The Legends of King Arthur and His KnightsMalory, Thomas, Sir
General
The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights
Malory, Thomas, Sir
Arthur, King -- Legends; Arthurian romances -- Adaptations; Folklore -- England; Knights and knighthood -- Folklore
And after sailing awhile the ship stayed at a landing-place upon the coast
of Wales; and there Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan alighted, and on the
shore they met two knights, Sir Ector and Sir Bors. And Sir Ector
encountered with Sir Dinadan and smote him to the ground; but Sir Bors
would not encounter with Sir Tristram, "For," said he, "no Cornish knights
are men of worship." Thereat Sir Tristram was full wroth, but presently
there met them two more knights, Sir Bleoberis and Sir Driant; and Sir
Bleoberis proffered to joust with Sir Tristram, who shortly smote him
down.
"I had not thought," cried out Sir Bors, "that any Cornish knight could do
so valiantly."
Then Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan departed, and rode into a forest, and as
they rode a damsel met them, who for Sir Lancelot's sake was seeking any
noble knights to rescue him. For Queen Morgan le Fay, who hated him, had
ordered thirty men-at-arms to lie in ambush for him as he passed, with the
intent to kill him. So the damsel prayed them to rescue him.
Then said Sir Tristram, "Bring me to that place, fair damsel."
But Sir Dinadan cried out, "It is not possible for us to meet with thirty
knights! I will take no part in such a hardihood, for to match one or two
or three knights is enough; but to match fifteen I will never assay."
"For shame," replied Sir Tristram, "do but your part."
"That will I not," said he; "wherefore, I pray ye, lend me your shield,
for it is of Cornwall, and because men of that country are deemed cowards,
ye are but little troubled as ye ride with knights to joust with."
"Nay," said Sir Tristram, "I will never give my shield up for her sake who
gave it me; but if thou wilt not stand by me to-day I will surely slay
thee; for I ask no more of thee than to fight one knight, and if thy heart
will not serve thee that much, thou shalt stand by and look on me and
them."
"Would God that I had never met with ye!" cried Sir Dinadan; "but I
promise to look on and do all that I may to save myself."
Anon they came to where the thirty knights lay waiting, and Sir Tristram
rushed upon them, saying, "Here is one who fights for love of Lancelot!"
Then slew he two of them at the first onset with his spear, and ten more
swiftly after with his sword. At that Sir Dinadan took courage, and
assailed the others with him, till they turned and fled.
But Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan rode on till nightfall, and meeting with
a shepherd, asked him if he knew of any lodging thereabouts.
"Truly, fair lords," said he, "there is good lodging in a castle hard by,
but it is a custom there that none shall lodge therein save ye first joust
with two knights, and as soon as ye be within, ye shall find your match."
"That is an evil lodging," said Sir Dinadan; "lodge where ye will, I will
not lodge there."
"Shame on thee!" said Sir Tristram; "art thou a knight at all?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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