The Story of the Grail and the Passing of ArthurPyle, Howard
General
The Story of the Grail and the Passing of Arthur
Pyle, Howard
Arthur, King -- Legends; Arthurian romances -- Adaptations; Folklore -- England; Grail -- Legends; Knights and knighthood -- Folklore
So there were many battles around about Chillion and many lost their
lives. And though the knights of King Arthur lost more lives than did
the knights of Sir Launcelot, yet they could better afford to lose those
lives because new knights were constantly coming from Britain to
replenish the army of King Arthur, but no new knights were coming to the
army of Sir Launcelot, wherefore his losses were not replenished to him.
* * * * *
Now at that time there was a very wise and learned physician in the camp
of King Arthur, and one day Sir Gawaine sent for this learned man to
come to him. When that wise man stood before Sir Gawaine, Sir Gawaine
said to him this, “Sir, can you not produce for me a lotion that shall
render me free from all wounds of any sort?”
[Sidenote: _The wise man provides medicine for Sir Gawaine._]
Quoth the wise man, “Sir, this is impossible. But I can give to you a
medicine of this sort, that if you take it, you will, from the ninth
hour of morning until the prime of noon, have the strength in your limbs
and in your arms as of ten men.” Sir Gawaine laughed, and said, “Provide
me then with that medicine.”
So the wise man prepared that medicine and gave it to Sir Gawaine, and
so it was for him as that physician had promised. For from the ninth
hour of the morning until the prime of noon, Sir Gawaine was uplifted in
arm and body to the strength of ten men.
[Sidenote: _Sir Gawaine giveth challenge against Sir Launcelot._]
So the next day after this medicine had been delivered to him, Sir
Gawaine went to the walls of the castle and he paraded under the walls
of the castle, and he called out, “Sir Launcelot, come forth and do me
battle. For this satisfaction thou owest to me for slaying my kindred.”
But Sir Launcelot would not come forth to do him battle. For Sir
Launcelot still loved Sir Gawaine and he loved King Arthur; both for the
sake of those times that were past and gone, when they had joy and
pleasure together. So because that the one was Sir Gawaine and the other
was King Arthur, he would not come forth to do battle. Nay, because of
his love for those two, Sir Launcelot would not fight in that part of
the battle where Sir Gawaine or King Arthur was, but would do battle at
other parts.
But when the next day had come, Sir Gawaine came again and the strength
of ten men was in his arms and his body. And he paraded back and forth
under the walls of the castle, and ever as he paraded he cried out
aloud, “Sir Launcelot, thou caitiff knight! Come forth and do me battle!
For thy doom is upon thee, and thou shalt die in this war; wherefore,
come and do me battle, or else announce that thou art afraid of me.”
But still Sir Launcelot would not go forth against him, but he sat in
the castle and groaned for sorrow and bitterness of spirit. Then Sir
Ector came to Sir Launcelot, and he said, “Kinsman, suffer me that I go
forth and do battle in thy behalf; for this man sharneth us by this
challenge.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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