white garments, they prayed before the 
 altar. With them watched and prayed also King 
 Ban and King Bors ; and it was the fifteenth day 
 after Pentecost. 
 
 The following day, after a solemn mass, before 
 all the knights and princes there assembled, King 
 Arthur took his good sword, which he had drawn 
 from the stone in the churchyard before he was 
 the king, and buckled it round Gawain. Then he 
 buckled on Gawain' s right spur and King Ban 
 buckled on his left ; and with the flat of his sword 
 King Arthur struck him on the shoulder, saying, 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 55 
 
 " Rise up, Sir Gawain, and may God make thee a 
 good and loyal knight." 
 
 The same ceremony was repeated for each of 
 his companions, and sometimes King Ban and 
 sometimes King Bors buckled on the spurs. And 
 every knight received a sword from the vast 
 treasure that Merlin had shown to the king in 
 Bedingran. Afterward they made a great feast 
 in the palace. 
 
 Then King Arthur and King Ban and King 
 Bors, leaving ten thousand men to guard the city 
 of London, took the rest of their men and crossed 
 the sea. After establishing his two friends safely 
 in their kingdoms, Arthur had a great war with 
 the Romans and subdued them. Instead of the 
 tribute they had demanded, King Arthur sent 
 them the head of the Roman leader who had 
 fallen in the field, and Britain never again paid 
 tribute to Rome, while Arthur ruled. 
 
 9. THE MARRIAGE OF ARTHUR AND GUINEVERE. 
 
 And now the whole of Arthur's army marched 
 back to the seashore where he had provided ships 
 for all that great company. When they landed in 
 
56 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 Britain, they had not lost a single ship or a single 
 man. Then they all took their way to London, 
 where they had great joy, and feasting, and delight. 
 But Arthur did not stay long there, for now, after 
 all his wars, the time was come when he might 
 think of " his heart's desire." 
 
 With a gallant company of chosen knights King 
 Arthur left London to ride to the city of Cameliard. 
 With him went Merlin, Sir Gawain and his broth- 
 ers, Sir Ector, Sir Ulphius, and Sir Brastias, and 
 many others. A goodly array they were as they 
 rode by forest and stream and fair green meadow. 
 The trees were full of green leaves, and the birds 
 sang, and the sun flashed on the gay attire of the 
 knights. The very horses seemed to know whither 
 they were going and why, and they danced and 
 pranced along the way. A very different company 
 was this from those we have seen before, stern 
 and armed to the teeth and ready for battle. 
 
 As they journeyed, they engaged in happy talk 
 of their dangers, past now and over, and of the 
 valiant deeds, each praising the other and making 
 light of his own prowess. Sometimes their talk 
 was of other matters, and sometimes Arthur rode 
 alone, lost in happy dreams of the fair maid so 
 soon to be his wife. u Of her beauty and of her 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 57 
 
 fairness she is the fairest one alive," Merlin had 
 once said in describing her to the king. 
 
 At last, after many a day of journeying that 
 seemed long to Arthur, they drew near to the city 
 of Cameliard. When King Leodgrance espied 
 them in the distance, he mounted his horse, and, 
 with the Knights of his Round Table, he rode out 
 to greet them. Much joy there was in their meet- 
 ing. King Leodgrance loved King Arthur well, 
 as he had loved his father before him, and now 
 he was happy in giving his daughter to such a 
 " gentle, perfect knight." Young as Arthur was, 
 he had proved himself every inch a king — wise 
 and gentle in peace ; stern, and brave, and relent- 
 less in war. And never was there a king who 
 lived in greater magnificence than he. 
 
 The acclamations of the people greeted them as 
 they rode through the streets of the city, for all 
 the populace had crowded to see the king who 
 loved the stately Guinevere. When they came to 
 the steps leading up to the palace, there stood 
 Guinevere, happy tears and smiles chasing each 
 other over her face like rain and sunshine on an 
 April day. Clad all in white, with the sun shining 
 on her, she looked like the spring itself — a true 
 Flower-of-the-May, as some think her name means. 
 
58 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 The weary years of waiting were over, and her 
 lord and king had come at last. With eager arms 
 outstretched, she passed slowly down the marble 
 steps toward Arthur, who, folding her in a close 
 embrace, "kissed her on her fair mouth and on 
 her hair full sweetly and gently." 
 
 And now the day had come, clear and bright, 
 which had been set for the marriage of Arthur. 
 By early dawn the streets were full of an excited 
 crowd of men, women, and children. All the way 
 from the palace to the minster the streets were 
 thickly strewn with fresh herbs and flowers. Fes- 
 toons of white blossoms hung across from window 
 to window. From balcony and open casement hung 
 draperies of the richest white samite, embroidered 
 in gold and pearls. Nowhere was any color to be 
 seen but green and white and gold. All adown 
 the walls were banks of green boughs and ferns 
 and fragrant shrubs. All the little children were 
 clad in white and gold, so that, standing in eager 
 groups beside the green banks, they looked like 
 clusters of white daisies. 
 
 Before the sun had risen high in the blue heav- 
 ens, and while the dew still lay on the herbs and 
 the flowers, the sound of pealing trumpets came 
 from the hall of the palace. The procession was 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 59 
 
 forming. At last it came winding out between the 
 arches. First came the heralds clothed in royal 
 scarlet, and after them came the trumpeters all 
 with silver trumpets sounding out to the glad 
 day. Then followed musicians of various sorts, all 
 gorgeously robed. After them came bands of 
 Arthur's trustiest knights and councilors, with Sir 
 Gawain and Merlin at their head. After them 
 came the kings and princes who had come to 
 do homage to King Arthur as the overlord of 
 Britain. 
 
 Then Arthur rode alone on a charger glittering 
 with jewels. He was clothed in a gold coat of 
 fine mail ; over it he wore a robe of richest samite, 
 and on his shining hair was a crown of gold. He 
 looked so young and smiling that it was hard to 
 believe that he was the stern and daring warrior 
 whose fame had spread through the world, even 
 to far-away Constantinople. 
 
 He was followed by the venerable King Leod- 
 grance, in robes of gorgeous purple, his white beard 
 flowing down nearly to the saddle. Then came 
 a band of maidens clothed in purest white, with 
 fillets in their hair. 
 
 A little way behind rode Guinevere alone, on 
 a horse flashing with precious gems — but she her- 
 
60 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 self wore not a single jewel. She was clothed in 
 snowy, clinging garments of softest, richest silk. 
 Her golden hair lay in heavy masses like a mantle 
 over her shoulders. Reaching almost to the ground 
 a snow-white, gauzy veil, its soft folds waving in 
 every lightest breeze, enveloped her in a cloud of 
 shimmering light. And always the silver trumpets 
 pealed out a joyous clamor. 
 
 A few paces after Guinevere came three of her 
 sweetest maidens, fair almost as she, the fairest, 
 sweetest maid in all this island of the sea. 
 
 The procession closed with bands and bands of 
 knights, with banners and pennons flying and 
 horses clamping and harnesses clashing. As the 
 last ones passed, the populace closed in behind 
 them, following them to the church. 
 
 The service was a beautiful one, with singing 
 choir and swinging censers, from which the sweet 
 incense floated in clouds through the aisles. Arthur 
 and Guinevere received the benediction on their 
 marriage, from the archbishop. 
 
 Who can describe the rejoicings which followed ? 
 Every one in Cameliard shared in that feasting. 
 Booths had been put up in the meadows outside 
 the city, and there, in happy parties seated on the 
 cool, green grass, the people feasted and called 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 61 
 
 down from the good God richest blessings on the 
 heads of Guinevere and Arthur. 
 
 In the palace, after the rich meats had been 
 served, King Leodgrance stood up, and the merry 
 chatter round him ceased as he said : " Kings, 
 princes, and true knights, this day I have given 
 to King Arthur what most I prized, my daughter 
 Guinevere. Great is the honor we have had 
 from him, and may God grant him all honor, for 
 never can I repay him. My lands, too, would I 
 gladly give him, for with my kingdom he may 
 do what he will; but lands he hath enough and 
 to spare. Therefore, what remains to me that I 
 love most I give him — my Round Table. From 
 the hands of the great Uther Pendragon I received 
 it, and now I give it to his son. I am an old man, 
 and no more have I the might to maintain it as 
 of yore. Of its two hundred and fifty knights but 
 few remain. King Arthur, of his noble prowess 
 and royal liberality, will maintain it in all honor. 
 Under him once more they will flourish, and 
 bring peace and justice and joy to the Island of 
 Britain. 
 
 "Will ye, my noble knights, that I do this 
 thing?" 
 
 Then the remaining Knights of the Round 
 
62 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 Table sprang up with one accord, and, holding 
 up their hands to heaven, said, "Ah! dear God, 
 praised be the noble King Leodgrance, who has 
 given to us such a leader and protector." Then 
 they went to King Arthur, and, kneeling down 
 before him, they swore themselves his knights. 
 
 And Leodgrance was glad, but also he was a 
 little sad to lose both his daughter and his Round 
 Table on one day. The next day Arthur and 
 Guinevere and their company of knights rode 
 back through the green forests and by the pleas- 
 ant meadows to London. 
 
 10. THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE ROUND TABLE. 
 
 Guinevere and Arthur returned to London in 
 company with their knights and women. They 
 did not ride fast, but loitered in the green forests 
 and the pleasant meadows. At night beautiful 
 pavilions of silk were pitched, where they slept. 
 In the evening time great bonfires were lighted, 
 and till late into the night they all sat and talked 
 of jousts and tourneys. To the accompaniment 
 of harps bards sang to them many strange tales of 
 wonder, and of the deeds of knights and ladies. 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 63 
 
 and of the early times before ever the Romans or 
 the Saxons had come to the island. 
 
 Before they left Carmelhide, King Arthur had 
 dispatched swift messengers to summon to London 
 many noble knights. For after the coronation oi 
 the queen, there were to be in London great jousts 
 and tournaments, and there would Arthur fully 
 establish his Round Table. The preparations 
 went on quickly after the king's arrival in the 
 city. Many of the rebel kings consented at last 
 to do homage to Arthur, among them King Lot of 
 Orkney. All night, before the coronation, young 
 squires watched their armor and fasted and 
 prayed, for it was decreed that when Guinevere 
 was crowned, many men should be made knights. 
 
 The morning broke fair and clear, and it seemed 
 as if the whole of that vast city was a great 
 palace. The streets could not be seen for rushes, 
 herbs, and flowers. The walls of the houses were 
 hidden by gorgeous tapestries and rich hangings 
 of silks of a hundred colors. 
 
 After hearing mass in the minster, King 
 Arthur and Guinevere went up to the altar, and 
 there, with all due solemnity, was Guinevere 
 crowned queen by Arthur's side. Then a vast 
 shout went up from hundreds of throats till the 
 
64 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 walls of the city fairly trembled. When the sol- 
 emn ceremony was over, King Arthur and Queen 
 Guinevere went to a great feast in the palace. 
 All the tables were spread with dishes of gold, 
 on which lay rich meats brought from near and 
 far. Sir Lucan, 1 the butler, carried two cups 
 before the queen, and Sir Ector and Sir Gawain 
 and Sir Kay and many others served the meal 
 that day. 
 
 When the feast was done, Merlin led in, before 
 the king and queen, the strange knights who had 
 come at his summons. One by one he led them 
 up to Arthur, and the king greeted them. Then 
 the king led the way into the great hall where 
 the Round Table had been set up. A strange 
 sight was seen there, for on every seat was writ- 
 ten, in letters of bright, new gold, the name of a 
 knight, telling where he should sit. 
 
 Then Arthur took his seat, and each knight 
 who was named took his allotted place, and it was 
 found that every seat was occupied, save only the 
 Seat Perilous. Then Merlin told them that only 
 when the purest knight in all the world should 
 come, one who should achieve, or find the Grail, 
 would that seat be filled. Before that happened, 
 
 1 Lucan = Lu'-kan. 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 65 
 
 here a knight and there a knight dared to sit in 
 that seat, but with loud grumbling and rocking the 
 earth opened and swallowed them up. So men 
 became afraid to sit there 
 
 It would take too long to tell the names of all 
 the two hundred and fifty knights, especially as we 
 shall not be able to hear, at this time, their ad- 
 ventures. Among the newcomers, however, were 
 Sir Lancelot du Lake, 1 Sir Tristram of Lyonesse, 2 
 Sir Bors, and many others. Sir Gawain and his 
 brothers, Sir Agrawaine, Sir Gaheris, 3 and Sir 
 Gareth, 4 all were named of the company of the 
 Round Table, likewise Sir Kay, Sir Ulphius, and 
 Sir Brastias. 
 
 For many years King Arthur and his Knights 
 of the Round Table blessed the land of Britain, 
 and the fame of them has lasted down to our own 
 day. Peace and plenty dwelt in the land, and the 
 knights did wonderful deeds of prowess in dark 
 forests and on land and sea. Arthur held his 
 court now in the south, now in the north, some- 
 times in Wales, sometimes in Cornwall, and then 
 were held great joustings, and much honor was 
 won. 
 
 1 Lancelot = Lon'-se-lot. 8 Gaheris = Ga'-her-is. 
 
 2 Lyonesse = Ll-o-ues'. 4 Gareth = Ga'-reth. 
 
 F 
 
66 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 Sir Lancelot du Lake and Sir Gawain were 
 made the ^heads of a company called the Queen's 
 Knights, twenty picked knights from the Round 
 Table. They swore to guard and defend the queen 
 at the risk of their own lives. They were her 
 chosen champions in any quarrel that arose, for 
 the king, being the judge of all the people, might 
 not fight her battles himself if quarrels came. 
 
 ii. ARTHUR GETS HIS SWORD, EXCALIBUR. 
 
 One day, when Arthur was riding in the forest 
 with Merlin, they came to a rich pavilion, and 
 near by a knight, armed, sitting in a chair. " Sir 
 Knight," said Arthur, "wherefore sit you here 
 in the way, so that no knight may pass unless 
 he fight you? I bid you leave this custom." 
 
 " This custom have I made," said the knight, 
 " and I will defend it, be he who he may that 
 says me nay." 
 
 Then Arthur and the knight rode at each 
 other and broke both their spears, and Arthur 
 drew his sword. "Nay," said the knight, "you 
 are a passing good knight; let us ride together 
 again with spears." 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 67 
 
 " I have no other spear," said Arthur. 
 
 u But I have," said the knight, and he called to 
 his squire, and he brought forth spears from the 
 pavilion, and Arthur chose him a new one and 
 so did the knight. Then they rode together 
 again, and so evenly were they mated that the 
 same thing happened again and yet again. 
 
 " For the honor of knighthood," said the knight, 
 " let us joust once again." Then they got two 
 great spears, and they rode at each other heavily, 
 and Arthur's spear was shivered in pieces, and he 
 and his horse were thrown to the ground. But 
 Arthur sprang up and drew his sword, and the 
 knight alighted from his horse, and they came 
 at each other with strong strokes, so they 
 wounded each other sorely. Then they rested, 
 and fell at each other again, and as they fought, 
 their swords came together full in the middle, so 
 that Arthur's sword broke in two pieces. 
 
 Then was Arthur weary, and the knight took 
 him by the middle and threw him to the ground, 
 crying, " Now I have worsted thee ; yield thee to 
 me as a recreant knight." 
 
 But Arthur said, " As for death, it is welcome 
 when it cometh, but as to yield me to thee recre- 
 ant, I had far sooner die than be so shamed." 
 
68 HEKOES OF CHIVALEY. 
 
 Then the knight rived* Arthur's helmet to strike 
 off his head. But Merlin cried : " Knight, hold 
 thy hand ; thou puttest this realm in the greatest 
 danger that ever it was in. This is a greater man 
 than thou knowest." 
 
 " Why, who is he ? " said the knight. 
 
 " It is King Arthur," replied Merlin. Then the 
 knight would have killed him for dread of his 
 wrath, but Merlin put an enchantment on him and 
 he fell to the ground asleep. 
 
 "Alas," said Arthur, "now you have shamed 
 me and killed a good knight by your arts." 
 
 "Not so," said Merlin, "you are worse off than 
 he. In three hours he will wake." 
 
 They journeyed on and came to a hermitage 
 where they stayed three days, and Arthur was 
 healed of his wounds by soothing salves. 
 
 Then said Arthur, " Alas, I have no sword." 
 
 Merlin said, " I know of a sword which is more 
 precious than any in this realm if you may have 
 it. Look yonder." 
 
 Arthur looked and saw a lake, and in the 
 middle a hand and arm clothed in white samite, 
 and in the hand a fair sword in a scabbard. " I 
 would it were mine," said Arthur. 
 
 Then they saw a damsel of the lake, and Merlin 
 said, " Ask her." 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 69 
 
 "Damsel," said Arthur, "whose is the sword?" 
 
 "It belongs to the Lady of the Lake, and is 
 called Excalibur," l said she. 
 
 " I would I might have it," said Arthur. 
 
 " I am the Lady of the Lake, and I will give 
 the sword, if thou wilt grant me a request that 
 some day I shall ask of thee." 
 
 " That will I, gladly," said Arthur. " How may 
 I get the sword ? " 
 
 " Yonder by the reeds on the margin lies a little 
 boat," said she. 
 
 Arthur and Merlin entered the boat and came to 
 the sword, and Arthur took it, and the arm drew 
 back beneath the waters of the lake. Then 
 Arthur rejoiced and they came quickly to the 
 land, but the damsel had vanished. 
 
 Then said Merlin, "Which would you rather 
 have, the sword or the scabbard?" 
 
 " Why, the sharp sword," said Arthur. 
 
 "Therein you do wrong," said Merlin, "for he 
 who has this scabbard can never lose any blood, 
 be he never so sorely wounded." Then Arthur 
 gazed at that scabbard with amaze. 
 
 As they rode they came to Carleon, and the 
 king's knights were glad. Then some said, when 
 
 1 Excalibur = Eks-kal'-i-ber. 
 
70 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 they heard his adventure, that they marveled that 
 he should put himself in such danger alone. But 
 the others said that it was right merry to be under 
 a chief who risked adventure as the poorest knights 
 in his following might do. 
 
 12. SIR LANCELOT AND SIR LIONEL SEEK 
 ADVENTURES. 
 
 Some years after these doings, when Arthur had 
 returned from a journey he had made into far 
 lands, all the Knights of the Round Table assem- 
 bled at the court and there had a series of jousts 
 and tourneys. Some of the knights who had not 
 had very great fame hitherto increased so much 
 in power and noble deeds that ever after they were 
 accounted the most famous. 
 
 Of all these knights Sir Lancelot du Lake was 
 greatest, for in all things he surpassed the others, 
 and was never overcome but by magic or enchant- 
 ments. After excelling all others at play and 
 game, Sir Lancelot said to Sir Lionel, 1 his brother, 
 " Come, we will go secretly from the court and 
 prove ourselves in strange adventures." 
 
 1 Lionel = Ll'-o-nel. 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 71 
 
 They armed themselves at all points and rode 
 off on their horses. They rode into a deep 
 forest and then into a great plain. The day was 
 very hot and it was noon, and Sir Lancelot said, 
 " Brother, for seven years I have not been so 
 sleepy as I am to-day." 
 
 Sir Lionel saw a great apple tree at a little dis- 
 tance, which cast a deep shadow all around, and 
 he said, " Brother, there is a tree under which we 
 may rest ourselves and our horses." 
 
 " It is well," said Sir Lancelot, and he threw 
 himself on the grass and slept soundly, while Sir 
 Lionel watched. 
 
 By and by Sir Lionel saw three knights riding 
 fast and hard, pressed by one knight, who pur- 
 sued them. '• Never have I seen a more goodly 
 knight," thought Sir Lionel. Then the one knight 
 overthrew the three others and bore them to the 
 ground one by one; and the goodly knight took 
 their horses' reins and bound those vanquished 
 knights, and easily threw them over the saddles of 
 their horses to lead them to his castle. 
 
 Sir Lionel thought that he would try a fall with 
 that knight. So he made ready, and, quietly lead- 
 ing his horse where Lancelot could not hear, he 
 mounted and made at the strange knight and bade 
 
72 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 him turn. Then the knight rode* at him so hard 
 that he bore Sir Lionel and his horse to the 
 ground, and served him as he had done the others. 
 When he had brought all four to his castle, he 
 scourged them with thorns and threw them into a 
 dungeon, where were many other knights making 
 a great moan. 
 
 Meanwhile, Sir Lancelot lay under the apple tree, 
 fast asleep. By and by four queens came riding 
 past. That the heat of the sun might not annoy 
 them, four knights rode near them holding four 
 spears, over which was a canopy of green silk ; 
 and the queens rode on four white mules. As 
 they went they heard a horse neighing, and they 
 came to the tree where Lancelot lay. 
 
 Each one of them wanted to claim Lancelot as 
 her own. But Morgan-le-Fay said, "Let us not 
 strive. I will throw an enchantment on him and 
 we will bear him to my castle, and then when he 
 awakes, he shall choose which one of us he will 
 have." So she laid an enchantment on Sir Lance- 
 lot, and two of their knights placed him on his 
 shield and so bore him to the castle. 
 
 In the evening when Lancelot awoke from the 
 spell, Morgan-le-Fay said to him, "Lancelot, we 
 know well you love only Guinevere, but, neverthe- 
 
"Sir Lancelot lay under the apple tree, fast asleep. 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 75 
 
 less, now you are our prisoner, and never may you 
 be free till you have chosen one of us." 
 
 Then Lancelot was very wroth and said, "As 
 for Queen Guinevere, if I had my liberty, I would 
 prove it on you or yours that she is the truest 
 lady to her lord that lives, but I would rather die 
 here in prison than choose one of you false enchan- 
 tresses to be my love." Then they left him. 
 
 The next day at noon a damsel came to him 
 with his dinner and said, " What cheer ? " 
 
 "Alas, damsel, I am like to rot here in prison, 
 for never will I choose one of those false queens." 
 
 Then the damsel said, " Sir, I know you well, 
 that you are a true and good knight, and if so be. 
 that you will aid my father in the tournament that 
 will be held by the four queens, I will bring you 
 safely out of the prison." 
 
 " Willingly, . damsel," said Sir Lancelot. "If 
 you call on me whenever you need my aid, 
 as I am a true and loyal knight, I will not fail 
 
 ycm." 
 
 At night time the damsel came and led Lancelot 
 out through a secret passage that ran along under 
 the lake, and when they were come out Lancelot 
 mounted on his horse and took the damsel behind 
 him, and galloped off to the castle of her father, 
 
76 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 .King Bagdemagus. The king made right good 
 cheer for Lancelot, and then it was decided what 
 should be done at the tournament. Fighting 
 against King Bagdemagus were three knights of 
 Arthur's court, Sir Modred, a brother of Sir 
 Gawain, and two others. And always all the three 
 set on King Bagdemagus, and he could not prevail 
 against those three at once. 
 
 " Give me three knights/ ' said Lancelot, " and 
 give us shields all white, with no painting on 
 them; and when in the tourney those knights 
 attack you, we will enter from a little wood. So 
 it will not be known what knight I am." 
 
 It was all arranged as Lancelot had advised. 
 The next day, when Lancelot had been stationed 
 in the little wood, King Bagdemagus, with eighty 
 knights, went into the lists and met the king of 
 North Galis with one hundred and sixty knights ; 
 and the three knights of Arthur's court stood alone. 
 Then the two parties rode together with a great 
 clash, and twelve of the knights of King Bag- 
 demagus were killed, and eight of those of the 
 king of North Galis, and King Bagdemagus and 
 his party were driven far back in the lists. 
 
