Now leave we of Sir Lamorak, and speak of Sir Gawaine’s brethren, and
specially of Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred. As they rode on their
adventures they met with a knight fleeing, sore wounded; and they asked
him what tidings. Fair knights, said he, here cometh a knight after me
that will slay me. With that came Sir Dinadan riding to them by
adventure, but he would promise them no help. But Sir Agravaine and Sir
Mordred promised him to rescue him. Therewithal came that knight
straight unto them, and anon he proffered to joust. That saw Sir
Mordred and rode to him, but he struck Mordred over his horse’s tail.
That saw Sir Agravaine, and straight he rode toward that knight, and
right so as he served Mordred so he served Agravaine, and said to them:
Sirs, wit ye well both that I am Breuse Saunce Pité, that hath done
this to you. And yet he rode over Agravaine five or six times. When
Dinadan saw this, he must needs joust with him for shame. And so
Dinadan and he encountered together, that with pure strength Sir
Dinadan smote him over his horse’s tail. Then he took his horse and
fled, for he was on foot one of the valiantest knights in Arthur’s
days, and a great destroyer of all good knights.
Then rode Sir Dinadan unto Sir Mordred and unto Sir Agravaine. Sir
knight, said they all, well have ye done, and well have ye revenged us,
wherefore we pray you tell us your name. Fair sirs, ye ought to know my
name, the which is called Sir Dinadan. When they understood that it was
Dinadan they were more wroth than they were before, for they hated him
out of measure because of Sir Lamorak. For Dinadan had such a custom
that he loved all good knights that were valiant, and he hated all
those that were destroyers of good knights. And there were none that
hated Dinadan but those that ever were called murderers. Then spake the
hurt knight that Breuse Saunce Pité had chased, his name was Dalan, and
said: If thou be Dinadan thou slewest my father. It may well be so,
said Dinadan, but then it was in my defence and at his request. By my
head, said Dalan, thou shalt die therefore, and therewith he dressed
his spear and his shield. And to make the shorter tale, Sir Dinadan
smote him down off his horse, that his neck was nigh broken. And in the
same wise he smote Sir Mordred and Sir Agravaine. And after, in the
quest of the Sangreal, cowardly and feloniously they slew Dinadan, the
which was great damage, for he was a great bourder and a passing good
knight.
And so Sir Dinadan rode to a castle that hight Beale-Valet. And there
he found Sir Palomides that was not yet whole of the wound that Sir
Lamorak gave him. And there Dinadan told Palomides all the tidings that
he heard and saw of Sir Tristram, and how he was gone with King Mark,
and with him he hath all his will and desire. Therewith Sir Palomides
waxed wroth, for he loved La Beale Isoud. And then he wist well that
Sir Tristram enjoyed her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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