TOLD TO THE CHILDREN SERIESEDITED BY LOUEY CHISHOLM

 KING ARTHUR'S KNIGHTS

 TO MARIE WINIFRED

[Illustration: BESIDE HER STOOD HER BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER

Page 7]

 STORIES OF

 King Arthur's Knights

 TOLD TO THE CHILDREN BY

 MARY MACGREGOR

 WITH PICTURES BY

 KATHARINE CAMERON

 [Illustration]

 LONDON: T. C. & E. C. JACK NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON & CO. 

ABOUT THIS BOOK

More than four hundred years ago there lived a diligent man calledSir Thomas Malory, who wrote in English words many of the beautifulWelsh tales about King Arthur's Knights, that the people of Walesloved so well. 

All the stories in this little book were found in Malory's bigbook, except 'Geraint and Enid. ' But it, too, is one of the oldWelsh tales that tell of the brave knights and fair ladies of KingArthur's court. 

Many times, since Sir Thomas Malory wrote his book, have thesestories been told again to old and young, but perhaps never beforehave they been told to the children so simply as in this littlebook. 

 MARY MACGREGOR. 

LIST OF STORIES

 Page

 Geraint and Enid, 1

 Lancelot and Elaine, 29

 Pelleas and Ettarde, 45

 Gareth and Lynette, 61

 Sir Galahad and the Sacred Cup, 88

 The Death of King Arthur, 107

LIST OF PICTURES

 GERAINT AND ENID. 

 Beside her stood her beautiful daughter, _Frontispiece_

 At page

 Through woods and swamps Enid and Geraint rode silently, 20

 LANCELOT AND ELAINE. 

 The Lily Maid of Astolat, 44

 PELLEAS AND ETTARDE. 

 Sir Pelleas was always at his lady's side, 50

 GARETH AND LYNETTE. 

 Sometimes the birds and beasts, his woodland friends, would call to him, 62

 The Lady Lyonors, 84

 SIR GALAHAD AND THE SACRED CUP. 

 'My strength is as the strength of ten Because my heart is pure, ' 102

 THE DEATH OF KING ARTHUR, 114

GERAINT AND ENID

Queen Guinevere lay idly in bed dreaming beautiful dreams. Thesunny morning hours were slipping away, but she was so happy indreamland, that she did not remember that her little maid hadcalled her long ago. 

But the Queen's dreams came to an end at last, and all at once sheremembered that this was the morning she had promised to go to thehunt with King Arthur. 

Even in the hunting-field, the King was not quite happy if hisbeautiful Queen Guinevere were not there. This morning he hadwaited for her in vain, for in dreamland the Queen had forgottenall about the hunt. 

'If I dress quickly, I shall not be very late, ' thought the Queen, as she heard the far-off sound of the hunting-horn. And she was soquick that in a very short time she and her little waiting-maidwere out, and riding up to a grassy knoll. But the huntsmen werealready far away. 'We will wait here to see them ride homewards, 'said the Queen, and they drew up their horses to watch and listen. 

They had not waited long, when they heard the sound of horse'shoofs, and turning round, the Queen saw Prince Geraint, one ofArthur's knights. He was unarmed, except that his sword hung at hisside. He wore a suit of silk, with a purple sash round his waist, and at each end of the sash was a golden apple, which sparkled inthe sunlight. 

'You are late for the hunt, Prince Geraint, ' said the Queen. 

'Like you, I have come, not to join the hunt, but to see it pass, 'said the Prince, bowing low to the beautiful Queen. And he asked tobe allowed to wait with her and the little maid. 

As they waited, three people, a lady, a knight and a dwarf, cameout of the forest, and rode slowly past. The knight had his helmetoff, and the Queen saw that he looked young and bold. 

'I cannot remember if he is one of Arthur's knights. I must knowhis name, ' she said. And she sent her little maid to find out whothe strange knight was. 

But when the little maid asked the dwarf his master's name, thedwarf answered rudely that he would not tell her. 

'Then I will ask your master himself, ' said the maid. But as shestepped towards the knight, the dwarf struck her with his whip, andthe little maid, half-angry and half-frightened, hurried back tothe Queen, and told her how the dwarf had treated her. 

Prince Geraint was angry when he heard how rude the dwarf had beento the Queen's little messenger, and said that he would go and findout the knight's name. 

But the dwarf, by his master's orders, treated the Prince as rudelyas he had treated the little maid. When Geraint felt the dwarf'swhip strike his cheek, and saw the blood dropping on to his purplesash, he felt for the sword at his side. Then he remembered thatwhile he was tall and strong, the dwarf was small and weak, and hescorned to touch him. 

Going back to the Queen, Geraint told her that he had not been ableto find out the knight's name either, 'but with your leave, I willfollow him to his home, and compel him to ask your pardon, ' saidthe Prince. And the Queen allowed him to follow the knight. 

'When you come back, you will perhaps bring a bride with you, ' saidthe Queen. 'If she be a great lady, or if she be only abeggar-maid, I will dress her in beautiful robes, and she shallstand among the fairest ladies of my court. '

'In three days I shall come back, if I am not slain in battle withthe knight, ' said Geraint. And he rode away, a little sorry not tohear the merry sound of the hunter's horn, and a little vexed thathe had undertaken this strange adventure. 

Through valleys and over hills Geraint followed the lady, theknight and the dwarf, till at last, in the evening, he saw them gothrough the narrow streets of a little town, and reach a whitefortress. Into this fortress the lady, the knight and the dwarfdisappeared. 

'I shall find the knight there to-morrow, ' thought Geraint 'Now Imust go to an inn for food and a bed, ' for he was hungry and tiredafter his long ride. 

But all the inns in the little town were full, and every one seemedtoo busy to take any notice of the stranger. 

'Why is there such a bustle in your town this evening?' askedGeraint, first of one person and then of another. But they hurriedpast him, muttering, 'The Sparrow-hawk has his tournament hereto-morrow. '

'The Sparrow-hawk! that is a strange name, ' thought Geraint. But hedid not know that this was one of the names of the knight he hadfollowed so far. 

Soon Geraint reached a smithy, and he looked in, and saw that thesmith was busy sharpening swords and spears. 'I will go in and buyarms, ' thought Geraint. 

And because the smith saw that the stranger was dressed like aPrince, he stopped his work for a moment to speak to him. 

'Arms?' he said, when Geraint told him what he wanted. 'There areno arms to spare, for the Sparrow-hawk holds his tournament hereto-morrow. '

'The Sparrow-hawk again!' thought Geraint. 'I wonder who he canbe. ' Then he turned to the smith again and said, 'Though you cannotgive me arms, perhaps you can tell me where to find food and abed. '

'The old Earl Yniol might give you shelter. He lives in thathalf-ruined castle across the bridge, ' said the smith. And heturned again to his work, muttering, 'Those who work for theSparrow-hawk have no time to waste in talk. '

So Geraint rode wearily on across the bridge and reached thecastle. The courtyard was quite empty and looked very dreary, forit was all overgrown with weeds and thistles. At the door of thehalf-ruined castle stood the old Earl. 

'It is growing late. Will you not come in and rest, ' said EarlYniol, 'although the castle be bare, and the fare simple?'

And Geraint said he would like to stay there, for he was so hungrythat the plainest food would seem a feast. 

As he entered the castle, he heard some one singing. The song wasso beautiful, and the voice was so pure and clear, that Geraintthought it was the sweetest song in all the world, and the oldcastle seemed less gloomy as he listened. 

Then Earl Yniol led Geraint into a long low room, and this room wasboth dining-room and kitchen. 

The Earl's wife sat there, and she wore a dress that must have beenvery grand once, but now it was old. 

Beside her stood her beautiful daughter, and she wore a faded silkgown, but Geraint thought he had never seen so fair a face. 

'This is the maiden who sang the beautiful song, ' he thought. 'If Ican win her for my bride, she shall come back with me to QueenGuinevere. But the brightest silks the Queen can dress her in, willnot make her look more fair than she does in this old gown, ' hemurmured to himself. 

'Enid, ' said the Earl, 'take the stranger's horse to the stable, and then go to the town and buy food for supper. '

Geraint did not like the beautiful girl to wait on him, and he gotup eagerly to help her. 

'We are poor, and have no servants, but we cannot let our guestwait upon himself, ' said the Earl proudly. And Geraint had to sitdown, while Enid took his horse to the stall, and went across thebridge to the little town to buy meat and cakes for supper. 

And as the dining-room was the kitchen too, Geraint could watchEnid as she cooked the food and set the table. 

At first it grieved him that she should work at all, but afterwardshe thought, 'She touches everything with such grace and gentleness, that the work grows beautiful under her white hands. '

And when supper was ready, Enid stood behind, and waited, andGeraint almost forgot that he was very hungry, as he took thedishes from her careful hands. 

When supper was over, Geraint turned to the Earl. 'Who is thisSparrow-hawk of whom all the townspeople chatter? Yet if he shouldbe the knight of the white fortress, do not tell me his real name. That I must find out for myself. ' And he told the Earl that he wasPrince Geraint, and that he had come to punish the knight, becausehe allowed his dwarf to be so rude to the Queen's messengers. 

The Earl was glad when he heard his guest's name. 'I have oftentold Enid of your noble deeds and wonderful adventures, ' he said, 'and when I stopped, she would call to me to go on. She loves tohear of the noble deeds of Arthur's knights. But now I will tellyou about the Sparrow-hawk. He lives in the white fortress, and heis my nephew. He is a fierce and cruel man, and when I would notallow him to marry Enid, he hated me, and made the people believe Iwas unkind to him. He said I had stolen his father's money fromhim. And the people believed him, ' said the Earl, 'and were full ofrage against me. One evening, just before Enid's birthday, threeyears ago, they broke into our home, and turned us out, and tookaway all our treasures. Then the Sparrow-hawk built himself thewhite fortress for safety, but us he keeps in this old half-ruinedcastle. '

'Give me arms, ' said Geraint, 'and I will fight this knight into-morrow's tournament. '

'Arms I can give you, ' said the Earl, 'though they are old andrusty; but you cannot fight to-morrow. ' And the Earl told Geraintthat the Sparrow-hawk gave a prize at the tournament. 'But everyknight who fights to-morrow must have a lady with him, ' said theEarl, 'so that if he wins the prize in fair fight from theSparrow-hawk, he may give it to her. But you have no lady to whomyou could give the prize, so you will not be allowed to fight. '

'Let me fight as your beautiful Enid's knight, ' said Geraint. 'Andif I win the prize for her, let me marry her, for I love her morethan any one else in all the world. '

Then the Earl was pleased, for he knew that if the Prince took Enidaway, she would go to a beautiful home. And though the old castlewould be more dreary than ever without her, he loved his fairdaughter too well to wish to keep her there. 

'Her mother will tell Enid to be at the tournament to-morrow, ' saidthe Earl, 'if she be willing to have you as her knight. '

And Enid was willing. And when she slept that night she dreamed ofnoble deeds and true knights, and always in her dream the face ofeach knight was like the face of Prince Geraint. 

Early in the morning Enid woke her mother, and together they wentthrough the meadows to the place where the tournament was to beheld. 

And the Earl and Geraint followed, and the Prince wore the Earl'srusty arms, but in spite of these, every one could see that he wasa Prince. 

A great many lords and ladies and all the townspeople came to seethe tournament. 

Then the Sparrow-hawk came to the front of the great crowd, andasked if any one claimed his prize. And he thought, 'No one here isbrave enough to fight with me. '

But Geraint was brave, and he called out loudly, 'I claim theprize for the fairest lady in the field. ' And he glanced at Enid inher faded silk dress. 

Then, in a great rage, the Sparrow-hawk got ready for the fightwith Enid's champion, and they fought so fiercely that three timesthey broke their spears. Then they got off their horses, and foughtwith their swords. And the lords and ladies and all the townspeoplemarvelled that Geraint was still alive, for the Sparrow-hawk'ssword flashed like lightning round the Prince's head. 