 Then in rode Sir Lancelot between the two, 
 
 1 Bagdemagus = Bag-de'-ma-gus. 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 77 
 
 into the thickest of the fray, and with one spear 
 he smote down five knights, and broke the backs 
 of four of them, and the king of North Galis 
 was one of them. Then Sir Modred set on Sir 
 Lancelot, whom he did not recognize with his 
 white shield. But Sir Lancelot rode at him so 
 fiercely that Sir Modred's jpear broke, and the bow 
 of his saddle. Sir Modred was thrown backward 
 from his horse, and his helmet went into the 
 earth a foot or more and was like to break his 
 neck, and he lay there in a swoon a long while. 
 
 Then up rode the other knights of Arthur, but 
 they might not prevail either. They got such 
 buffets from Sir Lancelot that they were borne 
 from their horses in a heap on the ground. Then 
 Lancelot got a new spear, and before it broke he 
 had borne to earth sixteen knights, and none that 
 he smote could bear arms again that day. With 
 another spear he bore down twelve more. 
 
 Then the knights of the King of North Galis 
 would joust no more, and so each party rode home 
 to its own place. On the next morning Sir Lan- 
 celot took leave of King Bagdemagus and his 
 daughter, saying he would go and seek Sir Lionel, 
 his brother, whom he had lost. 
 
78 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 13. SIR LANCELOT FIGHTS SIR TURQUIN. 
 
 Sir Lancelot rode off, and by chance he came into 
 that same forest, near to the place where he had 
 been sleeping. On the way he met a damsel, and 
 he said, " Fair damsel, know ye of any adven- 
 tures hereabout?" 
 
 " Yea, Sir Knight, if thou darest to undertake 
 them. " 
 
 " Why should I not," said Lancelot, " seeing 
 that therefor I am come ?" 
 
 " Sir," she said, " good and well. Hereby 
 liveth a knight whom no man may overcome, so 
 strong he is and so valiant. In his castle he has 
 in prison many knights, and some of them of 
 Arthur's court. But when you have released 
 them, if that you are able, you must .promise me 
 that you will help me and some other damsels who 
 are daily distressed and ill treated by a false and 
 wicked knight." 
 
 " I will do all your desire," said Lancelot, " if 
 you will bring me to that knight ! " 
 
 " Come then, fair knight ! " So she brought 
 him to a ford in the river, and on a tree near 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. v 79 
 
 by was hung a brass basin. Sir Lancelot let 
 his horse drink, and struck on the basin with 
 his spear till the bottom fell out, but still no 
 one came. 
 
 Then he espied riding toward them, a long way 
 off, a knight tall and strong, driving before him a 
 horse, across which lay a knight all bound with 
 the reins of his bridle. As they came nearer 
 Lancelot thought he knew who that bound knight 
 was, and when they were near enough, he saw that 
 it was Sir Gaheris, a brother of Sir Gawain. 
 
 " Now, fair damsel," said Lancelot, " well I 
 know that knight and love him. I promise you 
 that first I will rescue him, and then that I will 
 deliver all the knights out of that foul prison." 
 
 When the tall, strong knight had come nearer, 
 Sir Lancelot cried, " Now, fair knight, put that 
 wounded knight off his horse and let him rest 
 awhile, and let us two prove our strength. I hear 
 thou hast done foul despite and shame to the 
 Knights of the Round Table, therefore defend 
 thyself." 
 
 " And you be of the Round Table, I defy you and 
 all your fellowship," returned the stranger knight. 
 
 u Ye talk too much," said Lancelot. 
 
 They came together with great might, and smote 
 
80 HEEOES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 each other in the midst of their shields, so that both 
 their horses' backs broke under them, and the two 
 knights were astonished. As soon as they might, 
 they cleared themselves of their horses, and taking 
 their shields they drew their swords, and gave 
 each other many furious strokes, and neither their 
 shields nor their armor could withstand them. In 
 a little while they both had grim wounds, that 
 bled most grievously. This they did for two hours. 
 
 At last they were both breathless, and that 
 knight said, " Hold your arm awhile and answer 
 what I shall ask." 
 
 " Say on," said Lancelot. 
 
 " Then listen. I am Sir Turquin. 1 You are the 
 biggest man that ever I have met and the best 
 fighter. If so be you are not that knight whom 
 most I hate, I will be friends with you, and we 
 will be fellows together, and I will never fail 
 you while I live." 
 
 "It is well," said Lancelot; "but who is that 
 knight whom you so hate ? " 
 
 " His name is Sir Lancelot du Lake, and he slew 
 my brother King Carados, one of the best knights 
 alive, at the Dolorous Tower. For Sir Lancelot's 
 sake I have slain a hundred knights, and as many 
 
 1 Turquin = Tur'-kwiu. 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 81 
 
 more I have maimed utterly, so that never can they 
 help themselves, and many have died in prison. 
 Sixty-four knights are still in prison, and them 
 will I free if you will tell me your name, and it 
 be not Lancelot." 
 
 " Now I see," said Lancelot, " that we cannot be 
 friends, for know, Sir Knight, that I am Sir 
 Lancelot du Lake, King Ban's son of Benoic, and 
 Knight of the Round Table. Now I defy thee, do 
 thy best." 
 
 " Ah," said Sir Turquin, " you are more welcome 
 to me than ever was any other knight ; we shall 
 never part till one of us be dead." 
 
 They rushed together like two wild bulls and 
 gave each other many wounds, and never would 
 they rest. At the last Sir Turquin grew faint, and 
 his blows grew slack, and he held his shield low for 
 very weariness. Sir Lancelot, seeing this, leaped 
 at him, and got him by his helmet and pushed him 
 down on his knees, and smote his neck in sunder. 
 
 When Sir Lancelot had done this, he went to 
 the damsel and said, " Fair damsel, I am ready to 
 go where you will have me, but I have no horse." 
 
 " Go to that knight that is bound," said the 
 damsel 5 " ask him for his horse and let him enter 
 the castle and loose all the prisoners." 
 
82 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 Sir Lancelot went to Sir Gaheris, and said, 
 " Sir Knight, be not grieved if I ask thee for thy 
 horse, for I must ride speedily with this damsel 
 whom I have promised to befriend." 
 
 " Nay, fair lord, I will that you command both 
 my horse and me. You have saved our lives, 
 both his and mine, and this day I say that you 
 are the best knight on earth, for I have seen you 
 slay the mightiest man and the best knight, save 
 you, in the world. I pray you to tell me your 
 name." 
 
 " Sir, my name is Lancelot du Lake, and I ought, 
 by right, to help you for King Arthur's sake, and 
 especially for my lord Sir Gawain's sake, your own 
 dear brother. Wherefore, I pray you, greet all 
 the knights in prison for me, and tell my two 
 brothers to go to the court and await me there, 
 for I will come at Pentecost. Now I must ride 
 with this damsel to keep my promise." 
 
 Then Sir Gaheris hasted to the castle, and, 
 knocking down the porter, took from him the 
 keys. When the knights had come forth from the 
 prison, they all thanked Sir Gaheris, but he said, 
 " Nay, it was not I," and he told them how it 
 was. And he gave his message to Lancelot's 
 brothers, but "Nay," said they, "we will seek 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 83 
 
 Lancelot till we find him, and then we will go to 
 the court." 
 
 Then they sought all over the castle for their 
 armor and their horses, and when they had found 
 them, they saw a forester who came from the 
 forest with a load of venison. " Now," said they, 
 " we will have a good meal, for we have not tasted 
 meat since we were here. And so the venison 
 was roasted, and they made a good meal. They 
 slept in the castle that night, for it was late. 
 The next morning the two brothers started off 
 to find Sir Lancelot if they might, but the other 
 knights returned to the court which King Arthur 
 now held at Camelot. 1 Years passed before Lance- 
 lot returned to the court, and many are the books 
 filled with his adventures. 
 
 14. SIR FAIR-HANDS. 
 
 One day when the king and the queen were 
 giving a feast upon the sands near a castle in 
 Wales, as the custom was, they waited to go in 
 to eat till some adventure should befall. Then 
 by and by came two old men leading a very young 
 
 1 Camelot = Cam'-e-lot. 
 
84 HEROES OF CHIVALKY. 
 
 man. He was fair, and richly clad, and tall and 
 well built. And he said to King Arthur, " God 
 bless you, Sir King, and all the Knights of the 
 Round Table. I am come to ask three gifts. The 
 first is that for a year and a day you give me 
 meat and drink, and after I will ask for the two 
 others." 
 
 u That is a simple thing," said the king. " It 
 seemeth to me that you are come of men of great 
 lineage, and do you ask this ? " 
 
 " I ask what I ask," said the young man. 
 
 Then many mocked at him, and Sir Kay said, 
 " He will never make a gentleman, else he would 
 ask for a horse and armor. I will give him a 
 name — Sir Fair-hands he shall be called. I make 
 him one of my kitchen lads." But Sir Lancelot 
 and Sir Gawain were angry with Sir Kay, for the 
 lad pleased them well, and they gave him gold to 
 spend and clothes. 
 
 When the feast of Whitsuntide was come, and 
 the court stayed again, waiting for adventure, there 
 came a fair damsel into the hall and saluted the 
 king, and prayed for help. "Sire," she said, "a 
 lady of great renown is besieged in her castle by a 
 tyrant, and never can she come out of it. His 
 name is the Red Knight of the Red Lawns, and he 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 85 
 
 hath two brothers, the Black Knight and the 
 Green Knight. They guard all the ways, and 
 he who would come to my lady must first slay 
 them." 
 
 Then Sir Fair-hands claimed his two promises of 
 the king, and Arthur said, " Ask on." Fair-hands 
 asked first, knighthood at the hands of Sir Lance- 
 lot, and after, to undertake the adventure. 
 
 But the damsel, whose name was Lynette, cried, 
 " Fie on thee I shall I be helped by a kitchen 
 boy?" And she took her horse and departed. 
 
 Soon there came a dwarf bringing a horse and 
 armor of the richest — all that a knight might need. 
 Sir Fair-hands mounted and rode after the damsel. 
 But Sir Kay said, " I will ride after him and see 
 if he will know me for his better." He over- 
 took him just as he came up to the damsel, and 
 said, " Fair-hands, know you not who I am?" 
 
 "Yes," said Fair-hands, " I know you for a most 
 ungentle knight ; so beware." 
 
 Then Sir Kay rode at him with spear in rest. 
 But Fair-hands took his sword and smote him such 
 a blow that Sir Kay fell down as if he were dead. 
 Then Fair-hands took his shield and his spear and 
 left him lying. 
 
 By this time Sir Lancelot had ridden up, and 
 
86 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 Fair-hands said, " Gentle knight, will you joust 
 with me?" 
 
 Sir Lancelot set spear in rest, and they rode 
 together so fiercely that both their horses fell to 
 earth. Sir Lancelot was astonished at the strength 
 and skill of the boy, and, after jousting for some 
 time longer, he said, " Fairly and bravely you have 
 earned your spurs." 
 
 "Shall I truly be a good knight?" said Fair- 
 hands. 
 
 " Yes," said Sir Lancelot, " of that I warrant 
 you." 
 
 u Then, I pray you, give me the order of knight- 
 hood, for of no other earthly knight do I desire it." 
 
 " Tell me your name," said Lancelot ; " whose 
 kin are you?" 
 
 " Sir," said Fair-hands, " I pray you to keep it 
 secret. My name is Gareth. I am the son of 
 King Lot of Orkney, and brother to Sir Gawain." 
 
 Then Lancelot was very glad. u Ever I thought 
 you were of great blood, and came not to the court 
 for meat and drink." Then Lancelot gave him the 
 order of knighthood, and bade him Godspeed. 
 
 But the damsel mocked at Sir Fair-hands, and 
 taunted him, and called him "kitchen boy and 
 dish washer, who thinkest of naught but thy food 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 87 
 
 and drink." He answered her never a word. By 
 and by they came to the river that was guarded by 
 the Black Knight, and Sir Fair-hands fought des- 
 perately, and left him lying dead before they could 
 win past. 
 
 Still the maiden mocked him, and he said no 
 word. By and by they came upon the Green 
 Knight. Again Sir Fair-hands fought long and 
 desperately, and was sore wounded before he dis- 
 posed of him. By now the maid was not quite so 
 free with her jeers and gibes, for Sir Fair-hands 
 fought well. 
 
 After a while they saw in the distance a fair 
 white tower. Over the tower gate hung fifty shields 
 of many colors. " Fair damsel, whose are they ? " 
 said Sir Fair-hands. 
 
 " They are the shields of those knights whom 
 the Red Knight of the Red Lawns hath slain," said 
 the damsel. "Now we will see if a kitchen boy will 
 be better than they." But she said other things 
 when she had seen him fight the Red Knight. 
 
 Looking down on him from the white tower was 
 the fairest face Sir Fair-hands had ever seen. It 
 was the face of Lady Lyonesse. All the courage 
 of Sir Fair-hands swelled up in his heart ; for such 
 a maid he would fight to the death. Many long 
 
88 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 hours the battle between the Red Knight and Sir 
 Fair-hands lasted. It was late evening before 
 Sir Fair-hands overcame him. At the last Sir 
 Fair-hands was so spent and wounded and bat- 
 tered with blows that he fell forward on his face. 
 
 Then the damsel Lynette cried out: "Sir Fair- 
 hands, Sir Fair-hands, alas, the Lady Lyonesse 
 beholds thee ! Where is thy courage gone ? She 
 weeps and wrings her hands, and my heart is 
 heavy for her." 
 
 When Sir Fair-hands heard that, he was filled 
 with new life. He started to his feet, and, grasp- 
 ing his sword, he came at the Red Knight and 
 brought him to his knees. Then he smote him on 
 his helmet till he fell to earth. There he would 
 have slain him outright, but the Red Knight cried, 
 " noble knight, I yield me to thy mercy ! " 
 
 " Only if the damsel Lynette prays for thy life 
 will I give it thee," said Sir Fair-hands. 
 
 " I pray you slay him not," she said, at length, 
 reluctantly. 
 
 " At this lady's request will I release thee," said 
 Sir Fair-hands, " if thou wilt go to the Lady of the 
 White Tower and yield thee to her, and if she will 
 forgive thee, well. Then shalt thou go to the court 
 of King Arthur and pray for mercy of Sir Lance- 
 
THE STORY OF ARTHUR. 89 
 
 lot and Sir Gawain for all the evil you have done 
 and the fifty knights you have slain." 
 
 " Sir/' said the Red Knight of the Red Lawns, 
 " I will do all your commands. Then he did hom- 
 age to Sir Fair-hands and all his earls and barons 
 with him; and afterward the Lady Lyonesse par- 
 doned him, and he went to the court as he had 
 sworn to Sir Fair-hands. 
 
 The Lady Lyonesse, after he had fought for her 
 many a battle and won many a prize in great tour- 
 naments, married Sir Fair-hands. And the Lady 
 Lynette married his brother, Sir Gaheris. Queen 
 Guinevere made a great feast for them, and the 
 Archbishop of Canterbury performed the ceremony 
 in the great minster. And Sir Gareth was a noble 
 knight, and he loved Sir Lancelot more than any 
 other man, and Lancelot loved him. 
 
 For many years the fellowship of the Round 
 Table of King Arthur nourished in Great Britain. 
 By the nobleness of King Arthur and his knights 
 the realm was quiet and at rest. There came a 
 time, however, when they grew slack and careless, 
 and gave up seeking only one another's good. 
 What followed will be learned in the story of the 
 Quest of the Holy Grail. 
 
II. 
 
 THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 
 
« The master whispered 
 Follow the Gleam. . . 
 
 O young mariner, 
 Down to the Haven, 
 Call your companions, 
 Launch your vessel 
 And crowd your canvas, 
 And, e'er it vanishes 
 Over the margin, 
 After it, follow it, 
 Follow the Gleam." 
 
II. THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 
 
 i. THE BOYHOOD OF SIR PERCEVAL. 
 
 SOME people think that the Grail was the cup 
 out of which the Lord Jesus drank at His last 
 supper with His disciples, and that Joseph of 
 Arimathea 1 held it to catch the blood that flowed 
 from the pierced side of the Lord, as He hung on 
 the cross on Calvary. Many wonderful tales were 
 told about the Grail. It was to be seen only by 
 those who lived brave, true, and pure lives. If 
 any one fed on the precious food it contained, he 
 was filled with all wisdom and virtue. 
 
 Others think that the legend of the Grail is 
 older still, and that it is connected with the old 
 Celtic myth of the Cup of Healing. However this 
 may be, it is no wonder that while men believed 
 in it, some devoted all their lives to a quest, or 
 search, for the Holy Grail. 
 
 There lived, in those old days of which we have 
 
 1 Arimathea = Ar"-i-ma-the'-a. 
 
94 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 been reading, a knight whose name was Sir Per- 
 ceval. 1 In some of the stories about him he is 
 spoken of as " the best knight in the world." His 
 sister was a damsel called Dindrane. 2 The stories 
 speak of her as " a holy nun," but she did not live 
 shut up in a convent as most nuns do to-day. She 
 rode about the world with Sir Perceval, and took 
 an active part in many of his adventures. 
 
 Before Perceval was born, his father, King 
 Alain-li-gros, 3 had lost the greater part of the 
 Valleys of Camelot, which had been his; for his 
 enemy, the Lord of the Moors, had taken them 
 from him. In memory of this sad event, King 
 Alain called his little son Per-les-vay, which to-day 
 is changed to Perceval, and which means " the lost 
 valley." He did this that Perceval might always 
 be reminded of their wrongs, and he hoped that 
 when Perceval was grown to be a- strong and great 
 knight he would win his lands again from the 
 Lord of the Moors. 
 
 Perceval and his sister passed happy years as 
 children in their father's castle. When Perceval 
 had grown to boyhood he spent the greater part 
 of his time, as was then the custom, in learning 
 
 1 Perceval = Per'-se-val. 2 Dindrane = Din'-dran. 
 
 8 Alain-li-gros = A-lan'-le-gro. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 95 
 
 manly sports. He hunted in the deep forests all 
 day long with the huntsmen of his father, and 
 brought home many an antlered stag and mighty 
 boar to the castle. The forest was full of game 
 of all kinds, and his ' mother depended on the 
 huntsmen to keep her larder well supplied with 
 meats, that she might feed all her hungry 
 retainers. 
 
 The old story tells us that the lad was " right 
 comely and right gentle, and he began to go into 
 the forests and launch his javelins Welsh-fashion 
 at hind and hart. And his father and mother 
 loved him much." 
 
 All this time his sister stayed by her mother. 
 She learned the arts of a housewife, — how to 
 spin and embroider, and to make delicate pre- 
 serves, and to care for the house and linen, as a 
 good housewife loves to do. She learned, too, 
 to know the virtues of healing herbs, so that 
 she might dress and tend the wounded knights 
 who fought her battles. 
 
 One day Alain-li-Gros, his wife Yglais, 1 and 
 Perceval and Dindrane went out for a walk in the 
 cool of the evening, through the meadows, to the 
 edge of the wood that lay near by. As they walked 
 
 1 Yglais = Ig'-las. 
 
96 HEKOES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 they came to a little marble chapel. Over it was a 
 roof of timber, and inside a small altar, before which 
 stood a very rich sepulcher. On this was beauti- 
 fully carved in marble the figure of a man lying on 
 his back, with his two hands joined as if in prayer. 
 
 Perceval asked his father who lay in that tomb. 
 "Fair son," answered King Alain-li-gros, "truly 
 I cannot tell you. The tomb has stood here since 
 before the time when my great-grandfather was 
 born. I have never seen any one that could 
 tell who lies buried there. You see the letters of 
 gold on the marble ; they say, " When the best 
 knight in all the world shall come hither, the 
 joinings of the tomb will fall apart, and then it 
 will be known who lies herein.' , 
 
 Now Perceval did not yet know what a knight 
 was, and so he asked what a knight might be. 
 His mother said, " Fair son, it is time to tell you 
 of your noble birth, and from whom you are de- 
 scended. " Then she told him that his father and 
 his eleven uncles were all descendants of Joseph of 
 Arimathea. They were all men of great courage 
 and gentleness, and all of them, save as yet 
 Perceval's father, had fallen courageously in 
 battle, doing great deeds. She would have told 
 him more, but Perceval said that that was not 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 97 
 
 what he wanted to hear, but "how knights are 
 made." 
 
 Then his father told him that the men who were 
 truest and best, and men of the greatest valor, 
 were those who were made knights. At King 
 Arthur's court they could become knights, and 
 then they wore armor to protect their bodies, and 
 carried swords and lances, and a shield on which 
 was blazoned their emblem or coat-of-arms. 
 
 Then they turned back to the castle for the 
 evening meal in the great hall. I suppose the 
 boy went to bed wondering, and longing for 
 the time to come when he himself might do valiant 
 and mighty deeds, and become a knight. 
 
 The next morning, when Perceval rose, he heard 
 the birds singing, and, as he breathed the fresh, 
 clear morning air, he said to himself, " I will go 
 into the forest and spend this day, since it is so 
 fair and bright." Then he mounted one of his 
 father's hunting horses, carrying his javelins with 
 him, and set off for the forest. Before riding far 
 he saw a stag and followed it for four leagues, 
 until he came to a wide, open space in the heart of- 
 the woods. 
 
 Here he came upon two knights, all armed, bat- 
 tling fiercely one with the other. One of them had 
 
98 HEEOES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 a red shield and the other had a white one. At 
 this sight Perceval gave up tracking his stag, to 
 look on at the battle. Seeing that the Red 
 Knight was conquering the white, he launched one 
 of his javelins at the Red Knight with such strength 
 that it pierced his habergeon, or breastplate, and 
 passed through his heart ; at which the knight fell 
 dead. 
 
 The Knight of the White Shield was well 
 pleased, but the lad asked if knights were always 
 so easy to kill. " Methought that one could never 
 pierce or destroy a knight's armor, else would I 
 not have run him through with my javelin," said 
 he sadly. 
 
 Then the lad took the Red Knight's war horse, 
 which now belonged to him, and led it home to his 
 father and mother. Their grief was indeed great 
 on account of the knight's death at the hand of 
 their son, and well it might be, for much trouble 
 came to them all through this unfortunate deed. 
 
 Hasty preparations were made, and with an old 
 retainer Perceval rode off to King Arthur's court. 
 There, when Arthur knew who the youth was 
 and of what lineage, he gladly knighted him, and 
 named him a fellow of his Round Table, in the 
 room of a knight who had been killed. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GEAIL. 99 
 
 2, THE VISIONS OF DINDRANE AND PERCEVAL. 
 
 When Sir Perceval had started on his adven- 
 tures after killing the Red Knight, King Alain-li- 
 gros was slain in battle by the Lord of the 
 Moorlands and the brother of the Red Knight. 
 After that the widow lady and her daughter were 
 left alone to defend themselves as best they might. 
 The Lord of the Moors lost little time in attacking 
 the defenseless lady, and in his train came the 
 brother of the Knight of the Red Shield, seeking 
 vengeance. 
 
 In a short time Perceval's mother had lost all 
 that remained to her of her fruitful valleys and all 
 her seven castles but one. In this one she and her 
 daughter remained closely confined, with only a 
 few maidens, and without any advice or help ex- 
 cept that of five old knights who tried to guard 
 her castle for her. 
 
 Dindrane, who was very sad at the disasters that 
 had befallen her mother, took herself to prayer and 
 fasting, doing lone penance for all the sins that had 
 been done in the land. Sad rumors reached them 
 of slothful days at King Arthur's court. Men, 
 given up to pleasure and forgetfulness, no longer 
 
100 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 went about doing good and giving aid to such, as 
 needed succor. 
 
