King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

est knights in Britain. His name was Lancear; and going to the king, he begged leave to follow after Sir Balin and

d was told of this adventure of

ye that this lady who hath brought th

r brother, went to the Lady Lile, of Avilion, and besought her help. Then Lady Lile gave her the sword, and told her that no man should draw

ny company but to do harm; and that good knight who hath achieved the sword shall be himself slain by it, which shall be

after Sir Balin, as fast as he could go, and overtaking him, he cried

ned his horse, and said, "Fair knight,

ear, "it is for that

ed at home, for many a man who thinketh himself already vi

ear, "and I am come to revenge the i

ur or his knights; and thy quarrel seemeth full foolish to me, for the damsel that is dead worked end

ancear, "for one of us shall

through Sir Lancear's shield, that it rove the hauberk also, and passed through the knight's body and the horse's crupper. And Sir Balin tur

en she saw Sir Lancear dead, wept and sorrowed out of measure, crying, "O, Sir Balin, two bodie

she was Sir Lancear's lady-love-and setting the pommel of it

nto a forest, where presently as he rode, he saw the arms of his brother, Sir Balan. And when they were met they put off their helms, and embraced each other, kissing, and weeping for joy and pity. Then Sir Balin told Sir

before he left that place. So pitching his pavilion there, he sought through all the country round to find a monument, and found at last a rich and fair one in a church, which he took and raised above the dead knight and his d

self; and because of it, thou shalt strike the most Dolorous Stroke that ever man struck, save he that smote our Lord. For thou shalt smite the truest and most worshi

"what thou sayest, I would sl

owards night, and told them he could lead them to King Ryence, whom they sought

mpany. Then did they suddenly leap forth and smote at him and overthrew him and laid him on the ground, and turning on his company wounded and slew forty of them, and put the rest to flight. And returning to K

palace. There they delivered him to the warders and porters, to be brought before the king, with this message-"That he was sent to King Arthur by the knig

pitched in a meadow, and there abode, and laid him down on a pallet to sleep, but could get no rest. And as he lay

Arthur, "and tell me wheref

it," said the knigh

hat meadow, and when he saw the king he alighted a

ow King Nero, Ryence's brother, had attacked him afterwards to deliver Ryence from prison; and how he had defeated him and slain him, and also King Lot, of Orkney, who was joined with Nero, and whom Ki

aid, "Sir knight, thou must come back with me unto my lord, King Arthur, t

knight, "for it would harm me

dy, for thou must needs go with me-or else I

safe conduct, if I go with

nswered Balin, "

o go with Sir Balin, and l

under thy guard and conduct, by that traitor knight called Garlon, who through magic and witchcraft rideth invisibly. Take, therefore, my horse, which is b

r Balin, "by my knighthoo

hermitage fast by a churchyard, came the knight Garlon, again invisible, and smote Sir Perin through the body with a spear, and slew him as he had slain Sir Herleus. Whereat, Sir Balin greatly raged, and swore to have Sir Garlon's life, whenever next he might encounter and behold him in his bodily shape. Anon, he and the her

towards the damsel and her enemies, with his sword drawn, to fight and slay them. But they cried out, "Put up thy

d of a pure maid and a king's daughter. Wherefore the custom of the castle was, that never should a damsel pass that way but she must give a dish full of her blood. Then Sir

of a rich man, who sumptuously lodged and fed them. And while they sat at supper Si

elles, and overthrew him twice, for which he swore to be revenged on me through my best friend, and so he wounded my son, who c

in two knights, companions of mine own, in the same fashion, and I would r

to be held at Listeniss, in twenty days from now, whereto no knight may come without a lady. At that great feast

h him. But Sir Balin was right heartily received, and taken to a chamber, where they unarmed him, and dressed him in rich robes, of any color that he chose, and told him he must lay aside his sword. This, however, he refused, and said, "It is the custom of m

o sat near him, "Is there not her

black face; he is the most marvelous knight alive, f

long breath, "is that indeed the m

shall not escape myself; but if I leave him, peradventure I shall never meet with him

him, and thinking that he could at such a time escape revenge, he came and smote Sir Balin on the face with the back of

hat which I came to do, as thou shalt find." With that he whirled his sword aloft

m-for she had always carried it about with her, wherever she had gone-he smote him through the body with it, and

had come with him to Listeniss, and said, "Now take

y Balin, King Pelles himself the foremost, who cried out, "Knight, thou hast slain m

self, then,"

! for no other man shall touch the

saved himself but lost his sword, which fell down smashed and shivered into pieces by the blow. So being weaponless he ran to the next room to f

ichest that could be thought of, and one who lay quite still within the bed; and by the bedside stood a tab

and turned upon King Pelles, and smote at him so fier

d Balin himself fell also in their midst, struck as it were to stone, and powerless to move a hand or foot. And so three days he lay amid

sel with me I brought h

, when first he came here to convert and save it. And on that bed of gold it was himself who lay, and the strange spear beside him was the spear wherewith the soldier Longus smote our Lord, which evermore had dripped with blood. King Pelles is the nearest kin to Joseph in direct descent, wherefore he held these holy things in trust; but

his soul with grief and sorrow, and said,

ll the living cried out on him as he passed, "O Balin, all this misery hast thou done! For the dolorous stroke

was written in letters of gold, "It is not for a knight alone to ride towards this castle." Looking up, he saw a hoary ancient man come towards him, wh

e prey; though yet I be not dead." But as he spoke he saw a hundred ladies with a great troop of knights come forth to meet him with

thou must encounter and fight with a knight hard by, who dwelleth o

us custom," ans

knight to defeat,"

ing, and though my horse and my body be full weary, yet is my heart no

methinketh your shield is not

shield and left his own, and so rode forth, and put

ange arms on his shield, he forgot the thought, and came against him fiercely. At the first course they overthrew each other, and both lay swooning on the ground; but Sir Balin was the most hurt and bruised, for he was weary and spent with traveling. So Sir Balan rose up first to his feet

es they did, till all the ground was red with blood. And by now, each had full grievously wounded the other with seven great wounds, the least of which might have destroyed the mightiest giant in the world. But still they ros

knight art thou? for never before hav

ntly, "is Balan, brother to

I should see this day!" and there

uld not know him by his face, it was so hewed and bloody. But presently, when Sir Balin came to, he said,

alone I knew thee not, for when I saw thy two swords, if it had not

happy knight within the castle, who made me change my shield. If

or here they made me fight with one who kept this island, whom I slew, and by enchantment I might n

lace. This she granted, weeping full sore, and said it should be done right solemnly and richly, and in the noblest manner possible. Then did they send for a priest, and received the holy sacrament at his hands. And Balin said, "Write over us upon

ighty stone, which then, by magic, he made float upon the water. And so, for many years, it floated to and fro aroun