But Geraint, because he was fighting for the Queen, and to win thegracious Enid for his bride, brought down his sword with all hisstrength on the Sparrow-hawk's helmet. The blow brought the knightto the ground, and Geraint put his foot on him, and demanded hisname. 

And all the pride of the Sparrow-hawk was gone because Enid hadseen his fall, and he quickly told Geraint his name was Edyrn. 

'I will spare your life, ' said Geraint, 'but you must go to theQueen and ask her to forgive you, and you must take the dwarf withyou. And you must give back to Earl Yniol his earldom and all histreasures. '

Edyrn went to the Queen and she forgave him; and he stayed at thecourt and grew ashamed of his rough and cruel deeds. At last hebegan to fight for King Arthur, and lived ever after as a trueknight. 

When the tournament was over, Geraint took the prize to Enid, andasked her if she would be his bride, and go to the Queen's courtwith him the next day. And Enid was glad, and said she would go. 

In the early morning, Enid lay thinking of her journey. 'I haveonly my faded silk dress to wear, ' she sighed, and it seemed to hershabbier and more faded than ever, as it hung there in the morninglight. 'If only I had a few days longer, I would weave myself adress. I would weave it so delicately that when Geraint took me tothe Queen, he would be proud of it, ' she thought. For in her heartshe was afraid that Geraint would be ashamed of the old faded silk, when they reached the court. 

And her thoughts wandered back to the evening before her birthday, three long years ago. She could never forget that evening, for itwas then that their home had been sacked. Then she thought of themorning of that day when her mother had brought her a beautifulgift. It was a dress, made all of silk, with beautiful silk flowerswoven into it. If only she could have worn that, but the robbershad taken it away. 

But what had happened? Enid sat up and rubbed her eyes. For at thatmoment her mother came into the room, and over her arm was the verydress Enid had been thinking of. 

'The colours are as bright as ever, ' said the mother, touching thesilk softly. And she told Enid how last night their scatteredtreasures had been brought back, and how she had found the dressamong them. 

'I will wear it at once, ' said Enid, a glad look in her eyes. Andwith loving hands her mother helped her to put on the old birthdaygift. 

Downstairs the Earl was telling Geraint that last night theSparrow-hawk had sent back all their treasures. 'Among them is oneof Enid's beautiful dresses. At last you will see her dressed as aPrincess, ' said the Earl gladly. 

But Geraint remembered that he had first seen and loved Enid in thefaded gown, and he thought, 'I will ask her to wear it again to-dayfor my sake. '

And Enid loved the Prince so dearly, that when she heard his wish, she took off the beautiful dress she had been so glad to wear, andwent down to him in the old silk gown. And when Geraint saw Enid, the gladness in his face made her glad too, and she forgot allabout the old dress. 

All that day Queen Guinevere sat in a high tower and often glancedout of the window to look for Geraint and his bride. When she sawthem riding along the white road, she went down to the gate herselfto welcome them. And when the Queen had dressed Enid in soft andshining silk, all the court marvelled at her beauty. 

But because Geraint had first seen and loved her in the old fadedsilk, Enid folded it up with care and put it away among the thingsshe loved. 

And a feast was made for the wedding-day, and in great joy Geraintand Enid were married. 

Day by day Geraint loved his wife more dearly. And Enid was happyin this strange new life, and she wondered at the merry lords andladies, and she loved the beautiful Queen, who was so kind to her. 

And Geraint was glad that Enid was often with the Queen, till oneday he heard some people say that though the Queen was verybeautiful, she was not good. And Geraint heard this so often, thathe learned to believe it. 

'I must take Enid away from the court, ' he thought, 'for sheworships the Queen and may grow like her. '

So Geraint went to King Arthur, and asked to be allowed to go tohis own country. He told the King that robbers trampled down hiscornfields, and carried away his cattle. 'I wish to go and fightthese robbers, ' he said. And King Arthur allowed him to go. 

And Enid left the Queen and the lords and ladies gladly, to go withGeraint. 

But all the time Geraint could not help thinking, 'Enid is longingfor the knights and ladies she knew at the court. '

When Geraint reached his own country, he forgot all about therobbers, who were destroying his land. He forgot to go to the hunt, or the tournament, or to look after the poor people. And this wasall because he loved Enid so much. He thought, 'I will stay withher all day. I will be so kind to her that she will forget the gaylords and ladies, and be happy here, alone with me. '

But Enid grew sadder and paler every day. She did not wish Geraintto wait on her and forget every one else. She wanted him to be atrue knight. 

And the people began to scoff and jeer whenever Geraint's name wasspoken. 'The Prince is no knight, ' they said. 'The robbers spoilhis land and carry off his cattle, but he neither cares norfights. He does nothing but wait on the fair Lady Enid. '

Enid knew what the people said, and she thought, 'I must tellGeraint, and then surely he will be ashamed, and become a braveknight once more. ' But always her courage failed. 

'I think I could buckle on his armour and ride with him to battle, 'thought Enid, 'but how can I tell him he is no worthy knight?'

And her tears fell fast, and Geraint coming in, saw her weeping, and thought, 'She weeps for the gay lords and ladies of Arthur'scourt. '

Then all at once he hated his idle life. 'It has only made Eniddespise me, ' he thought. 'We will go together into the wilderness, and I will show her I can still fight. ' And half in anger and halfin sadness he called for his war-horse. 

Then Geraint told Enid to put on her oldest dress and ride with himinto the wilderness. And because he was angry with himself forthinking that Enid wept for the gay knights and ladies at Arthur'scourt, he would not ride with her, but told her to go on in front, and 'whatever you see or hear, do not speak to me, ' he saidsternly. 

Then Enid remembered the old faded silk gown. 'I will wear that, for he loved me in it, ' she thought. 

Through woods and swamps Enid and Geraint rode in silence. Andwhile Enid's heart cried, 'Why is Geraint angry with me?' her eyeswere busy glancing into every bush and corner, in case robbersshould attack her lord. 

At last in the shadow of some trees, Enid saw three tall knights. They were armed, and she heard them whisper, when they saw Geraint, 'This is a craven-looking knight. We will slay him, and take hisarmour and his maiden. '

And Enid thought, 'Even if it makes Geraint angry, I must tell himwhat the knights say, or they will attack him before he knows theyare there. ' And Enid turned back. Geraint frowned as he saw hercoming to speak to him, but Enid said bravely, 'There are threeknights in front of us. They say they will fight with you. '

'I do not want your warning, ' said Geraint roughly, 'but you shallsee I can fight. '

Sad and pale, Enid watched the three knights spring suddenly out oftheir ambush and attack her lord. 

But Geraint threw his spear at the tallest knight, and it piercedhis breast. Then with two sword thrusts, he stunned the other two. 

Geraint dismounted, and took the armour of the three fallenknights, and tied it round their horses. Twining the three bridlereins into one, he gave it to Enid. 

'Drive these horses in front, and whatever you see or hear, do notspeak to me, ' said Geraint. But he rode a little nearer Enid thanbefore, and that made her glad. 

Soon they came to a wood, and in the wood Enid again saw threeknights. One was taller and looked stronger than Geraint, and Enidtrembled as she looked at him. 

'The knight hangs his head, and the horses are driven by a girl, 'she heard them mutter. 'We will kill the knight, and take hisdamsel and his horses for ourselves. '

[Illustration: THROUGH WOODS AND SWAMPS ENID AND GERAINT RODE INSILENCE

Page 19]

'Surely, ' thought Enid, 'I may warn Geraint this time, for he isfaint and tired after the last battle. '

And Enid waited till Geraint rode up to her, and told him therewere three evil men in front of them. 'One is stronger than you, 'she said, 'and he means to kill you. '

And Geraint answered angrily, 'If you would but obey me, I wouldfight one hundred knights gladly. ' Yet Geraint loved Enid all thetime, though he spoke so roughly. 

Then Enid stood out of the way, and she hardly dared to look as thestrongest knight attacked Geraint. But Geraint hurled his spearthrough the strong knight's armour, and he fell over and died. 

The other two knights came slowly towards Geraint, but he shoutedhis battle-cry, and they turned and fled. But Geraint caught them, and killed them. 

Again Geraint tied the armour of the three slain knights roundtheir horses. Then he twisted the three reins together, and handedthem to Enid. 

'Drive these on in front, ' said Geraint. And now Enid had sixhorses to drive, and Geraint saw that they were difficult tomanage. Then he rode nearer Enid. 

They had left the wood behind them now, and were riding throughcornfields, where reapers were busy cutting down the waving corn. 

Coming down the path towards them, they saw a fair-haired boy. Hewas carrying food to the reapers. Geraint thought Enid lookedfaint, and he was very hungry, so he stopped the lad and asked forfood. 

'I can give you some of this; it is the reapers' dinner, ' said theboy. 'But it is coarse and plain food, ' and he glanced doubtfullyat the lady with the sad eyes and her stern-looking knight. 

But Geraint thanked him, and took the food to Enid. And to pleasehim she ate a little, but Geraint was so hungry that he finishedall the reapers' dinner. 

'I will reward you, ' said Geraint, for the lad was dismayed to findnothing left for the reapers to eat. And he told him to take oneof the horses, with the suit of armour bound round it. 

Then the boy was full of glee, and thought himself a knight, as heled the horse away. 

Geraint and Enid then went to the little village near thecornfields, and lodged there for one night. 

The country they were in belonged to a cruel Earl. He had oncewanted to marry Enid. When he heard that she was in his country, hemade up his mind to kill Geraint, and make Enid marry him afterall. 

'I will go to the inn while they are still asleep, ' thought theEarl, 'and kill the knight and take Enid away. '

But Geraint and Enid had got up very early that morning, and hadleft the five horses and the five suits of armour with thelandlord, to pay him for their food and shelter. 

By the time the Earl reached the inn Geraint and Enid had ridden along way into a wild country. 

Then the wicked Earl galloped after them, and Enid heard the soundof horse's hoofs coming nearer and nearer. As the horseman dasheddown upon Geraint, Enid hid her face, and asked God to spare herdear lord's life once more. 

The fight was long and fierce, but at last Geraint overthrew theEarl, and left him lying half-dead in the dust. 

Still a little in front, Enid rode silently on, and Geraintfollowed, but he had been wounded in the fight with the Earl, though he did not tell Enid. And the wound bled inside his armour, till Geraint felt very faint, and suddenly everything seemed blackin front of him. He reeled and fell from his horse on to a bank ofgrass. 

Enid heard the crash of his armour as he fell, and in a moment shewas beside him. She unbuckled the armour and took off his helmetThen she took her veil of faded silk and bound up his wound. ButGeraint lay quite still. 

Enid's horse wandered into a forest and was lost, but Geraint'snoble war-horse kept watch with Enid, as if he understood. 

About noon, the Earl, in whose country they now were, passed alongwith his followers. He saw the two by the wayside, and shouted toEnid, 'Is he dead?'

'No, no, not dead; he cannot be dead. Let him be carried out of thesun, ' she entreated. 

And Enid's great sorrow, and her great beauty, made the Earl alittle less rough, and he told his men to carry Geraint to thehall. 'His charger is a noble one, bring it too, ' shouted the Earl. 

His men unwillingly carried Geraint to the hall, and laid him downon a stretcher there, and left him. 

Enid bent over him, chafing his cold hands, and calling him to comeback to her. 

After a long time Geraint opened his eyes. He saw Enid tenderlywatching him, and he felt Enid's tears dropping on his face. 'Sheweeps for me, ' he thought; but he did not move, but lay there as ifhe were dead. 

In the evening the Earl came into the great hall and called fordinner, and many knights and ladies sat down with him, but no oneremembered Enid. But when the Earl had finished eating anddrinking, his eye fell on her. He remembered how she had wept forher wounded lord in the morning. 

'Do not weep any more, but eat and be merry. Then I will marry you, and you shall share my earldom, and I will hunt for you, ' said thewild Earl. 