 " And so she prayed and fasted, till the sun 
 Shone, and the wind blew through her, and I thought 
 She might have risen, when I saw her." 
 
 Thus Tennyson speaks of Dindrane. 
 
 One night as she knelt in her small room, there 
 came stealing in a pale, white radiance, growing 
 ever whiter and more bright. Then she saw float- 
 ing on that radiant stream of light, "rose-red, with 
 beatings in it, as if alive,' ' the Holy Grail. As 
 she gazed in awe, slowly the "rosy quiverings died 
 into the night," and all the radiance faded. The 
 vision of the Holy Grail had come once more to 
 earth, and men, when they knew it, would seek it, 
 and "all the world be heal'd," thought Dindrane; 
 and she was filled with peace and hope. Then she 
 took counsel with her mother, and they sent tid- 
 ings of the strange vision to King Arthur's court. 
 
 After Perceval had received his knighthood 
 from King Arthur, he went to seek adventures in 
 other lands. For seven years he stayed across the 
 sea ; and then, having won for himself much fame, 
 he returned to Britain. One day, as he was riding 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 101 
 
 through a forest, he came to a river on which he saw 
 a boat with two men in it fishing. One of them, 
 an old man who was sorely wounded in the thigh, 
 cried out to him, " Sir Knight, if you will go to a 
 castle that I shall tell you of, you will come on an 
 adventure by which great honor may be won." 
 
 Sir Perceval answered, " Sir, that I will gladly 
 do, if I may find the castle." After a long while, 
 during which he rode hither and thither through 
 the forest along a perilous way, searching in every 
 place for the castle, he came on it quite suddenly. 
 Then he was glad, and blew a loud blast on the 
 horn, and when the drawbridge was raised he gal- 
 loped into the castle yard. 
 
 There he was most royally received and led by 
 serving men into the castle. When he had bathed, 
 his attendants clothed him in a scarlet robe and 
 led him to the lord of the castle. Then they sat 
 down at a fair table, spread with a white cloth and 
 covered with golden dishes in which was rich food. 
 
 After eating for a while, Sir Perceval heard faint 
 sounds of music, and there passed into the hall a 
 man bearing a mighty sword with the hilt all set 
 with precious stones. The lord of that castle took 
 the sword and presented it to Sir Perceval, who 
 with great joy buckled it at his side. Next a 
 
102 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 Jance, still dripping with blood, was borne in and 
 passed up through the whole length of the hall 
 where they sat at meat. 
 
 Presently two men entered, carrying in their 
 lifted hands great golden candlesticks lighted with 
 many candles. After them came a most fair dam- 
 sel, clad in white samite, bearing aloft in her hands 
 a shining Grail, veiled in a crimson cloth. Then 
 all suddenly the hall was full of delicious odors, 
 and murmuring music filled the chamber with 
 sweet sounds. 
 
 Sir Perceval was amazed, and dared not ask 
 what all this might mean, and so he sat silent, 
 intently gazing. Then another fair damsel passed 
 through the hall, holding in her hands a golden 
 plate on which lay fair fruit and flowers. And 
 again Sir Perceval heard those gentle sounds of 
 sweetest music, trembling through the air, and 
 again the odor of delicious perfumes was wafted 
 to him. Once again the first fair damsel bore 
 aloft that shining Grail, veiled in a silken cloth. 
 
 Then silence fell on all the company, and Sir 
 Perceval felt a strange weariness in his limbs. 
 His attendants conducted him, as in a dream, into 
 a chamber wherein was a fair bed, and there he 
 rested for the night. 
 
Perceval saw a maiden making moan over a dead knight.' 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 105 
 
 The next morning, when he had risen, he walked 
 through the halls, and finding no one, he went 
 out into the courtyard. There by the castle gate 
 he found his horse standing ready saddled. He 
 mounted and passed out through the open gates, 
 and the drawbridge clanged to behind him. 
 
 As he rode, wondering, from that deserted castle, 
 he saw a maiden making a sad moan over the 
 body of a dead knight. She accosted him, saying, 
 " Sir stranger, where go you ? " 
 
 Sir Perceval answered her : " Damsel, I know 
 not. I come from a most strange adventure even 
 now." Then he told her all his story. 
 
 The damsel said, " Alas, poor knight, great 
 sorrow have you wrought for all the land of 
 Britain, and for the lord of the castle, whose 
 name is King Fisherman. Because that you 
 failed to ask the meaning of the wonders that 
 you saw, while you sat at meat with the king, he 
 will not be healed of the lance-thrust that he bears 
 in his thigh. All the land of Britain will suffer 
 misfortunes, for wars and treason will break forth, 
 and the Round Table of Arthur and his knights 
 be broken, and all they dispersed. 
 
 Then Sir Perceval was sad at heart, and rode 
 away, troubled and perplexed. 
 
106 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 3. KING ARTHUR RIDES TO THE FOREST 
 ADVENTUROUS. 
 
 One Ascension Day, at Cardoil, after King Arthur 
 had risen from table, he saw that the queen was 
 seated at a window at the far end of the hall. 
 The king went and sat beside her, and as he looked 
 into her face he saw that tears were falling from 
 her eyes. 
 
 " Dear lady," said the king, " wherefore do you 
 weep?" 
 
 " Ah ! my king," said Guinevere, " by good right 
 I weep. Our knights speak ill of us because that 
 you stay by me, and no more ride on adventures. 
 Our knights of your Round Table likewise have 
 turned away from their famous deeds, and your 
 court is no more the glory of the land." 
 
 " Alas, lady," said the king, " you say true." 
 
 " Sir," said the queen, "were you to go to the 
 chapel that is in the White Forest, which may 
 be found by perilous adventure only, you would 
 get such good counsel that the old days of honor 
 and glory would return." 
 
 "Lady," said the king, "willingly I go, and alone, 
 fco visit the holy hermit in the White Forest." 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 107 
 
 The next morning King Arthur armed himself 
 to go to the chapel. " Sir," said the queen to 
 him, " God be your guard, and grant you a safe 
 return, and that you accomplish great deeds. 
 Then shall your praise be lifted up, which now 
 is cast down." 
 
 "Lady," said the king, "God be with you." 
 
 Then the king mounted his war horse at the 
 mounting-stage and rode off. 
 
 The queen was at the windows when the king 
 departed, and she said to the knights around her, 
 "What think you of the king? Is he not a 
 goodly man?" 
 
 " Truly, lady," they answered, " and a pity it 
 is that he should not continue as he began, for no 
 king knoweth better of all courtesy and knight- 
 hood than he; and his court was more famous 
 than any that ever was." 
 
 Arthur rode all day at a great pace till he came 
 to the borders of the Forest Adventurous. About 
 evensong he found himself in the heart of the 
 forest, and saw before him a little house. He 
 rode up to it and dismounted, and drew his horse 
 in after him to the house. Then he looked around 
 and saw barley and hay, so he took off the bridle 
 and laid food before the horse. Then he went 
 
108 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 out by the door and locked it. Outside he saw a 
 chapel, and near by, under a leafy tree, a damsel 
 sitting, holding in her hand the reins of her mule. 
 
 The king saluted her, and said, " Damsel, God 
 give you joy and good adventure." 
 
 " Sir," she said, " so may He do to you." 
 
 " Fair damsel, is there no castle in this forest ? " 
 
 "No," said the damsel, "only this Chapel of 
 the White Forest, which you see." 
 
 " Ah ! is this the Chapel of the White Forest ? " 
 asked the king. 
 
 " Yes," said the damsel, " but this forest is so 
 perilous that no knight ever leaveth it alive and 
 uninjured. But the aid and counsel he shall get 
 in the chapel is of so great worth that, ever after, 
 he who receives it shall live a glorious life. The 
 Lord God guard your body, for never before have 
 I seen so goodly a knight, and great pity would 
 it be if you were not so worthy as you seem. 
 Now shall I never leave this place till I have seen 
 what your end may be." 
 
 Then Arthur went to enter the chapel, but he 
 could not. And as he stood, he heard as if it 
 were the voices of angels singing inside. When 
 their voices died away, the door opened and the 
 hermit came out. " Sir," he said to the king, 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 109 
 
 " now you may enter, and much cause for joy you 
 would have had, had you been allowed to enter 
 the chapel and hear mass." 
 
 They entered the chapel and talked long to- 
 gether. The holy hermit knew well to whom he 
 was talking. He had known and counseled King 
 Uther Pendragon, Arthur's father, before him. 
 Arthur heard many things, and his heart burned 
 within him at the words of the holy man. The 
 hermit left him praying in the chapel, and there 
 he prayed all the night. 
 
 4. THE BLACK RIDER. 
 
 The next morning King Arthur mounted his 
 horse and went his way, and the damsel rode be- 
 hind him on her mule. He had not gone far, 
 when he saw a knight riding against him. The 
 knight sat upon a great black horse with flying 
 mane, and he carried a black shield and spear. 
 The spear was thickened towards the point and 
 burned with a devouring flame, very foul and 
 hideous. He set his spear in rest and thought he 
 could easily smite the king; but Arthur swerved 
 aside and the Black Rider passed beyond him. 
 
110 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 "Wherefore do you hate me?" asked the 
 king. 
 
 "Because now no man loves you, and I defy 
 you as my mortal enemy," was the reply. Saying 
 this, the Black Rider drew back so that his onset 
 might be more sturdy. 
 
 The king saw that he could not escape a fight 
 with this man, so he, too, set his spear in rest and 
 held himself ready. The other came towards him 
 swiftly, and Arthur set his spurs as hard as he 
 could and dashed to meet him. They rushed to- 
 gether so roughly that both their spears bent 
 almost double, but without breaking, and both 
 were shifted back in their saddles and lost their 
 stirrups. They had come with such a shock 
 that stars sparkled before their eyes, and each 
 one drew off a space to get his breath again. 
 
 The king looked at the burning spear, marvel- 
 ing that it had not snapped in pieces from the 
 blow it had received, and he feared that perhaps 
 it belonged to a fiend. 
 
 The Black Rider had no mind to let Arthur 
 off, but rode at him again as hard as before. 
 The king saw him coming and held himself 
 covered with his shield because of the flame, and 
 received the onslaught on the point of his spear. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. Ill 
 
 The other bent back and was borne almost out of 
 his saddle, but leaping back over the crupper, he 
 smote Arthur such a blow that the king nearly 
 lost his seat. Then the Black Rider's lance 
 pierced the king's shield at the boss, and the 
 burning point entered the sleeve of his coat of 
 mail and ran the sharp iron into his arm. 
 
 The king was wild with rage when he felt the 
 burning heat of his wound, but his enemy drew 
 back rejoicing. Then King Arthur looked and 
 saw that the spear was no longer burning. 
 
 " Sir," said the Black Rider, " I cry you mercy." 
 
 " Now may God help me to destroy you," said 
 the king. He went at him with such force that 
 his spear entered two or three inches into the 
 Black Rider's breast, and bore him and his horse 
 to the ground in a heap. Then he drew back his 
 spear and left his foe lying on the ground, dead, 
 and rode towards the entrance to the forest, where 
 sat the damsel. 
 
 As he went he heard a clashing of many knights 
 riding up, and presently saw twenty or more come 
 up to the dead body. They made loud lamenta- 
 tion when they saw it. 
 
 King Arthur rode fast to the entrance to go 
 out of the forest, but the damsel stopped him, say- 
 
112 HEROES OF CHIYALEY. 
 
 ing, " Sir, for God's sake, turn back and fetch me 
 the head of him who lies there dead." 
 
 The king looked back, and seeing the great 
 company of Black Knights, said, "Damsel, I see 
 that you would have me slain." 
 
 "Truly sir," she replied, "I would not; but 
 great need is there that I should have the head." 
 
 " Damsel," returned Arthur, " I am sorely 
 wounded in the arm which holds my shield." 
 
 " Sir," she said, " I know it well, nor will you 
 ever be healed of it, unless you bring me the head 
 of that man." 
 
 "Damsel, I will go back and see what shall 
 happen," said Arthur. 
 
 Then he turned back and saw that those Black 
 Knights had cut him who was slain all in pieces, 
 and that each was carrying off some portion. 
 And he saw the last knight bearing the head on 
 the point of his spear. The king went after him 
 at a gallop, and cried out, " Sir Knight, stay 
 awhile and speak to me." 
 
 " What is your pleasure ? " asked the knight. 
 
 " Sir," said the king, " I beseech you to give 
 me the head you carry on your spear." 
 
 " I will give it to you on one condition." 
 
 u What condition ?" said Arthur. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 113 
 
 " That you tell me who slew the Black Rider.' 
 
 " Will you not give it me without ? " said the 
 king. 
 
 " No," said he. 
 
 " Then know that King Arthur slew him." 
 
 " Where is he ? " said the knight. 
 
 " Seek him until you find him," said King Arthur. 
 u I have told you the very truth ; give me the head." 
 
 "Willingly," said the knight, and he lowered 
 his spear, and the king took the head and rode 
 off with it toward the damsel. 
 
 The knight had a horn around his neck, and he 
 sounded a ringing blast. Then the other knights 
 came to him and asked why he had sounded it. 
 " For this," he said ; " that knight told me that 
 King Arthur slew the Black Rider, and I would 
 that we all follow him." 
 
 " That we will not," said they. " That is King 
 Arthur himself, and we have no power to harm 
 him now that he hath passed the entrance to the 
 forest. But you shall be sorry that you yourself 
 did not slay him when he was in your power." 
 Then they rushed at him and slew him, and cut 
 him in pieces as they had done the other. 
 
 By this time King Arthur had come to the 
 damsel. " I thank you, Sir Knight," said she. 
 
114 HEKOES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 u You are welcome," said Arthur. 
 
 "Now you may alight from your horse," said 
 the damsel, "for beyond this entrance you are 
 safe." 
 
 When he was off his horse, the damsel carefully 
 undid his breastplate, saying, " Now I will heal 
 your wound, for by no one else can it be healed." 
 
 Then she washed his wound with the blood from 
 the dead knight, saying : a Never in this world 
 could you have been healed except by this, and 
 this is why those knights have carried off his body 
 piecemeal. Now," she continued, " it is right that 
 you tell me your name." 
 
 " Damsel," said the king, " they that know me 
 call me Arthur." 
 
 " Is that in truth your name ? " she asked. 
 
 " Yes, lady," he replied. 
 
 " Then it is pity," said she, " for never have I 
 seen a better knight than you, and I would not 
 that your name should be the same as that of a 
 king who has turned from his glorious ways into 
 sloth." 
 
 " I am sorry," said the king ; " but I have heard 
 that in the beginning he did right well." 
 
 u Who cares," said she, " for his good beginning, 
 if his end is bad ? Very sorry I am that so true 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GEAIL 115 
 
 and great a knight as you should have the name 
 of a slothful king." 
 
 " Damsel," returned the king, " a man is not 
 good because of his name, but because of heart." 
 
 With this the king mounted again and entered 
 into the high forest, and rode as fast as he could 
 back to his castle. When he had ridden a long way, 
 he heard a voice which said : " King Arthur, Lord 
 of Great Britain, rejoice at what I am sent to say 
 to you this day. God hath sent me to bid you 
 hold your court as soon as may be, that your king- 
 dom, which suffered through your slackness, may 
 perchance again be zealous in well-doing, and all 
 the ill be healed." 
 
 The heart of the king was glad, and at last he 
 reached Cardoil. Great were the rejoicings of his 
 people at his return. Then he told the queen all 
 his adventures, and showed her his wound which 
 now began to heal well. 
 
 " Sore pain and trouble have you had, dear lord," 
 she said. 
 
 " Lady, in such a manner a true knight should 
 willingly suffer, that he may have honor, for only 
 by long endurance may men come to honor." 
 
 "God be praised," said the queen, "that you 
 say so." 
 
116 HEROES OF CHI V ALE Y. 
 
 5. THE BALD DAMSEL. 
 
 Now King Arthur was at Cardoil with the queen 
 and a few knights when they heard the tidings of the 
 vision of Dindrane. The wish surged up strongly 
 in the heart of the king to win fame and honor, as 
 in the days gone by, for himself and his Knights of 
 the Round Table. He sent messengers throughout 
 all his lands and islands, to take word to the barons 
 and knights, that were scattered in their castles, 
 that he would hold his court on the shores of 
 the Welsh Sea, at the feast of St. John. The 
 Knights of the Round Table, who had been loung- 
 ing idle and discontented, were very joyful, and 
 came back to the court quickly. 
 
 St. John's Day broke fair and clear, and the air 
 was fresh. The hall in the king's palace was wide 
 and high, and filled again with good knights in 
 plenty. The tables were spread with white cloths, 
 on which were laid rare dishes filled with rich 
 meats. The sun shone through the windows, and 
 the floor was strewn with flowers and rushes and 
 sweet herbs, which smelled as though they had 
 been sprinkled with balm. 
 
 Sir Kay the seneschal and Sir Gawain the con- 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 117 
 
 stable of the king's estates served that day at the 
 tables, and five-and-twenty other knights besides. 
 Sir Lucan, the butler, carried the golden cup 
 before the king. There was great rejoicing among 
 them all, and it seemed once more as if the old 
 happy days before they grew slothful had returned. 
 
 Now it was the custom of Arthur and his 
 knights when they were at the Round Table, not to 
 rise after their meal until some adventure befell. 
 On this occasion, after the first co'irse had been 
 served, and they were yet awaiting the second, 
 suddenly three damsels entered the hall. 
 
 The first that came was mounted upon a mule, 
 white as driven snow, which she guided by a 
 golden bridle. She sat upon a saddle, the bow of 
 which was of ivory inlaid with gold and gems, and 
 the saddlecloth was of red samite shot through 
 with gold. The body of this damsel was very 
 comely, but her face was not fair. She was clothed 
 in robes of silk and gold, and she wore a rich hat 
 which covered the whole of her head. It, too, 
 was all loaded with costly stones that flamed like 
 fire. 
 
 Truly it was well that her head was all covered 
 by the hat she wore, for she was without any hair. 
 She carried her right arm slung from her neck in 
 
118 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 a sling of golden cloth. Her arm lay on a rich 
 pillow, the richest that was ever seen, and all 
 ronnd the pillow was hung with many little golden 
 bells. But alas ! in her hand she held the head of 
 a king, sealed with silver and crowned with gold. 
 
 The next damsel that came rode after the first 
 in the fashion of a squire. At her neck she carried 
 a shield banded with silver and blue, and on it was 
 a scarlet cross. The boss of the shield was of 
 solid gold set with precious stones. 
 
 The third damsel came on foot, with her skirts 
 tucked up like those of a running footman. She 
 had in her hand a whip with which she drove the 
 two mules of the other damsels. Each of the last 
 two maidens was more fair than the first, but she 
 that ran on foot was fairest by far of them all. 
 
 The first damsel came before the king, where he 
 sat. u Sir," said she, " the Saviour of the world 
 grant you honor and joy and good adventure, and 
 my lady, the queen, and all that sit in this hall 
 for love of you. Think it not rude that I alight 
 not, for I have made a vow that where knights 
 are I will not alight, nor shall I ever, till such time 
 as the Holy Grail is found. " 
 
 " Damsel," said the king, " do as seemeth best 
 to you." 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 119 
 
 " Sir," said the damsel, " I thank you, and I 
 pray you not to be offended at the errand on which 
 I am come." 
 
 " Fear not, but speak what you will," said the 
 king. 
 
 u Sir," said she, " the shield that this damsel 
 beareth belonged to Joseph, the good soldier 
 knight who took down our Lord's body from hang- 
 ing on the cross. I present it to you after the 
 manner that I shall tell you of; namely, that 
 you guard the shield for a knight that shall come 
 hither to seek for it. You shall let it hang on this 
 column in the midst of your hall, and guard it care- 
 fully so that none may be able to take it, but he 
 only. With this shield shall he find the Holy 
 Grail." 
 
 "Damsel," said the king, "the shield will I 
 keep full safely, and right heartily do I thank you 
 that you have deigned to bring it hither." 
 
 "Sir King," replied the damsel, "I thank you; 
 we will now go our way, for here have we stayed 
 long enough." 
 
 The king commanded Sir Gawain, and he took 
 the shield from the damsel's neck and hung it on a 
 column in the midst of the hall. The damsel took 
 her leave, and the king commended her to God. 
 
120 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 Then the king and all they who were with him 
 went to lean out of the windows and look at the 
 three damsels and the three' white harts that drew 
 the car that came with them. The greater part said 
 that the damsel that went on foot after the two 
 that were mounted must have the most misease. 
 The bald damsel that went before had taken off her 
 hat, and put it not on her head until she came to 
 enter the forest, and the knights that were at the 
 windows could see them no longer. Then she 
 placed her hat upon her head. 
 
 The king, the queen, and the knights, when 
 they could see them no more, came down from the 
 windows, and many of them said that never until 
 this time had they seen a bald-headed damsel. 
 
 6. DINDRANE AND SIR PERCEVAL AT THE 
 PALACE OF THE KING. 
 
 Soon after this King Arthur sat with Queen 
 Guinevere by his side, and, as they looked out, 
 they saw a damsel alight from her horse before the 
 palace and come up the steps leading to the hall. 
 When she had come before the king and the 
 queen, she said : " Sir, I salute you, who am the 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 121 
 
 most forlorn and unhappy damsel you have ever 
 seen. I ask a boon of the nobleness and valor of 
 your heart." 
 
 " Damsel," said the king, " God counsel you, 
 and I myself will gladly help you." 
 
 The maid looked at the shield that hung in the 
 hall. " Sir," said she, u I beseech you, grant that 
 I may receive aid from the knight who shall bear 
 this shield away." 
 
 " Damsel," said the king, " gladly, if the knight 
 himself so wills it." 
 
 "Sir," said Dindrane, — for it was she who 
 asked the boon, — "if he be as good a knight 
 as he is reported to be, he will not refuse. Had 
 I found my brother whom I am seeking, I should 
 have been helped long ago. I have sought him 
 in many lands, but I have never found him." 
 
 Then the king made the damsel sit at table with 
 them and showed her much honor. When the meal 
 was over, the queen led her into her own chamber 
 and comforted her. The queen was very kind to 
 the damsel, for she was of great beauty, and it 
 could easily be seen that she was full of sorrow. 
 
 That night the king woke from his first sleep 
 and could not sleep again. He rose and put on a 
 great gray mantle, and went forth from his bed- 
 
122 HEROES OF CHIVALBY. 
 
 chamber and came to the windows of the hall that 
 opened toward the sea, which lay calm and un- 
 troubled before him. He had so much pleasure 
 in it that he stayed long, leaning at the window 
 looking out. 
 
 When he had been some time there, he saw far 
 away on the sea a light shining. He wondered, 
 and as he looked he saw that it w r as coming 
 toward him, for it grew larger and larger, and 
 more bright. Then he saw that it was a ship 
 from which the light shone, coming with a swift 
 rushing toward his castle. One old man held the 
 rudder. The deck was covered with rich cloth, and 
 the sail was lowered, for the sea w T as calm and 
 quiet. Swiftly the ship came to the walls of the 
 palace and stopped. 
 
 Then the king Went down to get into the ship, 
 but he could not. The old man that held the rud- 
 der said, " Stay awhile," and he launched a little 
 boat and the king entered it and came to the ship. 
 Inside he found a knight who was lying on an ivory 
 table, armed, with his shield at his head. The 
 king thought that he had never seen so beautiful a 
 knight. 
 
