King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

d knights do daily pray me now to take a wife; but I will have none without

r no man of bounteous and noble nature should live without one

Camelgard, who also holdeth in his house the Round Table that he had from my fath

as ye do, I would fain have had ye choose some other who was both fair and good. But where a man's heart is set,

d his daughter, and how that he had loved her since he saw her first, when wi

for his wife! I would fain give him half my lands with her straightway, but that he needeth none-and better will it please him that I send him the Round Table of

uinevere to the messengers of King Arthur, and

rthur's, court, Sir Lancelot by name, was passing strong, and won praise from all, being full of grace and hardihood; and Guinevere also ever looked on him with joy. And always in the eventide, when the tents were set beside some stream or forest,

th a great retinue he met Guinevere and her company, and led her through the streets all filled with peop

that could be made. And when the day was come, the archbishops led the king to the cathedral, whereto he walked, clad in his r

l of the Virgins, the four queens also of the four kings last mentioned walked before her, bearing four white do

usic and the singing, that all the knights and barons who were there pressed

p the full number of the table. Then the Archbishop of Canterbury blessed the seats of all the knights, and when they rose again therefrom to pay their homage to King Arthur, there was found upon the back of each

n, leading with him a tall fair lad of eighteen years of age, riding on a lean mare. And falling at the king's feet, the poor man said,

eplied King Arthur, "a

he poor man. "Lord, I ask nothing else but

t thou askest," said the

cowherd,"

m thee or from thy son?

ny labor that I put them to. But this one will do no such work for anything that I or my wife may do, but is for ever sho

?" said the king

is Tor,

was well pleased with his face and figure,

king to Aries. But when he brought them, none o

mayest be; and if thou provest worthy, and of prowess, one day thou shalt be counted in the Round Table."

son of that King Pellinore whom thou hast met, and proved to

words can tell to find him knighted by the king. And Pellinore did homage to King Arthur, and was gladly and gracio

ing Pellinore, and said to his brother Gaheris, "He

en will I help ye in it: it is best ye suffer him to go at

be it," sai

reason; also by no means ever to be cruel, but give mercy unto him that asked for mercy, upon pain of forfeiting the liberty of his court forevermore. Moreover, at all times, on pain o

nt of all their doings and adventures of the past twelve-month. And so, with prayer and blessing, and high words of cheer, he institu

d queen sat side by side, before the whole assembly

went round and said, "Sit still awhile, for y

nd the hart made circuit of the Table Round, and past the other tables; and suddenly the white hound flew upon him and bit him fiercely, and tore out a piece from his haunc

er me not to have this injury!-the hound is mine which that knight taketh." And as she spake, a knight rode in all armed

llow this adventure to the uttermost; and told Sir Gawain to bring back the h

eason of their quarrel. "We fight for a foolish matter," one replied, "for we be brethren; but there came by a white hart this way, chased by many hounds, and thinking it was an adventure for the high feast of Kin

not brother with brother. Take my advice, set on against me, and if ye yield to me, a

and will do thy wish without encountering thee; but

f the white hart," said Sir Gawain. "And

," they replied; and so they wen

e hart swimming over and near to the further bank. And as he was about to plunge in and swim after, he saw a knig

said Sir Gawain; and swam

h other fiercely; and Sir Gawain smote the stra

er of me on horseback, I pray thee, valiant knight, ali

y name?" qu

e Isles," repli

, so deeply and so hard, that all his brains were scattered, and Sir Allardin

couple of greyhounds after him; and at the last they chased him to a

the others from the castle, crying, "Oh, my white hart! alas, that thou art dead! for thee my sovereign lady gave to me, and evil have I kept

y did but after their nature: and ye had better have

also," said the other, "e

the better, and felled the knight of the castle to the ground. Then he cried out for mercy, and yielded to Sir Gawain, and

amends within my power

ind was he with rage, that he saw not where a lady ran out from her chamber and fell down

shame shall never leave ye! Why give ye not your mercy unto the

s death, and knew not what to do, and said to the

y now, for thou hast slain my lady and my lov

but now shalt thou go to King Arthur and tell him this adventure, and how tho

ive or die, or where I

him bear one dead greyhound before and one behind him o

more of the Mar

egan to unarm; but Gaheris upbraided him, saying, "Will ye disarm in th

Sir Gawain, "Thou new-made knight, how hast thou shamed thy knighthood! a knight without mercy is dishonored! S

