'Sir,' answered Galahad, 'no prayer availeth so much as yours.'
The next day Sir Lancelot made his way back to Camelot, where he found
King Arthur and Guenevere; but many of the Knights of the Round Table
were slain and destroyed, more than the half. All the Court was
passing glad to see Sir Lancelot, and the King asked many tidings of
his son Sir Galahad.
XI
HOW SIR GALAHAD FOUND THE GRAAL AND DIED OF
THAT FINDING
Sir Galahad rode on till he met Sir Percivale and afterwards Sir Bors,
whom they greeted most gladly, and they bare each other company. First
they came to the Castle of Carbonek, where dwelled King Pelles, who
welcomed them with joy, for he knew by their coming that they had
fulfilled the quest of the Graal. They then departed on other
adventures, and with the blood out of the Holy Lance Galahad anointed
the maimed King and healed him. That same night at midnight a voice
bade them arise and quit the castle, which they did, followed by three
Knights of Gaul. Then Galahad prayed every one of them that if they
reached King Arthur's Court they should salute Sir Lancelot his
father, and those Knights of the Round Table that were present, and
with that he left them, and Sir Bors and Sir Percivale with him. For
three days they rode till they came to a shore, and found a ship
awaiting them. And in the midst of it was the table of silver, and the
Holy Graal which was covered with red samite. Then were their hearts
right glad, and they made great reverence thereto, and Galahad prayed
that at what time he asked, he might depart out of this world. So long
he prayed that at length a voice said to him, 'Galahad, thou shalt
have thy desire, and when thou askest the death of the body thou shalt
have it, and shalt find the life of the soul.' Percivale likewise
heard the voice, and besought Galahad to tell him why he asked such
things. And Galahad answered, 'The other day when we saw a part of the
adventures of the Holy Graal, I was in such a joy of heart that
never did man feel before, and I knew well that when my body is dead
my soul shall be in joy of which the other was but a shadow.'
[Illustration: LANCELOT & THE DWARF.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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