 " Sir," said the master of the ship, " let him 
 rest ; he is in sore need of it." 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GEAIL. 123 
 
 " Will he leave before he comes to the palace ? " 
 asked the king. 
 
 " Not before he hath entered the hall," said the 
 old man. 
 
 The king was glad, and hastened to tell the 
 queen ; and the queen rose and clothed herself in 
 silken robes trimmed with ermine, and waited with 
 two damsels and the king in the great hall. 
 
 Presently the knight came in all armed, and the 
 old man with him, bearing two candlesticks of 
 gold in front of him. 
 
 " Sir Knight, you are welcome," said the queen. 
 
 " Lady 9 God grant you joy," said the knight. 
 Then he walked across the hall and took down the 
 shield that hung on the pillar in the midst of the 
 hall, and passed away toward the entrance. 
 
 " Lady," said the king to his fair queen, " pray 
 the knight to stay with us." 
 
 " Sir," said the knight, " I can make no stay 
 now ; but some day you shall see me again." 
 
 Then he passed into the ship, and the old man 
 drew in the boat, and the ship bore them swiftly 
 away, leaving the castle behind. The king and 
 the queen were very sorrowful that the unknown 
 knight would make no stay with them, and they 
 were astonished at what they had seen. 
 
124 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 Then Dindrane came into the hall; and seeing 
 quickly that the shield was gone, she said, u Sir, 
 did you speak for me to the knight ? " 
 
 " Damsel," answered the king, " to my sorrow, 
 he departed sooner than I thought, and I did not 
 mind me of my promise." 
 
 " Sir," said the maid, " you have done me a 
 wrong." And the king was very sorrowful that 
 he had not remembered his promise to the damsel. 
 She went her way from the court, saying that she 
 herself must go and seek the knight, and that if 
 she foimd him, she would hold the king blameless. 
 
 But when Sir Lancelot came back and saw the 
 shield the knight had left instead of the one he 
 took from the column, he said, " Now I know that 
 Sir Perceval has been here, for this is the shield he 
 has often borne, and his father before him." 
 
 7. THE SEAT PERILOUS. 
 
 Again it was Whitsuntide at King Arthur's 
 court, and early in the morning the king and the 
 queen and all their knights went to the minster to 
 attend high mass. Afterward they made a feast 
 in the great Hall of the Round Table. Now the 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GKAIL. 125 
 
 place of every knight bore his name, written in 
 letters of gold. But there was one seat in which 
 no man had ever yet proved himself worthy to 
 sit ; it was called the " Seat Perilous." He to 
 whom it should lawfully belong would do many 
 great deeds, and be more pure and true in his life 
 than any other knight in all the world. 
 
 Arthur and his knights were sitting, as was their 
 wont, each in his own seat, when a strange thing 
 came to pass. 
 
 The doors and windows of the great hall sud- 
 denly shut by themselves, with a great noise, and 
 yet the hall was filled with a strange, clear light. 
 Then the king and all his knights sat silent from 
 surprise. After a time the king spoke, and said, 
 " Great lords and fair companions, we have this 
 day ^een a marvelous thing happen, yet before 
 night I ween we shall see a greater." 
 
 And behold ! before the king had finished speak- 
 ing, an old, old man came into the hall, clothed 
 in white garments. He led by the hand a youthful 
 knight without sword or shield, armed in red armor. 
 The old man greeted the company, saying, " Peace 
 be with you, fair lords." Then, turning to the 
 young knight, he said, " Sir, follow me." 
 
 He brought him up the long hall to the seat 
 
126 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 beside Sir Lancelot. Lo ! on the seat they saw 
 written in letters of bright, new gold, " This is the 
 seat of Sir Galahad, the good knight." Then the 
 young knight sat him down in the seat, and all 
 the Knights of the Round Table wondered that he 
 dared to sit there, for it was the Seat Perilous. 
 They said, " Surely this is a great knight, and 
 one through whom the Holy Grail will be achieved, 
 for no man ever sat safely in that seat before." 
 
 Then Arthur decreed that all the knights should 
 meet together and joust in the broad green meadow 
 near the hall, for he wished to try the mettle and 
 prowess of this new young knight. All the knights 
 were filled with wonder at what had happened. 
 And the king commanded that a fair shield and 
 a mighty sword be given to the young knight, so 
 that with it he might defend his cause in the 
 tournament; and it w T as done as Arthur com- 
 manded. 
 
 When the feast was ended, they went to the 
 green meadow, where the lists had been duly 
 made ready. That day's jousting was remembered 
 long in story, wherever the history of the Holy 
 Grail was sung or told. Men marveled at the 
 prowess of the young knight, for he did more 
 than all the others of the king's men. In a 
 
Sir Galahad. 
 
 From the Painting by G. F. Watts. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 129 
 
 short space he had thrown down all the knights, 
 except Sir Lancelot, Sir Gawain, Sir Perceval, and 
 Sir Bors. 
 
 After the jousts were over, the king and the 
 queen and all the company went to evensong in 
 the quiet minster, and then to supper in the great 
 hall. 
 
 8. THE KNIGHTS TAKE VOWS TO SEEK THE 
 GRAIL. 
 
 While King Arthur and his fellowship were 
 seated at supper, they heard the loud cracking of 
 thunder and the howling of a strong wind, and it 
 seemed as if the hall would be blown down. Sud- 
 denly, in the midst of the storm, a flashing light 
 shone into the hall, more bright by far than the 
 light of the sun at midday. They all looked at 
 one another with wondering looks, and found that 
 each was more fair by far than he had ever been 
 before. They all sat silent as if they were dumb. 
 
 In the silence there came floating into the hall 
 the Holy Grail, veiled in cloth of white samite, and 
 none could see who bore it. The hall was filled 
 with refreshing odors, and sounds of sweet music 
 trembled through the air. When it had floated all 
 
130 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 up the long hall, it suddenly departed, and no man 
 could tell what had become of it. 
 
 Then said Sir Gawain : " Alas ! we could not see 
 the Grail, it was so closely covered. Therefore I 
 make this vow : To-morrow, for a year and a day, 
 I shall depart on the quest of the Holy Grail, and 
 for longer if need be ; and never will I return to 
 this court until I have seen the Holy Grail more 
 openly than at this time." 
 
 When the other knights heard Sir Gawain say 
 this, they arose, the greater part of them, and 
 made the same vow. 
 
 Then the king was very sad at heart, and said : 
 "Alas, Sir Gawain, you have almost killed me 
 with the vow and promise that you have taken. 
 Surely you have bereft me of the fairest fellow- 
 ship of men and the truest knighthood ever 
 gathered together in any kingdom of this world. 
 When they depart hence, very sure am I that 
 never again shall we all meet together, for many 
 will die far away, not having achieved the Grail. 
 I have loved them as well as my life, and it grieves 
 me to the heart to have this my fellowship broken." 
 And the tears fell from his eyes, and he said, " Sir 
 Gawain, Sir Gawain, you have brought much sor- 
 row upon me and upon our kingdom." 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 131 
 
 Then Sir Lancelot strove to comfort him, saying, 
 " Comfort yourself, my king, for it will be great 
 honor to us all if we die in this quest, much more 
 than if we die in any other, and of death we may 
 all be sure at the last." 
 
 When the queen and her gentlewomen heard 
 of the vows that the knights had taken on them, 
 they were very sorrowful, for no knight might take 
 his lady with him on that quest, but each must go 
 alone on the way that he should choose. Then at 
 last they all went to rest after the marvels of the 
 day. 
 
 As soon as it was dawn the king rose up, for 
 he had had no rest all that night for sorrow, 
 and went to Sir Gawain and Sir Lancelot and 
 found them risen to hear mass. " Sir Gawain, 
 Sir Gawain," said the king again, "you have 
 brought me much sorrow." Then he took coun- 
 sel with them to see if in any way the vows 
 might be undone. " But I know well," said the 
 king, " it cannot be ; now that so many good 
 knights have sworn it, they may in no wise leave 
 the quest." 
 
 So the king and the queen went with them 
 all together to the minster. After the service 
 was done, they counted and found that an hun- 
 
132 HEEOES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 dred and fifty knights had sworn to go, and 
 they were all of the Round Table. On the next 
 day they were of one mind that the time had 
 come when they should depart, and every knight 
 set forth on the way that he deemed best. 
 
 p. THE VISION OF SIR GAWAIN. 
 
 Interesting as it would be, it is, of course, impos- 
 sible for us to follow all the hundred and fifty 
 Knights of the Round Table on their adventures, 
 as they rode on the quest of the Holy Grail. 
 Indeed, many of the old stories themselves have 
 been lost ; and of those that remain, we can choose 
 only a few. 
 
 When Sir Gawain had left the court of King 
 Arthur, he rode for many months on his quest. 
 During this time he encountered many strange 
 and perilous adventures. At last he came in his 
 wanderings into that country w T here King Fisher- 
 man's castle was. 
 
 As he rode one day through a great forest, he 
 spied through the trees a little dwelling. Near 
 the entrance, under a small tree, he saw sitting a 
 noble old man, with clean-shaven face and white 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 133 
 
 hair, dressed as a hermit. The man was looking at 
 the armor of a knight which a squire had brought 
 to show him. When he saw Sir Gawain, he rose 
 up and said : " Fair sir, make no noise. Lying 
 within my dwelling, sick unto death, is the best 
 knight in all the world. It may be we shall heal 
 him. Great pity would it be to all this land if he 
 should die." 
 
 " Sir," said Gawain, u may I not speak with 
 him?" 
 
 " Nay," said the hermit, u of his courtesy he 
 would rise from his couch, and that would be the 
 worse for him. Therefore I keep him quiet within 
 my house, and no man may see him." 
 
 Gawain was troubled, for he thought it might 
 be Perceval. Then the hermit asked him whither 
 he was bound. 
 
 "To find the castle of King Fisherman. Can 
 you tell me by what way one should go to find 
 it?" 
 
 " Sir," said the hermit, " no man can teach you 
 the way ; the will of God only can lead you." 
 
 Then a damsel came to the door of the little 
 house and called low to the hermit, and, taking 
 leave of Sir Gawain, he entered the house, and 
 closed the door. 
 
134 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 Sir Gawain rode off mournfully, for he would 
 willingly have seen the best knight in all the 
 world. For many leagues he continued his jour- 
 ney. The forest pleased him well, the birds sang 
 in the leafy trees, #nd often he passed a little 
 brook flowing between flowery banks and green 
 open spaces, where he saw the deer pass by in 
 great herds. 
 
 He rode on till it was near to evensong. The 
 evening was fair and calm, and the sun was about 
 to set as he drew near the edge of the forest. 
 
 Soon he came to a peaceful meadow land, and, 
 looking before him, he saw a castle on a mountain, 
 near the forest. It was inclosed by high walls with 
 battlements, and within were noble halls, whose 
 windows showed in the outer walls. In the midst 
 was an ancient tower that was surrounded by a 
 moat and meadow lands. The entrance to the 
 castle lay far without. As he looked, he saw at 
 the gate a lion lying chained, and the chain was 
 fixed to the wall. 
 
 Sir Gawain rode slowly up, hardly hoping to 
 enter, because of the lion chained at the gate. He 
 looked up to the top of the walls and saw people 
 who seemed to him to be clothed like priests and 
 holy men, and bald and ancient knights wearing 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 135 
 
 what seemed garments of ancient fashion. In each 
 recess of the wall was a cross and a little chapel. 
 
 Above the wall, near by the entrance of the 
 great hall, was another chapel, and above the 
 chapel was a tall, golden cross glittering in the set- 
 ting sun. On either side were two smaller crosses, 
 rather lower, and on the top of each was a golden 
 eagle. The priests and the knights upon the 
 walls knelt toward the chapel, and looked up to 
 heaven, praying. 
 
 Sir Gawain looked at them from far off, and to 
 the right and to the left he saw no way by which 
 he could enter. Then he saw coming from the 
 castle toward him a knight, who saluted him, 
 asking him what he wished. 
 
 " To enter the castle if I may." And Sir 
 Gawain asked whose the castle might be. 
 
 "The castle of King Fisherman," said the 
 knight. 
 
 At this Sir Gawain leaped from his horse and 
 knelt down, thanking God that he had so nearly 
 succeeded in his quest of the Holy Grail. Then 
 the knight led him over the bridges and in at the 
 gates, past the lion, which crouched low as they 
 passed. As he mounted a flight of marble steps 
 into the high hall, a great light shone all around, 
 
136 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 and all the company praised God aloud. When 
 Sir Gawain had washed, the attendants put rich 
 garments on him, and led him into the chamber 
 of King Fisherman. 
 
 The lord of this castle and of the chapel wherein 
 the Grail appeared was sick unto death. He lay 
 on a bed hung with cords, and on it was a mat- 
 tress of straw and a coverlet of fine sable furs. 
 On his head he had a cap of sable and red samite, 
 with a golden cross on top. Under his head was 
 a pillow smelling sweetly of balm. At the four 
 corners of the pillow were four bright stones, 
 from which flashed golden light. In front of him 
 stood a great pillar of burnished copper, and on 
 it sat a golden eagle holding a cross of gold, into 
 which was set a piece of the True Cross. Before 
 this cross the good old king prayed. 
 
 The king made Sir Gawain welcome and asked 
 him his name. 
 
 " Sir, my name is Gawain, a nephew of King 
 Arthur, and constable of all his lands." 
 
 " Sir," said the king, " this radiant light that 
 shines here around us comes from God for love 
 of you. Every time a good knight oomes to this 
 castle, the light shines, as you see. I would 
 gladly make great rejoicings for you, could I help 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 137 
 
 myself; but I have fallen very sick, because a 
 good knight, who visited me, knew not what he 
 should say when a vision of the Grail came be- 
 fore him. For our dear Lord's sake take heed 
 that you are careful and do not as he did; for 
 well would it be if my health could be restored 
 and the troublous times pass away from this land. 
 Here beside me is Dindrane, the daughter of my 
 brother, Alain-li-gros. She has been plundered 
 of all her land, and she will never get it back 
 again unless Sir Perceval win it back for her. 
 We have been told that he is the best knight in 
 all the world, bu^ we can gain no tidings of him. 
 
 "Damsel," said Sir Gawain to Dindrane, "I 
 would gladly help you if I could, and I would 
 rather see your brother than any other knight in 
 all the world. I have no tidings of him except 
 that, as I journeyed, a long while after I had left 
 King Arthur's court, I was at a hermitage in the 
 forest ; and the hermit would not let me make any 
 noise, or even enter in. ' For,' he said, ' the best 
 knight in all the world lies sick within.' ' 
 
 " Sir," said Dindrane, " those who have seen 
 my brother say that he is the most gracious knight 
 that ever was." 
 
 " In truth," said King Fisherman, " I never saw 
 
138 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 a better ; but good came not to me through his 
 staying with me, and now I am so sick I can help 
 neither myself nor others." 
 
 Then they led Sir Gawain back into the hall 
 and seated him at a rich table of ivory, with 
 twelve knights who were each a hundred years 
 old, though they seemed only forty. " Sir," said 
 the master of the knights, "remember what the 
 good king prayed you this night." 
 
 "Sir," answered Sir Gawain, "I will do my 
 uttermost." 
 
 Then men brought venison and wild boar's flesh 
 and other meats in great abundance. On the table 
 were rich vessels of silver and great cups of gold, 
 and high candlesticks with great candles burning, 
 though the bright light shining in the hall made 
 them seem to burn dimly. 
 
 Then, behold ! two damsels came from the chapel, 
 and one held in her hand the most Holy Grail. They 
 walked through the hall where Sir Gawain sat eat- 
 ing, and so sweet and holy a scent came to him 
 that he forgot to eat. Sir Gawain gazed at the 
 Grail ; and it seemed to him that he saw the vessel, 
 though it was covered with a samite cloth ; and it 
 seemed to him that he saw two angels bearing two 
 golden candlesticks filled with lighted candles. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 139 
 
 Then Sir Gawain became so thoughtful, and 
 such great joy came to him, that he remembered 
 nothing but to think of God only, and he spoke 
 no word, but sat in amaze. The knights looked 
 sadly at Sir Gawain and slowly left the room ; and 
 Sir Gawain slept till morning, for he was weary 
 from his wanderings. 
 
 When he awoke the next morning, the doors 
 were all fast closed round him, but he heard a 
 voice saying, "He that comes from without, let 
 him go; the bridges are lowered and the gates 
 opened." Then a damsel came into the hall, and 
 said to him : " Sir, God guard you, for maybe it 
 was not your own fault that you could not speak 
 the word that would have given such joy in this 
 castle." Then Sir Gawain went forth sore per- 
 plexed, and found his horse ready saddled and 
 bridled, and rode back into the forest. 
 
 10. SIR PERCEVAL HAS AN ADVENTURE WITH 
 A GOOD KNIGHT. 
 
 Sir Perceval lay a long time at the hermi- 
 tage. One day, King Hermit having gone into 
 the forest, the good knight found himself stronger 
 
140 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 and better than he had been for a long time. He 
 heard the birds singing in the trees, and his heart 
 began to swell within him, as when he had been a 
 boy. He remembered all the adventures he had 
 been used to find in the forest, and the damsels 
 and knights he had met. He never felt a greater 
 longing to be armed and away than he did now, 
 for he had never stayed within doors so long as 
 now. Very soon he armed himself, and, saddling 
 his horse, he mounted and made off. 
 
 Then he prayed to God to send him a good 
 adventure, and that he might meet a good knight. 
 So he rode on and on into the deep and shady 
 forest, listening to the birds and rejoicing in the 
 fresh, green leaves, till by and by he saw a great 
 leafy tree that stood near a green open space. He 
 alighted and lay down in the shade of the tree, 
 and as he lay he thought that two knights might 
 easily joust in such a space, for it was fair and 
 broad. 
 
 While he was thinking this, he heard a horse 
 neigh three times, and he was very glad. Then 
 he prayed, " Ah ! dear God, of Thy sweetness 
 grant that this may be a good knight with that 
 horse, so that I may see if there be any force or 
 valor or knighthood left in me. I pray that this 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GKAIL. 141 
 
 may be a knight that cometh, and that he have 
 strength and hardihood and mettle to defend him- 
 self, and grant now that I slay him not, nor he 
 me." 
 
 Perceval sprang on his horse and saw an armed 
 knight coming toward him. At his neck he had 
 hanging a white shield with a cross of gold. He 
 carried his lance low, and was seated on a great 
 war horse and rode very swiftly. As soon as 
 Perceval saw him nearing, he steadied himself in 
 his stirrups and set his spear in rest, and, setting 
 his spurs into his horse, he went toward the knight 
 at a gallop. 
 
 " Sir Knight," he cried, " guard yourself with 
 your shield, and God grant I find you a valiant 
 knight of great courage, that I may try and see 
 what strength I have left, for I am not yet as 
 strong as I used to be." Then he smote the 
 knight on his shield with such a sweep of his 
 sword that he made him lose a stirrup, and pierced 
 his shield just about the boss. 
 
 The knight was astonished, and asked, saying, 
 " Fair sir, what evil deed have I done you ? " 
 But Perceval was silent, for he was not pleased 
 that he had not dismounted the knight. They 
 rode at each other again as hard as their horses 
 
142 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 would, and they came together with great force, 
 so that they pierced and battered each other's 
 shields. And Perceval's spear pierced the flesh 
 two finger lengths ; but the strange knight passed 
 his spear right through Perceval's arm, so that the 
 shaft of his lance was splintered. 
 
 Then they went at each other with so much 
 rage that the splinters from the iron of their 
 breastplates stuck in their foreheads and faces, 
 and the blood streamed from their noses and 
 mouths. They drew their swords through the air 
 with great sweeps, and the Knight of the White 
 Shield took hold of Sir Perceval's rein and said, 
 " I would gladly know who you are and why you 
 fight me, for you are a sturdy knight and have 
 wounded me sorely." 
 
 Perceval said not a word, and they ran at each 
 other with drawn swords, and gave each other 
 such blows on their helmets that they saw sparkles 
 of stars, and the forest rang with the clashing of 
 their swords. At the last the blood that ran from 
 their wounds weakened them, although they were 
 so heated that they hardly remembered they were 
 wounded, and still dealt each other great blows 
 without ceasing. 
 
 Then came King Hermit, seated on a mule, 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 143 
 
 seeking his nephew; and, hearing the sound of 
 swords, he rode at full speed and put himself be- 
 tween them to stop their fighting. " Sir," he said 
 to the Knight of the White Shield, " you do wrong 
 to fight with one who has so long been on a bed 
 of sickness." 
 
 "But, sir," said the other, "do what I could, 
 he would fight me, and I know not why, though 
 a right good knight he is." 
 
 "Fair sir," said King Hermit, "who are you?" 
 
 " I am Lancelot," said he. 
 
 "Fair nephew," said King Hermit, "this is 
 your cousin." 
 
 Then he made them unlace their helmets and 
 kiss each other. Afterward he led them to the 
 hermitage, where a damsel that was a good leech 
 cared for their wounds. Sir Perceval's wounds 
 were soon healed ; but Lancelot was hurt the 
 worst, and he was sick for a long time, and King 
 Hermit and the damsels tended him carefully. 
 
 ii. SIR PERCEVAL RESCUES DINDRANE. 
 
 The heart of Sir Perceval rejoiced within him 
 when he found that his strength had returned to 
 
144 HEROES OF CHIVALKY. 
 
 him, and he at once set out to seek the Holy Grail. 
 After he had ridden a long way through the 
 forest and was coming out to the meadows on the 
 other side, he met the damsel of the car, who, with 
 her two attendants, was journeying to seek him. 
 When she found him, she was full of joy, and 
 prayed him eagerly to go quickly and succor the 
 widow lady Yglais his mother, and his sister, 
 the holy nun, Dindrane. " For," said the damsel, 
 " many years have we journeyed seeking you, and 
 sore calamities have fallen on those you love, 
 because you were not there to help them. 
 
 " And now," she continued, " is the worst peril 
 of all upon them, and without your aid they are 
 indeed miserable. Lord Aristole * is about to marry. 
 He is going to take the daughter of the widow 
 lady for his wife. He has carried her off by force 
 from her castle of Camelot, and has left her in the 
 house of one of his vavasors or dependants, until 
 such a time as he desires to marry her. We are 
 very sorrowful, for she is a lady of most noble 
 lineage and of great beauty, and the best lady in 
 all the world. Sad it is that he should have her, 
 for on the day of the New Year he will cut off her 
 head ; such has always been his custom." 
 
 1 Aristole = Ar'-is-tol. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 145 
 
 " Where is this lord ?" said Perceval. "Can 
 you tell me where he is?" 
 
 "Yes," said the damsel, "he is fighting with a 
 true and valiant knight, whose name is the Knight 
 Hardy. Every knight that passes through this 
 forest yonder Aristole tries to slay." 
 
 At that Sir Perceval rode off, and when he had 
 gone two or three leagues and entered the forest, he 
 heard the clash of the knights' swords as they fought 
 in a little clearing. As soon as he spied them, he 
 put spurs to his horse, and, lance in rest, he smote 
 Aristole right through the breastplate, so that he 
 was thrown backward out of his saddle. Then cried 
 Sir Perceval, " I am come to my sister's wedding ; 
 it is not right that it should be held without me." 
 
 Aristole, who was strong and hardy, reseated 
 himself on his saddle, and rode at Sir Perceval as 
 if he were mad, but Perceval smote him again so 
 hard that he thrust his spear right through his 
 body and threw him and his horse in a heap to the 
 ground. Then he dismounted and slashed off his 
 head and hanged it at his saddlebow. 
 
