The Story of King Arthur and his Knights
villains! What would you be at!” and therewith set spurs to his horse
and dropped his spear into rest and drove down upon them with a noise
like to thunder for loudness.
But when the three wicked fellows beheld the armed Knight thus
thundering down upon them, they straightway dropped their knives and,
with loud outcries of fear, ran away hither and thither until they had
escaped into the thickets of the forest, where one upon a horse might
not hope to pursue them.
[Sidenote: _King Arthur rescues Merlin from the three villains._]
Whereupon, having driven away those wicked fellows, King Arthur rode up
to him whom he had succored, thinking to offer him condolence. And
behold! when he had come nigh to him, he perceived that the old man was
the Enchanter Merlin. Yet whence he had so suddenly come, who had only a
little while before been at the King’s Court at Carleon, and what he did
in that place, the King could in no wise understand. Wherefore he
bespoke the Enchanter in this wise, “Ha! Merlin, it seemeth to me that I
have saved thy life. For, surely, thou hadst not escaped from the hands
of those wicked men had I not happened to come hitherward at this time.”
“Dost thou think so, Lord?” said Merlin. “Now let me tell thee that I
did maybe appear to be in danger, yet I might have saved myself very
easily had I been of a mind to do so. But, as thou sawst me in this
seeming peril, so may thou know that a real peril, far greater than
this, lieth before thee, and there will be no errant knight to succor
thee from it. Wherefore, I pray thee, Lord, for to take me with thee
upon this adventure that thou art set upon, for I do tell thee that thou
shalt certainly suffer great dole and pain therein.”
“Merlin,” said King Arthur, “even an I were to face my death, yet would
I not turn back from this adventure. But touching the advice thou givest
me, meseems it will be very well to take thee with me if such peril
lieth before me as thou sayest.”
And Merlin said, “Yea, it would be very well for thee to do so.”
So Merlin mounted upon his palfrey, and King Arthur and he betook their
way from that place in pursuit of that adventure which the King had
undertaken to perform.
[Illustration] Chapter Second.
_How King Arthur Fought With the Sable Knight and How He Was Sorely
Wounded. Likewise How Merlin Brought Him Safe Away From the Field of
Battle._
So King Arthur and Merlin rode together through the forest for a
considerable while, until they perceived that they must be approaching
nigh to the place where dwelt the Sable Knight whom the King sought so
diligently. For the forest, which had till then been altogether a
wilderness, very deep and mossy, began to show an aspect more thin and
open, as though a dwelling-place of mankind was close at hand.
And, after a little, they beheld before them a violent stream of water,
that rushed through a dark and dismal glen. And, likewise, they
perceived that across this stream of water there was a bridge of stone,
and that upon the other side of the bridge there was a smooth and level
lawn of green grass, whereon Knights-contestants might joust very well.
And beyond this lawn they beheld a tall and forbidding castle, with
smooth walls and a straight tower; and this castle was built upon the
rocks so that it appeared to be altogether a part of the stone. So they
wist that this must be the castle whereof the page and Sir Griflet had
spoken.
[Sidenote: _King Arthur cometh to the castle of the Sable Knight._]
For, midway upon the bridge, they beheld that there hung a sable shield
and a brass mall exactly as the page and Sir Griflet had said; and that
upon the farther side of the stream was an apple-tree, amid the leaves
of which hung a very great many shields of various devices, exactly as
those two had reported: and they beheld that some of those shields were
clean and fair, and that some were foul and stained with blood, and that
some were smooth and unbroken, and that some were cleft as though by
battle of knight with knight. And all those shields were the shields of
different knights whom the Sable Knight, who dwelt within the castle,
had overthrown in combat with his own hand.
“Splendor of Paradise!” quoth King Arthur, “that must, indeed, be a
right valiant knight who, with his own single strength, hath overthrown
and cast down so many other knights. For, indeed, Merlin, there must be
an hundred shields hanging in yonder tree!”
Unto this Merlin made reply, “And thou, Lord, mayst be very happy an thy
shield, too, hangeth not there ere the sun goeth down this even-tide.”
“That,” said King Arthur, with a very steadfast countenance, “shall be
as God willeth. For, certes, I have a greater mind than ever for to try
my power against yonder knight. For, consider, what especial honor would
fall to me should I overcome so valiant a warrior as this same Sable
Champion appeareth to be, seeing that he hath been victorious over so
many other good knights.”
Thereupon, having so spoken his mind, King Arthur immediately pushed
forward his horse and so, coming upon the bridge, he clearly read that
challenge writ in letters of red beneath the shield:
=Whoso Smiteth This Shield
Doeth So At His Peril.=
[Sidenote: _King Arthur challenges the Sable Knight._]
Upon reading these words, the King seized the brazen mall, and smote
that shield so violent a blow that the sound thereof echoed back from
the smooth walls of the castle, and from the rocks whereon it stood, and
from the skirts of the forest around about, as though twelve other
shields had been struck in those several places.
And in answer to that sound, the portcullis of the castle was
immediately let fall, and there issued forth a knight, very huge of
frame, and clad all in sable armor. And, likewise, all of his apparel
and all the trappings of his horse were entirely of sable, so that he
presented a most grim and forbidding aspect. And this Sable Knight came
across that level meadow of smooth grass with a very stately and
honorable gait; for neither did he ride in haste, nor did he ride
slowly, but with great pride and haughtiness of mien, as became a
champion who, haply, had never yet been overcome in battle. So, reaching
the bridge-head, he drew rein and saluted King Arthur with great
dignity, and also right haughtily. “Ha! Sir Knight!” quoth he, “why
didst thou, having read those words yonder inscribed, smite upon my
shield? Now I do tell thee that, for thy discourtesy, I shall presently
take thy shield away from thee, and shall hang it up upon yonder
apple-tree where thou beholdest all those other shields to be hanging.
Wherefore, either deliver thou thy shield unto me without more ado or
else prepare for to defend it with thy person--in the which event thou
shalt certainly suffer great pain and discomfort to thy body.”
“Gramercy for the choice thou grantest me,” said King Arthur. “But as
for taking away my shield--I do believe that that shall be as Heaven
willeth, and not as thou willest. Know, thou unkind knight, that I have
come hither for no other purpose than to do battle with thee and so to
endeavor for to redeem with my person all those shields that hang yonder
upon that apple-tree. So make thou ready straightway that I may have to
do with thee, maybe to thy great disadvantage.”
“That will I so,” replied the Sable Knight. And thereupon he turned his
horse’s head and, riding back a certain distance across the level lawn,
he took stand in such place as appeared to him to be convenient. And so
did King Arthur ride forth also upon that lawn, and take his station as
seemed to him to be convenient.
Then each knight dressed his spear and his shield for the encounter,
and, having thus made ready for the assault, each shouted to his
war-horse and drave his spurs deep into its flank.
[Sidenote: _King Arthur contests with the Sable Knight._]
Then those two noble steeds rushed forth like lightning, coursing across
the ground with such violent speed that the earth trembled and shook
beneath them, an it were by cause of an earthquake. So those two knights
met fairly in the midst of the centre of the field, crashing together
like a thunderbolt. And so violently did they smite the one against the
other that the spears burst into splinters, even unto the guard and the
truncheon thereof, and the horses of the riders staggered back from the
onset, so that only because of the extraordinary address of the
knights-rider did they recover from falling before that shock of
meeting.
But, with great spirit, these two knights uplifted each his horse with
his own spirit, and so completed his course in safety.
And indeed King Arthur was very much amazed that he had not overthrown
his opponent, for, at that time, as aforesaid, he was considered to be
the very best knight and the one best approved in deeds of arms that
lived in all of Britain. Wherefore he marvelled at the power and the
address of that knight against whom he had driven, that he had not been
overthrown by the greatness of the blow that had been delivered against
his defences. So, when they met again in the midst of the field, King
Arthur gave that knight greeting, and bespoke him with great courtesy,
addressing him in this wise: “Sir Knight, I know not who thou art, but I
do pledge my knightly word that thou art the most potent knight that
ever I have met in all of my life. Now I do bid thee get down
straightway from thy horse, and let us two fight this battle with sword
and upon foot, for it were pity to let it end in this way.”
“Not so,” quoth the Sable Knight--“not so, nor until one of us twain be
overthrown will I so contest this battle upon foot.” And upon this he
shouted, “Ho! Ho!” in a very loud voice, and straightway thereupon the
gateway of the castle opened and there came running forth two tall
esquires clad all in black, pied with crimson. And each of these
esquires bare in his hand a great spear of ash-wood, new and
well-seasoned, and never yet strained in battle.
So King Arthur chose one of these spears and the Sable Knight took the
other, and thereupon each returned to that station wherefrom he had
before essayed the encounter.
Then once again each knight rushed his steed to the assault, and once
again did each smite so fairly in the midst of the defence of the other
that the spears were splintered, so that only the guard and the
truncheon thereof remained in the grasp of the knight who held it.
[Sidenote: _The knights break lances a second time._]
Then, as before, King Arthur would have fought the battle out with
swords and upon foot, but again the Sable Knight would not have it so,
but called aloud upon those within the castle, whereupon there
immediately came forth two other esquires with fresh, new spears of
ash-wood. So each knight again took him a spear, and having armed
himself therewith, chose each his station upon that fair, level lawn of
grass.
[Sidenote: _King Arthur is overthrown._]
And now, for the third time, having thus prepared themselves thereof
assault, those two excellent knights hurled themselves together in
furious assault. And now, as twice before, did King Arthur strike the
Sable Knight so fairly in the centre of his defence that the spear which
he held was burst into splinters. But this time, the spear of the Sable
Knight did not so break in that manner, but held; and so violent was the
blow that he delivered upon King Arthur’s shield that he pierced through
the centre of it. Then the girths of the King’s saddle burst apart by
that great, powerful blow, and both he and his steed were cast violently
backward. So King Arthur might have been overcast, had he not voided his