The Junior Classics, Volume 4: Heroes and heroines of chivalry
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 4: Heroes and heroines of chivalry
Children's literature
cross and, seeing it, Percivale called to mind his vow, and, thinking
on it, he signed him with the cross on his forehead. Instantly, the
tent was overthrown and vanished in thick smoke; and she who had
appeared a lovely woman disappeared from his sight in semblance of a
fiend.
Then was Sir Percivale sore ashamed that almost he had yielded to the
temptings of the Evil One and earnestly he prayed that his sin might
be forgiven him. Thus he remained in prayer far into the night,
bewailing his weakness; and when the dawn appeared, a ship drew nigh
the land. Sir Percivale entered into it, but could find no one there;
so commending himself to God, he determined to remain thereon, and was
borne over the seas for many days, he knew not whither.
THE ADVENTURES OF SIR BORS
Retold by Beatrice Clay
Among the knights vowed to the Quest of the Holy Grail was Sir Bors,
one of the kin of Sir Launcelot, a brave knight and pious. He rode
through the forest many a day, making his lodging most often under a
leafy tree, though once on his journey he stayed at a castle, that he
might do battle for its lady against a felon knight who would have
robbed and oppressed her.
So, on a day, as he rode through the forest, Sir Bors came to the
parting of two ways. While he was considering which he should follow,
he espied two knights driving before them a horse on which was
stretched, bound and naked, none other than Sir Bors' own brother, Sir
Lionel; and, from time to time, the two false knights beat him with
thorns so that his body was all smeared with blood, but, so great was
his heart, Sir Lionel uttered never a word. Then, in great wrath, Sir
Bors laid his lance in rest and would have fought the felon knights to
rescue his brother, but that, even as he spurred his horse, there came
a bitter cry from the other path and, looking round, he saw a lady
being dragged by a knight into the darkest part of the forest where
none might find and rescue her. When she saw Sir Bors, she cried to
him: "Help me! sir knight, help me! I beseech you by your knighthood."
Then Sir Bors was much troubled, for he would not desert his brother;
but bethinking him that ever a woman must be more helpless than a man,
he wheeled his horse, rode upon her captor, and beat him to the
earth. The damsel thanked him earnestly and told him how the knight
was her own cousin, who had that day carried her off by craft from her
father's castle. As they talked, there came up twelve knights who had
been seeking the lady everywhere; so to their care Sir Bors delivered
her, and rode with haste in the direction whither his brother had been
borne. On the way, he met with an old man, dressed as a priest, who
asked him what he sought. When Sir Bors had told him, "Ah! Bors," said
he, "I can give you tidings indeed. Your brother is dead;" and
parting the bushes, he showed him the body of a dead man, to all
seeming Sir Lionel's self. Then Sir Bors grieved sorely, misdoubting
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account