 After this Perceval rode off through the deep 
 forest, and after he had made his way in spite of 
 many dangerous encounters, he came to the castle 
 keep. The lady, his sister, was in the house of 
 
146 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 the vavasor, a very worthy man, who had tried 
 to comfort her. But she moaned and lamented 
 for her mother, the widow lady, who, for her 
 part, was in great anguish on account of her lost 
 daughter. 
 
 Then Perceval, armed as he was, dismounted at 
 the mounting-stage before the hall. " Sir," said 
 the vavasor, "you are welcome." 
 
 " Good adventure may you have," replied Sir 
 Perceval. As he held Aristole's head in his hand 
 by the hair, the vavasor wondered that any one 
 should carry a knight's head in his hand in such 
 a fashion. 
 
 When Perceval came to the hall where his sister 
 sat lamenting, he said, " Damsel, look up ; weep 
 not! for your wedding is prevented. Behold the 
 head of him who carried you off." Then Din- 
 drane, recognizing her brother by the arms he 
 bore, sprang up and welcomed him with tears of 
 joy. Sir Perceval thanked the vavasor for all the 
 kindness he had shown his sister, and departed, 
 his sister going with him on the mule which had 
 brought her hither. 
 
 After many a long league of riding through the 
 deep forest, the good knight and the most holy 
 nun, his sister, drew near the castle of the Valleys 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 147 
 
 of Camelot. The widow lady was watching at the 
 window of the hall, and at a great distance off she 
 knew her daughter. " Oh ! dear God/' she cried, 
 " I see my daughter and a knight with her. 
 Grant, God ! if it be Thy good pleasure, that 
 it may be my son." 
 
 As Perceval came near the castle with his sister, 
 he saw again the little chapel, standing on four 
 columns of marble, between the forest and the 
 castle. He was passing by the chapel, but his 
 sister said to him, "Sir brother, no knight may 
 pass by here unless he goes in to pray at the tomb 
 within the chapel." 
 
 Then he alighted and set the damsel on the 
 ground, and together they went into the little 
 chapel. As soon as he came near, the tomb sud- 
 dtenly fell apart, and inside could be seen the em- 
 balmed remains of Joseph of Arimathea. When 
 the widow lady saw this marvel, she knew right 
 well that it was her son indeed, and she kissed and 
 blessed him and rejoiced with all her heart. Then 
 she began to weep for joy, and kissed both Per- 
 ceval and Dindrane again, and yet again. 
 
 " Fair son," she said, " by you all my great joy 
 has returned to me. Now I may very well depart, 
 for I have lived long enough." 
 
148 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 "Lady," he said, "your life should be an offense 
 to none, for to none hath it ever done ill. But, 
 so please you, and if God will, you shall not end 
 your life in this place, but rather in the castle that 
 belongs to King Fisherman, your brother. There 
 the Holy Grail abides and the holy relics are." 
 
 "Dear son," she said, "your words are welcome 
 to me ; gladly would I be there." 
 
 " Lady mother," Sir Perceval replied, " God will 
 give us counsel and help by which we may take 
 you there. And my dear sister, if she wishes to 
 marry, we will give to a good and courteous 
 knight with whom she may live happily." 
 
 "My brother," said Dindrane, "none shall I 
 ever marry. It is well that I should go with you 
 till you achieve the Grail." 
 
 Perceval stayed a long time with his mother 
 and sister in the castle, and saw that all the land 
 was peaceful. Dindrane told her brother that she 
 had seen the Grail, and after that wandered for 
 many years looking for him, and all that had 
 happened since he had left the castle after un- 
 wittingly killing the Red Knight. And Sir Per- 
 ceval made known to his mother and his sister all 
 that he had done since he had been knighted by 
 the hand of King Arthur. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 149 
 
 a Now," he said to Dindrane, " I must leave you 
 for a space, but afterward I will take my mother 
 and establish her at the castle of King Fisherman. 
 Then, as the quest demands it of us, you and I will 
 follow." 
 
 12. THE CASTLE OF THE QUEEN OF THE 
 MAIDENS. 
 
 After this Sir Perceval left his mother and sister 
 and rode a long way till he came to the seashore. 
 By and by he saw a castle on a high rock over the 
 sea. As he went he saw a squire coming down 
 the steep way over the rocks to meet him, and he 
 asked him whose the castle was. " Sir," said the 
 squire, " it belongs to the Queen of the Maidens." 
 
 Sir Perceval rode to the gates of the castle 
 and dismounted at the mounting-stage. Looking 
 toward the steps by which the higher hall was 
 reached, he saw on them row upon row of knights 
 and damsels, but neither knight nor damsel 
 greeted him. Then he saluted them, and went 
 his way toward the door of the great hall, and 
 found it shut. Then he rattled the knocker so 
 hard that all the walls resounded. 
 
150 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 A knight came and opened the door, saying, 
 u Sir Knight, you are welcome." 
 
 " Good adventures may you have," replied Sir 
 Perceval, and entered the castle. Then he took 
 off his helmet, and the knight led him into the 
 queen's chamber. 
 
 She welcomed him with great joy and made 
 him sit beside her all armed. And a damsel 
 kneeled at the queen's feet and said, " Lady, behold 
 the knight who first saw the Grail." 
 
 "Now haste," said the queen, "sound the ivory 
 horn before the castle." 
 
 Then the rows of knights and damsels leaped up 
 with great rejoicing, for they knew now that their 
 penance was finished. The queen took Perceval 
 by the hand and went forth to meet them. " Be- 
 hold," she said, "the knight through whom you 
 have such distress ; he is come to release you." 
 
 " He is very welcome," said the knights. 
 
 " Truly he is," said the queen. " He is the 
 knight, of all the world, whom I most have longed 
 to see." 
 
 Then the queen said to Sir Perceval : " These 
 knights and damsels have been on the steps at the 
 entrance to our castle ever since you failed to 
 understand the signs shown to you in the castle of 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 151 
 
 King Fisherman. Never since then have they 
 entered a house to eat or drink or sleep, nor would 
 they now if you had not come ; so you cannot 
 marvel at their joy. But more than this : we have 
 sore need of you, for a wicked • knight, the king 
 of Mortal Castle, who is brother to King Fisher- 
 man, makes war on me because I hold my castle 
 from the king." 
 
 "Lady," said Sir Perceval, " I know him; he is 
 my uncle. And I tell you truly the king of 
 Mortal Castle is the most cruel king that lives ; 
 and he makes war on King Fisherman and would 
 capture the chapel of the Grail." 
 
 " Sir Knight," said the queen, " he comes to an 
 island in the sea near by, and thence he plunders 
 and harms my land. He has killed many of my 
 knights and damsels, and I pray God to take 
 vengeance on him." So saying she led Sir Per- 
 ceval to the windows that looked over the sea- 
 " Now you may see the island," she said, "where 
 your wicked uncle came in a galley last night, and 
 where he rests to lay his plans before he strikes 
 his blow. And here near us in the little bay are 
 the galleys which strive to defend us from him." 
 
 After Sir Perceval had eaten and rested, he 
 armed himself and entered one of the queen's 
 
152 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 galleys, and made the sailors row him toward the 
 island. His uncle was much amazed to see him 
 coming, for no knight had ever before dared to go 
 and meet him. But he knew not as yet that it 
 was Sir Perceval, or he would have hardly been so 
 much astonished. 
 
 Then Perceval's galley reached the shore of the 
 island, and he landed. The queen and all her 
 maidens and knights stood at the window to watch 
 what would happen. The king of Mortal Castle 
 was tall and strong and hardy. He saw his 
 nephew coining armed, but still he did not know 
 rjjm. But Sir Perceval knew his uncle, and kept 
 his sword drawn and his shield on his arm, and 
 flew at him so angrily and dealt him such a blow 
 on the helmet, that he made him reel. 
 
 The king did not spare Sir Perceval, but struck 
 back so sturdily that his helmet, too, was all 
 dented. Then Perceval struck again, hoping that 
 the blow would fall on his enemy's head ; but the 
 king swerved aside and it only fell on the shield, 
 but this it split down as far as the boss. Then the 
 king of Mortal Castle drew back in fear, for Sir 
 Perceval's sword struck him everywhere, and if his 
 habergeon had not been so strong and tough, he 
 would have been wounded in many places. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 153 
 
 The king himself dealt such blows that the 
 queen, and all those with her at the windows, 
 wondered to see how Sir Perceval withstood them. 
 Then the king looked at the shield Sir Perceval 
 bore, and said, " Knight, who gave you that shield, 
 and for whom do you carry it ? " 
 
 " My father," said Sir Perceval, " King Alain-li- 
 gros, of the Valley of Camelot." 
 
 " Then you are my nephew," said the king. 
 
 " Yes, and very sorry am I that I am," Perceval 
 replied, " for from you have we never had any honor. 
 You are the most disloyal knight of all our kindred. 
 I knew when I came here that it was you, and you 
 do I defy and hold for my enemy. You war upon 
 the best king and the most honorable man that 
 lives, and on the queen of his castle because she 
 aids him as best she may. But, please God, you 
 shall never have her castle, nor the castle where 
 the chapel lies wherein the Holy Grail abides, for 
 God loves you not." 
 
 Then the king of Mortal Castle, fearing that he 
 could not overcome his nephew, turned and ran 
 full speed to his galley, and leaped upon it, and 
 pushed out from the shore. Sir Perceval followed 
 him, right down to the beach, raging to think that 
 his wicked uncle had escaped him. He cried after 
 
154 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 him as loud as he could : " Wicked king, never tell 
 me again that I am of your kindred. Never yet 
 did a knight of our lineage but you only flee from 
 another knight. I have conquered this island; 
 never dare to be seen on it again." 
 
 Then Sir Perceval returned to the castle, and the 
 queen made great rejoicings in his honor, for she 
 and her knights knew that the king of Mortal 
 Castle would never dare return to the island again. 
 
 13. HOW SIR PERCEVAL SAW THE KING OF 
 MORTAL CASTLE AGAIN. 
 
 After this Sir Perceval went on his way, hoping 
 ever to meet again with the king of Mortal Castle 
 and kill him. Many a long month passed, and 
 still he found him not, though other adventures 
 he found in plenty. At last, one day, as he rode 
 through a forest, he came to a chapel in a wood, 
 and, as his custom was, he entered in to pray. 
 
 While he was praying, he heard a voice saying : 
 " Good King Fisherman is dead and the king of 
 Mortal Castle has seized his castle, and never since 
 has the Holy Grail appeared to any. No one 
 knows what has become of the priests that served 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 155 
 
 the chapel, or of the twelve ancient knights and 
 holy damsels. Go quickly to that land and slay 
 him, or the law of God that has been established 
 will be destroyed throughout the land." 
 
 Then Sir Perceval made haste, and rode as 
 quickly as he might till he came to the hermitage 
 of King Hermit, his good uncle and the brother of 
 King Fisherman. But the way was long, and it 
 was many weary months before he saw the her- 
 mitage before him. 
 
 King Hermit had long desired to see Perceval, 
 and greeted him with much joy ; and Sir Perceval 
 recounted to him all the adventures that had 
 befallen him since he had departed from the her- 
 mitage. His uncle, King Hermit, wondered at all 
 the marvelous things that were told him, and 
 rejoiced in the courage and prowess of his nephew. 
 Many of the strange happenings he was able to 
 interpret to Sir Perceval, who had been at a loss 
 how to account for them. 
 
 Then King Hermit said : " Fair nephew, since 
 you were made a knight, many are the ways in 
 which you have served the Lord and helped for- 
 ward His law in Britain. Marvel not if you have 
 had sore labor in thus serving God, for never can 
 a man win honor without pain and striving. Now 
 
156 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 there lies before you another high adventure to 
 achieve. Your mother's brother, your uncle, the 
 king of Mortal Castle, some time since seized the 
 lands of his brother, your uncle, King Fisher- 
 man. All the people who dwell there have re- 
 turned to their evil ways and their old gods by his 
 commandment. 
 
 " No other man but you is able to set right this 
 great wrong. The castle and the lands are yours 
 by right, and very sad it is that they should be in 
 the hands of such an evil man. Since the death 
 of King Fisherman the castle has been much 
 strengthened. Nine bridges have been newly 
 made, and at each bridge are set tall and strong 
 knights to guard them. The chapel wherein the 
 most Holy Grail was wont to appear is emptied 
 of all the holy relics, and no man has seen again 
 the priest and maidens who served at the altar." 
 
 " Good uncle," said Perceval, " gladly will I go 
 as you advise me. He that now possesses the 
 castle hath no right to it. My mother, who was 
 next of kin to King Fisherman, because of whose 
 death I am very sorrowful, should have the castle. 
 Surely I will take it from him." 
 
 "Dear nephew," said King Hermit, " you do 
 well to be sorrowful for the death of King Fisher- 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL 157 
 
 man, for some say you might have healed him of 
 his sore wound ; but of that I myself am not sure. 
 Had God so willed it, it would have been made 
 clear to you what you should have done. But go 
 now and take with you my white mule starred 
 on the forehead with a red cross; and a certain 
 banner also you shall take. 
 
 " The power of God is greater than your own. 
 Seven and twenty strong knights guard well the 
 nine bridges, and how can you alone withstand so 
 many ? But fear not. God will open a way for 
 you by virtue of His great power and might. If at 
 any time you are worsted by those knights, mount 
 upon the mule and take the banner, and your foes 
 shall forthwith lose their strength and fail. I 
 know well that you are the best knight in all the 
 world, but put not your trust in your own strength 
 alone. " 
 
 Sir Perceval listened meekly to all the holy 
 hermit said. 
 
 "And now, good nephew," continued the hermit, 
 "there are at the gates of the castle two great 
 lions, the one red, the other white. Trust in him 
 that is white, and if at any time your force should 
 be diminished, look straight at him. He will look 
 at you in such a fashion that you will know in 
 
158 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 your heart what is the wisest thing for you to do. 
 Therefore do as he would have you, for all his 
 intention is to help you, and in no other manner 
 can you win your way into the castle." 
 
 With this, Perceval set forth, all armed, upon his 
 war horse, followed by the white mule. He met a 
 company of hermits fleeing from the wrath of the 
 king of Mortal Castle, and among them he found 
 his cousin Joseus, 1 the son of King Pelles, one of 
 his uncles. Then he commanded all of them to 
 turn back again with him, for he would establish 
 them all in safety again in their hermitages. 
 
 The knights that guarded the bridges saw Sir 
 Perceval from afar off and told their lord and king. 
 But the king of Mortal Castle said to them, " Have 
 no fear ; what can one knight do against so many 
 of us?" 
 
 Then Perceval galloped forward on his war 
 horse, after the hermits had blessed him and com- 
 mended him to God's keeping. He held his spear 
 in rest and rode at the three knights that guarded 
 the first bridge. They all set upon him together 
 and broke their spears on his shield. One of them 
 he hit so hard that horse and rider fell off the 
 bridge into the swift, deep river that flowed below. 
 
 1 Joseus = Jo'-se-us. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GKAIL. 159 
 
 With the others he had a longer fight, but at the 
 last he conquered them, and threw their bodies into 
 the river. 
 
 At the second gate Sir Perceval had much 
 trouble, so strong were the knights. Joseus, see- 
 ing this, said to his companions, " Gladly would I 
 help him, bat I fear to break my vows." But the 
 other hermits said, " Go forth ; it is the work of 
 God." Then he threw off his hermit's cape and 
 rushed at one of those knights, and, taking him by 
 the neck, flung him into the river all armed as 
 he was. Perceval quickly got the better of the 
 others and hurled them too into that swiftly flow- 
 ing river/ 
 
 But now weariness overtook him because of his 
 fight with the six knights, and he bethought him 
 of the white lion. He looked toward the castle 
 and saw the lion standing upright on his two hind 
 legs, so eager was he to gaze at Perceval. Then 
 Perceval looked him full square in the face, and, 
 understanding, saw that the knights of the next 
 bridge were the strongest of all ; so that, weary as 
 he was, it would be well for him to mount on the 
 white mule, taking the banner before him. 
 
 So Perceval and Joseus drew back for a little, 
 and at once the two bridges were closed against 
 
160 HEEOES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 them. When Perceval was again ready, the white 
 lion broke loose from his chains, and, leaping to 
 the bridge quickly, in spite of the knights, opened 
 them once more. Then Perceval, on his white 
 mule, with banner waving and naked sword in 
 hand, approached the third bridge. The first of 
 the three knights he smote hard and he threw 
 him into the dark water. Then the hermit knight, 
 Joseus, came forward and would gladly have done 
 the same to the two others, but they cried for 
 mercy from Sir Perceval and promised to forsake 
 their evil master and do Perceval's will in all 
 things. 
 
 Their prayer was granted, and then Perceval 
 went back and dismounted from his mule and 
 gave the banner into the hand of Joseus. Mounted 
 on his war horse, he attacked and destroyed the 
 knights of the fifth; but by the counsel of the 
 white lion he again mounted the white mule, and 
 with the power of the banner subdued those of the 
 sixth. 
 
 Then he approached those of the seventh bridge ; 
 but when the red lion saw what had happened, he 
 burst loose from his chains and attacked one of the 
 conquered knights. The white lion at this leaped 
 on the red lion and tore him to pieces. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 161 
 
 Then the knights of the seventh bridge came to 
 Perceval praying for grace, but all the while in 
 their hearts they treasonably were determined to 
 kill him. This the white lion disclosed to Sir 
 Perceval, so that he denied their request. Then 
 the lion bade him slay them, mounted on his mule ; 
 but they would not fight, and Perceval was sore 
 troubled, for he could not strike men who would 
 not fight. Then the white lion sprang on them 
 and tore them to pieces. Sir Perceval was 
 astounded at the power over his evil enemies 
 which lay in the white mule, the lion, and the 
 banner. The knights that guarded the other two 
 bridges were sore afraid, and quickly came to Sir 
 Perceval to make what terms with him they 
 could. 
 
 During all this time the king of Mortal Castle 
 had stood on the battlements watching. When he 
 saw how some of his knights were destroyed, and 
 the red lion also, and how the hearts of the others 
 had failed them, he was mad with rage and fear. 
 Before Sir Perceval could get at him, he mounted 
 to the highest place on the walls, and, lifting up 
 his breastplate, he fixed his keen and well-tempered 
 sword in such a fashion that he could throw him- 
 self upon it, and it pierced him straight through 
 
162 HEKOES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 the body. Then he fell down from the high walls 
 into the water that ran swift and deep outside the 
 battlements of the castle. 
 
 Sir Perceval and all his company marveled that 
 a king should kill himself in such a fashion. But 
 such was his end, and it is right that the end of 
 such an evil man should be evil, and without honor. 
 
 Then Sir Perceval cleared the castle of all the 
 wicked followers of the king of Mortal Castle, and 
 freed the company of holy priests, knights, and 
 maidens, whom the king had imprisoned in the 
 dungeons. He instructed them to restore the 
 chapel, and to bring again the relics which they 
 had hidden when their enemies had come, after 
 the death of the good King Fisherman. And once 
 more the holy service was chanted in the chapel, 
 and once again the Grail appeared to the pious 
 worshipers whom Perceval had restored. 
 
 After this Perceval made his way toward the 
 castle of his mother, the widow lady. As he 
 went, he was overtaken by the damsel of the car, 
 who showed much joy at seeing him. " Sir," she 
 said, " bald was I the first time I saw you ; now, 
 behold, I have my hair ! " 
 
 " Yes," said Perceval, " and, as I see, hair most 
 beautiful." 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 163 
 
 " Sir," she continued, " I used to carry my arm 
 at my neck, in a scarf of gold and silk, for I 
 thought the services I had done you had been 
 wasted; now I see that they were not, and so I 
 carry it as I do the other. The damsel that went 
 on foot now goes on horseback, for you have proved 
 a fair, kind, and gentle knight, true and honorable, 
 and worthy to be honored. Many are the damsels 
 and good knights you have rescued, and many are 
 the wrongs you have avenged for those who could 
 ill help themselves. 
 
 " Much joy have you brought to the widow lady, 
 your mother, and the holy nun, your sister. You 
 have restored the castle of King Fisherman, and 
 brought back peace to the land. Wherefore return 
 now, and bring your mother, and establish her in 
 King Fisherman's castle, where she may wait her 
 end, and where the most Holy Grail doth still 
 abide. 
 
 "Afterward you and your sister shall travel 
 through many lands and see many things, and 
 blessings will follow in your train. You shall 
 meet Sir Galahad, 1 the pure knight, and with him 
 Sir Bors. But your end shall be as God pleases, 
 when you have fulfilled His law. Never again 
 
 1 Galahad = Gal'-a-had. 
 
164 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 shall you return to King Arthur's pleasant court, 
 neither you nor that pure young knight, Sir 
 Galahad." 
 
 When she had so spoken, she passed from his 
 sight. Then Perceval rode on, pondering in his 
 heart what he had heard, and full of quiet joy. 
 And he did all that the wise damsel had said, and 
 when he had established his mother in the castle 
 of King Fisherman he and his sister went their 
 ways together. 
 
 We cannot follow Sir Perceval and Dindrane in 
 all their adventures that the old stories tell us 
 about. After a time they parted, and rode sepa- 
 rately. One day, after Sir Perceval had been 
 riding many hours, he came in the evening to a 
 small hermitage, and sought within rest and 
 counsel. Near the hermitage lived a recluse, 
 and he kneeled at her window and prayed her 
 to open. When she came and opened it, she 
 asked what he desired. 
 
 " Madame," said he, " I am Sir Perceval, a 
 knight of King Arthur's court." When she heard 
 this she was glad, for indeed she loved him more 
 than any other knight in the world, and well she 
 might, for she was his aunt. Then the gates were 
 opened, and she gave Perceval all the good cheer 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 165 
 
 she could, and he rested there most peacefully and 
 sweetly, close by the green forest. 
 
 The next morning, as Perceval talked with her, 
 she said, u Fair nephew, have you any tidings of 
 your mother since you left her?" 
 
 "In truth," Sir Perceval replied, "I have not 
 heard of her for a long time, but lately I have 
 dreamed much of her in my sleep." 
 
 u Dear nephew," said she, " your mother is dead. 
 After all the sorrows she has had in this life, she is 
 fallen asleep." 
 
 " May God have mercy on her soul," said Perce- 
 val ; and he was very sorrowful, and said many 
 prayers in the chapel for her. Then the time 
 came for him to leave, and he and his aunt were 
 grieved, for they knew that they would meet no 
 more on this earth. 
 
 14. SIR LANCELOT AND SIR GALAHAD. 
 
 Of all the knights who followed the quest of the 
 Holy Grail, but failed to find it, Sir Lancelot had 
 perhaps the most wonderful adventures. Many 
 times he went and returned to the court, without 
 seeing even the vision of the Grail. 
 
166 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 Once Lancelot started forth with King Arthur 
 himself ; once also in the company of Sir Perceval, 
 and at another time of Sir Gawain. Many were 
 the knights and the maidens in distress whom he 
 succored. 
 
 Once he entered the castle of King Fisherman 
 itself, and all things made way before him, but still 
 the Grail did not appear to him. At last, after a 
 deadly encounter with some wicked knights, when 
 he and Sir Bors were left well-nigh dead, though 
 having vanquished their enemies, the blessed ves- 
 sel was seen by Sir Bors. Its influence healed 
 both him and Sir Lancelot of their wounds, and 
 they were again able to pursue their adventures. 
 
