The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights
two sons, who shall be passing valiant men, and, save one another, shall
have no equal in prowess and in purity of life. The one shall be named
Percival, and the other Lamoracke of Wales."
So they rode on to Caerleon, and all the knights grieved greatly when they
heard of this adventure, that the king would jeopardise his person thus
alone. Yet could they not hide their joy at serving under such a noble
chief, who adventured his own life as much as did the poorest knight among
them all.
CHAPTER IV
_King Arthur Conquers Ireland and Norway, Slays the Giant of St. Michael's
Mount, and Conquers Gaul--The Adventures of Sir Balin_
The land of Britain being now in peace, and many great and valiant knights
therein ready to take part in whatsoever battles or adventures might
arise, King Arthur resolved to follow all his enemies to their own coasts.
Anon he fitted out a great fleet, and sailing first to Ireland, in one
battle he miserably routed the people of the country. The King of Ireland
also he took prisoner, and forced all earls and barons to pay him homage.
Having conquered Ireland, he went next to Iceland and subdued it also, and
the winter being then arrived, returned to Britain.
In the next year he set forth to Norway, whence many times the heathen had
descended on the British coasts; for he was determined to give so terrible
a lesson to those savages as should be told through all their tribes both
far and near, and make his name fearful to them.
As soon as he was come, Riculf, the king, with all the power of that
country, met and gave him battle; but, after mighty slaughter, the Britons
had at length the advantage, and slew Riculf and a countless multitude
besides.
Having thus defeated them, they set the cities on fire, dispersed the
country people, and pursued the victory till they had reduced all Norway,
as also Dacia, under the dominion of King Arthur.
Now, therefore, having thus chastised those pagans who so long had
harassed Britain, and put his yoke upon them, he voyaged on to Gaul, being
steadfastly set upon defeating the Roman governor of that province, and so
beginning to make good the threats which he had sent the emperor by his
ambassadors.
So soon as he was landed on the shores of Gaul, there came to him a
countryman who told him of a fearful giant in the land of Brittany, who
had slain, murdered, and devoured many people, and had lived for seven
years upon young children only, "insomuch," said the man, "that all the
children of the country are destroyed; and but the other day he seized
upon our duchess, as she rode out with her men, and took her away to his
lodging in a cave of a mountain, and though five hundred people followed
her, yet could they give her no help or rescue, but left her shrieking and
crying lamentably in the giant's hands; and, Lord, she is thy cousin
Hoel's wife, who is of thy near kindred; wherefore, as thou art a rightful
king, have pity on this lady; and as thou art a valiant conqueror, avenge
us and deliver us."
"Alas!" said King Arthur, "this is a great mischief that ye tell of. I had
rather than the best realm I have, that I had rescued that lady ere the
giant laid his hand on her; but tell me now, good fellow, canst thou bring
me where this giant haunteth?"
"Yea, Lord!" replied the man; "lo, yonder, where thou seest two great
fires, there shall thou find him, and more treasure also than is in all
Gaul besides."
Then the king returned to his tent, and, calling Sir Key and Sir Bedwin,
desired them to get horses ready for himself and them, for that after
evensong he would ride a pilgrimage with them alone to St. Michael's
Mount. So in the evening they departed, and rode as fast as they could
till they came near the mount, and there alighted; and the king commanded
the two knights to await him at the hill foot, while he went up alone.
Then he ascended the mountain till he came to a great fire. And there he
found a sorrowful widow wringing her hands and weeping miserably, sitting
by a new-made grave. And saluting her, King Arthur prayed her wherefore
she made such heavy lamentations.
"Sir knight," she said, "speak softly, for yonder is a devil, who, if he
hear thy voice, will come and straightway slay thee. Alas! what dost thou
here? Fifty such men as thou were powerless to resist him. Here lieth dead
my lady, Duchess of Brittany, wife to Sir Hoel, who was the fairest lady
in the world, foully and shamefully slaughtered by that fiend! Beware that
thou go not too nigh, for he hath overcome and vanquished fifteen kings,
and hath made himself a coat of precious stones, embroidered with their
beards; but if thou art hardy, and wilt speak with him, at yonder great
fire he is at supper."
"Well," said King Arthur, "I will accomplish mine errand, for all thy
fearful words;" and so went forth to the crest of the hill, and saw where
the giant sat at supper, gnawing on a limb of a man, and baking his huge
frame by the fire, while three damsels turned three spits whereon were
spitted, like larks, twelve young children lately born.
When King Arthur saw all that, his heart bled for sorrow, and he trembled
for rage and indignation; then lifting up his voice he cried aloud--"God,
that wieldeth all the world, give thee short life and shameful death, and
may the devil have thy soul! Why hast thou slain those children and that
fair lady? Wherefore arise, and prepare thee to perish, thou glutton and
fiend, for this day thou shalt die by my hands."
Then the giant, mad with fury at these words, started up, and seizing a
great club, smote the king, and struck his crown from off his head. But
King Arthur smote him with his sword so mightily in return, that all his
blood gushed forth in streams.
