The Story of King Arthur and his Knights
“Alas!” said Sir Pellias, “I would that thou hadst told me this before
we had come so far from Camelot; for I could easily have got thee such a
knight at that place. For they have them there in such plenty that they
keep them in wicker cages, and sell them two for a farthing.” Whereat
Parcenet laughed very cheerfully, and said, “Then Camelot must be a very
wonderful place, Sir Pellias.”
So, with very merry discourse they journeyed upon their way with great
joy and good content, taking much pleasure in the spring-time and the
pleasant meadows whereon they travelled, being without care of any sort,
and heart-full of cheerfulness and good-will.
That night they abided at a very quaint, pleasant hostelry that stood at
the outskirts of the Forest of Usk, and the next morning they departed
betimes in the freshness of the early day, quitting that place and
entering into the forest shadows.
[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias and Parcenet come to the Forest of Adventure._]
Now, after they had travelled a considerable distance in that forest,
the damsel Parcenet said to Sir Pellias, “Sir, do you know what part of
the woods this is?” “Nay,” said Sir Pellias. “Well,” said Parcenet,
“this part of the woodland is sometimes called Arroy, and is sometimes
called the Forest of Adventure. For I must tell you it is a very
wonderful place, full of magic of sundry sorts. For it is said that no
knight may enter into this forest but some adventure shall befall him.”
“Damsel,” said Sir Pellias, “that which thou tellest me is very good
news. For, maybe, if we should fall in with some adventure at this place
I may then be able to obtain armor suitable for my purpose.”
So they entered the Forest of Adventure forthwith, and then travelled
therein for a long way, marvelling greatly at the aspect of that place
into which they were come. For the Forest was very dark and silent and
wonderfully strange and altogether different from any other place that
they had ever seen. Wherefore it appeared to them that it would not be
at all singular if some extraordinary adventure should befall them.
[Sidenote: _They find an old woman beside the fountain._]
So after they had travelled in this wise for a considerable pass they
came of a sudden out of those thicker parts of the woodland to where was
an opening of considerable extent. And there they beheld before them a
violent stream of water that flowed very turbulently and with great
uproar of many noises. And they saw that by the side of the stream of
water there was a thorn-tree, and that underneath the thorn-tree was a
bank of green moss, and that upon the bank of moss there sat an aged
woman of a very woful appearance. For that old woman was extraordinarily
withered with age, and her eyes were all red as though with a continual
weeping of rheum, and many bristles grew upon her cheeks and her chin,
and her face was covered with such a multitude of wrinkles that there
was not any place that was free from wrinkles.
Now when that old woman beheld Sir Pellias and Parcenet and the three
pages approaching where she sat, she cried out in a loud voice, “Sir,
wilt thou not bear me over this water upon thy horse? For, lo! I am very
old and feeble and may not cross this river by myself.”
Then Parcenet rebuked the old woman, saying, “Peace, be still! Who art
thou to ask this noble knight for to do thee such a service as that?”
[Sidenote: _Sir Pellias carries the old woman across the water._]
Then Sir Pellias was not pleased with Parcenet, wherefore he said,
“Damsel, thou dost not speak properly in this matter, for that which
beseemeth a true knight is to give succor unto anyone soever who needeth
his aid. For King Arthur is the perfect looking-glass of knighthood, and
he hath taught his knights to give succor unto all who ask succor of
them, without regarding their condition.” So saying Sir Pellias
dismounted from his horse and lifted the old woman up upon the saddle
thereof. Then he himself mounted once more and straightway rode into the
ford of the river and so came across the torrent with the old woman in
safety to the other side. And Parcenet followed him, marvelling very
greatly at his knightliness, and the three pages followed her.
[Sidenote: _Of the wonderful Lady of the Lake._]
Now when they had reached the other side of the water, Sir Pellias
dismounted with intent to aid the old woman to alight from the horse.
But she waited not for his aid, but immediately leaped down very lightly
from where she was. And, lo! Sir Pellias beheld that she whom he had
thought to be only an aged and withered beldame was, in truth, a very
strange, wonderful lady of extraordinary beauty. And, greatly
marvelling, he beheld that she was clad in apparel of such a sort as
neither he nor any who were there had ever beheld before. And because of
her appearance he was aware that she was not like any ordinary mortal,
but that she was doubtless of enchantment. For he perceived that her
face was of a wonderful clearness, like to ivory for whiteness, and that
her eyes were very black and extraordinarily bright, like unto two
jewels set into ivory; and he perceived that she was clad all in green
from head to foot and that her hair was long and perfectly black and
like to fine silk for softness and for glossiness; and he perceived that
she had about her neck a collar of opal stones and emeralds inset into
gold, and that about her wrists were bracelets of finely wrought gold
inset with opal stones and emeralds. Wherefore from all these
circumstances he knew that she must be fay.
(For thus was the Lady Nymue of the Lake; and so had she appeared unto
King Arthur, and so did she appear unto Sir Pellias and those who were
with him.)
So, beholding the wonderful magical quality of that lady, Sir Pellias
kneeled down before her and set his hands together, palm to palm. But
the Lady of the Lake said, “Sir, why dost thou kneel to me?” “Lady,”
quoth Sir Pellias, “because thou art so wonderfully strange and
beautiful.” “Messire,” said the Lady of the Lake, “thou hast done a very
good service to me and art, assuredly, a very excellent knight.