Enid's head drooped lower, and she murmured, 'Leave me alone, Ibeseech you, for my lord is surely dead. '

The Earl hardly heard what she said, but thought Enid was thankinghim. 'Yes, eat and be glad, ' he repeated, 'for you are mine. '

'How can I ever be glad again?' said Enid, thinking, 'SurelyGeraint is dead. '

But the Earl was growing impatient. He seized her roughly, and madeher sit at the table, and he put food before her, shouting, 'Eat. '

'No, ' said Enid, 'I will not eat, till my lord arises and eats withme. '

'Then drink, ' said the Earl, and he thrust a cup to her lips. 

'No, ' said Enid, 'I will not drink, till my lord arises and drinkswith me; and if he does not arise, I will not drink wine till Idie. '

The Earl strode up and down the hall in a great rage. 'If you willneither eat nor drink, will you take off this old faded dress?'said the Earl. And he told one of his women to bring Enid a robe, which had been woven across the sea, and which was covered withmany gems. 

But Enid told the Earl how Geraint had first seen and loved her inthe dress she wore, and how he had asked her to wear it when hetook her to the Queen. 'And when we started on this sad journey, Iwore it again, to win back his love, ' she said, 'and I will nevertake it off till he arises and bids me. '

Then the Earl was angry. He came close to Enid, and struck her onthe cheek with his hand. 

And Enid thought, 'He would not have dared to strike me, if he hadnot known that my lord was truly dead, ' and she gave a bitter cry. 

When Geraint heard Enid's cry, with one bound he leaped to wherethe huge Earl stood, and with one swing of his sword cut off theEarl's head, and it fell down and rolled along the floor. 

Then all the lords and ladies were afraid, for they had thoughtGeraint was dead, and they fled, and Geraint and Enid were leftalone. 

And Geraint never again thought that Enid loved the gay lords andladies at King Arthur's court better than she loved him. 

Then they went back to their own land. And soon the people knewthat Prince Geraint had come back a true knight, and the oldwhispers that he was a coward faded away, and the people called him'Geraint the Brave. '

And her ladies called Enid, 'Enid the Fair, ' but the people on theland called her 'Enid the Good. '

LANCELOT AND ELAINE

Her name was Elaine. But she was so fair that her father called her'Elaine the Fair, ' and she was so lovable that her brothers calledher 'Elaine the Lovable, ' and that was the name she liked best ofall. 

The country people, who lived round about the castle of Astolat, which was Elaine's home, had another and a very beautiful name forher. As she passed their windows in her white frock, they looked atthe white lilies growing in their gardens, and they said, 'She istall and graceful and pure as these, ' and they called her the 'LilyMaid of Astolat. '

Elaine lived in the castle alone with her father and her twobrothers, and an old dumb servant who had waited on her since shewas a baby. 

To her father Elaine seemed always a bright and winsome child, though she was growing up now. He would watch her serious face asshe listened to Sir Torre, the grave elder brother, while he toldher that wise maidens stayed at home to cook and sew. And he wouldlaugh as he saw her, when Sir Torre turned away, run off wilfullyto the woods. 

Elaine spent long happy days out of doors with her younger brotherLavaine. When they grew tired of chasing the butterflies andgathering the wildflowers, they would sit under the pine-trees andspeak of Arthur's knights and their noble deeds, and they longed tosee the heroes of whom they talked. 

'And the tournament will be held at Camelot this year, ' Lavainereminded his sister. 'If some of the knights ride past Astolat, wemay see them as they pass. ' And Elaine and Lavaine counted the daystill the tournament would begin. 

Now Arthur had offered the prize of a large diamond to the knightwho fought most bravely at the tournament. 

But the knights murmured to each other, 'We need not hope to winthe prize, for Sir Lancelot will be on the field, and who can standbefore the greatest knight of Arthur's court?'

And the Queen heard what the knights said to each other, and shetold Lancelot how they lost courage and hope when he came on to thefield. 'They begin to think some magic is at work when they seeyou, and they cannot fight their best. But I have a plan. You mustgo to the tournament at Camelot in disguise. And though the knightsdo not know with whom they fight, they will still fall before thestrength of Lancelot's arm, ' added the Queen, smiling up to him. 

Then Lancelot disguised himself, and left the court and rodetowards Camelot. But when he was near Astolat he lost his way, andwandered into the old castle grounds, where Elaine stood, with herfather and brothers. 

And as Elaine's father, the old Baron, welcomed the knight, Lavaineand Elaine whispered together, 'This is better than to see manyknights passing on their way to Camelot. '

And Lancelot stayed at Astolat till evening, and he told many talesof Arthur's court. 

As Elaine and Lavaine listened to his voice, and looked at hisface, with the scars of many battles on it, they loved him. 'I willbe his squire and follow him, ' thought Lavaine, and Elaine wishedthat she might follow the strange knight too. But Sir Torre, thegrave elder brother, looked gloomily at the stranger, and wished hehad not come to Astolat. 

In the evening Sir Lancelot told the Baron how he was going indisguise to the tournament, and how, by mistake, he had brought hisown shield with him. 'If you can lend me another, I will leave myshield with you till I come back from Camelot, ' said the knight. 

Then they gave him Sir Torre's shield, for Sir Torre had beenwounded in his first battle, and could not go to the tournament. And Elaine came running gladly to take the strange knight's shieldunder her care. But none of them knew that it was Sir Lancelot'sshield, for he had not told them his name. 

And Elaine, carrying the shield with her, climbed the tower stair, up to her own little room. And she put the shield carefully into acorner, thinking, 'I will sew a cover for it, to keep it safe andbright. ' Then she went downstairs again, and saw that the knightwas going, and that Lavaine was going too. 

'He has asked the knight to take him as his squire, ' she thought. 'But although I cannot go, ' she murmured sadly, 'I can ask him towear my favour at the tournament. ' For in those days a knight oftenwore the colours of the lady who loved him. 

Very shyly Elaine told the knight her wish. Would he wear herfavour at the tournament? It was a red sleeve, embroidered withwhite pearls. 

Lancelot thought how fair Elaine was, as she looked up at him withlove and trust in her eyes, but he told her gently that he hadnever yet worn a lady's favour, and that he could not wear hers. 

'If you have never worn one before, wear this, ' she urged timidly. 'It will make your disguise more complete. ' And Lancelot knew thatwhat she said was true, and he took the red sleeve embroidered withpearls, and tied it on his helmet. 

So Elaine was glad, and after the knight and Lavaine had riddenaway, she went up the turret stair again to her little room. Shetook the shield from the corner, and handled the bruises and dintsin it lovingly, and made pictures to herself of all the battles andtournaments it had been through with her knight. 

Then Elaine sat down and sewed, as Sir Torre would have wisemaidens do. But what she sewed was a beautiful cover for theshield, and that Sir Torre would not have her do, for he caredneither for the strange knight nor his shield. 

Lancelot rode on towards Camelot, with Lavaine as his squire, tillthey came to a wood where a hermit lived. And they stayed at thehermitage all night, and the next morning they rode on till theyreached Camelot. 

And when Lavaine saw the King sitting on a high throne, ready tojudge which knight was worthy to have the diamond, he did not thinkof the grandeur of the throne, nor of the King's marvellous dressof rich gold, nor of the jewels in his crown. He could think onlyof the nobleness and beauty of the great King's face, and wish thathis fair sister Elaine might see him too. 

Then many brave knights began to fight, and all wondered why SirLancelot was not there. And they wondered more at the strangeknight, with the bare shield and the red sleeve with pearls on hishelmet, who fought so bravely and overthrew the others one by one. 

And the King said, 'Surely this is Sir Lancelot himself. ' But whenhe saw the lady's favour on the knight's helmet, he said, 'No, itcannot be Sir Lancelot. '

When at last the tournament was over, the King proclaimed that thestrange knight who wore the red sleeve embroidered with pearls hadwon the prize, and he called him to come to take the diamond. 

But no one came, and the knight with the red sleeve was nowhere tobe seen. For Sir Lancelot had been wounded in his last fight, andwhen it was over, had ridden hastily from the field, callingLavaine to follow. And when they had ridden a little way into thewood, Sir Lancelot fell from his horse. 'The head of the spear isstill in my side, ' he moaned; 'draw it out, Lavaine. '

At first Lavaine was afraid, for he thought of the pain it wouldgive the knight, and he was afraid too that the wound would bleedtill his knight bled to death. But because Sir Lancelot was ingreat suffering, Lavaine at last took courage, and pulled the headof the spear out of Lancelot's side. Then he, with greatdifficulty, helped the knight on to his horse, and slowly andpainfully they rode towards the hermitage. 

They reached it at last, and the hermit came out and called two ofhis servants to carry the knight into his cell; and they unarmedhim and put him to bed. Then the hermit dressed the knight's woundand gave him wine to drink. 

When King Arthur found the strange knight had disappeared, andheard that he was wounded, he said that the prize should be sent toso gallant a victor. 'He was tired and wounded, and cannot haveridden far, ' said the King. And turning to Sir Gawaine, he gave himthe diamond, and told him to go and find the knight and give himthe prize he had won so bravely. 

But Sir Gawaine did not want to obey the King. He did not want toleave the feasting and merriment that followed the tournament. Yetsince all Arthur's knights had taken a vow of obedience, Gawainewas ashamed not to go, so sulkily, like no true knight, he left thefeast. 

And Sir Gawaine rode through the wood and past the hermitage wherethe wounded knight lay; and because he was thinking only of his owndisappointment, his search was careless, and he did not see theshelter Sir Lancelot had found. He rode on till he came toAstolat. And when Elaine and her father and her brother Sir Torresaw the knight, they called to him to come in and tell them aboutthe tournament, and who had won the prize. 

Then Sir Gawaine told how the knight with the red sleeveembroidered with white pearls had gained the prize, but how, beingwounded, he had ridden away without claiming it. He told too howthe King had sent him to find the unknown knight and to give himthe diamond. 

But because Elaine was very fair, and because he did not greatlywish to do the order of the King, Sir Gawaine lingered there, wandering in the old castle garden, with 'the Lily Maid ofAstolat. ' And he told Elaine courtly tales of lords and ladies, andtried to win her love, but she cared for no one but the knightwhose shield she guarded. 

One day, as Elaine grew impatient with the idle Sir Gawaine, shesaid she would show him the shield the strange knight had left withher. 'If you know the arms engraved on the shield, you will knowthe name of the knight you seek, and perhaps find him the sooner, 'she said. 

And when Sir Gawaine saw the shield he cried, 'It is the shield ofSir Lancelot, the noblest knight in Arthur's court. '

Elaine touched the shield lovingly, and murmured, 'The noblestknight in Arthur's court. '

'You love Sir Lancelot, and will know where to find him, ' said SirGawaine. 'I will give you the diamond, and you shall fulfil theKing's command. '

And Sir Gawaine rode away from Astolat, kissing the hands of thefair Elaine, and leaving the diamond with her. And when he reachedthe court he told the lords and ladies about the fair maid ofAstolat who loved Sir Lancelot. 'He wore her favour, and she guardshis shield, ' he said. 

But when the King heard that Sir Gawaine had come back, withoutfinding the strange knight, and leaving the diamond with the fairmaid of Astolat, he was displeased. 'You have not served me as atrue knight, ' he said gravely; and Sir Gawaine was silent, for heremembered how he had lingered at Astolat. 

When Elaine took the diamond from Sir Gawaine she went to herfather. 'Let me go to find the wounded knight and Lavaine, ' shesaid. 'I will nurse the knight as maidens nurse those who have worntheir favours. ' And her father let her go. 

With the grave Sir Torre to guard her, Elaine rode into the wood, and near the hermitage she saw Lavaine. 

'Take me to Sir Lancelot, ' cried the Fair Elaine. And Lavainemarvelled that she knew the knight's name. 

Then Elaine told her brother about Sir Gawaine, and his carelesssearch for Lancelot, and she showed him the diamond she brought forthe wounded knight. 

'Take me to him, ' she cried again. And as they went, Sir Torreturned and rode gloomily back to Astolat, for it did not please himthat the Fair Elaine should love Sir Lancelot. 