 It was while King Arthur and Lancelot were 
 together that, journeying one day along the sea- 
 shore, they saw a wonderful sight. The day had 
 been hot, for it was in summer, and there were no 
 trees to give them shade ; and, weary with their 
 ride, they had dismounted from their horses, and 
 sat them down in the shadow of a great rock. 
 It was evening, and a faint breeze rippled the 
 water which fell in little wavelets on the sand. 
 From afar a light mist came stealing in, and 
 enveloping the king and Lancelot, floated in great 
 billows far inland over the salt meadows. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 169 
 
 Presently they heard, faintly at first, but soon 
 more distinctly, the silver tones of a bell out at 
 sea, and they saw gleaming through the misty 
 air a small ship. The ship seemed as if it were 
 made of light, and the sound of softly singing 
 voices reached them, bringing to them sweet 
 refreshment. As the wonderful vision neared the 
 shore, they saw for an instant, amidships, as it 
 were a tongue of rosy flame trembling ; and then 
 the vision floated away and faded, vanishing in the 
 distance. But ever they heard the silvery tone of 
 the bell. Soon the vapor lifted, and the bright 
 beams of the setting sun flashed a path of light 
 over the silent sea. Then Lancelot and the king 
 rose, comforted and rested, and, speaking no word, 
 continued their journey. 
 
 After this they parted, the king to return to his 
 castle, Lancelot to see what would befall. As he 
 rode on his way, he came to a little hermitage, and 
 the hermit Joseus was sitting outside his door. 
 He made Lancelot very welcome, for he knew well 
 who he was. Lancelot came and sat beside him, 
 when he had fed and cared for his horse. They 
 spoke of many things together, and the hermit 
 interpreted to Lancelot his vision. "Now," he 
 said, " soon you will see Sir Galahad, that pure 
 
170 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 young knight who in all his short life hath done 
 no evil thing. Right well should you rejoice that 
 you are father to such a son. Honor and worship 
 have all your kindred thereby." 
 
 Well Lancelot remembered the young knight 
 who had sat in the Seat Perilous at the Round 
 Table before ever the knights had made their vows 
 to follow the quest of the Holy Grail, and he re- 
 joiced that such a noble knight was his son. 
 Elaine, 1 the daughter of King Pelles, 2 was the 
 mother of Sir Galahad, and she had brought the 
 boy up in the lonely castle of King Pelles. 
 
 Lancelot rested well for the night and shared 
 the simple food of the hermit knight Joseus. 
 
 The next morning, when he had heard mass, Sir 
 Lancelot departed. He had not ridden far when 
 he came to a great, gloomy forest. The way was 
 all tangled over with rank growth of briers and 
 wild weeds growing so close together that hardly 
 could his horse push through them. When he had 
 been riding many hours, he found that he had 
 altogether lost his way. The forest was so dark 
 that he judged that the evening was come, so, 
 faint for want of food, but grieving more that he 
 had nothing to feed his horse, he spent the night 
 
 1 Elaine = E-lan'. 2 Pelles = Pel'-lez. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 171 
 
 in a little open space made by the gnarled roots 
 of a great tree. 
 
 While he slept he dreamed, and in his dream he 
 heard a voice saying, " Lancelot, arise and go to 
 the edge of the forest and enter into the first ship 
 that thou shalt find." When he heard these words, 
 he started up and saw a great clearness all around 
 him, so he mounted on his horse and took his way 
 out into the light. He presently reached the sea- 
 shore, and on the strand he found a ship without 
 sail or oars. Entering, he saw a fair chamber, and 
 in the chamber a writing which said, " Tarry here 
 till Sir Galahad come." 
 
 One evening he walked upon the strand in the 
 moonlight, meditating, and he saw a young knight 
 going into the ship. Sir Lancelot went to him and 
 said, " Sir, you are welcome," and asked him his 
 name, for his heart was strangely moved within him. 
 
 " My name is Sir Galahad," answered he, " and 
 I am your son." Then he kneeled down and asked 
 his father's blessing, and there was such joy be- 
 tween them, that none could tell how great it was. 
 Then they told each other all their perilous adven- 
 tures that had befallen. And Sir Lancelot and Sir 
 Galahad stayed full half a year in that ship, praying 
 together. 
 
172 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 One night they saw a knight armed in white, 
 riding to them on the sand. He came to the ship 
 and said, " Sir Galahad, you have been long enough 
 with your father; come out of the ship and go 
 where I shall show you." 
 
 "Now, my dear son Sir Galahad," said Sir 
 Lancelot, " since we must part and shall never see 
 each other more, I pray the high Father in heaven 
 to keep and preserve both you and me." 
 
 Sir Galahad said, " No prayer will prevail more 
 than yours, my father." And so, embracing each 
 other tenderly, they parted. And Sir Galahad rode 
 away with the shining knight in white armor into 
 the dark forest. 
 
 15. THE VISION OF SIR LANCELOT. 
 
 Sir Lancelot was sorrowful and cast down when 
 Sir Galahad had left him. He remained by the 
 seashore praying for a season. As he kneeled, 
 there fell on his ear the faint and far-away tones 
 of the silver bell, and, looking up, he saw coming 
 swiftly toward him over the water a little ship. 
 When it had neared the strand he stepped aboard, 
 and the ship passed swiftly out to sea. Sir Lance- 
 lot kneeled still, praying. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 173 
 
 The sound of the bell came clearer and clearer 
 and louder to him, till presently, at midnight, he 
 heard the chimes sounding clear from a great, high 
 rock, and on it he saw a castle rich and fair, look- 
 ing over the sea. When his ship came to land, he 
 stepped forth and came to a little postern gate, 
 with two lions standing at the entry. The moon 
 shone clear; he heard a voice saying, "Lancelot, 
 leave the ship and enter into the castle, and thou 
 shalt see a great part of thy heart's desire." 
 
 Lancelot set his hands on his sword and drew it, 
 and again he heard the voice which said, " Oh, 
 man of little faith, wherefore dost thou trust to 
 the strength of thine own arms rather than in the 
 power of God, in w:hose service thou art ? " 
 
 Then Lancelot cried out, " Great Father, and 
 dear Lord Jesus, I thank Thee for reproving me 
 of my misdeed, and that Thou holdest me for Thy 
 servant." 
 
 Then he took his sword and laid it down on his 
 shield, and reverently he came up to the lions, who 
 let him pass without in any way harming him. 
 Sir Lancelot entered, and found no gate or door 
 closed against him. At last he came to a chamber, 
 the door of which was closed, and he tried as hard 
 as he might to open it, but he could not. 
 
174 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 Listening, he heard a voice which sang so sweetly 
 that he knew it could not be of this earth. 
 
 The words he heard were, " Joy and honor to 
 the Father of heaven. " Then Lancelot kneeled 
 low and bowed his head, for he knew that in that 
 chamber must be the Holy Grail. And he prayed, 
 saying, "Dear Lord and Father, have pity on me, 
 and of Thy great goodness show me somewhat of 
 that which I seek." 
 
 Then the door softly opened and the chamber 
 was full of clear light. He came to the door 
 to enter, but the voice said, " Forbear ; to enter is 
 not for thee." He looked and saw in the. midst 
 of the fair chamber the Holy Grail shining 
 through a cloth of red samite. As one in a dream, 
 he made again to enter the chamber, but it seemed 
 as if a breath mingled with fire smote him in the 
 face, so that he fell to the ground senseless. Then 
 hands took him up and laid him in another room, 
 and still he awoke not from his swoon. 
 
 The next morning the folk of the castle found 
 Lancelot within, and they marveled how he could 
 have entered the castle. He lay for twenty-four 
 days and nights in a swoon like one dead. When 
 he opened his eyes, they asked, " What have you 
 seen ? " 
 
THE QUEST OE THE HOLY GRAIL. 175 
 
 And he said, " I have seen such great marvels 
 that no tongue may tell them, and such peace have 
 I that no man can even understand if I should try 
 to tell him." 
 
 Then the lord of the castle bade them bring 
 Lancelot to him, and he saw that it was King Pelles. 
 And the king said to him, " My fair daughter is 
 dead, and for her sake you have seen what you 
 have seen." 
 
 Then Lancelot replied to King Pelles, " She was 
 a sweet, fair lady, fresh and young, and her son is 
 the truest, purest knight alive." And Lancelot 
 sorrowed for her truly. 
 
 Then he took his leave and made his way back 
 to the court of King Arthur, for he had sworn 
 himself the true champion and knight of Queen 
 Guinevere, and always he held himself ready to 
 do her knightly service. 
 
 16. SIR GALAHAD, SIR PERCEVAL, SIR BORS, 
 AND DINDRANE. 
 
 Many were the adventures of Sir Galahad after 
 he betook himself to the quest of the Holy Grail. 
 He was very young, but he was very strong, and 
 
176 HEBOES OF CHIVALEY. 
 
 his mother Elaine and his grandfather King Pelles 
 had trained him in courtly manners and great 
 gentleness and in all chivalrous pursuits. From 
 the first they had known that he would achieve 
 the Grail, but when, they knew not. 
 
 After Sir Galahad had followed the knight in 
 shining armor a long way through the gloomy 
 forest, they came at nightfall to a lonely hermitage, 
 and the shining knight commended Galahad to the 
 care of the hermit. Taking leave of Sir Galahad, 
 he said, " Fair and gentle knight, farewell. Ere 
 long one shall come for you whom you will gladly 
 follow.' , So saying, he vanished away from their 
 sight. 
 
 When they were all at rest in the house, that 
 very night, there came a knocking at the door 
 and a voice called, " Sir Galahad." The hermit 
 went to the door to know who it might be. Then 
 the voice called to the hermit, " Sir, I am one 
 that would speak with Sir Galahad." The hermit 
 waked Sir Galahad and bade him rise, and told him 
 to come and speak with a gentlewoman who seemed 
 to have great need of him. 
 
 Then Galahad went out to her and she said, " Arm 
 you, Sir Knight, and mount your horse and follow 
 me, and I will show you the greatest adventure 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 17*i 
 
 that any knight has seen." So he took his horse, 
 and commended himself to God, and bade the 
 damsel lead the way, saying that he would follow 
 where she should lead him. 
 
 Taking leave of the hermit, the damsel rode 
 off at a gallop, till they came to the seashore. 
 There they found a ship in which were Sir Perce- 
 val and Sir Bors, and when Perceval saw Dindrane 
 and Sir Galahad, he was glad. They had much 
 joy of each other and thanked God that He had 
 brought them together. After having eaten and 
 refreshed themselves, they sat talking together, 
 telling each other of their journeys and trials • 
 and temptations, and how through the strength 
 of God they had overcome. 
 
 Then they sailed away till they came to a rocky 
 shore, where they could not land until they had 
 passed into another ship which lay empty by the 
 rocks. When they entered this ship, they won- 
 dered greatly, so marvelously rich and fair did 
 they find it. In the midst was a fair bed, and on 
 the silken coverlid was a crown of gold lying. 
 At the foot of the bed Sir Galahad found a sword, 
 very beautiful, and it was drawn out of the scab- 
 bard more than half a foot. 
 
 The fashion of the sword was very wonderful. 
 
178 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 The pommel was of stone, and in it were all man- 
 ner of flashing colors, and each several color had its 
 own virtue. The handle was made of the ribs of two 
 strange beasts. One of these beasts was a serpent, 
 called the serpent of the fiend, whose bones are of 
 such worth that no hand that touched it was ever 
 weary or hurt. The other beast was a great fish 
 that is found in the river Euphrates, and whoso 
 handled his bones had so much courage that 
 he was never weary. While he handled it, he 
 thought of neither joy nor sorrow, but only of 
 what lay before him to accomplish. And this 
 mighty sword might belong to no man but one 
 who should surpass all others both in courage 
 and in meekness. 
 
 Sir Perceval and Sir Bors both tried to draw 
 the sword from its scabbard, but could not. Sir 
 Galahad looked and saw on the sword in blood-red 
 letters, "Let him who is hardiest draw the sword, 
 and never shall he fail in any encounter or be 
 wounded unto death." 
 
 Then Sir Galahad did not try to draw the sword, 
 for he thought that it could not be he who was 
 hardiest. But the holy nun Dindrane came to him 
 and said, "Sir Galahad, no man may ever draw 
 this sword but only you." 
 
From a Stutue in the Hofklrche, Innsbruck, Austnt 
 
 A Knight of the Round Table. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 181 
 
 "You speak wise words/' said Sir Galahad, 
 a but, in truth, it belongeth no more to me than to 
 Sir Perceval or Sir Bors." 
 
 Now there was no girdle for the sword, and Sir 
 Perceval said, " Where shall we find one that will 
 be fit?" 
 
 "Fair sir," said his sister, "be not dismayed, 
 for I will show you a girdle for the sword which 
 shall rightly belong to it." Then she opened a box 
 and took out a girdle woven with golden threads 
 and set with precious stones, and with a rich 
 buckle of gold. " See, my lords," she said, " the 
 greatest part of this girdle was made of my hair. 
 I loved it too well when I was a woman of this 
 world ; but as soon as I knew this adventure was 
 ordained for me, I clipped off my hair and made 
 this girdle." 
 
 Then the others said to Sir Galahad, " We pray 
 you, gird you with the sword in the name of the 
 Lord." 
 
 Then he drew it out, and the damsel girded him 
 with the sword, and said, " Now I care not how 
 soon I die, for surely I am one of the most blessed 
 maidens of this world, since I have hereby made 
 you the worthiest knight of all the world." 
 
 "Fair damsel," said Sir Galahad, "so much 
 
182 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 have you done for me that I shall be your knight 
 all the days of my life/' 
 
 After this they returned to the other ship, and 
 the wind drove them far out to sea, and the next 
 day they had come to the marshes of the north- 
 land. They passed a port and came to shore. 
 The damsel said, "Here are men who, if they 
 knew you came from Arthur's court, would soon 
 destroy you if they could." 
 
 " Damsel," said Sir Galahad, " He that delivered 
 us from the sea and from the rocks will deliver 
 us from them also." 
 
 While they were speaking, a squire from the 
 castle came to them and asked them who they 
 were. 
 
 " We are of King Arthur's court," they said. 
 
 Then said the squire, " It is a sad day for you, 
 for surely you are come to your death." 
 
 Then they said, " We will not go away, for He 
 will help us to whose service we are bound." 
 
 Then many knights came down from the castle 
 and rode against them; but Sir Perceval threw 
 the foremost to the ground and took his horse, 
 and so also did Sir Galahad and Sir Bors to two 
 other knights, for they had left their horses be- 
 hind when they first took ship. When they all 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 183 
 
 had horses, they set upon the knights and drove 
 them into the castle, and then they alighted and 
 slew them all and went into the hall. When they 
 saw the host of men they had killed, they feared 
 that they had been great sinners, but Sir Bors 
 said, "If God had loved them, we should have 
 had no power to kill them thus." 
 
 ""Do not say so," said Sir Galahad; "if they 
 did evil before God, to Him belongs the vengeance, 
 not to us." 
 
 As they debated together, there came out of a 
 chamber a good man, a priest, who, when he saw 
 all the dead men, was afraid. " Sir," they said, 
 " have no fear of us, for we are knights of 
 Arthur's court." Then he asked them how they 
 had killed all these men so suddenly, and they 
 told him. 
 
 " Truly," he said, "At you should all live as long 
 as the world endures, you will never do a better 
 deed than this." 
 
 " Sir," said Sir Galahad, " I repent me of kill- 
 ing them, inasmuch as they were Christians." 
 
 " Repent not," he replied ; " I will tell you the 
 tale of this castle. These men were wicked 
 brothers who foully misused their father and their 
 sister, and put them in prison, wounded nearly to 
 
184 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 death. Then they slew the priests and clerks, 
 and broke down the chapels, that the service of 
 our Lord might not be said ; and such shame as 
 I have been subject to at their hands no man ever 
 had before me." 
 
 "Truly," said Sir Galahad, "if it had not 
 pleased the will of our Lord, we could never have 
 killed all these so suddenly." 
 
 Then when they had rested and eaten and had 
 prayed, they departed and commended the good 
 priest unto God. 
 
 17. DINDRANE GIVES HER LIFE FOR A LADY. 
 
 As Sir Perceval, Sir Galahad, and Sir Bors, 
 accompanied by the holy nun Dindrane, went 
 their way, they came to a great castle. An armed 
 knight came riding toward them and cried : 
 " Lords, hear what I have to say. Is this gentle- 
 woman you lead with you a maid ? " 
 
 " Sir," said Dindrane, " I am." 
 
 Then he seized her horse by the bridle and said, 
 "By the Holy Cross, you shall not escape from 
 me before you have yielded to the custom of the 
 castle." 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 185 
 
 " Let her go," said Sir Perceval, " you are not 
 wise, for a maid is free and to be honored in what- 
 ever place she is." 
 
 There came, riding from the castle, ten or twelve 
 armed knights, and a gentlewoman bearing a bowl 
 of silver, and they said : " This damsel must yield 
 to the custom of the castle. Every maid that 
 passeth here must give a bowlful of the blood of 
 her right arm." 
 
 "You are much to blame," said Sir Galahad, 
 " that keep such customs, and, may God help me, 
 I assure you that this gentlewoman shall not yield 
 to your custom, save of her own good will, as long 
 as I live." 
 
 " God help me too," said Sir Perceval ; " I had 
 rather be slain myself." 
 
 " And I also," said Sir Bors. 
 
 "Then shall you die," said the knight, "for we 
 are too many against you if you were the best 
 knights in all the world." 
 
 Then they ran at the ten knights and beat them 
 down and slew them; but there came from the 
 castle sixty other knights all armed. Then with 
 no more words they fell on these, and fought with 
 them till night came, and slew them. So there 
 came another knight from the castle and said, " If 
 
186 HEBOES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 you will enter and spend the night, you shall be 
 honorably treated, and as soon as you know the 
 custom and the reason of it, I dare say you will 
 consent unto it." 
 
 " Go in," said Dindrane, u and be not afraid for 
 me." So they entered the castle. Then they of 
 the castle feasted them well, and the next morning 
 told them the reason for the custom of the castle. 
 
 " In this castle," they said, " is a gentlewoman 
 who many years ago fell ill, and became a leper, 
 and no man could heal her. At last an old man 
 came who said, ' If she can have a bowlful of the 
 blood of a maid, a virgin pure in heart and life, 
 and a king's daughter, that blood will be her 
 life, if she anoint her with it.' This is why the 
 custom was made." 
 
 Then Sir Perceval's sister said, " Fair sirs, I see 
 indeed that this gentlewoman will die if I give 
 not my blood to her." 
 
 "But if you bleed so much you will die," said 
 Sir Galahad. 
 
 "Truly," said Dindrane, "but if I die I heal 
 her, and shall get my soul's health and great 
 honor for my lineage, and better is one harm 
 than two. Therefore do no more battle, for I 
 will yield me to the custom of the castle." 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 187 
 
 Then they heard mass, and Sir Perceval's sister 
 bade them bring out the sick lady, and truly she 
 was in a sad case. Then said Dindrane, " Who 
 shall let me bleed ? " One came and bled her so 
 much that the bowl was full. Then the fair nun 
 lifted up her head and blessed the lady, and said : 
 " Madam, I have come to my death to make you 
 whole. For the love of God, pray for me." So 
 saying, she fell down in a swoon. 
 
 Then Sir Galahad and Sir Perceval and Sir Bors 
 tried to lift her up and stanch the blood, but she 
 had bled so much that she could not live. When 
 she had roused up a little, she said : " Fair brother, 
 Sir Perceval, I must die for the healing of this 
 lady, but bury me not in this country. When I 
 am dead put me into a boat at the next haven and 
 let me set sail as the sea and the winds lead me. 
 When you reach the city of Sarras, where you 
 shall find the Holy Grail, you will find me there 
 before you. Bury me there in the Holy Place." 
 
 Sir Perceval granted her wishes, weeping. After 
 she had taken the sacrament, her soul departed from 
 her body. The same day the lady who was anointed 
 with her blood was healed. 
 
 Then Sir Perceval wrote a Jetter of all Dindrane 
 had done for them in their adventures, and laid it 
 
188 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 in her hand. They laid her in a barge and covered 
 it with silk; and the wind rose and drove the 
 barge from land, and all the knights stood watch- 
 ing it till it passed out of their sight. 
 
 Then there fell a sudden tempest of thunder, 
 lightning, and rain, and the castle was turned half 
 upside down; and the tempest was not stayed 
 till evensong. Then they heard a voice saying, 
 "This vengeance is for the blood-sheddings of 
 maidens." And all night long Sir Galahad and 
 Sir Perceval and Sir Bors said prayers in a little 
 chapel ; and in the churchyard they found forty 
 fair tombs where lay the bodies of all the fair 
 dead, kings' daughters, that were martyred for the 
 sick lady's sake. In the castle, when they went 
 to it, they found neither man nor woman left, but 
 they had all died by the vengeance of the Lord. 
 
 18. THE FINDING OF THE GRAIL. 
 
 Then they departed and went into a forest. 
 "Now," said Sir Perceval to Sir Bors and Sir 
 Galahad, " we must part, and I pray the Lord we 
 may meet together in a short time." They took 
 off their helmets and embraced each other. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 189 
 
 Then these three pure and true knights rode 
 throughout the land, comforting and healing and 
 succoring the oppressed. When they had fulfilled 
 all the adventures prepared for them, they came 
 together again without knowing that they should 
 meet. Their way led them one by one to the 
 castle of Carbonec, where they had rest, and there 
 appeared to them as they prayed in the chapel 
 a wondrous vision. 
 
 It seemed to them there came a man clothed 
 like a bishop, and four angels bore him and set 
 him before a silver table whereon was the Holy 
 Grail. The bishop administered the holy sacrament. 
 Then he went to Sir Galahad and kissed him and 
 bade him go and kiss his fellow-knights ; and this 
 he did, as he was commanded. 
 
 " Now," said the bishop, " faithful servants of 
 the Lord, ye have seen and eaten of His most holy 
 mysteries, and once again shall ye behold the Holy 
 Grail in the city of Sarras at the Holy Place. There- 
 fore go, and bear with you this holy vessel, for this 
 night shall the Holy Grail depart from the realm. 
 It shall never more be seen here, for it is not 
 sought after nor worshiped aright by the people 
 of this land. Go, therefore, to-morrow to the sea, 
 and ye shall find your ship ready. Take with you 
 
190 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 the sword and the strange girdle, and none of you 
 shall go but Sir Galahad, Sir Perceval, and Sir Bors. 
 And two of you shall die in the land of your desire, 
 but one shall come again to tell the tidings.' ' Then 
 he gave them his blessing and vanished. 
 
 Sir Galahad, Sir Perceval, and Sir Bors departed, 
 and they rode for three days till they came to the 
 strand and found the ship of which they had heard. 
 On board they found the rich table of silver and 
 the Holy Grail, covered with a cloth of crimson 
 samite. They were filled with joy to have such 
 holy treasures in their keeping ; and Sir Galahad 
 fell to praying that soon he should pass away out 
 of this world. Then a voice came to him, saying, 
 " Sir Galahad, thou shalt have thy request ; when 
 thou askest the death of thy body, thou shalt have 
 it, and then shalt thou find the life of thy soul." 
 
 Sir Perceval and Sir Bors were amazed when 
 they saw the light that shone from his counte- 
 nance. And they took Sir Galahad up and laid him 
 in a fair bed in the midst of the ship. There he 
 laid him down and slept a great while, and when 
 he awaked he saw before him the city of Sarras. 
 
 And as they went to land, they saw the ship 
 into which Sir Perceval had put his sister. 
 
 u In the name of God," said Sir Perceval, " well 
 
THE QUEST OE THE HOLY GRAIL. 191 
 
 hath my sister kept her covenant." Then they 
 took her on shore, and buried her as richly as a 
 king's daughter should be buried. 
 
