Then the Duke spake, 'This shame, O lady! alone hast thou won from me, Thou dost call thyself _Queen_ no longer; tho' thy title shall _Duchess_ be Little good hath that bargain brought me--So bold shall my manhood be, 365 That thy brother, King Lac's son Erec, for that cause beareth hate to thee: He is wise, and right well he knoweth that my fame so high shall stand That nothing shall stain mine honour, save at Prurein when his right hand In knightly joust once felled me, but that have I paid right well, In a joust at Karnant I smote him, and behind his steed he fell, 370 And his pledge did he yield unto me,--thro' his shield I thy token bare, I thought not, my wife Jeschuté, with _another_ thy love to share!' 'Thou mayst also well assure thee that the son of King Gandein, Proud Galoes, once lay lifeless before this arm of mine; And thou thyself wast witness when the Knight Plihopleheri 375 Rode swift in a joust against me, nor his strife it hath passed me by, My spear from the saddle thrust him that his charger he sat no more; Yea, great was the fame that I won me by my prowess in days of yore, Many knights have I borne from their chargers,--yet it profiteth not I ween, Nor outweigheth the bitter shaming that thro' thee hath my portion been!' 380 And with reason good do they hate me, those knights of the Table Round, Since eight of their bravest champions have I borne unto the ground, And many fair maidens saw it, when at Kanedig fierce we fought For the hawk; there was I the victor, and my hand fame to thee hath brought And that didst thou see with King Arthur--At his court doth she dwell to-day, 385 My sister, sweet Kunnewaaré, and grave is her mien alway, For her lips may not move to laughter till the day that her eyes shall light On him who of all shall be reckoned the fairest and bravest knight. Would he come unto me, that hero! Ah! then should a strife be seen As to-day in the early morning already my lot hath been. 390 I have fought, and a prince hath suffered, for joust he toward me sped, But my spear-point so sorely smote him that he lay there before me, dead!'