The Story of King Arthur and his KnightsPyle, Howard
General
The Story of King Arthur and his Knights
Pyle, Howard
Arthur, King -- Legends; Arthurian romances -- Adaptations; Folklore -- England; Knights and knighthood -- Folklore
Now, as he made some noise in bestirring himself, there came forth from
that pavilion aforementioned a very hideous dwarf, who saluted him with
all civility and with high respect. Then Sir Accalon said to the dwarf,
“Sirrah, who are you?” Unto which the dwarf made answer, “Messire, I
belong unto the lady of yonder pavilion, and she hath sent me to bid you
welcome to this place, and to invite you in for to partake of a repast
with her.” “Ha!” quoth Sir Accalon, “and how was it I came hither?”
“Sir,” said the dwarf, “I do not know, but when we looked forth this
morning we saw you lying here by the fountain side.”
Then Sir Accalon made great marvel at that which had happened to him,
and by and by he said, “Who is thy lady?” To which the dwarf replied,
“She is hight the Lady Gomyne of the Fair Hair, and she will be
passingly glad of your company in her pavilion.”
[Sidenote: _Sir Accalon enters the pavilion of the Lady Gomyne._]
Upon this Sir Accalon arose, and, having laved himself at the fountain
and so refreshed himself, he went with the dwarf unto the pavilion of
that lady. And when he had come there he saw that in the centre of the
pavilion was a table of silver spread with a fair white cloth and
covered with very excellent food for a man to break his fast withal.
Now immediately Sir Accalon came into the pavilion, the curtains upon
the further side thereof were parted and there entered from a further
chamber a very beautiful lady and gave Sir Accalon welcome to that
place. And Sir Accalon said to her, “Lady, methinks thou art very civil
to invite me thus into thy pavilion.” “Nay, sir,” said the lady, “it
took no great effort to be civil unto a knight so worthy as thou.” Then
she said to Sir Accalon, “Sir, wilt thou sit here at the table with me
and break thy fast?”
At this Sir Accalon was very glad, for he was anhungered, and the beauty
of the lady pleased him a very great deal, wherefore it afforded him
great joy for to be in her company.
So they two sat at the table with a very cheerful and pleasant spirit
and the dwarf waited upon them.
Now after Sir Accalon and the Lady of the Pavilion had broken their
fasts she spake to him in this wise, “Sir knight, thou appearest to be a
very strong and worthy lord and one very well used to feats of arms and
to prowess in battle.”
To this Sir Accalon made reply, “Lady, it does not beseem me to bespeak
of my own worth, but this much I may freely say; I have engaged in
several affrays at arms in such measure as a knight with belt and spurs
may do, and I believe that both my friends and mine enemies have had
reason to say that I have at all times done my devoirs to the best of my
powers.”
Then the damoiselle said, “I believe you are a very brave and worthy
knight, and being such you might be of service to a good worthy knight
who is in sad need of such service as one knight may render unto
another.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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