When Lavaine and Elaine reached the hermitage, the hermit welcomedthe fair maid, and took her to the cell where Lancelot lay. 

'The knight is pale and thin, ' said Elaine; 'I will nurse him. '

Day by day and for many nights Elaine nursed him tenderly as amaiden should, till at last one glad morning the hermit told hershe had saved the knight's life. 

Then when Sir Lancelot grew stronger, Elaine gave him the diamond, and told him how the King had sent him the prize he had won sohardly. And Lancelot grew restless, and longed to be at the King'scourt once more. 

When the knight was able to ride, he went back to Astolat withElaine and Lavaine. And as he rested there, he thought, 'Before Igo, I must thank the Lily Maid, and reward her for all she has donefor me. '

But when he asked Elaine how he could reward her, she would answeronly that she loved him, and wished to go to court with him, asLavaine would do. 

'I cannot take you with me, ' said the knight courteously; 'butwhen you are wedded, I will give you and your husband a thousandpounds every year. '

But Elaine wanted nothing but to be with Sir Lancelot. 

'My Lily Maid will break her heart, ' said her father sadly, 'unlessthe knight treats her less gently. '

But Sir Lancelot could not be unkind to the maid who had nursed himso tenderly. Only, next morning when he rode away, carrying hisshield with him, though he knew Elaine watched him from her turretwindow, he neither looked up nor waved farewell. And Elaine knewshe would never see Sir Lancelot again. 

Then day by day she grew more sad and still. 'She will die, ' saidher father sadly, as he watched her; and the grave Sir Torresobbed, for he loved his sister dearly. 

One day Elaine sent for her father to come to her little turretroom. 

'Promise me that when I die you will do as I wish. Fasten theletter I shall write tightly in my hand, and clothe me in myfairest dress. Carry me down to the river and lay me in the barge, and, alone with our old dumb servant, let me be taken to thepalace. '

And her father promised. And when Elaine died there was greatsadness in Astolat. 

Then her father took the letter and bound it in her hand, and byher side he placed a lily. And they clothed her in her fairestdress, and carried her down to the river, and laid her in thebarge, alone with the old dumb servant. 

And the barge floated quietly down the stream, guided by the olddumb man. 

Then when it reached the palace steps, it stopped, and the King andthe Queen and all the knights and ladies came to see the strangesight. 

And the King took the letter from the fair maid's hand and read italoud. 

'I am the Lily Maid of Astolat, and because Sir Lancelot left me, Imake unto all ladies my moan. Pray for my soul. '

When they heard it the lords and ladies wept with pity. 

And Sir Lancelot buried Elaine sadly. And sometimes when those wholoved him were jealous and unkind, he thought tenderly of the pureand simple love of the Lily Maid of Astolat. 

[Illustration: THE LILY MAID OF ASTOLAT

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PELLEAS AND ETTARDE

Far away in a dreary land there lived a lad called Pelleas. The menwere rough and the women grave in the dreary land where Pelleaslived. 

To this far-away country there had come tales of the gay lords andladies of Arthur's court. 

Pelleas heard, in great astonishment, that the men in Arthur'scountry were brave and gentle, and that the women smiled. He wouldgo away from his own land, he thought, and see these strange andhappy people. 

Soon the rough men in his country laughed at Pelleas, for he beganto grow brave and gentle like the knights who were so often in histhoughts. 

And the grave women looked at each other in surprise, as they sawthe lad's bright face and caught the smile on his lips. Pelleashad been dreaming about the gay ladies he had heard of, till someof their gladness had passed into his face. 

When he was older Pelleas left his country and all the land thatbelonged to him there. He would take his horse and his sword andask the great King Arthur to make him one of his knights, for hadhe not learned knightly ways from the wonderful tales he had heardlong ago?

After many days Pelleas reached the court. And when the King hadlistened to the young man's story, and had seen his beauty andstrength, he gladly made him his knight. 

Then Pelleas was ready to begin his adventures. He would go toCarleon, where, for three days, the King's tournament was to beheld. 

The King had promised a golden circlet and a good sword to theknight who showed himself the strongest. The golden circlet was tobe given to the fairest lady in the field, and she was to be calledthe 'Queen of Beauty. '

On his way to Carleon, Pelleas rode along a hot and dusty road. There were no trees to shelter him from the scorching sun, but herode on steadfastly, for he knew that a great shady forest laybefore him. 

When at last Pelleas reached the forest, he was so hot and tiredthat he dismounted, and tying his horse to a tree, he lay downgratefully under a large oak and fell asleep. 

Sounds of laughter and merriment woke him, and opening his eyes hesaw a group of maidens close by. 

Pelleas was bewildered. Could they be wild woodland nymphs, hethought, as, only half-awake, he lay there, and watched themflitting in and out among the tall trees. 

They wore bright dresses, blue and yellow and purple, and toPelleas the forest seemed all aglow. 

The maidens were talking together, and looking first in onedirection and then in another. They were lost in the forest, ontheir way to the great tournament at Carleon. 

Then the lost maidens caught sight of the knight, lyinghalf-asleep under the oak-tree. 'He will be able to show us theway, ' they said joyfully to one another, for they guessed that hetoo was on his way to the tournament. 

'I will speak to the knight, ' said the Lady Ettarde, the tallestand most beautiful of all the maidens, and she left the others andwent towards Pelleas. But when she told the knight that she and herlords and ladies had lost their way, and asked him to tell her howto reach Carleon, he only looked at her in silence. Was she one ofthe woodland nymphs? Was he still dreaming, and was she the lady ofhis dreams?

As the lady still stood there, he roused himself and tried tospeak. But because he was bewildered by her beauty, he stammeredand answered foolishly. 

The Lady Ettarde turned to the merry lords and ladies who hadfollowed her. 'The knight cannot speak, though he is so strong andgood-looking, ' she said scornfully. 

But Sir Pelleas was wide-awake at last. He sprang to his feet, andtold the Lady Ettarde that he had been dreaming, and that she hadseemed to him a part of his dream. 'But I too am going to Carleon, 'he added, 'and I will show you the way. '

And as they rode through the forest Sir Pelleas was always at hislady's side. When the branches were in her way he pushed themaside, when the path was rough he guided her horse. In the eveningwhen the Lady Ettarde dismounted, Pelleas was there to help her, and in the morning again it was Pelleas who brought her horse andhelped her to mount. 

Now the Lady Ettarde was a great lady in her own land; knights whohad fought many battles and won great fame had served her, and shecared nothing for the young untried knight's love and service. 

'Still he looks so strong, that I will pretend to care for him, 'she thought, 'and then perhaps he will try to win the goldencirclet for me, and I shall be called the "Queen of Beauty. "' Forthe Lady Ettarde was a cruel and vain lady, and cared more for thegolden circlet and to be called the 'Queen of Beauty, ' than forthe happiness of the young knight Pelleas. And so for many days theLady Ettarde was kind to Sir Pelleas, and at last she told him thatshe would love him if he would win the golden circlet for her. 

'The lady of my dreams will love me, ' the knight murmured. Andaloud he said proudly that if there were any strength in his rightarm, he would win the prize for the Lady Ettarde. 

Then the lords and ladies that were with Ettarde pitied the youngknight, for they knew their lady only mocked him. 

At last they all reached Carleon, and the next morning thetournament began. 

And the Lady Ettarde watched her knight merrily, as each day heovercame and threw from their horses twenty men. 

'The circlet will be mine, ' she whispered to her lords and ladies. But they looked at her coldly, for they knew how unkindly she wouldreward Sir Pelleas. 

At the end of three days the tournament was over, and King Arthurproclaimed that the young knight Pelleas had won the golden circletand the sword. 

[Illustration: SIR PELLEAS WAS ALWAYS AT HIS LADY'S SIDE

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Then in the presence of all the people, Sir Pelleas took the goldencirclet and handed it to the Lady Ettarde, saying aloud that shewas the fairest lady on the field and the Queen of Beauty. 

The Lady Ettarde was so pleased with her prize, that for a day ortwo she was kind to her knight, but soon she grew tired of him, andwished that she might never see him again. 

Still even when she was unkind, Sir Pelleas was happy, for hetrusted the beautiful lady, and said to himself, 'She proves me, tosee if I really love her. '

But the Lady Ettarde knew she would never love Sir Pelleas, even ifhe died for her. 

Then her ladies were angry, as they saw how she mocked the knight, for they knew that greater and fairer ladies would have loved SirPelleas for his strength and great knightliness. 

'I will go back to my own country, ' said the Lady Ettarde, 'and seemy faithful knight no more. '

When Pelleas heard that the Lady Ettarde was going home he wasglad. He remembered the happy days he had spent as they rodetogether through the forest, and he looked forward to other happydays in the open air, when he could again shield the lady from theroughness of the road. 

But when the Lady Ettarde saw that Sir Pelleas was following herinto her own country, she was angry. 

'I will not have the knight near me, ' she said proudly to herladies. 'I will have an older warrior for my love. ' And they knewtheir lady's cruel ways, and in pity kept the knight away. 

As they rode along the days seemed long to Pelleas, for he neithersaw nor spoke to the Lady Ettarde. 

When she got near her own castle, she rode on more swiftly, tellingher lords and ladies to follow her closely. The drawbridge wasdown, and the Lady Ettarde rode across it, and waiting only tillher lords and ladies crossed it, ordered the bridge to be drawn up, while Pelleas was still on the other side. 

The knight was puzzled. Was this a test of his love too, or did thelady for whom he had won the golden circlet indeed not care forhim? But that he would not believe. 'She will grow kinder if I amfaithful, ' he thought, and he lived in a tent beneath the castlewalls for many days. 

The Lady Ettarde heard that Pelleas still lingered near the castle, and in her anger she said, 'I will send ten of my lords to fightthis knight, and then I shall never see his face again. '

But when Pelleas saw the ten lords coming towards him, he armedhimself, and fought so bravely that he overthrew each of them. 

But after he had overthrown them, he allowed them to get up and tobind him hand and foot, and carry him into the castle. 'For theywill carry me into the presence of the Lady Ettarde, ' he thought. 

But when she saw Pelleas, the Lady Ettarde mocked him, and told herlords to tie him to the tail of a horse and turn him out of thecastle. 

'She does it to find out if I love her truly, ' thought Sir Pelleasagain, as he struggled back to his tent below the castle. 

Another ten lords were sent to fight the faithful knight, and againPelleas overthrew them, and again he let himself be bound andcarried before the Lady Ettarde. 

But when she spoke to him even more unkindly than before, andmocked at his love for her, Sir Pelleas turned away. 'If she weregood as she is beautiful, she could not be so cruel, ' he thoughtsadly. 

And he told her that though he would always love her, he would nottry to see her any more. 

Now one of King Arthur's knights, called Sir Gawaine, had beenriding past the castle when the ten lords attacked Sir Pelleas. 

And Sir Gawaine had looked on in dismay. He had seen the knightoverthrow the ten lords, and stand there quietly while theconquered men got to their feet. He had seen them bind him hand andfoot, and carry him into the castle. 

'To-morrow I will look for him, and offer him my help, ' thought SirGawaine, for he was sorry for the brave young knight. 

The next morning he found Sir Pelleas in his tent, looking verysad. And when Sir Gawaine asked the knight why he was so sad, SirPelleas told him of his love for the Lady Ettarde and of herunkindness. 'I would rather die a hundred times than be bound byher lords, ' he said, 'if it were not that they take me into herpresence. '

Then Sir Gawaine cheered Sir Pelleas and offered to help him, forhe too was one of Arthur's knights. 

And Sir Pelleas trusted him, for had not all King Arthur's knightstaken the vows of brotherhood and truth?

'Give me your horse and armour, ' said Sir Gawaine. 'I will go tothe castle with them, and tell the Lady Ettarde that I have slainyou. Then she will ask me to come in, and I will talk of yourgreat love and strength, till she learns to love you. '

And Sir Gawaine rode away, wearing the armour and helmet of SirPelleas, and promising to come back in three days. 

The Lady Ettarde was walking up and down outside the castle, whenshe saw the knight approaching. 'Sir Pelleas again, ' she thoughtangrily, and turned to go into the castle. 

But Sir Gawaine called to her to stay. 'I am not Sir Pelleas, but aknight who has slain him. '

'Take off your helmet that I may see your face, ' said the LadyEttarde, as she turned to look at him. 

When she saw that it was really a strange knight, she took him intoher castle. 'Because you have slain Sir Pelleas, whom I hated, Iwill love you, ' said the cruel Lady Ettarde. 

Sir Gawaine saw how beautiful the lady was, and he forgot herunkindness to Sir Pelleas, and he loved her. And because he was nota true knight, Sir Gawaine did not think of Pelleas, who waited soanxiously for his return. 

Three days passed, but he did not go back, and in the castle allwas joy and merriment. 

Six days passed, and still Sir Gawaine stayed with the beautifulLady Ettarde. 

At last Sir Pelleas could bear his loneliness no longer. That nighthe went up to the castle, and swam across the river. When hereached the front of the castle, he saw a great many tents. And allthe lords and ladies were asleep in their tents, and Sir Gawainewas there too. 

'He has forgotten me, and will stay here always with the LadyEttarde, ' muttered Sir Pelleas in scorn, and he drew the sword hehad won at the tournament, to slay the false knight Sir Gawaine. 

Then, all at once, he remembered the vows he had taken, when thegreat King had knighted him, and slowly he sheathed his sword, andwent gloomily down to the river. 

But Sir Pelleas could not make up his mind to go away, and again heturned and went back to the tent, where Sir Gawaine lay, stillasleep. 

Once more Sir Pelleas drew his sword, and laid it across the falseknight's bare neck. 

When Sir Gawaine woke in the morning, he felt the cold steel, andputting up his hand, he found the sword that Sir Pelleas had left. 

Sir Gawaine did not know how the sword had come there, but when hetold the Lady Ettarde what had happened, and showed her the sword, she knew it was the one that Sir Pelleas had won at the tournament, when he had given her the golden circlet. 

'You have not slain the knight who loved me, ' cried the LadyEttarde, 'for he has been here, and left his sword across yourthroat. ' And then she hated Gawaine because he had told her a lie, and she drove him from her castle. 

And the Lady Ettarde thought of her true knight Sir Pelleas, and atlast she loved him with all her heart. 

But when he had left his sword across Sir Gawaine's throat, Pelleashad gone sadly back to his tent, and taking off his armour, hadlain down to die. 

Then the knight's servant was in great distress, because his masterwould neither eat nor sleep, but lay in his tent getting more paleand more thin day by day. And the servant was wandering sadly alongthe bank of the river, wondering how he could help his master, whenhe met a beautiful maiden called the 'Lady of the Lake. '

The maiden asked why he looked so sad, and, won by her gentleness, he told her how his master had been hated by the Lady Ettarde, andbetrayed by the false knight Sir Gawaine. 

'Bring me to your master, ' said the Lady of the Lake. 

And when she had come to the tent and saw Sir Pelleas, she lovedhim. 

'I will send him to sleep, ' she murmured, 'and when he wakes hewill be well. ' And she threw an enchantment over him, and he slept. 

When Sir Pelleas awoke, he felt strong once more, and at last heknew that the cruel Lady Ettarde had never been the lady of hisdreams, and he loved her no longer. 

But when the Lady Ettarde knew that Sir Pelleas loved her no more, she wept sorrowfully, and died of her grief. 

Then the gentle Lady of the Lake asked Pelleas to come with her toher own beautiful Lake-land. And as they rode together, her simplekindness made the knight happy again, and he learned to love theLady of the Lake, and they lived together and loved each other alltheir lives long. 

GARETH AND LYNETTE

Gareth was a little prince. His home was an old grey castle, andthere were great mountains all round the castle. Gareth loved thesemountains and his beautiful home at the foot of them. He had livedthere all his life. 

Gareth had no little boys or girls to play with, for there were nohouses near his mountain home. 

But Gareth was happy all day long. Sometimes in the bright summermornings the streams would call to him. Then he would follow themup the mountains, till he found the place where the streams endedin tiny silver threads. 

Sometimes the birds and beasts, his woodland friends, would call tohim, and then Gareth would wander about in the forest with themtill evening came. Then he would tell his mother the wonderfulthings he had seen, and the wonderful things he had heard in theforests and on the mountain-sides. 

Gareth's mother, the Queen of Orkney, loved the little prince somuch that she was never dull. She had no one to talk to except herlittle son, for her husband was old, so old that he could not talkto his Queen. And if she talked to him, he was almost too deaf tohear what she said. 

But though the Queen was never dull, she was sometimes unhappy. Shewas afraid that some day, when Gareth was older, he would want toleave her to go into the world, perhaps to go to the great KingArthur's court, as his three brothers had done. 

Now Gareth had already heard stories about the brave deeds of KingArthur's knights. He knew that they were strong men, and that theyfought for the weak people, and that they often had greatadventures, when they were sent to punish the King's enemies. AndGareth longed to be a man, for 'when I am a man, I will be one ofArthur's knights, too, ' he thought. 

[Illustration: SOMETIMES THE BIRDS & BEASTS HIS WOODLAND FRIENDSWOULD CALL TO HIM

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At last, one day, his mother knew that what she had been afraid ofhad come to pass. She knew that Gareth would not be content to stayamong the mountains much longer. But when he threw his arms roundher, and coaxed her to let him go, she thought, 'Surely I can keephim a little longer. ' And she said, 'Your father is old, and yourbrothers have left me, you will not leave me alone, Gareth. Youwill stay and be a great huntsman and follow the deer. ' But all thetime her heart whispered, 'He will not stay. '

And Gareth said, 'Let me go, sweet mother. Now I am a man, I mustdo a man's work. "Follow the deer!" No; now I must follow theKing. '

But still his mother would not let him go. 'The next time he asksme, I will try another way, ' she thought. And when Gareth cameagain and pleaded to be allowed to go to the court, she said, 'Yes, you may go, if for one whole year you will tell no one your name, or that you are a prince, and if for that whole year you will gointo the King's kitchen and work there. ' 'These things will be toodifficult for my princely boy, ' she thought. 

But Gareth wanted to go so much, that he promised not to tell anyone his name, nor that he was a prince. 'And I will go to thecourt, only to work in the King's kitchen for a year, ' promisedGareth proudly. And then his mother knew that her plan had failed, and she wept. 

But Gareth was glad. He got up early one morning, and withoutsaying good-bye to his mother, for he could not bear to see her sadface again, he left his mountain home, and went out into the wideworld. 

When three men, dressed like ploughmen, left the castle, no onewould have known that one of them was a prince. For Gareth had leftall his beautiful clothes behind him, and was dressed just like thetwo servants he took with him. But still he was glad, for though heremembered he was going to work in a kitchen, he thought a yearwould soon pass, and then, perhaps, King Arthur would make him oneof his knights. 

On a certain day, every year, there was a great feast at Arthur'scourt. Now the King would not sit down to the feast till he hadheard if any of his people were in trouble, and if they wished oneof his knights to go to help them. And on this day too, peoplecould come into the King's presence to ask for any boon or goodthing they wished. Gareth reached the court, with his two servants, on one of these feast-days. 

'The King will listen to my wish to-day. I will go to him at once, 'thought Gareth. And leaning on the shoulders of his servants, so asto look less princely, he came into the large dining-hall. 

'Grant me only this boon, ' Gareth entreated the King, 'that I maywork in your kitchen and eat and drink there for a year. After thatI will fight. '

And King Arthur looked at Gareth, and saw that though he leaned onhis servants he was tall and strong, and that though he wore roughclothes, he was as noble-looking as any of his knights. 

'You ask but a small boon, ' said the King. 'Would you not ratherserve me as my knight?'

And Gareth longed to say 'Yes. ' But as he could not break thepromise he had given to his mother, he said again, that the onlyboon he asked was to be allowed to work in the King's kitchen. 

Then the King sent for Sir Kay, the steward of his kitchen, andtold him to make Gareth one of his kitchen-boys. But Sir Kay didnot wish this noble-looking lad in his kitchen, and he made fun ofhim and mocked him, because he would not tell his name, nor wherehis home was. 

But Sir Lancelot, the noblest knight in all the land, was kind toGareth, and Gareth's brother, Sir Gavaine, who had gone to Arthur'scourt long ago, was kind to him too. Yet Sir Gavaine did not knowthat Gareth was his brother, for the little prince he had left athome looked very different to the King's new kitchen-boy. 

In the kitchen Gareth soon began to find out what a difficult taskhe had undertaken, for the sake of one day being a knight. He atehis meals with rough kitchen-boys, and as Gareth's mother hadtaught her little prince daintily, he did not like their roughways; and at night he slept in a shed with dirty kitchen-boys. 

And because Sir Kay did not like Gareth, he would bustle and hurryhim, and make him work harder than any of the other lads, and givehim all the roughest work to do. It was Gareth who had to draw thewater and cut the wood, while the other servants played. 

But when at last his work was done, Gareth would listen gladly asthe servants talked of Lancelot and the King. He loved to hear howLancelot had twice saved the King's life, and how since then therehad grown up a great friendship between the King and his braveknight. 

And Gareth was glad when he heard that though Lancelot was first inall the tournaments or mock battles, yet on the battle-field hishero King was mightiest of all. 

But when the servants' talk was rough and rude, Gareth would notlisten, but sang some of his old mountain-songs, carolling likeany lark, and the servants stopped their talk to listen. 

It seemed a long year to Gareth, the longest year in all his life, but at last it came to an end. A whole year had passed, and anotherof the King's great feast-days had begun. 

Gareth woke up on that morning, thinking, 'Now at last I can be oneof King Arthur's knights; now at last I am free. '

In the dining-room he sprang eagerly to the King's side. 'A boon, King Arthur, grant me this boon, ' he cried, 'that I serve you nolonger as a kitchen-page, but as a knight. '

Arthur loved the noble-looking lad, and was pleased with hiseagerness. 'I make you my knight, to win glory and honour for ourland, ' said the King. But the secret of Gareth's knighthood was tobe kept from all but Sir Lancelot, till the new knight, Sir Gareth, had won for himself great fame. 

'You shall begin at once, ' said the King. And he promised Gareththat he should be the first of all his knights to leave his courtthat day. 

As he spoke, a beautiful lady called Lynette came into the hall, ingreat haste. 'A knight to rescue my sister, King Arthur, ' shecried. 

'Who is your sister, and why does she need a knight?' asked theKing. 

And Lynette told Arthur that her sister was called the LadyLyonors, and that Lyonors was rich and had many castles of her own, but a cruel knight, called the Red Knight, had shut her up in oneof her own castles. The name of the castle in which she was aprisoner was Castle Dangerous. And the Red Knight said he wouldkeep Lady Lyonors there, till he had fought King Arthur's bravestknight. Then he would make Lyonors his wife. 'But, ' said Lynette, 'my sister will never be the bride of the Red Knight, for she doesnot love him. '

Then Arthur, looking round his knights, saw Gareth's eyes growingbright, and heard Gareth's voice ringing out, 'Your promise, King. '

And the King said to Gareth, 'Go and rescue the Lady Lyonors fromthe Red Knight. '

'A kitchen-page go to rescue the Lady Lyonors!' shouted Sir Kay inscorn. 

When Lynette heard that, she was angry, and said, 'I came for SirLancelot, the greatest of all your knights, and you give me akitchen-boy. ' In her anger, she walked out of the palace gates, androde quickly down the streets. She neither looked nor waited to seeif Gareth followed. 

'I will wait for nothing, ' thought the new knight, and he hurriedafter Lynette to the palace gates, but there he was stopped. 

Gareth's mother had not forgotten that a year had passed since herboy had left her. In her quiet castle she had been busy planning asurprise for her prince. 

'Gareth will be a knight to-day, ' she thought. 'I will send ourdwarf to him with a noble war-horse and armour fit for a knight. Surely he will begin his adventures the more gladly, that I help tosend him forth, ' she murmured, thinking half-regretfully of thelong year she had made him spend in the kitchen. 

And Gareth was glad when he saw his mother's gift; and when he hadput on the armour, there was no more handsome knight in all KingArthur's court than Sir Gareth. He mounted his horse, and, tellingthe dwarf to follow, rode quickly after Lynette. 

But Gareth had not gone far, when he heard shouts behind him, and, turning, he saw that Sir Kay was riding after him. 

'If it is possible, I will bring my kitchen-boy boy back again, 'thought Sir Kay, 'for he works well. ' 'Have you forgotten that I amyour master?' he shouted, as he reached Gareth. 

'You are no longer my master, ' said Gareth, 'and I know that youare the most unkind of all Arthur's knights. '

Then Sir Kay was so angry that he drew his sword, and Gareth drewhis and struck Sir Kay so hard a blow, that he tumbled off hishorse, and lay on the ground as if he were dead. Then Gareth tookaway his old master's sword and shield, and telling the dwarf totake Sir Kay's horse, he once more hurried on to reach Lynette. 

Both Lancelot and Lynette had seen Sir Gareth fight with Sir Kay, for the King had asked Sir Lancelot to ride on before Gareth, thathe might know if his new knight could use his sword. 

When Lancelot had seen Sir Kay fall to the ground, he rode back tothe court to tell King Arthur that his knight, Sir Gareth, wasstrong and true. And he sent men to bring home the wounded Sir Kay. 

Now Lynette was more cross than ever because Lancelot had left her, and when Gareth at last rode up to her, she cried rudely, 'You areonly a kitchen-knave. Your clothes smell of cooking, and your dressis soiled with grease and tallow. Ride further off from me. '

But what she said was not true, for Gareth had put on the beautifularmour his mother had sent him. 

As Lynette mocked, Gareth rode quietly behind. In spite of herunkindness, he was happy. After the long days spent in the hotkitchen, the forest breeze seemed to touch him more gently than inthe old days, and the trees seemed to him more beautiful. Butthough the streams seemed more clear, they still called to him, just as the streams in his own mountains used to do. 

But Gareth had not much time to think of the trees and streams, forsuddenly he heard the steps of some one hurrying through theforest, crushing the fallen twigs and crisp leaves underfoot in hisgreat haste. Was it an adventure?

'Where are you running to?' said Gareth, as a man came in sight. 

'O sir, six thieves have fallen upon my lord, and bound him to atree, and I am afraid they will kill him. '

'Show me where your lord is, ' said Gareth. And they rode togetherto the place where the knight was tied to a tree. 

Then Gareth struck the first robber down with his sword, and killedanother, and slew the third as he turned to run away. 

'There were six thieves, ' thought Gareth; but when he turned tolook for the other three, they were nowhere to be seen. They hadall run away in great fright. 

Then Gareth unbound the knight. And the knight was very grateful, and said, 'Come and stay at my castle to-night, and to-morrow Iwill reward you. '

'I want no reward, ' said Gareth. 'And besides, I must follow thislady. ' But when he rode up to Lynette, she said, 'Ride further off, for still you smell of the kitchen. ' 'You are no knight, though youkilled the robbers. '

Then the knight who had been set free rode up, and asked Lynette tocome to his castle, and as it was getting dark in the forest, shewas glad to stay with him that night. 

At supper-time, the knight put a chair for Gareth beside Lynette. 

'Sir Knight, you are wrong to put a kitchen-knave beside me, ' saidthe lady, 'for I am of noble birth. '

'The noble-looking knight a kitchen-knave! What does the ladymean!' But he took Gareth to another table, and sat there himselfwith him. 

The next morning Gareth and Lynette thanked the knight, and rodeon, till they came to another great forest, and at the end of theforest they reached a broad river. There was only one place wherethe river was narrow and could be crossed, and this passage wasguarded by two knights. 

'Will you fight two knights, ' mocked Lynette, 'or will you turnback again?'

'Six knights would not make me turn back, ' said Gareth, as herushed into the river. One knight rushed in from the further side, and Gareth and he fought with their swords in the middle of thestream. At last Gareth smote him on the helmet so violently that hefell down into the water and was drowned. 

Then Gareth spurred his horse up the bank where the other knightstood waiting for him, and this knight fought so fiercely that hebroke Gareth's spear. Then they both drew their swords, and foughtfor a long time, till in the end Gareth won the victory. 

Gareth then crossed over the river again to Lynette, and told herto ride on, for the passage across the river was clear. 

'Alas, that a kitchen-page should kill two brave knights!' criedLynette. 'But do not think your skill killed these men. ' And shetold Gareth she had seen the horse of the first knight stumble, andthat that was why he was drowned. 'And, as for the second knight, you came behind and slew him like a coward, ' she said. 

'Lady, ' said Gareth, 'say what you like; but lead on, and I followto deliver your sister. ' So Gareth and the lady rode on tillevening. 

In the evening they came to a strange and dreary country, whereeverything looked black. On one side of a black hawthorn hung ablack banner, on the other side hung a black shield. Beside theshield there was a long black spear, and close to the spear therewas a great black horse, covered with silk, and the silk was black. And looking blacker than all the rest was a huge black rock. 

Through the darkness they could see some one sitting near the rock. It was a knight, and he was armed in black armour, and his name was'the Knight of the Black Land. '

Lynette saw the knight. 'Flee down the valley, before the BlackKnight saddles his horse, ' she called to Gareth. But she knew thateven the Black Knight would not frighten her kitchen-knave. 

The Black Knight saddled his horse and rode up to them. 'Is thisyour knight, and has he come to fight me?' he asked Lynette. 

'He is only a kitchen-boy, he is no knight of mine, ' Lynetteanswered. And in a cruel voice she added, 'I wish you could slayhim and take him out of my way; but he does wonderful deeds withhis sword, and has just slain two knights. '

'If he is no knight, I will take his horse and armour, and let himgo. It would be a shame to take his life, ' said the Black Knight. 

Gareth was very angry when he heard this. 'I am on my way to CastleDangerous, and I mean to reach it, ' he said to the Black Knight. 'And as for my horse and armour, you cannot have them unless youtake them from me in fair fight. '

Then they began to fight on foot, and the Black Knight woundedGareth, but Gareth smote him with such strength, that his sword cutthrough the knight's armour, and then the Black Knight fell to theground and died. This was the fiercest fight Gareth had everfought, and it lasted for an hour and a half. 

Once more Gareth went back to Lynette a conqueror, but still shecried, 'Do not come near me, kitchen-knave. You have slain a nobleknight. Let me ride on alone. '

'Whatever happens I will follow you till we reach the LadyLyonors, ' said Gareth. 

They were coming near to Castle Dangerous now, but before theyreached it, a knight dressed all in green stopped them. 

And Gareth fought the Green Knight too. But when he had struck himto the ground, the Green Knight begged Gareth to spare his life. 

'It is useless to ask me to spare your life, for you shall die, unless the Lady Lynette asks me to set you free, ' said Gareth. Andhe began to undo the helmet of the Green Knight, as if he meant toslay him. 

'I will never ask a favour of a kitchen-page, ' said Lynettehaughtily. 'I will never ask you to spare the Green Knight's life. '

'Spare my life, ' entreated the Green Knight, 'and I and my thirtyfollowers will serve you for ever. '

'It is useless for you to ask me, ' repeated Gareth. 'Only the LadyLynette can save your life. ' And again he lifted his sword, as ifto slay the Green Knight. 

'You will not slay him, for if you do, you will be sorry, 'stammered Lynette, as she saw Gareth's sword coming down to killthe knight. 

Gareth heard Lynette's voice, and at once put away his sword, andgave the Green Knight his freedom. 

In his gratitude the knight persuaded Gareth and Lynette to staywith him that night, 'and in the morning I will help you to reachCastle Dangerous, ' he said. 

That evening at supper-time, Lynette again mocked Gareth. He hadnever asked her to be more gentle to him, but now he said, 'Mock meno more, for in spite of all your taunts I have killed manyknights, and cleared the forests of the King's enemies. '

Now Lynette had begun to feel ashamed of her unkindness, and as shelistened to Gareth, and thought how loyally he had served her, shefelt sorry that she had been so unkind. And she asked Gareth toforgive her for being so rude. 

'I forgive you with all my heart, ' said Gareth, and at last theyrode on happily side by side. 

Then Gareth sent his dwarf on in front to tell Lynette's sisterthat they were near her castle. And the Lady Lyonors asked thedwarf a great many questions about his master. 

'He is a noble knight and a kind master, ' said the dwarf; and hetold the lady of all the adventures they had met on their way toher castle. And Lyonors longed to see the knight who had fought sooften and so bravely to reach her. 

And now there was only the Red Knight between Gareth and the LadyLyonors. 

On the great tree, outside the castle, Gareth saw hanging thebodies of forty knights, with their shields round their necks andtheir spurs on their heels. As he looked at this terrible sight, Gareth was afraid. 

Then Lynette reminded him of all his victories, and of how even theBlack Knight had yielded to him. But what encouraged Gareth morethan all Lynette said was that, when he looked up to the castle, hesaw a beautiful lady at one of the windows. She smiled and wavedher hands to him, and he knew that this was the Lady Lyonors. Thenall his courage came back. 

'This is the fairest lady I have ever seen, ' thought Gareth. 'I asknothing better than to be allowed to do battle for her, and win herfrom the Red Knight. '

Outside the castle, hanging on a sycamore tree, was a great horn, made of an elephant's bone, and whoever wished to fight the RedKnight must blow this horn. 

Gareth looked again at the window where Lyonors still watched, andhesitating no longer, blew the horn so piercingly and so long, thathe woke all the echoes of the wood. 

Then the Knight of the Red Lands armed himself in great haste, andhis barons brought him a red spear, and a steed covered with redsilk. And the Red Knight rode proudly down into the valley, to slayGareth, as he had slain the other forty knights. 

'Do not look any longer at the castle window, ' said the Red Knightroughly to Gareth. 'The Lady Lyonors is mine. I have fought manybattles for her. '

'I know that the Lady Lyonors does not love you nor your ways, forthey are cruel, ' said Gareth, 'and I will rescue her from you, ordie. '

'Look at the dead knights on those trees, and beware, ' said the RedKnight, 'or soon I will hang your body beside theirs. '

'That is a sight that makes me only more anxious to fight, ' saidGareth, 'for you break the rules of all true knights by yourcruelty. '

'Talk no more, ' said the Red Knight, 'but get ready for thecombat. '

Then Gareth told Lynette to go further off, to a place of safety. 

And the two knights smote each other so fiercely in the front oftheir shields that they both fell off their horses, still holdingthe reins in their hands. And they lay stunned on the ground solong, that those who were watching from the castle thought theirnecks were broken. 

But after a time, leaving their horses, they fought on foot. Andthe battle was so rough that great pieces of their shields andarmour were knocked off, and left lying on the field. 

And they fought till twelve o'clock. But by that time they were soworn out that they staggered about, scarcely knowing where theywent, and their wounds bled so much that they were faint. 

They fought till evening, and then they both agreed to rest for alittle while. 

Then Gareth took off his helmet, and looked up to the castlewindow. And when he saw the Lady Lyonors looking down at him, withgreat kindness in her eyes, his heart felt all at once light andglad. 

And her kindness made him strong, and he started up quickly andcalled to the Red Knight to fight, 'and this time to the death, 'said Gareth. 

In his fury the Red Knight knocked the sword out of Gareth's hand, and before he could get it again, he gave him such a blow on hishelmet that Gareth stumbled and fell to the ground. 

Then Lynette called out, 'O Gareth, have you lost your courage? Mysister weeps and breaks her heart, because her true knight hasfallen. '

When Gareth heard that, he got up, and with a great effort leapedto where his sword lay, and caught it in his hand, and began tofight as if he fought a new battle. 