hot Sir Gawain with a bolt, and hit him through the arm, so that he could fight no more. But when there was nothing left for them but death, there came four

es to Sir Gawain, and talked with h

ood,"

passing foul deed in slaying that fair damsel yesterday-and ever s

of King Lot of Orkney, whom King Pellinore slew-an

him the head of the white hart to take with him, because it was in his quest; but made him also carry

s trial before a court of ladies-who judged him to be evermore, for all his life, the knight of ladies' quarrels, and to fight always on their side, and never against any, except he fought fo

ound. And as he went, there suddenly met him in the road a dwarf, who struck his horse

thou my horse, foul dw

ht for it with yonder knights in those pavilions," pointing to two tents, w

am on a quest I needs mu

at him bore him from his horse, and made him yield. Directly after came another still more fiercely, but with a few great strokes and buffets Sir Tor unhorsed him also,

se, and come wit

e white hound?" said the dwarf; "

e there, sleeping. Then went he to the other, and found another lady also sleeping, and at her feet the white hound he sought for, whi

ried out the lady; "will ye take

g the king's command; and I have followed it fro

t go far before ye be ill handled,

de back on his way. But night coming on, he turned aside to a hermitage that was in the forest, and there abode till the next day,

m, "Turn, turn! Abide, Sir knight, and yield me up the hound thou tookest from my lady." At which he turned, and

nhorsed the other, and then fell to with their swords like two mad lions. Then did they smite through one another's shields and helmets till the fragments flew on all sides, and their blood ran out in streams; but yet they carved and rove

le my life lasteth and my soul is in my b

was my quest to bring again that hound and the

as she could drive, and cried out to Sir Tor with a loud vo

r Tor, "and I

head of this false knight Abellius, th

said Sir Tor. "Let him make thee amend

d for half an hour before him in the mire, to beg it, and though it was but by a chance they fought, and for no former injury or quarrel. I require my

greatly, and was sore afraid, and yi

e false to my promise. Ye would not take my me

, in dismal fear, struggled to his feet, and fled, until Sir T

t is near night, I pray ye come

for both his horse and he had fared

d saw her husband, an old knight, who greatly thanked him

een rejoiced to see him, and the king made him Earl; and Merlin prophesied th

d seized away from the wedding-feast. And as he rode through the woods, he saw in a valley a fair young damsel

to stay or turn, although she cried a hundred times to him for help; at which she prayed to heaven he might have such sore need before

man, and asked him had he seen a knight pass

y; but even now another knight is fighting with him to delive

ting, hard by where two pavilions stood. And when he looked in one of them, he saw th

ye must come with me un

knights fighting for this lady; go part them, and

e, and rode between the combatant

unt's daughter, whom I met borne away against her will, by

Hantzlake of Wentland, "this lady got I, by my a

efore any knight could arm to stay thee. But it is my service to take her back again. Neithe

make ready, and we will ass

ntzlake, with a cry, "Keep well thy head!" and gave him such a stroke upon the helm as clove him to the chin, so that he fell dead to the ground. When he saw that, the other kn

d and hurt. And as they rested in the forest for the pain to lessen, night came on, and there they were compelled to make their lodging. A little before midnight they heard the trotting of a horse. "Be ye still

s at Camelot

here as never may be broke or overcome; for wellnigh all the chivalry of the world is there, and all full loyal to the kin

est poison that ever was heard tell of, and to Camelot will I with it; for there we have a friend close to the k

, "of Merlin, for he knoweth al

at," replied the other,

ll at which the lady with the wounded knight had sat, they found both knight a

y, saying, "Alas! I might have saved her life

o much sorrow now

art grieveth greatly for this poor la

mains of the bodies, and bare the lady's

the King and Queen, and when he had entered the Queen somewhat upbraided

, "I shall repen

to court, with a right good young knight, who would have been her husband, but was slain by treachery of a felon knight, Lorraine le Savage, as they came; and b

he forest, and Merlin by his craft so ordered that the knight who bare the po