Tales of King Arthur and the Round Table, Adapted from the Book of Romance
General
Tales of King Arthur and the Round Table, Adapted from the Book of Romance
Arthur, King -- Legends; Arthurian romances -- Adaptations; Folklore -- England; Knights and knighthood -- Folklore
Then they paused for a while to rest, and afterwards the tournament
began again more fiercely than before, and Sir Lancelot was set upon by
two Knights at once. When Sir Gareth saw that, he rode in between them,
but no stroke would he deal Sir Lancelot, which Sir Lancelot noted, and
guessed that it was the good Knight Sir Gareth. Sir Gareth went hither
and thither, smiting any one that came in his way, and by fortune he met
with his brother Sir Gawaine, and knocked off his helmet. Now it
happened that while he was fighting a Knight dealt Sir Gareth a fierce
blow on his helm, and he rode off the field to mend it. Then his dwarf
who had been watching eagerly, cried out to Sir Gareth to leave the ring
with him, lest he should lose it while he was drinking, which Sir Gareth
did; and when he had drunk and mended his helm he forgot the ring, at
which the dwarf was glad, for he knew his name could no longer be hid.
And when Sir Gareth returned to the field, his armour shone yellow like
gold, and King Arthur marvelled what Knight he was, for he saw by his
hair that he was the same Knight who had worn the many colours. “Go,” he
said to his heralds, “ride near him and see what manner of Knight he is,
for none can tell me his name.” So a herald drew close to him, and saw
that on his helm was written in golden letters “This helm belongs to Sir
Gareth of Orkney”; and the herald cried out and made proclamation, and
the Kings and Knights pressed to behold him. And when Sir Gareth saw he
was discovered, he struck more fiercely than before, and smote down Sir
Sagramore, and his brother Sir Gawaine. “O brother,” said Sir Gawaine,
“I did not think you would have smitten me!” When Sir Gareth heard him
say that he rode out of the press, and cried to his dwarf, “Boy, you
have played me foul, for you have kept my ring. Give it to me now, that
I may hide myself,” and he galloped swiftly into the forest, and no one
knew where he had gone. “What shall I do next?” asked he of the dwarf.
“Sir,” answered the dwarf, “send the Lady Lyonesse back her ring.” “Your
counsel is good,” said Gareth; “take it to her, and commend me to her
grace, and say I will come when I may, and bid her to be faithful to me,
as I am to her.” After that Sir Gareth rode deeper into the forest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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