Wherefore, arise and kneel no longer!” So Sir Pellias arose from his
knees and stood before her, and he said, “Lady, who art thou?” To the
which she made reply, “I am one who holdeth an exceedingly kind regard
toward King Arthur and all his knights. My name is Nymue and I am the
chiefest of those Ladies of the Lake of whom thou mayst have heard tell.
I took upon me that form of a sorry old woman for to test thy
knightliness, and, lo! I have not found thee amiss in worthy service.”
Then Sir Pellias said, “Lady, thou hast assuredly done me great favor in
these.” Upon that the Lady of the Lake smiled upon Sir Pellias very
kindly, and she said, “Sir, I have a mind to do thee a greater favor
than that.”
[Sidenote: _The Lady of the Lake giveth Sir Pellias the collar of gold
and jewels._]
Therewith, so saying, she immediately took from about her neck that
collar of opal stones, of emeralds and gold, and hung it about the
shoulders of Sir Pellias, so that it hung down upon his breast with a
very wonderful glory of variegated colors.
“Keep this,” she said, “for it is of very potent magic.”
Upon that she vanished instantly from the sight of those who were there,
leaving them astonished and amazed beyond measure at what had befallen.
And Sir Pellias was like one who was in a dream, for he wist not whether
that which he had beheld was a vision, or whether he had seen it with
his waking eyes. Wherefore he mounted upon his horse in entire silence,
as though he knew not what he did. And likewise in entire silence he led
the way from that place. Nor did any of those others speak at that time;
only after they had gone a considerable distance Parcenet said, speaking
in a manner of fear, “Messire, that was a very wonderful thing that
befell us.” To which Sir Pellias said, “Yea, maiden.”
Now that necklace which the Lady of the Lake had hung about the neck of
Sir Pellias possessed such a virtue that whosoever wore it was beloved
of all those who looked upon him. For the collar was enchanted with that
peculiar virtue; but Sir Pellias was altogether unaware of that
circumstance, wherefore he only took joy to himself because of the
singular beauty of the jewel which the Lady of the Lake had given him.
[Illustration] Chapter Second.
_How Sir Pellias Overcame a Red Knight, Hight Sir Adresack, and of How
He Liberated XXII Captives From That Knight’s Castle._
Now, after that wonderful happening, they journeyed continuously for a
great while. Nor did they pause at any place until they came, about an
hour after the prime of the day, to a certain part of the forest where
charcoal-burners were plying their trade. Here Sir Pellias commanded
that they should draw rein and rest for a while, and so they dismounted
for to rest and to refresh themselves, as he had ordained that they
should do.
[Sidenote: _There cometh a sorrowful lady and an esquire into the
forest._]
Now as they sat there refreshing themselves with meat and drink, there
came of a sudden from out of the forest a sound of great lamentation and
of loud outcry, and almost immediately there appeared from the thickets,
coming into that open place, a lady in woful array, riding upon a pied
palfrey. And behind her rode a young esquire, clad in colors of green
and white and seated upon a sorrel horse. And he also appeared to be
possessed of great sorrow, being in much disarray and very downcast of
countenance. And the lady’s face was all beswollen and inflamed with
weeping, and her hair hung down upon her shoulders with neither net nor
band for to stay it in place, and her raiment was greatly torn by the
brambles and much stained with forest travel. And the young esquire who
rode behind her came with a drooping head and a like woful disarray of
apparel, his cloak dragging behind him and made fast to his shoulder by
only a single point.
Now when Sir Pellias beheld the lady and the esquire in such sad estate,
he immediately arose from where he sat and went straightway to the lady
and took her horse by the bridle and stayed it where it was. And the
lady looked at him, yet saw him not, being altogether blinded by her
grief and distraction. Then Sir Pellias said to her, “Lady, what ails
thee that thou sorrowest so greatly?” Whereunto she made reply, “Sir, it
matters not, for thou canst not help me.” “How know ye that?” said Sir
Pellias, “I have a very good intention for to aid thee if it be possible
for me to do so.”
Then the lady looked more narrowly at Sir Pellias, and she perceived him
as though through a mist of sorrow. And she beheld that he was not clad
in armor, but only in a holiday attire of fine crimson cloth. Wherefore
she began sorrowing afresh, and that in great measure, for she deemed
that here was one who could give her no aid in her trouble. Wherefore
she said, “Sir, thy intentions are kind, but how canst thou look to give
me aid when thou hast neither arms nor defences for to help thee in
taking upon thee such a quarrel?” But Sir Pellias said, “Lady, I know
not how I may aid thee until that thou tellest me of thy sorrow. Yet I
have good hope that I may serve thee when I shall know what it is that
causes thee such disorder of mind.” Thereupon, still holding the horse
by the bridle, he brought the lady forward to that place where Parcenet
still sat beside the napkin spread with food with which they had been
refreshing themselves. And when he had come to that place, he, with all
gentleness, constrained the lady for to dismount from her horse. Then,
with equal gentleness, he compelled her to sit down upon the grass and