The Story of King Arthur and his Knights
spear, he smote upon that shield so that it rang like thunder.
[Sidenote: _King Arthur smites the shield of the White Knight._]
Then immediately King Arthur heard a voice issue out of the forest
crying, “Who hath dared to assail my shield!” And straightway there came
out thence a knight of large frame, riding upon a horse white, like that
which King Arthur himself rode. And the trappings of the horse and of
the knight were all white like unto the trappings of King Arthur and
his horse. And the knight bore upon his helmet as his crest a swan with
outspread wings, and upon his shield he bore the emblazonment of three
swans upon a field argent. And because of the crest and the emblazonment
of the shield, King Arthur knew that this knight was Sir Pellias, who
had come with him from Camelot to Tintagalon.
So when Sir Pellias had come nigh to where King Arthur waited for him,
he drew rein and bespake him with great sternness of voice: “Ho! Ho! Sir
Knight,” quoted he. “Why didst thou dare to smite upon my shield!
Verily, that blow shall bring thee great peril and dole. Now, prepare to
defend thyself straightway because of what thou hast done.”
“Stay! Stay! Sir Knight,” said King Arthur, “it shall be as thou wouldst
have it; and I will do combat with thee. Yet will I not assay this
adventure until thou hast agreed that the knight who is overcome in the
encounter shall serve the other in whatsoever manner that other may
desire, for the space of one se’night from this time.”
“Sir Knight,” said Sir Pellias, “I do accept that risk, wherefore I bid
thee now presently to prepare thyself for the encounter.”
[Sidenote: _King Arthur overthrows Sir Pellias._]
Thereupon each knight took his station and dressed his spear and shield.
And when they had prepared themselves, they immediately launched
together with a violence like to two stones cast from a catapult. So
they met in the midst of the course, and again King Arthur was entirely
successful in that assault which he made. For the spear of Sir Pellias
burst to pieces, and the spear of King Arthur held; and Sir Pellias was
cast with passing violence out of his saddle for the distance of more
than half a spear’s length behind the crupper of his horse. Nor did he
altogether recover from that fall for a long time, so that King Arthur
had to wait beside him for a considerable while ere he was able to lift
himself up from the ground whereon he lay.
[Sidenote: _King Arthur sendeth Sir Pellias to the Lady Guinevere._]
“Ha! Sir Knight,” said King Arthur, “assuredly it hath not gone well
with thee this day, for thou hast been entirely overthrown and now thou
must straightway redeem thy pledge to serve me for seven days hereafter.
Wherefore, I now set it upon thee as my command, that thou shalt go
straightway unto Cameliard, and that thou shalt greet the Lady Guinevere
from me, telling her that her knight unto whom she gave her necklace
hath been successful in battle with thee. Likewise I set it upon thee
that thou shalt obey her for the space of seven days in whatsoever she
may command thee to do.”
“Sir Knight,” said Sir Pellias, “it shall even be as thou dost ordain.
Yet I would that I knew who thou art, for I do declare that I have never
yet in all my life been overthrown as thou hast overthrown me. And,
indeed, I think that there are very few men in the world who could serve
me as thou hast served me.”
“Sir Knight,” said King Arthur, “some time thou shalt know who I am.
But, as yet, I am bound to entire secrecy.”
Thereupon he saluted Sir Pellias and turned and entered the forest and
was gone.
And Sir Pellias mounted his horse and betook him to Cameliard, much cast
down and disturbed in spirit, yet much marvelling who that knight could
be who had served him as he had been served.
[Sidenote: _The Lady Guinevere is pleased with her champion._]
So that day there came to Cameliard, first Sir Geraint and then Sir
Gawaine and Sir Ewaine, and last of all there came Sir Pellias. And when
these four beheld one another they were all abashed so that one scarce
dared to look the other in the face. And when they came before the Lady
Guinevere and made their condition known to her, and told her how that
knight who wore her necklace had overthrown them all and had sent them
thither to serve her for a se’night, and when she reckoned how great and
famous were those four knights in deeds of chivalry, she was exceedingly
exalted that her knight should have approved himself so great in those
deeds of arms which he had undertaken to perform. But she greatly
marvelled who that champion could be, and debated those things in her
own mind. For it was a thing altogether unheard of that one knight, in
one day, and with a single spear, should have overthrown five such well
proved and famous knights as Duke Mordaunt of North Umber, Sir Geraint,
Sir Gawaine, Sir Ewaine, and Sir Pellias. So she gave herself great joy
that she had bestowed the gift of her necklace upon so worthy a knight,
and she was exceedingly uplifted with extraordinary pleasure at the
thought of the credit he had endowed her withal.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: _King Arthur resumes his disguise._]
Now after King Arthur had entered the forest, he came by and by to where
those wood-choppers, afore spoken of, plied their craft. And he abided
with them for that night; and when the next morning had come, he
intrusted them with his horse and armor, charging them to guard those
things with all care, and that they should be wonderfully rewarded
therefor. Then he took his departure from that place with intent to
return unto Cameliard. And he was clad in that jerkin of frieze which he
had worn ever since he had left Tintagalon.
And when he had reached the outskirts of the forest, he set his cap of
disguise upon his head and so resumed his mean appearance once more. So,
his knightliness being entirely hidden, he returned to Cameliard for to
be gardener’s boy as he had been before.
[Illustration] Chapter Fourth.
_How the Four Knights Served the Lady Guinevere._
[Sidenote: _The gardener chideth his boy._]
Now, when King Arthur returned to Cameliard once more (which fell upon
the afternoon of a second day), he found the gardener waiting for him,
exceedingly filled with wrath. And the gardener had a long birchen rod
which he had fetched thither for to punish his boy withal, when that he
should have returned to the garden again. So when he saw King Arthur he
said: “Thou knave! wherefore didst thou quit thy work to go a-gadding?”
And King Arthur laughed and said: “Touch me not.” At this, the gardener
waxed so exceeding wroth, that he catched the King by the collar of his
jerkin with intent to beat him, saying: “Dost thou laugh at me, knave,
and make a mock at me? Now I will beat thee well for the offence thou
hast committed.”
Then, when King Arthur felt that man’s hand laid upon him, and when he
heard the words that the gardener spake in his wrath, his royal spirit
waxed very big within him and he cried out: “Ha, wretch! wouldst thou
dare to lay thy hands upon my sacred person?” So saying, he seized the
gardener by the wrists, and took the rod straight away from him, and
struck him with it across the shoulders. And when that poor knave felt
himself thus in the powerful grasp of the angry King, and when he felt
the rod upon his shoulders, he straightway lifted up a great outcry,
albeit the blow hurt him not a whit. “Now get thee gone!” quoth King
Arthur, “and trouble me no more; else will I serve thee in a way that
will not at all belike thee.” Herewith he loosed that poor man and let
him go; and the gardener was so bemazed with terror, that both the earth
and the sky swam before him. For King Arthur’s eyes had flashed upon him
like lightning, and those two hands had held his wrists with wonderful
power. Wherefore, when the King let him go he gat him away as quickly as
might be, all trembling and sweating with a great fear.
[Sidenote: _The gardener complaineth to the Lady Guinevere._]
So he went straight to the Lady Guinevere and complained to her of
the manner in which he had been treated. “Lady,” quoth he, weeping
with the memory of his terror, “my boy goeth away for a day or more, I know
not whither; and when I would whip him for quitting his work he taketh
the rod straight away from me and beateth me with it. Wherefore, now, I
prithee, deal with him as is fitting, and let several strong men drive
him away from this place with rods.”
Then the Lady Guinevere laughed. “Let be!” she said, “and meddle with
him no more; for, indeed, he appeareth to be a very saucy fellow. As for
thee! take thou no heed of his coming or his going, and haply I will
deal with him in such a way as shall be fitting.”
Whereupon the gardener went his way, greatly marvelling that the Lady
Guinevere should be so mild in dealing with that toward knave. And the
Lady Guinevere went her way, very merry. For she began to bethink her
that there was soothly some excellent reason why it should happen that
when the White Champion, who did such wonderful deeds, should come
thither, then that gardener’s boy should go; and that when that same
Champion should go, then the gardener’s boy should come thitherward
again. Wherefore she suspected many things, and was wonderfully merry
and cheerful of spirit.
[Sidenote: _The Lady Guinevere mocketh the gardener’s boy._]
Now, that day, in the afternoon, the Lady Guinevere chanced to walk in
the garden with her damsels, and with her walked those four noble
knights who had been sent thither by her White Champion, to wit, Sir
Gawaine, Sir Ewaine, Sir Geraint, and Sir Pellias. And the gardener’s
lad was digging in the gardens; and as they passed by where he was the
Lady Guinevere laughed aloud and cried out: “Look! Look! Messires and
Ladies! Yonder is a very saucy fellow for to be a gardener’s lad, for he
continually weareth his cap, even when he standeth in the presence of
lords and ladies.”
Then Sir Gawaine up and spake, saying: “Is it even so? Now will I
straightway go to yonder knave, and will take his hat off for him, and
that in a way so greatly to his misliking, that I do not believe that he
will ever offend by wearing it in our presence again.”
At this the Lady Guinevere laughed a very great deal. “Let be!” she
said, “let be! Sir Gawaine! it would ill beseem one so gentle as thou
art to have to do with yonder saucy fellow. Moreover, he doth assure us
all that he hath an ugly place upon his head, wherefore let him wear his
cap in God’s mercy.”
[Sidenote: _The Duke of North Umber issueth a second challenge._]
Thus the Lady Guinevere, though she suspected a very great deal, was yet
pleased to make a mock of him whom she suspected.
Now that day Duke Mordaunt of North Umber had entirely recovered from
those sore hurts that he had suffered from his overthrow at the hands of
the White Champion. Wherefore, the next morning having come, he appeared
again before the castle as he had appeared aforetime--clad all in
complete armor. So this time there rode before him two heralds, and when
the duke and the two heralds had come to that part of the meadows that
lay immediately before the castle of Cameliard, the heralds blew their
trumpets exceedingly loud. So at the sound of the trumpets many people
came and gathered upon the walls; and King Leodegrance came, and took
stand upon a lesser tower that looked down upon the plain where were the
Duke of North Umber and the two heralds. Then the Duke of North Umber
lifted up his eyes and beheld King Leodegrance where he stood over above
him upon the top of that tower, and he cried out in a loud voice: “What