 The king of that city was a tyrant, and he 
 threw them into a deep prison. Then the Lord 
 sent to them the Holy Grail, and by His grace 
 they were filled with food and meat divine, while 
 they were in that prison. At the end of a year 
 that tyrant fell sick. He sent for the three 
 knights ar\d prayed forgiveness of them for all 
 his wickedness, and then he died. 
 
 As the elders of the city sat in council, a voice 
 came to them, saying, " Choose the youngest of 
 the three knights and he shall be your king." 
 Then Sir Galahad let them make a rich covering 
 of gold and precious stones, with which he covered 
 the silver table and the holy vessel wherein the 
 Grail so often dwelt. And he and his two com- 
 panions said their devotions before it daily. 
 
 When another year had passed, one morning 
 early, they saw kneeling before the Grail a holy 
 man clothed like the bishop, and a great company 
 of angels. When he had performed the service, 
 he came to Sir Galahad, and said, " Come forth, 
 thou servant of the Lord, and see what thou so 
 much desirest." 
 
192 HEKOES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 Then Sir Galahad began to tremble right sore, 
 and, lifting up his hands to heaven, he said, " Lord, 
 I thank Thee, for now I see that which hath been 
 my desire for many a day. Now, blessed Lord, I 
 would live here on earth no longer, if it be Thy 
 will." 
 
 When he had said these words, Sir Galahad 
 went to Sir Perceval and kissed him and com- 
 mended him to God ; and he went to Sir Bors and 
 did the same. Thereupon he kneeled, before the 
 table, praying, and suddenly his soul departed to 
 his Lord, and a great company of angels bore it 
 up to heaven; and the other two knights saw 
 them. Then they saw a hand come down from 
 heaven, and it came to where the Holy Grail was, 
 and took it, and bore it up to heaven. Since that 
 time no man hath ever seen the Holy Grail. 
 
 When Sir Perceval and Sir Bors saw that Sir 
 Galahad was dead, they made bitter sorrow. If 
 they had not been two such good men, they might 
 have fallen into despair. Sir Perceval went into 
 a hermitage outside the city, and Sir Bors kept 
 always with him. For a year and two months 
 Sir Perceval lived a life of prayer and fasting, and 
 then passed out of this world. Sir Bors buried him 
 by his sister and Sir Galahad in the Holy Place. 
 
Sir Galahad kneeled befoke the table, praying. 
 
THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAIL. 195 
 
 Then Sir Bors, sorrowing deeply, departed from 
 Sarras, and armed him, and came to the sea and 
 entered into his ship. By fair winds and tranquil 
 seas he came to the realm where he would fain be. 
 And when he was come to land, he rode fast and 
 came to Camelot where King Arthur was. 
 
 Then they made great joy for him at the court, 
 for all had thought him dead. When they had 
 feasted, King Arthur sent for many clerks, and 
 they came and wrote the chronicle of the high 
 adventures of these good knights and of the holy 
 nun Dindrane, and of the finding of the Holy 
 Grail. 
 
III. 
 
 THE STORY OF ROLAND, 
 
III. THE STORY OF ROLAND. 
 
 i. ROLAND'S YOUTH. 
 
 CHAKLEMAGNE, 1 son of Pepin 2 of France and 
 Bertha the gentle and courteous, was em- 
 peror of Germany and Rome ; son and defender of 
 the church and creator of the twelve peers. 
 
 As young Chariot and an exile he won himself 
 a famous name among the Saracen hosts ; as 
 Charles, he reconquered his realm of France from 
 the traitors who had poisoned his brave father and 
 fair mother; and finally as Charle Magne, which 
 means Charles the Great, he delivered the church 
 of Rome from the pagans and was crowned em- 
 peror by a grateful pope. He continued to be a 
 warrior all his life long, fighting against the 
 Saracens, the Saxons, and all the heathen, as well 
 as subduing and holding in check his own mighty 
 barons. 
 
 Charlemagne had a sister, Gilain 3 of the bright, 
 
 1 Charlemagne = Char'-le-man. 2 Pepin = Pep'-in. 
 
 3 Gilain = Zhi-lan'. 
 
 199 
 
200 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 fair face, whom he had hoped to marry to some 
 great king. 
 
 But she loved Milon d'Auglant 1 and wished to 
 be married to him. Great was the fury of the 
 emperor when he learned this, for Milon was of 
 lowly birth — he was not even a baron. " Thou 
 shalt never be married to such a man," he cried. 
 But Gilain declared that she loved Milon and 
 would be married to no other, were he baron or 
 king. 
 
 So that they might get their own way, Milon 
 led his bright Gilain far from the court. For love 
 of him she wandered at his side through wild, dark 
 forests, and slept by night in caves or in little 
 bowers made of tree branchc s, hidden away among 
 the bushes. Wolves and bears and other fierce 
 animals prowled around them in the darkness, and 
 by day Milon had to fight bravely, to baffle the 
 wild robbers and bandits who would gladly have 
 carried off his fair bride from him. 
 
 After many months of bitter hardship, they 
 came to a quiet little valley on the borders of 
 beautiful Italy. The green grass was starred with 
 bright flowers, and welling up between the stones 
 was a clear, bubbling fountain of water which ran 
 
 1 Milon d'Auglant = Me-lon'-do-glon. 
 
THE STORY OF ROLAND. 201 
 
 away in a murmuring brook. At the foot of the 
 high, wooded cliffs the rocks were covered with 
 moss which made a soft carpet for their tired feet. 
 Here Milon thought they might dwell awhile in 
 safety. He built a spacious bower of fragrant 
 pine branches, twined in and out with long 
 grasses and flowers. They lived on the flesh 
 of wild deer and birds that Milon killed, and on 
 the sweet, fragrant berries that grew on the banks 
 around. 
 
 In this sunny valley the hero Eoland * was born 
 to them. He was a wonderful boy, for when only 
 a few weeks old he was as strong and big as most 
 children of two years. When his mother tried to 
 bind his limbs in the usual swaddling bands, he 
 kicked and jumped in her arms so sturdily that 
 she was obliged to leave them free. Here on the 
 soft moss, in the grass among the flowers, wading 
 in the little brook or climbing the rocks and trees, 
 Roland grew to be a fair, strong boy. 
 
 When Roland was four years old, his father 
 took him to school. We do not know exactly what 
 he learned there, but he made such marvelous 
 progress that even the monks, his teachers, were 
 astonished. He soon became a leader among his 
 
 1 Roland = Ro'-land. 
 
202 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 companions, and formed them into a little warrior 
 band which he drilled and disciplined well — and 
 all men marveled at his courage and daring. 
 
 2. HOW ROLAND WON THE LOVE OF THE 
 EMPEROR. 
 
 Charlemagne, the proud emperor, was returning 
 from Rome, the Eternal City, whence he had 
 driven the wicked pagans. With him came his 
 great army, his wise councilors, and royal barons. 
 He reached Sutre, where young Roland now lived 
 with Mil on and Gilain. Here the emperor caused 
 a proclamation to be made by his heralds, calling 
 on the people of the countryside to come to his 
 court and bring before him their grievances, prom- 
 ising them to mete out justice and mercy, and 
 great store of royal gifts. 
 
 Roland, playing with his young companions, 
 heard the heralds crying out in the streets. Tak- 
 ing thirty of his little band with him, he straight- 
 way hastened to the court. Boldly he went up the 
 palace steps into the great hall. Charlemagne and 
 his courtiers wondered when they saw the boys, 
 but received them with all courtesy, and led them 
 
THE STORY OF ROLAND. 203 
 
 to the banqueting hall, offering them rich food. 
 Roland ate with an appetite which astonished 
 them. Then he put together in a heap all that 
 he could carry away. 
 
 " By my faith, fair son," broke forth Charle- 
 magne, "why do you take that which was not 
 offered to you ? Have you not eaten enough ? " 
 
 " Yea, I," answered Roland, " but not my father 
 and my mother." 
 
 Then Charlemagne called for a white cloth, and 
 in it he put a great pile of meat and bread, saying, 
 " Here is for your father and mother." Thanking 
 the emperor, young Roland quietly went his way, 
 promising to return on the morrow, much to the 
 amusement of them all. 
 
 When the boy reached home, his mother ex- 
 claimed, " Whence comes that which you bring ? " 
 
 " Sweet mother, from a great and mighty lord." 
 
 Gilain was frightened. "Roland, dear son, 
 return not to that mighty lord ! He may work 
 us ill." 
 
 The next day off went Roland again, not shar- 
 ing his mother's fears. The emperor and his 
 barons made much of him, and had great sport 
 at his bright sayings. They had even waited for 
 him before they sat down to table. Roland ate 
 
204 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 like a young warrior, not of fried dishes and sweet 
 pastry, but of meat and bread. 
 
 Naimes l of Bavaria, the emperor's wisest coun- 
 cilor, gazed curiously at the lad. His brave, frank 
 bearing struck him. u He has the eye of a sea 
 dragon or a hawk," he said to Charlemagne. " He 
 is a boy of high lineage ; for look at his bold, easy 
 bearing, his straight, slim body, his haughty head, 
 with the eye of a young lion." 
 
 After the meal was over Charlemagne again 
 sent the boy off with a large store of provisions ; 
 but when he reached home, his mother reproached 
 him for having disobeyed her. 
 
 Meanwhile Charlemagne had commissioned 
 Naimes and Thierry 2 to follow Roland and find 
 out his parents. In the midst of Gilain's re- 
 proaches they entered the poor little hut. When 
 Gilain saw these mighty barons, she was filled with 
 terror. Just at this moment Milon came home 
 from the woods with a heavy load on his shoulders. 
 He, too, was struck with fear when he saw the 
 barons, for mighty was the power of Charlemagne, 
 and furious had been his wrath. 
 
 But the good Naimes told them that all would 
 be well, that for the sake of their noble son they 
 
 1 Naimes = Na-eem'. 2 Thierry = Tya-re'. 
 
THE STOEY OF KOLAKD. 205 
 
 should come to Charlemagne. Then Thierry pro- 
 cured for them suitable garments, and led them to 
 his great master. When Charlemagne saw them, 
 his naming anger burst forth anew, and he made a 
 gesture as if he would slay them with the dagger 
 that happened to be in his hand. But young 
 Koland, with flashing eyes, made one spring at 
 him, and, seizing his hand, held it in such a mighty 
 grip that the blood sprang from the finger tips. 
 
 Charlemagne laughed aloud. He was delighted 
 with this young lion, and, exclaiming, " This will 
 be the Falcon of Christendom ! " he made him sit 
 beside him on his ivory throne. 
 
 Gilain and Milon fell at his feet, asking pardon 
 for their flight. Then Charlemagne raised them, 
 and, throwing his arms round his sister, he granted 
 them full forgiveness. 
 
 Meanwhile Roland was growing impatient, and 
 cast his eyes around to see if the tables were not 
 set ready for the feasting. The emperor laughed 
 again, and invited his guests to follow him to the 
 banqueting hall. 
 
 Keeping young Roland at his side, he drank in 
 foaming beakers to their future happiness and to 
 the glory of their son. 
 
206 HEROES OE CHIVALRY. 
 
 3. HOW ROLAND WON HIS KNIGHTHOOD. 
 
 Easter day had come, and the proud emperor 
 was holding his court. Around him were all his 
 great lords, kings, princes, dukes, and counts from 
 many lands ; but nearest of all to the throne stood 
 Naimes, the wise councilor. Suddenly a loud 
 noise was heard, and into the courtyard galloped 
 a champing horse richly caparisoned, mounted by 
 a knight in gorgeous apparel, with shining eyes 
 and smiling countenance. It was the Turkish 
 ambassador. Dismounting from his horse, he 
 advanced toward the emperor. Then his eyes 
 flashed and his countenance became terrible, and, 
 in a loud voice that all could hear, he hurled defi- 
 ance at Charlemagne. 
 
 " Sire ! " he cried, " listen to me ! Three great 
 lands there are which I can name; one is Asia, the 
 other Europe, and the third Africa. There exists 
 no other. My royal master possesses the greatest 
 of the three; he would also possess the others. 
 Make at once thy submission; for Europe, pay hom- 
 age, or Eaumont will know how to find thee. Nor 
 land nor forests nor sea can save thee, unless, in- 
 deed, thou canst fly away like a bird and be safe." 
 
THE STORY OF ROLAND. 207 
 
 Charlemagne became pale with wrath. He 
 started up, raging, to fall on the ambassador, but 
 Naimes the wise restrained him. So, taking coun- 
 sel with his lords, the emperor replied, " Say to 
 your king, in four months he shall see me. My 
 banner shall wave before the walls of his city, and 
 then let him tremble." 
 
 In fiercely burning anger and feverish impa- 
 tience the emperor hastened the preparations for 
 the war. 
 
 Meanwhile, as was the custom in those days, 
 Roland had been sent with some other well-born 
 youths to learn the duties of knighthood at the 
 castle of a great lord, the Archbishop Turpin, at 
 Laon. While all the land was mustering its men 
 for the war, Roland and his companions were dis- 
 porting themselves as usual at the palace of the 
 archbishop. Turpin, however, fearing that the 
 hot blood of young Roland might lead to rash 
 deeds before the time of his training was accom- 
 plished, shut him and his fellows up in his dungeon 
 keep. There they should stay till the end of the 
 war ; well treated, of course, but prisoners ! Such 
 was the command of the emperor. 
 
 Soon the great army marched on its way past 
 the castle of Laon. The boys heard the tramp of 
 
208 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 horses' feet, the champing of bits, the clashing of 
 armor. Then the clarions and trumpets broke 
 into a joyful clamor, mingled with the cries and 
 shouts of the eager soldiery. By climbing up 
 to the narrow window, the boys could see the 
 knights passing in battle array, with proud mien 
 and flashing eyes and stern, set faces, hungry for 
 the fierce joy of fighting. 
 
 Roland and his comrades listened and gazed 
 with beating hearts. " Porter, porter, open the 
 gates ! " Roland cried. " Good sir ! let us go play 
 for a little while outside. We will but watch 
 these brave warriors, and when we grow up and 
 are knights ourselves, by my faith, we will make 
 of thee a knight also ! " 
 
 " Ah ! peace," said the porter ; t( I do not want 
 to be a knight. What has he to do but fight? 
 Here I get good pay; I would sooner sleep and 
 eat in peace. I will not let you out." 
 
 The boys went back, crestfallen and angry. 
 "Well may we be wroth," said Roland. "The 
 emperor goes to fight the Saracens, and we must 
 be mewed up here like rats ! What shall we do ? 
 We will go to that porter ; we will offer him all 
 we have, even to our cloaks, but if he will not 
 heed us, we will arm ourselves with staves and 
 
THE STORY OF ROLAND. . 209 
 
 will give him such a beating that he will want for 
 nothing more." 
 
 The next morning, in wild impatience, Roland 
 carried out his plan, for the troops had already 
 begun to leave the town. The cloaks were offered 
 to the porter. " Ah ! let us go," said Roland ; 
 "we will soon come back; we only want to see 
 the knights." 
 
 " You will stay where you are," said the porter. 
 " Climb upon the battlements, and you can see all 
 you wish." 
 
 Then, " Charge ! Charge ! " cried Roland. 
 " Strike, barons, strike ! " he shouted, and the 
 five boys fell on the porter and knocked him 
 senseless. Leaving him lying there, they rushed 
 past him through the gate and away out into the 
 open country. 
 
 But without horses and arms, what were they 
 to do ? Roland could have cried with rage. But 
 see ! five big soldiers on their horses were riding 
 leisurely along the road. " There ! " said Roland, 
 " we must take their horses." The boys advanced, 
 struck the men stout blows with their heavy staves 
 till they fell from their horses — then up and away 
 they galloped, leaving the soldiers to get on as 
 best they could. 
 
210 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 The poor men returned to their lord and told 
 of their misfortunes, and a troop of soldiers was 
 sent off in pursuit. The boys were overtaken 
 and seized, but when they were brought before 
 the commander, he recognized them at once, and 
 exclaimed, " Ha ! friend Roland, is it thou ? " 
 And they all burst out laughing, except the poor 
 soldiers who had lost their horses. 
 
 After this Roland and his companions were 
 allowed to go their way unmolested, for they 
 were careful not to say that they had escaped 
 from the porter's care. They soon reached the 
 advance guard of the army, whom they found 
 engaged in a fierce battle with the van of the 
 Saracen host. As they rode up, the cry was sud- 
 denly raised, "The emperor! the emperor!" 
 and Roland rushed on to find Charlemagne far 
 in advance of his troops and surrounded by the 
 enemy, with his horse killed under him. 
 
 Most conspicuous among the foes, and fighting 
 with wild courage, was Eaumont. 1 Roland singled 
 him out in an instant, and hurled himself upon 
 him like a young lion on its prey. Seizing the 
 terrible sword of Eaumont, Roland dragged it 
 from his hands, and, with a furious blow of the 
 
 1 Eaumont = O-mong'. 
 

 
 - fit \V 
 
 
 
 fc 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 4 >>^ ...-..-. . 
 
 :" 
 
 ' '" 
 
 
 Roland hurled himself upon Eaumont.' 
 
THE STORY OF KOLAND. 213 
 
 hilt, felled the brave Saracen. Turning to his 
 uncle, he cried, " Uncle, are you wounded ? " and 
 embraced him tenderly. Naimes, Ogier, 1 Turpin, 
 and others came up at this moment, and Charle- 
 magne told with pride the exploit of his nephew. 
 With his own hand he buckled Eaumont's famous 
 sword, Durandel, 2 at Roland's side. Naimes and 
 Ogier each buckled on him a golden spur, and he 
 was speedily dubbed knight. 
 
 After a pause the main bodies of both armies 
 met on the field, and the battle raged fiercely for 
 many hours. Many a noble knight perished in 
 this fight, among them Roland's dear father, 
 Milon. The Christians were the victors, and the 
 heathen were destroyed with great slaughter. 
 
 After this Charlemagne remained for many 
 years, fighting the Saracens in their own land, 
 with the aid of the peers of France, and his 
 dukes and barons. The tidings, however, of 
 trouble in his empire, and the rebellion of some 
 of his great vassals, recalled him to Europe. 
 
 1 Ogier = 0-zhya\ 2 Durandel = Du-ran-del'. 
 
214 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 4. ROLAND WINS A FRIEND. 
 
 One of these powerful vassals, Gerard de Vienne, 1 
 thinking himself grossly insulted by the wife of 
 the emperor, in a violent rage called to him all 
 the friends he could muster, and with their aid 
 drew together a powerful army within the walls 
 of his town. Among those who came to help 
 him was his brother, Renier de Gene, 2 who had 
 brought with him his son Oliver, and his daugh- 
 ter, the beautiful Aude. 3 
 
 The imperial standards were planted outside 
 the walls of the rebellious city, which was closely 
 invested. The siege progressed slowly, as was 
 the way of all sieges. The besieged often made 
 attacks upon their enemy, and valiant deeds were 
 done on both sides. Conspicuous in the train of 
 the proud emperor was Roland the chivalrous, 
 notable for his youthful and manly beauty. 
 
 On one occasion the ladies, who in those wild 
 days were frequently witnesses of the fighting, 
 ventured somewhat too far from the walls in 
 their eagerness to see an affray. Roland caught 
 
 1 Gerard de Vienne = Zhe-rar'-de-Vi-an'. 
 2 Renier de Gene = Re'-ne-a-de-zhan\ 8 Aude = Od. 
 
THE STORY OF ROLAND. 215 
 
 sight of beautiful Aude, and his heart stopped 
 beating for one wild moment; then in one mad 
 rush he flew toward her in an attempt to carry 
 her oh . 
 
 But her brother Oliver was on his guard, and, 
 like a lion in his wrath, gave Roland a blow 
 which felled him to the earth and delivered Aude 
 the beautiful from his grasp. She stood looking 
 sadly at the young champion who had been struck 
 in her defense. Her golden hair was crowned by 
 a chaplet of precious gems. Her face was fair 
 as the flowers in spring, and gracious modesty 
 tinted her cheeks with rosy blushes. Oliver, vow- 
 ing vengeance on Roland, hurried her away to 
 the safety of the battlements. 
 
 After many and fierce attempts on the part 
 of the besieged to break up the circle of foes 
 around them, when provisions and water were at 
 their lowest in the town, Gerard de Vienne at 
 length sued for peace. It was decided that one 
 last encounter should take place. Roland and 
 Oliver, the champions of the rival armies, should 
 fight a duel which should decide the fortune of 
 the war. 
 
 On a green island below Vienne, one morning at 
 sunrise, the combatants met. From the high bat- 
 
216 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 tlements of the city, beautiful Aude, with many 
 others, overlooked the combat. The champions 
 rode into the lists, the horses neighing and champ- 
 ing their bits and curveting with eagerness for 
 the fray. The fighting was terrible. At the first 
 encounter Roland struck such a blow with Duran- 
 del that Oliver's horse was cut in two. Poor 
 Aude saw it. She was torn with conflicting emo- 
 tions, for she loved her brother, and, alas ! she 
 loved Roland, too. She flew to a little chapel on 
 the walls and prayed for pity for both the warring 
 barons, who possessed her whole affection. 
 
 But Oliver was not discouraged. On foot he 
 paced warily around Roland on horseback, and 
 at last he saw his chance. With a mighty blow 
 and a shout of joy he killed the horse of his foe. 
 The champions were now both on foot, and 
 their furious blows caused showers of sparks 
 even in the broad daylight. "Almighty God, 
 save my son ! " cried Oliver's father from the 
 walls. "Blessed Virgin! preserve Roland, and 
 I will make him king of France ! " vowed Char- 
 lemagne. 
 
 The fight went on; never had a fiercer one 
 been witnessed in all the days of chivalry. All 
 through the long day they attacked each other 
 
THE STOEY OF EOLAND. 217 
 
 and drew off breathless to gain strength for fresh 
 onslaughts. Their helmets were crushed by blows, 
 their breastplates pierced in a hundred places, and 
 they were covered with blood and almost blinded. 
 
 Beautiful Aude returned to the walls. She tore 
 her hair and uttered piercing cries. "If either 
 dies," she wailed, "France will be lost! Why, 
 why must there be such a fight ? There ! before 
 my very eyes, my friend whom I so much love, 
 and my dear, dear brother, are killing each other. 
 Ah ! whichever is vanquished, I shall become 
 mad! Queen of Heaven, oh, have mercy! separate 
 them ! " and she fell swooning to the ground. 
 
 In one more desperate effort, although he could 
 hardly see, Oliver ran on Roland ; but the force 
 of his blow broke his sword off short at the hilt, 
 and he was left weaponless before his enemy. He 
 gazed at his dead horse, at his broken sword, and 
 thought that his last hour had come. But Roland 
 cried, " Thinkest thou that I will kill an unarmed 
 man ? get thee another good sword, and call for 
 drink, for I am thirsty ! " Gerard de Vienne, when 
 he heard this, sent his own sword, Flashing Light, 
 and Oliver offered the cup to Roland, who had 
 thrown himself exhausted on the ground. Roland 
 drank deep to assuage his thirst and handed the 
 
218 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 cup back to Oliver ; and both combatants took up 
 their stations once more. The furious combat 
 began afresh. Who would be the conqueror? 
 The two champions were exactly matched, Flash- 
 ing Light and Durandel were equally celebrated. 
 
 A deep silence reigned. Gerard de Vienne and 
 Charles of France were on their knees ; beautiful 
 Aude had swooned in sheer terror. Nothing was 
 heard but the clashing blows and labored breath- 
 ing of the combatants. Suddenly the blows 
 ceased. " Oliver," cried Roland, " I am sick, I 
 would rest ! " 
 
 "Sleep, sleep," cried Oliver, "and I will kill 
 thee whilst thou sleepest." 
 
