Then again Sir Launcelot sighed, this time so deeply that his heart had been lifted from its strings within his bosom by that sigh. And with that sigh he closed his helmet, and reined in his horse and withdrew to that part of the field which was to be his assigned place of battle. [Sidenote: _Many view the battle._] Then many of the defenders of the castle came down to the walls of the castle and stood there, and looked down from those walls upon the two who stood so in array of battle. And King Arthur and many others came from the camp of the besiegers, and also stood them afar off to behold the battle, so that with those and with these who were there it was as good an assembly as any knights could have chosen in which to do battle. And the sun shone very clear and strong--yet not too strong. And the breeze blew very freely so that all the poplar trees around about the castle were turned white with its blowing, and the river that ran down past the castle was dusked and rippled by that wind, and all the reeds of the river bowed and dipped into the water thereof. So those two knights prepared themselves for the assault, making their armor in all ways tight and secure. Then when they were in all ways ready, they shouted to their horses and so sprang to the charge, galloping against one another with a noise like to the noise of thunder. So they met in the midst of the course and smote one another, in the centre of the other’s shield. And before that shock the spear of each was split into a great many very small pieces, even to the hand that held it. And each horse sank quivering back upon its haunches at the recoil of that blow, and would have fallen, were it not that the extraordinary address of the knight rider recovered his horse with spur and rein and voice. Then each knight cast aside the truncheon of his spear and drew his sword, and each rushed at the other very furiously and valiantly. Then each smote the other with great power and strength. [Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot faileth._] But though Sir Launcelot smote with all of his strength, yet Sir Gawaine smote with the strength of ten. So that Sir Launcelot was driven backward, and around and around in small circles, and in that assault he was altogether astonished at the fury and the strength of Sir Gawaine. For he wist not that Sir Gawaine had that strength of ten men, and he knew not that Sir Gawaine had taken that medicine to lend him that strength.