“Dwarf,” said the lady, “I am glad of these things. Go thou unto my sister and greet her well and commend me unto that gentle knight and pray him to eat and to drink and make him strong, and say ye that I thank him for his courtesy and goodness.” So the dwarf departed and told Sir Beaumains all as ye have heard and returned to the castle again. And there met him the Red Knight of the Red Lands and asked him where he had been. “Sir,” said the dwarf, “I have been with my lady’s sister of this castle, and she hath been at King Arthur’s court and brought a knight with her.” “Then I count her labor but lost, for though she had brought with her Sir Lancelot, Sir Tristam, Sir Lamorak, or Sir Gawain, I would think myself good enough for them all.” “It may well be,” said the dwarf, “but this knight hath passed all the perilous passages and slain the Black Knight and won the Green Knight, the Red Knight, and the Blue Knight.” “Then is he one of the four that I have named.” “He is none of those,” said the dwarf. “What is his name?” said the Red Knight. “That will I not tell you,” said the dwarf. “I care not,” said the Red Knight, “what knight soever he be, he shall have a shameful death as many others have had.” And then Beaumains and the damsel came to a plain and saw many tents and a fair castle and there was much smoke and great noise and as they came near they saw upon great trees there hung nigh forty goodly armed knights. “Fair sir,” said the damsel, “all these knights came to this siege to rescue my sister, and when the Red Knight of the Red Lands had overcome them, he put them to this shameful death without mercy or pity.” “Truly,” said Beaumains, “he useth shameful customs and it is marvel that none of the noble knights of my lord Arthur have dealt with him.” And there was near by a sycamore tree and there hung a horn and this Red Knight had hanged it up there, that if there came any errant knight he must blow that horn and then he would make him ready and come to him to do battle. “Sir, I pray you,” said the damsel, “blow ye not the horn till it be high noon, for his strength increaseth until noon, and at this time men say he hath seven men’s strength.” “Ah, for shame, fair damsel, say ye so never more to me, for I will win honorably, or die knightly in the field.” Therewith he blew the horn so eagerly that the castle rang with the sound. Then the Red Knight armed him hastily and all was blood red, his armor, spear, and shield. “Sir,” said the damsel, “yonder is your deadly enemy and at yonder window is my sister.” With that the Red Knight of the Red Lands called to Sir Beaumains, “Sir knight, I warn thee that for this lady I have done many strong battles.” “If thou have so done,” said Beaumains, “it was but waste labor, and know, thou Red Knight of the Red Lands, I will rescue her or die.” Then Sir Beaumains bade the damsel go from him, and then they put their spears in their rests and came together with all their might.