 " I said it but to try thee," said Roland ; " I 
 can comfortably fight on for another four days." 
 
 "Good," said Oliver; "begin again." 
 
 "We will," replied Roland, and they fought 
 on, now warily, now furiously, but neither could 
 gain the advantage. Night was coming, when 
 suddenly a dark cloud separated the astonished 
 combatants. Sweet and clear, a voice rang out 
 from the cloud : " Great warriors cease ; God wills 
 that you should end this strife. Guard your cour- 
 age and your strength to fight against the Sara- 
 cens, His enemies," and the voice was still, and 
 
THE STORY OF ROLAND. 219 
 
 the cloud vanished. Roland and Oliver let fall 
 their swords. In the fair evening light they went 
 and seated themselves beneath a tree, and, in 
 obedience to what they believed to be the voice 
 of God, they swore eternal friendship. 
 
 " Before four days are over," said Roland, " I 
 will reconcile thee with the great emperor." 
 "Thou shalt have beautiful Aude for thy wife," 
 replied Oliver. Over and over again they cried 
 to each other, "I love thee more than any man 
 alive." They disarmed, fell into each other's 
 arms, and gave each other the kiss of peace, 
 and so Roland and Oliver began their famous 
 friendship. 
 
 Shortly afterward Charlemagne was solemnly 
 reconciled to Gerard de Vienne, and preparations 
 were hastened for the marriage of beautiful Aude 
 and Roland. Suddenly a fearful cry was heard 
 resounding throughout the land, "The Saracens 
 have invaded the empire ! the Saracens, the ter- 
 rible Saracens ! " Festivities were stopped at 
 once ; the armies gathered, and once more the 
 proud emperor led his victorious hosts against the 
 mortal foes of the Church of God. 
 
220 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 5. HOW FAIR FRANCE LOST ROLAND. 
 
 Charles the king, the proud emperor, had been 
 at war against the Saracens in Spain for seven 
 years. Nearly all the castles and fortresses . and 
 walled cities had been demolished. One alone still 
 held out, the city of Saragossa, 1 the ruler of which 
 was the infidel King Marsile. 2 
 
 In a green orchard King Marsile sat on his 
 marble throne. The eyes of more than twenty 
 thousand of his warriors and councilors were upon 
 him. "Listen, great lords," said he; "Charle- 
 magne, the emperor of fair France, has harried our 
 land ; we no longer have any army strong enough 
 or large enough to do him battle. I ask your 
 counsel — how may we preserve ourselves from 
 dishonor and from death ? " 
 
 Then up rose a very valiant warrior, one of the 
 wisest among them all. " Sire," he said, " let us 
 not fear. Send to that proud and boastful emperor 
 a message; promise him great gifts, and say to 
 him, ' Return to France, to Aix, 8 and at the Feast 
 of St. Michael we will follow thee, we will become 
 thy men, we will become Christians.' Does he exact 
 
 1 Saragossa = Sa-ra-gos'-sa. 2 Marsile = Mar'-sel. 8 Aix = Aks. 
 
THE STORY OF KOLAKD. 221 
 
 hostages, twenty or thirty, we will send him our 
 sons. I will, the first, send mine, even though he 
 must die ; better that a few lose their lives than 
 that we lose bright Spain the beautiful, and that 
 all suffer disaster and destruction." 
 
 " The counsel is good," said Marsile, and so said 
 the rest. Then an embassy was sent, with the 
 wise councilor at its head, to the camp of the 
 Emperor Charlemagne. 
 
 The proud emperor was full of joy, Cordova had 
 just fallen before him ; he could take his ease. In 
 a wide meadow, beneath the branches of a pine, 
 shaded by wild eglantine, the golden throne was 
 set, and on it was seated the king of fair France. 
 His long beard was white and his hair powdered 
 with gray. He was very tall, and his bearing was 
 proud and noble. Around him his courtiers enter- 
 tained themselves with various pastimes; some 
 played chess and other games, while the younger 
 were trying their skill at fencing. Near the throne 
 were Roland, Oliver, and the twelve peers. 
 
 The pagan embassy appeared, and, dismounting 
 from their white mules, they were led before the 
 emperor. Having received his permission to 
 address him, they laid before him their king's pro- 
 posals. They spoke of vast treasures which should 
 
222 HEEOES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 be his — lions and bears, and tamed hunting leop- 
 ards, seven hundred camels richly caparisoned, four 
 hundred mules laden with gold and silver, fifty 
 chariots laden with riches, and thousands of golden 
 coins, wherewith to pay his great army. "Re- 
 turn to France, to Aix," they said, " and within a 
 month our master will follow thee and become thy 
 vassal." 
 
 The emperor pondered awhile, bade the ambassa- 
 dors be suitably lodged, and then held a council 
 with his noble barons. He recited to them the 
 terms of the proposed treaty of peace. "Trust him 
 not," cried most of the barons, and Roland urged 
 a continuance of the war. He reminded Charle- 
 magne of the previous treacheries of Marsile, 
 maintaining with all his might that it would be 
 folly to trust him further. But now Ganelon 1 
 advanced, always on the side of peace, as Roland 
 was for war. Wise Naimes, too, declared himself 
 for peace, and most of the barons let themselves be 
 persuaded, for they longed to return to fair France 
 and to see again their dear wives and little ones. 
 
 " My barons, whom shall I send as my ambassa- 
 dor to the Saracen who reigns at Saragossa?" asked 
 Charlemagne. 
 
 1 Ganelon = Ga'-ne-lon. 
 
THE STORY OF ROLAND. 223 
 
 " I will go," said Roland. 
 
 " Or I," said Oliver. " Roland is too rash." 
 
 "Be silent, both," cried the emperor; "by my 
 beard, not one of yon or of the twelve peers shall go." 
 
 Then the Archbishop Turpin said, " Sire ! I am 
 the one to send." 
 
 " Be thou also silent," cried the emperor; "speak 
 no more till I command. My barons shall elect 
 one who shall be my messenger." 
 
 " Then let it be Ganelon," cried Roland. 
 
 " He will accomplish the mission well," cried all 
 the rest. 
 
 But Ganelon cried, " Fool, thou dost wish that 
 I should perish ! Well, be it so, but mark me 
 well — I hate thee and I hate Oliver and I hate 
 thy friends the twelve peers. I go, but I shall 
 perish. Sire ! I commit to thy care my young son, 
 for I shall see him no more." 
 
 " Fear not," said the emperor, u my barons 
 have chosen thee, and thee I send. Say thou 
 to Marsile : As my vassal he shall have the half 
 of Spain, the rest shall be for Roland, the great 
 baron. . But if he plays me false I will return, 
 and he shall end his life in sorrow and great 
 shame." Then blessing Ganelon, Charlemagne 
 delivered to him his staff and a sealed message. 
 
224 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 The embassy returned to Marsile, and Ganelon 
 in his heart planned treason to Roland. The 
 French army should depart, but Roland should 
 command the rear guard, and the Saracens should 
 destroy him — such was his traitorous covenant 
 with Marsile. 
 
 Then Ganelon returned to the emperor, bearing 
 great gifts. u Sire/' he cried, " behold the keys 
 of Saragossa, twenty hostages, and all the rich 
 treasure ! " 
 
 "It is well," said Charlemagne; "sound the 
 clarions, the war is ended.'' 
 
 Then joyfully the camp was raised and every- 
 thing held in readiness for the return of the army 
 to fair France. During the night, however, the 
 emperor had a fearful dream. He stood in the 
 dark denies of the mountains, his good staff in 
 his hand ; and Ganelon seized the staff and broke 
 it in pieces, whereat all the pieces flew up into the 
 sky and were lost to the emperor. 
 
 In the early dawn Charlemagne summoned his 
 barons. " Lords," he cried, " behold the narrow 
 passes, the dark defiles. Counsel me, who shall 
 command the rear guard ? " 
 
 " Roland," cried Ganelon ; " who else so valiant 
 as he?" 
 
THE STORY OF KOLAKD. 225 
 
 " Roland, " cried the barons; " who so valiant as 
 Roland?" 
 
 The emperor was filled with foreboding. He 
 turned to Roland, saying, " I will leave with thee 
 one half the army — therein lies safety." 
 
 " May I perish before I dishonor my race ! " 
 cried Roland. " Leave me twenty thousand French- 
 men; forward with all the rest. We will guard 
 the defiles, or we will perish." Then all the peers 
 cried with one voice, " We will stay with Roland," 
 and so said Count Gautier and Turpin, the brave 
 warrior bishop. 
 
 With a heavy heart Charlemagne departed. 
 He left twenty thousand Frenchmen with Roland, 
 picked men, not one coward among them all. 
 
 Marsile collected all his army. The drums beat 
 and the trumpets sounded in Saragossa. They set 
 forth ; they sped down the valley, and, marching 
 through the night, they soon caught sight of Roland 
 and the rear guard of Charlemagne's great army. 
 
 High were the dark mountains, gloomy the 
 valleys, black the rocks, and fearful the defiles as 
 the rear guard prepared to defend the passes. The 
 night went by in safety, the morning broke clear, 
 the sun shone bright ; a thousand clarions sounded, 
 the horses neighed, and the tramp of many feet 
 
226 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 shook the ground ! " What do I hear ? " cried 
 Oliver. " Friend Roland, I think that we shall 
 have to do with the Saracens ! " He mounted on 
 a little height and gazed toward Spain. " What 
 sounds I hear! what shining armor, what flashing 
 helmets, I see ! " Before him indeed passed all 
 the chivalry of Spain, an enormous army, winding 
 through the valleys. 
 
 " We are betrayed," he cried. " This is the 
 work of Ganelon ! Friend Roland, sound thine 
 horn; the emperor will still hear, and he will 
 return with the great army, and our rear guard 
 will not be cut to pieces.' ' 
 
 " Never," cried Roland, " shall I dishonor fair 
 France and my own great race ! We will fight the 
 Saracens; we are the pick of the whole army. 
 Sweet it will be to die for France and the great 
 emperor." 
 
 "Thou art mad," cried Oliver. "We are 
 twenty thousand men, and the pagans there are 
 at least a hundred thousand ! Roland, sound thy 
 horn. It will be no shame." 
 
 " Never," cried Roland. " Rather death than dis- 
 honor. The more we fight, the more the emperor 
 will love us ! " 
 
 Roland was chivalrous, but Oliver was wise. 
 
THE STORY OF BOLAND. 227 
 
 " Friend Roland," he said again, " thou art respon- 
 sible for our twenty thousand French ; sound thine 
 horn while yet there is time." 
 
 " Never," once again cried Roland, and he drew 
 himself up and glanced round among his men. 
 " Say no more, friend and companion. We are 
 here with twenty thousand heroes. Strike with 
 thy lance, Oliver, and I with my Durandel ; and 
 if I die, they will cry, ' This was the sword of a 
 brave man ! ' " 
 
 They formed themselves in battle array, and as 
 the Archbishop Turpin rode along the lines they 
 fell on their knees to receive his blessing. " The 
 day must be ours ! " he cried. 
 
 Alas ! the day was theirs — but at what cost ! 
 Unheard of were the prodigies of valor performed 
 that day. Again and yet again the brave French 
 came to close quarters with the foe, and the 
 ground was heaped with slain. The Saracens 
 seemed countless. On and on they came in 
 never ceasing hordes, fresh, with prancing horses, 
 while the poor Frenchmen, covered with blood 
 and wounds, weary with righting, could hardly 
 lift their swords. Nevertheless, marvelous was 
 the battle. They fought on and on, the field 
 was covered with thousands of dead and wounded 
 
228 HEEOES OF CHIVALEY. 
 
 men in heaps and piles, one on the other, some on 
 their faces and some on their backs — and at last 
 the pagans drew off. " Accursed be this day," 
 they said, " we will fight no more." 
 
 Roland and Oliver looked around; they could 
 hardly see who of theirs remained for the heaps 
 of dead Saracens. " Oliver," cried Roland, " shall 
 I sound my horn ? The emperor will return." 
 
 " To do it now would indeed be shame," replied 
 Oliver. "This slaughter is thy fault. It is not 
 brave to be madly rash ; thou wouldst not sound 
 it when it might have saved the army." 
 
 Archbishop Turpin overheard this dispute of the 
 two captains. " Sir Roland," he said, " Sir Oliver! 
 brave captains, dispute not. If Sir Roland sounds 
 his horn now, it will be no shame. Charlemagne 
 will hear it, he will return, but only to avenge our 
 deaths — for die we must — there is no help for it!" 
 
 " Thou sayest well," said Roland. 
 
 Roland was in great anguish, for he was covered 
 with wounds, but with a terrible effort he sounded 
 his ivory horn. The echo reached the great army. 
 " Listen," cried the emperor. " Our rear guard is 
 attacked." 
 
 " Should any one else say so, he would be 
 deemed a liar," cried Ganelon. 
 
Roland's Tower. 
 
 According to a legend, this tower was built by Eoland. 
 
**H : i : 
 
THE STORY OF ROLAND. 231 
 
 Once again the distant sound was heard. " Hark," 
 cried Naimes, " it is true ! Our men are fighting ; 
 Roland would not sound the horn else." 
 
 " Nonsense," said Ganelon, "I have known that 
 bragging Roland to ride about all day sounding 
 his horn for nothing." 
 
 Once again in mortal anguish Roland raised his 
 horn to his lips. He blew a mighty blast, but the 
 veins of his temples burst, and he almost swooned 
 with the agony. Again faint sounds reached 
 Charlemagne. " By our Lady," cried the emperor, 
 "Roland is in trouble. Sound the trumpets, 
 let the army return. Ganelon, that traitor, has 
 played us false ! " Alas, the mountains are so 
 high, the valley so deep, the passes so precipitous, 
 the army is mad with rage and anguish ! Pray 
 God they be not too late to succor Roland and 
 the peers ! 
 
 Roland gazed wildly around. Only a few 
 French remained. " Friend Oliver, the fault is 
 mine, but we will die fighting fcr fair France," he 
 said. "We will fight!" reechoed the brave sur- 
 vivors. 
 
 Once again the fighting began. The Saracen 
 leaders had managed to rally their men — alas, 
 their numbers seemed endless ! But all his rage 
 
232 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 returned to Roland. Oliver fought like a giant, 
 and great Turpin was not behind in the press. 
 Their path was strewn with heaps of fresh slain. 
 But alas ! what could it avail them ? — before the 
 great army could return they would all be slain. 
 Once again the Saracens were put to flight ! " These 
 French are devils and not men/' they cried. 
 
 Oliver was wounded to the death. He staggered 
 about the field, he could see no longer, the stream- 
 ing blood blinded him. He waved his shining 
 sword. " Roland, Roland, farewell, my friend, 
 farewell ! " he cried, with a high voice and clear. 
 
 Roland rushed up ; he looked at him. " My 
 God, what can I do? Fair France, thou art 
 confounded this day, widowed of thy bravest 
 knights, thy best soldiers. Alas, for the sorrow of 
 the emperor ! " When he saw Oliver fall dead 
 before him, Roland could no longer restrain his 
 cries and his sobs. He swooned again from 
 sorrow. 
 
 When Roland recovered his senses, he saw and 
 realized the greatness of the disaster. The peers 
 were all dead, Turpin was dead, Oliver was dead, 
 he alone remained in the field, wounded, himself, to 
 the death. " Ah me ! for fair France ! " he cried. 
 He felt the death throes on him. He slowly 
 
THE STORY OF EOLAND. 233 
 
 dragged himself along — he staggered to a little 
 eminence, and there again he fainted. After a 
 while he came to himself, sat up, and, taking 
 Durandel, his dear sword, he kissed it. " Never," 
 he murmured, " shall a pagan have thee." 
 
 He staggered slowly to his feet once more. 
 Death was very near, but he found a rock, and, tak- 
 ing Durandel in his hands, he tried to smash the 
 blade against the flint. But Durandel was not 
 made of metal that could be broken. Three times 
 he tried, but the sword was scarcely dented. Ex- 
 hausted, he sank down again on the grass. He 
 murmured loving words to his dear sword : " My 
 Durandel, thou art beautiful and holy. How many 
 lands through thee I have conquered for my glori- 
 ous emperor, Charles of the white beard ! Never, 
 never mayst thou fall into the hands of a coward! " 
 
 He took Durandel and his ivory horn, and with 
 great effort he laid himself over them ; he turned 
 his face toward his vanquished enemies, toward 
 Spain, whither they were flying. 
 
 He crossed his hands, he prayed for forgiveness 
 for his sins, and then he thought on many things : 
 of fair France, of his beloved ones whom he might 
 never see more, of Charlemagne, his dear lord. 
 
 He held up his gauntlet .to the sky. " Great 
 
234 HEROES OF CHIVALRY. 
 
 God, thou who broughtest Lazarus back to life, and 
 defended Daniel in the lion's den, save, oh, save 
 my soul and defend it from all perils, and forgive 
 the sins I have committed in my lifetime." Slowly 
 his head sank down upon the ground, and, with 
 hands reverently clasped, he met his end. Roland, 
 the great captain, the chivalrous, the brave, was 
 dead. 
 
 Terrible indeed was the grief of the great army 
 when at last it reached the valley. Not a road, 
 not even a little pathway, not a clear space, not a 
 yard nor even a foot of ground, but was piled high 
 with dead bodies of Frenchmen or of Saracens. 
 The proud emperor tore his white beard in rage 
 and horror, and twenty thousand Frenchmen 
 mourned, for all had lost sons, nephews, brothers, 
 friends, or lords. "Vengeance, vengeance, a ter- 
 rible revenge ! " they all cried. The dust was still 
 visible as it rose in clouds from the flying feet of 
 the Saracens. The dead were left lying where 
 they had fallen ; the whole army started in hot 
 pursuit. The fugitives were overtaken and a 
 veritable massacre followed. Those who were not 
 killed on land were driven into the rivers and 
 drowned. Roland was indeed avenged. 
 
 Sadly the old emperor, with the remainder of 
 
THE STORY OF ROLAND. 235 
 
 his army, returned to fair France. With them 
 they brought the bodies of the principal heroes, to 
 be buried in the cathedrals of France. The rest of 
 the gallant twenty thousand they had buried in the 
 valley where they had fallen. 
 
 The great emperor sat in his great hall, consumed 
 with grief, when a fair woman entered. " Great 
 emperor, where is Roland, the noble captain who 
 swore to make me his wife ? " she said. 
 
 " Sister, sweet friend, thou askest me the tidings 
 of a dead man. Much I grieve for thee and me. 
 Wilt thou marry mine own dear son, Louis, heir 
 now to all my empire ? What can I offer thee 
 more : 
 
 " I pray to God, to all his saints and his angels, 
 that since Roland is dead, I may live no longer ! " 
 As she said this, the color fled from her cheeks and 
 she fell at the feet of the emperor. Tenderly he 
 lifted her up and laid her on a couch, and he sent 
 for his physicians that they might raise her up, for 
 he thought she had swooned. But she never rose 
 up again — God had answered her prayer. Beauti- 
 ful Aude was dead. 
 
 The traitor Ganelon met with his deserts — he 
 was condemned to a dreadful death. 
 
PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES. 
 
 KEY TO PRONUNCIATION. 
 
 a as in fat, man, pang, 
 a as in fate, mane, dale. 
 a as in far, father, guard, 
 e as in met, pen, bless, 
 e as in mete, meet, meat, 
 e as in her, fern, heard, 
 i as in pin, it, biscuit, 
 i as in pine, fight, file, 
 o as in not, frog, on. 
 6 as in note, poke, floor. 
 6 as in nor, song, off. 
 u as in tub, son, blood, 
 u as in mute, acute, few. 
 ii, German ii, French u. 
 oi as in oil, joint, boy. 
 
 A single dot under a vowel in an unac- 
 ented syllable indicates its abbreviation 
 ard lightening, without absolute loss of 
 its distinctive quality. Thus: 
 
 a as in prelate, courage, 
 e as in ablegate, episcopal, 
 o as in abrogate, eulogy. 
 
 A double dot under a vowel in an unac- 
 cented syllable indicates that, even in the 
 mouths of the best speakers, its sound is 
 variable to, and in ordinary utterance actu- 
 ally becomes the short w-sound (of but, 
 pure, etc.). Thus: 
 
 a as in errant, republican, 
 o as in valor, actor, idiot. 
 a as in Persia, peninsula. 
 
 n, French nasalizing n, as in ton, en. 
 
 ' denotes a primary, " a secondary ac- 
 cent. (A secondary accent is not marked 
 if at its regular interval of two syllables 
 from the primary or from another second- 
 ary.) 
 
 Aix = Xks 
 
 Alain li Gros = Xlan'-le-gro 
 Arimathea = Ar"-i-ma-the'-a 
 Aristole = Ar'-is-tol 
 Aude = Od 
 
 Bagdemagus = Bag-de'-ma-gus 
 Bedingran = Bed'-ing-ran 
 Benoic = Be-no' -ik 
 Bondwine =s Bond'-win 
 liors = Bors 
 Brastias = Bras'-ti-as 
 Bretel = Bre'-tel 
 
 Camelot = Cam'-e-lot 
 Canterbury = Kan'-ter-ber-i 
 Carados = K'ar'-a-dos 
 Cardoil = K'ar'-doil 
 Carleon = KaV-le-on 
 Carmelhide = Kar'-mel-hld 
 Charlemagne = Char'-le-man 
 Cleodalis = Kle-o'-da-lis 
 
 Daneblaise = Dan'-e-blaz 
 Dindrane = Din'-dran 
 Durandel = Dii-ran-del' 
 
 237 
 
238 PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES. 
 
 Eaumont = O-mong' 
 Ector = Ek'-tor 
 Elaine = E-lan' 
 Excalibur = Eks-kal'-i-ber 
 
 Gaheris = Ga'-her-is 
 
 Galahad = Gal'-a-had 
 
 Ganelon = G'a'-ne-lon 
 
 Garloth = Gar'-loth 
 
 Gareth = Ga'-reth 
 
 Gawain = G'a-wan' 
 
 Gilain = ZhI-lan' 
 
 Gerard de Vienne = Zhe-rar'-de- 
 
 Vi-an' 
 Guinevere = Gwin'-e-ver 
 
 Joseus = Jo'-se-us 
 
 Kay = Ka 
 
 Lancelot = Lon'-se-lot 
 Leodgrance = Le-od'-grans 
 Lionel = Li'-o-nel 
 Lothian = Lo'-thi-an 
 Lucan = Lu'-kan 
 Lyonesse = Ll-o-nes' 
 
 Marsile = M'ar'-sel 
 Milon d'Auglant = Me-lon'-do'- 
 glon 
 
 Naimes = Na-eem' 
 Neutres = Nu'-tr 
 
 Ogier = O-zhya' 
 Orkney = Ork'-ni 
 
 Pelles = Pel'-lez 
 Pepin = Pep'-in 
 Perceval = Per'-se-val 
 
 Renier de Gene = Re'-ne-a-de 
 
 zhan' 
 Rions = Ry'-ons 
 Roland = Ro'-land 
 
 Saragossa = S'a-r'a-gos'-sa 
 
 Thierry = Tya-re' 
 Turquin = Tur'-kwin 
 
 Ulphius = Ul'-fi-as 
 Urience = U'-ri-ens 
 Uther Pendragon = U'-ther-Pen 
 dra-gon 
 
 Yglais = Ig'-las 
 
YB 37124 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY