Thus the lad won the gift he craved for, which many perforce must rue, And young and old they followed, as forth from the hall he flew. 645 By the hand would Iwanet lead him, 'fore a bower that was none too high, And backward and forward turning the lad gazed with eager eye. And the bower was so low that within it the lad he both heard and saw, And therefrom did he win a sorrow that vexed him with torment sore. The queen from her bower window to look on the sight was fain, 650 And her knights and maidens round her they gazed and they gazed again. And the maiden Kunnewaaré she sat there, the fair and proud, And never, that man might wot of, had she laughed or low or loud. For never she vowed, an she died first, would she laugh ere her eyes might see That knight, who of knights the bravest or was, or henceforth should be. 655 As the lad rode beneath the window she brake into laughter sweet, And her back was sore from the guerdon--reward for a maid unmeet! For Kay the Seneschal seized her, the maiden of fair Lalande, By her waving hair, and the tresses he wound fast around his hand, Without a band he bound her--Tho' never an oath she sware 660 His staff he laid unknightly on her maiden shoulders fair, And ere ever the sound of the smiting on the ear had died away Thro' white skin and royal raiment had he wounded the maid that day. And thus did he speak in his folly, 'Now hast thou thine own fair fame Cast aside, and I wot thou hast done it to thine own mending shame! 665 Now see, e'en in flight have I caught it, and I bring it to thee once more In such wise thou mayst well remember, and be e'en in the memory sore: For I wot well unto King Arthur, to his court and his palace hall Many gallant men have ridden, yet hast thou despised them all, And ne'er hast thou smiled upon them--And now doth thy laughter ring 670 For one knowing naught of knighthood! Unseemly I deem this thing!' Now whate'er might be done in anger I wot well no king's decree Had bid him thus smite the maiden; and her friends mourned her bitterly. (Might she bear knightly shield and armour it had helped not this sore disgrace, Discourteous the blows were smitten.) She came of a royal race, 675 Had her gallant brothers seen it, Lähelein and Orilus Far fewer blows had fallen; she ne'er had been smitten thus.