[Illustration: THE LADY LYONORS

Page 84]

And his strokes fell so quickly on his foe, that the Red Knightlost his sword and fell to the ground, and Gareth threw himself onhim to slay him. But the knight begged piteously for his life. 

'Go to the castle and yield your homage to the Lady Lyonors, ' saidGareth. 'And if she is willing to pardon you, you are free, afteryou restore the lands and castles you have taken from her. '

Then the Red Knight gladly restored all he had stolen. And after hehad been forgiven by the Lady Lyonors, he journeyed to the court, and told Arthur all that Sir Gareth had done. 

And Lynette came and took off Gareth's armour and bathed hiswounds, and he rested in his tent for ten days. 

'I will go to the castle and ask Lyonors to come home with me andbe my wife, ' thought Gareth, as soon as his wounds were healed. Butwhen he came to the castle, he found the drawbridge pulled up, andmany armed men were there, who would not let him enter. 

'But Lyonors, I must see Lyonors, ' thought Gareth. 'Surely she willwish to see me, ' and he looked wistfully up to the window, andthere beautiful as ever, was his Lady Lyonors. 

'I cannot love you altogether, ' said Lyonors, 'till you have beenKing Arthur's knight for another year, and helped to clear the landfrom his enemies. '

Though he was a good knight, Gareth's heart was heavy as helistened. 'If I do not see Lyonors for a year, ' he thought, 'themonths will pass more slowly and seem more empty than those longmonths I spent in the King's kitchen. ' But as Gareth was a rightloyal knight, he bowed to his lady's will. He had freed the castlefrom the Red Knight, and now it was open to every one, only hehimself was banished. And he went away sadly but faithfully to findnew adventures. 

And when Gareth slept in the forests or on the wild mountain-sides, he often dreamed of the day that would come when his year'swanderings were over, when Lyonors would be his wife, and togetherthey would go back to King Arthur's court, and he would at last beknown to every one as Sir Gareth and a prince. 

He dreamed, too, of the happier day, when he would take thebeautiful Lyonors to his mother, and show her the mountain home heloved so well. 

SIR GALAHAD AND THE SACRED CUP

 'My strength is as the strength of ten, Because my heart is pure, '

sang Galahad gladly. He was only a boy, but he had just been made aknight by Sir Lancelot, and the old abbey, where he had lived allhis life, rang with the echo of his song. 

Sir Lancelot heard the boy's clear voice singing in triumph. As hestopped to listen, he caught the words, 'My strength is as the strength of ten, Because my heart is pure, '

and the great knight wished he were a boy again, and could singthat song too. 

Twelve nuns lived in the quiet abbey, and they had taught Galahadlovingly and carefully, ever since he had come to them as abeautiful little child. And the boy had dwelt happily with themthere in the still old abbey, and he would be sorry to leave them, but he was a knight now. He would fight for the King he reverencedso greatly, and for the country he loved so well. 

Yet when Sir Lancelot left the abbey the next day, Galahad did notgo with him. He would stay in his old home a little longer, hethought. He would not grieve the nuns by a hurried farewell. 

Sir Lancelot left the abbey alone, but as he rode along he met twoknights, and together they reached Camelot, where the King washolding a great festival. 

King Arthur welcomed Sir Lancelot and the two knights. 'Now all theseats at our table will be filled, ' he said gladly. For it pleasedthe King when the circle of his knights was unbroken. 

Then all the King's household went to service at the minster, andwhen they came back to the palace they saw a strange sight. 

In the dining-hall the Round Table at which the King and hisknights always sat seemed strangely bright. 

The King looked more closely, and saw that at one place on thisRound Table were large gold letters. And he read, 'This is the seatof Sir Galahad, the Pure-hearted. ' But only Sir Lancelot knew thatSir Galahad was the boy-knight he had left behind him in the quietold abbey. 

'We will cover the letters till the Knight of the Pure Heartcomes, ' said Sir Lancelot; and he took silk and laid it over theglittering letters. 

Then as they sat down to table they were disturbed by Sir Kay, thesteward of the King's kitchen. 

'You do not sit down to eat at this festival, ' Sir Kay reminded theKing, 'till you have seen or heard some great adventure. ' And theKing told his steward that the writing in gold had made him forgethis usual custom. 

As they waited a squire came hastily into the hall. 'I have astrange tale to tell, ' he said. 'As I walked along the bank of theriver I saw a great stone, and it floated on the top of the water, and into the stone there has been thrust a sword. '

Then the King and all his knights went down to the river, and theysaw the stone, and it was like red marble. And the sword that hadbeen thrust into the stone was strong and fair. The handle of itwas studded with precious stones, and among the stones there wereletters of gold. 

The King stepped forward, and bending over the sword read thesewords: 'No one shall take me away but he to whom I belong. I willhang only by the side of the best knight in the world. '

The King turned to Sir Lancelot. 'The sword is yours, for surelythere lives no truer knight. '

But Sir Lancelot answered gravely, 'The sword is not mine. It willnever hang by my side, for I dare not try to take it. '

The King was sorry that his great knight's courage failed, but heturned to Sir Gawaine and asked him to try to take the sword. 

And at first Sir Gawaine hesitated. But when he looked again at theprecious stones that sparkled on the handle, he hesitated nolonger. But he no sooner touched the sword than it wounded him, sothat he could not use his arm for many days. 

Then the King turned to Sir Percivale. And because Arthur wishedit, Sir Percivale tried to take the sword; but he could not moveit. And after that no other knight dared to touch the fair sword;so they turned and went back to the palace. 

In the dining-hall the King and his knights sat down once more atthe Round Table, and each knight knew his own chair. And all theseats were filled except the chair opposite the writing in gold. 

It had been a day full of surprise, but now the most wonderfulthing of all happened. For as they sat down, suddenly all the doorsof the palace shut with a loud noise, but no one had touched thedoors. And all the windows were softly closed, but no one saw thehands that closed them. 

Then one of the doors opened, and there came in a very old mandressed all in white, and no one knew whence he came. 

By his side was a young man in red armour. He had neither sword norshield, but hanging by his side was an empty sheath. 

There was a great silence in the hall as the old man said slowlyand solemnly, 'I bring you the young knight Sir Galahad, who isdescended from a king. He shall do many great deeds, and he shallsee the Holy Grail. '

'He shall see the Holy Grail, ' the knights repeated, with awe ontheir faces. 

For far back, in the days of their boyhood, they had heard thestory of the Holy Grail. It was the Sacred Cup out of which theirLord had drunk before He died. 

And they had been told how sometimes it was seen carried by angels, and how at other times in a gleam of light. But in whatever way itappeared, it was seen only by those who were pure in heart. 

And as the old man's words, 'He shall see the Holy Grail, ' fell ontheir ears, the knights thought of the story they had heard so longago, and they were sorry, for they had never seen the Sacred Cup, and they knew that it was unseen only by those who had done wrong. 

But the old man was telling the boy-knight to follow him. He ledhim to the empty chair, and lifted the silk that covered the goldenletters. 'This is the seat of Sir Galahad, the Pure-hearted, ' heread aloud. And the young knight sat in the empty seat thatbelonged to him. 

Then the old man left the palace, and twenty noble squires met him, and took him back to his own country. 

When dinner was ended, the King went over to the chair where hisboy-knight sat, and welcomed him to the circle of the Round Table. Afterwards he took Sir Galahad's hand, and led him out of thepalace to show him the strange red stone that floated on the river. When Sir Galahad heard how the knights could not draw the sword outof the stone, he knew that this adventure was his. 

'I will try to take the sword, ' said the boy-knight, 'and place itin my sheath, for it is empty, ' and he pointed to his side. Thenhe laid his hand on the wonderful sword, and easily drew it out ofthe stone, and placed it in his sheath. 

'God has sent you the sword, now He will send you a shield aswell, ' said King Arthur. 

Then the King proclaimed that the next day there would be atournament in the meadows of Camelot. For before his knights wentout to new adventures, he would see Sir Galahad proved. 

And in the morning the meadows lay bright in the sunshine. And theboy-knight rode bravely to his first combat, and overthrew manymen; but Sir Lancelot and Sir Percivale he could not overthrow. 

When the tournament was over the King and his knights went home tosupper, and each sat in his own seat at the Round Table. 

All at once there was a loud crashing noise, a noise that waslouder than any peal of thunder. Was the King's wonderful palacefalling to pieces?

But while the noise still sounded a marvellous light stole intothe room, a light brighter than any sunbeam. 

As the knights looked at one another, each seemed to the other tohave a new glory and a new beauty in his face. 

And down the sunbeam glided the Holy Grail. It was the Sacred Cupthey had all longed to see. But no one saw it, for it was invisibleto all but the pure-hearted Sir Galahad. 

As the strange light faded away, King Arthur heard his knightsvowing that they would go in search of the Holy Grail, and nevergive up the quest till they had found it. 

And the boy-knight knew that he too would go over land and sea, till he saw again the wonderful vision. 

That night the King could not sleep, for his sorrow was great. Hisknights would wander into far-off countries, and many of them wouldforget that they were in search of the Holy Grail. Would they nothave found the Sacred Cup one day if they had stayed with theirKing and helped to clear the country of its enemies?

In the morning the streets of Camelot were crowded with rich andpoor. And the people wept as they watched the knights ride away ontheir strange quest. And the King wept too, for he knew that nowthere would be many empty chairs at the Round Table. 

The knights rode together to a strange city and stayed there allnight. The next day they separated, each going a different way. 

Sir Galahad rode on for four days without adventure. At last hecame to a white abbey, where he was received very kindly. And hefound two knights there, and one was a King. 

'What adventure has brought you here?' asked the boy-knight. 

Then they told him that in this abbey there was a shield. And ifany man tried to carry it, he was either wounded or dead withinthree days. 

'But to-morrow I shall try to bear it, ' said the King. 

'In the name of God, let me take the shield, ' said Sir Galahadgravely. 

'If I fail, you shall try to bear it, ' said the King. And Galahadwas glad, for he had still no shield of his own. 

Then a monk took the King and the young knight behind the altar, and showed them where the shield hung. It was as white as snow, butin the middle there was a red cross. 

'The shield can be borne only by the worthiest knight in theworld, ' the monk warned the King. 

'I will try to bear it, though I am no worthy knight, ' insisted theKing; and he took the shield and rode down into the valley. 

And Galahad waited at the abbey, for the King had said he wouldsend his squire to tell the young knight how the shield hadprotected him. 

For two miles the King rode through the valley, till he reached ahermitage. And he saw a warrior there, dressed in white armour, andsitting on a white horse. 

The warrior rode quickly towards the King, and struck him so hardthat he broke his armour. Then he thrust his spear through theKing's right shoulder, as though he held no shield. 

'The shield can be borne only by a peerless knight. It does notbelong to you, ' said the warrior, as he gave it to the squire, telling him to carry it back to the abbey and to give it to SirGalahad with his greeting. 

'Then tell me your name, ' said the squire. 

'I will tell neither you nor any one on earth, ' said the warrior. And he disappeared, and the squire saw him no more. 

'I will take the wounded King to an abbey, that his wounds may bedressed, ' thought the squire. 

And with great difficulty the King and his squire reached an abbey. And the monks thought his life could not be saved, but after manydays he was cured. 

Then the squire rode back to the abbey where Galahad waited. 'Thewarrior who wounded the King bids you bear this shield, ' he said. 

Galahad hung the shield round his neck joyfully, and rode into thevalley to seek the warrior dressed in white. 

And when they met they saluted each other courteously. And thewarrior told Sir Galahad strange tales of the white shield, tillthe knight thanked God that now it was his. And all his life longthe white shield with the red cross was one of his great treasures. 

Now Galahad rode back to the abbey, and the monks were glad to seehim again. 'We have need of a pure knight, ' they said, as they tookSir Galahad to a tomb in the churchyard. 