At that the giant, howling in great anguish, threw away his club of iron,
and caught the king in both his arms and strove to crush his ribs
together. But King Arthur struggled and writhed, and twisted him about, so
that the giant could not hold him tightly; and as they fiercely wrestled,
they both fell, and rolling over one another, tumbled--wrestling, and
struggling, and fighting frantically--from rock to rock, till they came to
the sea.
And as they tore and strove and tumbled, the king ever and anon smote at
the giant with his dagger, till his arms stiffened in death around King
Arthur's body, and groaning horribly, he died. So presently the two
knights came and found the king locked fast in the giant's arms, and very
faint and weary, and loosed him from their hold.
Then the king bade Sir Key to "smite off the giant's head and set it on
the truncheon of a spear, and bear it to Sir Hoel, and tell him that his
enemy is slain; and afterwards let it be fastened to the castle gate, that
all the people may behold it. And go ye two up on the mountain and fetch
me my shield and sword, and also the great club of iron ye will see there;
and as for the treasure, ye shall find there wealth beyond counting, but
take as much as ye will, for if I have his kirtle and the club, I desire
no more."
Then the knights fetched the club and kirtle, as the king had ordered, and
took the treasure to themselves, as much as they could carry, and returned
to the army. But when this deed was noised abroad, all the people came in
multitudes to thank the king, who told them "to give thanks to God, and to
divide the giant's spoils amongst them equally." And King Arthur desired
Sir Hoel to build a church upon the mount, and dedicate it to the
Archangel Michael.
On the morrow, all the host moved onwards into the country of Champagne,
and Flollo, the Roman tribune, retired before them into Paris. But while
he was preparing to collect more forces from the neighbouring countries,
King Arthur came upon him unawares, and besieged him in the town.
And when a month had passed, Flollo--full of grief at the starvation of
his people, who died in hundreds day by day--sent to King Arthur, and
desired that they two might fight together; for he was a man of mighty
stature and courage, and thought himself sure of the victory. This
challenge, King Arthur, full weary the siege, accepted with great joy, and
sent back word to Flollo that he would meet him whensoever he appointed.
And a truce being made on both sides, they met together the next day on
the island without the city, where all the people also were gathered to
see the issue. And as the king and Flollo rode up to the lists, each was
so nobly armed and horsed, and sat so mightily upon his saddle, that no
man could tell which way the battle would end.
When they had saluted one another, and presented themselves against each
other with their lances aloft, they put spurs to their horses and began a
fierce encounter. But King Arthur, carrying his spear more warily, struck
it on the upper part of Flollo's breast, and flung him from his saddle to
the earth. Then drawing his sword, he cried to him to rise, and rushed
upon him; but Flollo, starting up, met him with his spear couched, and
pierced the breast of King Arthur's horse, and overthrew both horse and
man.
The Britons, when they saw their king upon the ground, could scarcely keep
themselves from breaking up the truce and falling on the Gauls. But as
they were about to burst the barriers, and rush upon the lists, King
Arthur hastily arose, and, guarding himself with his shield, ran with
speed on Flollo. And now they renewed the assault with great rage, being
sorely bent upon each other's death.
At length, Flollo, seizing his advantage, gave King Arthur a huge stroke
upon the helm, which nigh overthrew him, and drew forth his blood in
streams.
But when King Arthur saw his armour and shield red with blood, he was
inflamed with fury, and lifting up Excalibur on high, with all his might,
he struck straight through the helmet into Flollo's head, and smote it
into halves; and Flollo falling backwards, and tearing up the ground with
his spurs, expired.
As soon as this news spread, the citizens all ran together, and, opening
the gates, surrendered the city to the conqueror.
And when he had overrun the whole province with his arms, and reduced it
everywhere to subjection, he returned again to Britain, and held his court
at Caerleon, with greater state than ever.
Anon he invited thereto all the kings, dukes, earls, and barons, who owed
him homage, that he might treat them royally, and reconcile them to each
other, and to his rule.
And never was there a city more fit and pleasant for such festivals. For
on one side it was washed by a noble river, so that the kings and princes
from the countries beyond sea might conveniently sail up to it; and on the
other side, the beauty of the groves and meadows, and the stateliness and
magnificence of the royal palaces, with lofty gilded roofs, made it even
rival the grandeur of Rome. It was famous also for two great and noble
churches, whereof one was built in honour of the martyr Julius, and
adorned with a choir of virgins who had devoted themselves wholly to the
service of God; and the other, founded in memory of St. Aaron, his
companion, maintained a convent of canons, and was the third metropolitan
church of Britain. Besides, there was a college of two hundred
philosophers, learned in astronomy, and all the other sciences and arts.
In this place, therefore, full of such delights, King Arthur held his
court, with many jousts and tournaments, and royal huntings, and rested
for a season after all his wars.
And on a certain day there came into the court a messenger from Ryence,
King of North Wales, bearing this message from his master: That King
Ryence had discomfited eleven kings, and had compelled each one of them to