In the meanwhile Galahad blessed him, and entered therein; and then
next the gentlewoman, and then Sir Bors and Sir Percivale. And when
they were in, it was so marvellous fair and rich that they marvelled;
and in midst of the ship was a fair bed, and Galahad went thereto, and
found there a crown of silk. And at the feet was a sword, rich and
fair, and it was drawn out of the sheath half a foot and more; and the
sword was of divers fashions, and the pommel was of stone, and there
was in him all manner of colours that any man might find, and everych
of the colours had divers virtues; and the scales of the haft were of
two ribs of divers beasts, the one beast was a serpent which was
conversant in Calidone, and is called the Serpent of the fiend; and the
bone of him is of such a virtue that there is no hand that handleth him
shall never be weary nor hurt. And the other beast is a fish which is
not right great, and haunteth the flood of Euphrates; and that fish is
called Ertanax, and his bones be of such a manner of kind that who that
handleth them shall have so much will that he shall never be weary, and
he shall not think on joy nor sorrow that he hath had but only that
thing that he beholdeth before him. And as for this sword there shall
never man begrip him at the handles but one; but he shall pass all
other. In the name of God, said Percivale, I shall assay to handle it.
So he set his hand to the sword, but he might not begrip it. By my
faith, said he, now have I failed. Bors set his hand thereto and
failed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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