A pitiful noise was heard, and a voice from the tomb cried, 'Galahad, servant of God, do not come near me. ' But the youngknight went towards the tomb and raised the stone. 

Then a thick smoke was seen, and through the smoke a figure uglierthan any man leaped from the tomb, shouting, 'Angels are roundthee, Galahad, servant of God. I can do you no harm. '

The knight stooped down and saw a body all dressed in armour lyingthere, and a sword lay by its side. 

'This was a false knight, ' said Sir Galahad. 'Let us carry his bodyaway from this place. '

'You will stay in the abbey and live with us, ' entreated the monks. But the boy-knight could not rest. Would he see the light that wasbrighter than any sunbeam again? Would his adventures bring him atlast to the Holy Grail?

Sir Galahad rode on many days, till at last he reached a mountain. On the mountain he found an old chapel. It was empty and verydesolate. Galahad knelt alone before the altar, and asked God totell him what to do next. 

And as he prayed a voice said, 'Thou brave knight, go to the Castleof Maidens and rescue them. '

Galahad rose, and gladly journeyed on to the Castle of Maidens. 

There he found seven knights, who long ago had seized the castlefrom a maiden to whom it belonged. And these knights had imprisonedher and many other maidens. 

When the seven knights saw Sir Galahad they came out of the castle. 'We will take this young knight captive, and keep him in prison, 'they said to each other, as they fell upon him. 

But Sir Galahad smote the first knight to the ground, so that healmost broke his neck. And as his wonderful sword flashed in thelight, sudden fear fell on the six knights that were left, and theyturned and fled. 

Then an old man took the keys of the castle to Galahad. And theknight opened the gates of the castle, and set free many prisoners. He gave the castle back to the maiden to whom it belonged, and sentfor all the knights in the country round about to do her homage. 

Then once again Sir Galahad rode on in search of the Holy Grail. And the way seemed long, yet on and on he rode, till at last hereached the sea. 

There, on the shore, stood a maiden, and when she saw Sir Galahad, she led him to a ship and told him to enter. 

[Illustration: "MY STRENGTH IS AS THE STRENGTH OF TEN BECAUSE MYHEART IS PURE"

Page 88]

The wind rose and drove the ship, with Sir Galahad on board, between two rocks. But when the ship could not pass that way, theknight left it, and entered a smaller one that awaited him. 

In this ship was a table, and on the table, covered with a redcloth, was the Holy Grail. Reverently Sir Galahad sank on hisknees. But still the Sacred Cup was covered. 

At last the ship reached a strange city, and on the shore sat acrippled man. Sir Galahad asked his help to lift the table from theship. 

'For ten years I have not walked without crutches, ' said the man. 

'Show that you are willing, and come to me, ' urged the knight. 

And the cripple got up, and when he found that he was cured, he ranto Sir Galahad, and together they carried the wonderful table tothe shore. 

Then all the city was astonished, and the people talked only of thegreat marvel. 'The man that was a cripple for ten years can walk, 'each said to the other. 

The King of the city heard the wonderful tale, but he was a cruelKing and a tyrant. 'The knight is not a good man, ' he said to hispeople, and he commanded that Galahad should be put in prison. Andthe prison was underneath the palace, and it was dark and coldthere. 

But down into the darkness streamed the light that had made Galahadso glad long ago at Camelot. And in the light Galahad saw the HolyGrail. 

A year passed and the cruel King was very ill, and he thought hewould die. Then he remembered the knight he had treated sounkindly, and who was still in the dark, cold prison. 'I will sendfor him, and ask him to forgive me, ' murmured the King. 

And when Galahad was brought to the palace, he willingly forgavethe tyrant who had put him in prison. 

Then the King died, and there was great dismay in the city, forwhere would they find a good ruler to sit on the throne?

As they wondered, they heard a voice that told them to make SirGalahad their King, and in great joy the knight was crowned. 

Then the new King ordered a box of gold and precious stones to bemade, and in this box he placed the wonderful table he had carriedaway from the ship. 'And every morning I and my people will comehere to pray, ' he said. 

For a year Sir Galahad ruled the country well and wisely. 

'A year ago they crowned me King, ' thought Galahad gravely, as hewoke one morning. He would get up early, and go to pray at theprecious table. 

But before the King reached the table he paused. It was early. Surely all the city was asleep. Yet some one was already there, kneeling before the table on which, uncovered, stood the SacredCup. 

The man kneeling there looked holy as the saints look. Surroundinghim was a circle of angels. Was it a saint who kneeled, or was itthe Lord Himself?

When the man saw Sir Galahad, he said, 'Come near, thou servant ofJesus Christ, and thou shalt see what thou hast so much longed tosee. '

And with joy Sir Galahad saw again the Holy Grail. Then as hekneeled before it in prayer, his soul left his body and was carriedby angels into heaven. 

THE DEATH OF KING ARTHUR

It was not to win renown that King Arthur had gone far across thesea, for he loved his own country so well, that to gain glory athome made him happiest of all. 

But a false knight with his followers was laying waste the countryacross the sea, and Arthur had gone to wage war against him. 

'And you, Sir Modred, will rule the country while I am gone, ' theKing had said. And the knight smiled as he thought of the powerthat would be his. 

At first the people missed their great King Arthur, but as themonths passed they began to forget him, and to talk only of SirModred and his ways. 

And he, that he might gain the people's praise, made easier lawsthan ever Arthur had done, till by and by there were many in thecountry who wished that the King would never come back. 

When Modred knew what the people wished, he was glad, and he madeup his mind to do a cruel deed. 

He would cause letters to be written from beyond the sea, and theletters would tell that the great King Arthur had been slain inbattle. 

And when the letters came the people read, 'King Arthur is dead, 'and they believed the news was true. 

And there were some who wept because the noble King was slain, butsome had no time to weep. 'We must find a new King, ' they said. Andbecause his laws were easy, these chose Sir Modred to rule overthem. 

The wicked knight was pleased that the people wished him to betheir King. 'They shall take me to Canterbury to crown me, ' he saidproudly. And the nobles took him there, and amid shouts andrejoicings he was crowned. 

But it was not very long till other letters came from across thesea, saying that King Arthur had not been slain, and that he wascoming back to rule over his own country once more. 

When Sir Modred heard that King Arthur was on his way home, hecollected a great army and went to Dover to try to keep the Kingfrom landing. 

But no army would have been strong enough to keep Arthur and hisknights away from the country they loved so well. They foughtfiercely till they got on shore and scattered all Sir Modred's men. 

Then the knight gathered together another army, and chose a newbattle-field. 

But King Arthur fought so bravely that he and his men were againvictorious, and Sir Modred fled to Canterbury. 

Many of the people began to forsake the false knight now, andsaying that he was a traitor, they went back to King Arthur. 

But still Sir Modred wished to conquer the King. He would gothrough the counties of Kent and Surrey and raise a new army. 

Now King Arthur had dreamed that if he fought with Sir Modred againhe would be slain. So when he heard that the knight had raisedanother army, he thought, 'I will meet this traitor who hasbetrayed me. When he looks in my face, he will be ashamed andremember his vow of obedience. '

And he sent two bishops to Sir Modred. 'Say to the knight that theKing would speak with him alone, ' said Arthur. 

And the traitor thought, 'The King wishes to give me gold or greatpower, if I send my army away without fighting. ' 'I will meet KingArthur, ' he said to the bishops. 

But because he did not altogether trust the King he said he wouldtake fourteen men with him to the meeting-place, 'and the King musthave fourteen men with him too, ' said Sir Modred. 'And our armiesshall keep watch when we meet, and if a sword is lifted it shall bethe signal for battle. '

Then King Arthur arranged a feast for Sir Modred and his men. Andas they feasted all went merrily till an adder glided out of alittle bush and stung one of the knight's men. And the pain was sogreat, that the man quickly drew his sword to kill the adder. 

And when the armies saw the sword flash in the light, they sprangto their feet and began to fight, 'for this is the signal forbattle, ' they thought. 

And when evening came there were many thousand slain and wounded, and Sir Modred was left alone. But Arthur had still two knightswith him, Sir Lucan and Sir Bedivere. 

When King Arthur saw that his army was lost and all his knightsslain but two, he said, 'Would to God I could find Sir Modred, whohas caused all this trouble. '

'He is yonder, ' said Sir Lucan, 'but remember your dream, and gonot near him. '

'Whether I die or live, ' said the King, 'he shall not escape. ' Andseizing his spear he ran to Sir Modred, crying, 'Now you shalldie. '

And Arthur smote him under the shield, and the spear passed throughhis body, and he died. 

Then, wounded and exhausted, the King fainted, and his knightslifted him and took him to a little chapel not far from a lake. 

As the King lay there, he heard cries of fear and pain from thedistant battle-field. 

'What causes these cries?' said the King wearily. And to soothe thesick King, Sir Lucan said he would go to see. 

And when he reached the battle-field, he saw in the moonlight thatrobbers were on the field stooping over the slain, and taking fromthem their rings and their gold. And those that were only wounded, the robbers slew, that they might take their jewels too. 

Sir Lucan hastened back, and told the King what he had seen. 

'We will carry you farther off, lest the robbers find us here, 'said the knights. And Sir Lucan lifted the King on one side and SirBedivere lifted him on the other. 

But Sir Lucan had been wounded in the battle, and as he lifted theKing he fell back and died. 

Then Arthur and Sir Bedivere wept for the fallen knight. 

Now the King felt so ill that he thought he would not live muchlonger, and he turned to Sir Bedivere: 'Take Excalibur, my goodsword, ' he said, 'and go with it to the lake, and throw it into itswaters. Then come quickly and tell me what you see. '

Sir Bedivere took the sword and went down to the lake. But as helooked at the handle with its sparkling gems and the richness ofthe sword, he thought he could not throw it away. 'I will hide itcarefully here among the rushes, ' thought the knight. And when hehad hidden it, he went slowly to the King and told him he hadthrown the sword into the lake. 

'What did you see?' asked the King eagerly. 

'Nothing but the ripple of the waves as they broke on the beach, 'said Sir Bedivere. 

'You have not told me the truth, ' said the King. 'If you love me, go again to the lake, and throw my sword into the water. '

Again the knight went to the water's edge. He drew the sword fromits hiding-place. He would do the King's will, for he loved him. But again the beauty of the sword made him pause. 'It is a noblesword; I will not throw it away, ' he murmured, as once more he hidit among the rushes. Then he went back more slowly, and told theKing that he had done his will. 

'What did you see?' asked the King. 

'Nothing but the ripples of the waves as they broke on the beach, 'repeated the knight. 

'You have betrayed me twice, ' said the King sadly, 'and yet you area noble knight! Go again to the lake, and do not betray me for arich sword. '

Then for the third time Sir Bedivere went to the water's edge, anddrawing the sword from among the rushes, he flung it as far as hecould into the lake. 

And as the knight watched, an arm and a hand appeared above thesurface of the lake. He saw the hand seize the sword, and shakingit three times, disappear again under the water. Then Sir Bediverewent back quickly to the King, and told him what he had seen. 

'Carry me to the lake, ' entreated Arthur, 'for I have been here toolong. '

[Illustration: Page 115]

And the knight carried the King on his shoulders down to thewater's side. There they found a barge lying, and seated in it werethree Queens, and each Queen wore a black hood. And when they sawKing Arthur they wept. 

'Lay me in the barge, ' said the King. And when Sir Bedivere hadlaid him there, King Arthur rested his head on the lap of thefairest Queen. And they rowed from land. 

Sir Bedivere, left alone, watched the barge as it drifted out ofsight, and then he went sorrowfully on his way, till he reached ahermitage. And he lived there as a hermit for the rest of his life. 

And the barge was rowed to a vale where the King was healed of hiswound. 

And some say that now he is dead, but others say that King Arthurwill come again, and clear the country of its foes. 

Edinburgh: Printed by T. And A. CONSTABLE

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE

Minor punctuation corrections have been made; however, allspellings appear as in the original. 

Removed a duplicate title page for GERAINT AND ENID.