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
Thus did these bright-armed knights who wandered errant through the
world in those days refresh themselves, and so were they received and
entertained by the people whom they met. Thus have I told you of that so
that you might know thereof.
That evening, after the sun had set, and the soft and starry night had
descended upon the earth like a sparkling coverlet of darkness, very
damp and warm, Sir Galahad found himself in a wide moorland, and he wist
not where he should sleep.
So at last the moon arose, shining very brightly and tranquilly, and by
the light thereof Sir Galahad perceived before him a small chapel. And
he said to himself, “Here will I lodge me for the night.”
[Sidenote: _Sir Galahad lodges at a chapel._]
So Sir Galahad rode up to the door of the chapel and he smote very
loudly upon the boards of the door with the handle of his misericordia.
Anon there came the recluse to whom that chapel belonged, and when he
beheld Sir Galahad standing there he bade him to enter. So Sir Galahad
entered the chapel, and after the recluse had put the horse of Sir
Galahad into the stable nigh to the chapel, he came to where the knight
was, and set before him some broth and some pulse, together with some
freshly gathered fruit, and Sir Galahad ate thereof with great
heartiness.
[Sidenote: _There cometh a lady to the chapel._]
Now, whilst Sir Galahad sat there eating, there came another knock upon
the door, and when the recluse went to open it, he beheld standing there
a very beautiful lady clad all in white, and with her dark hair bound
around with a ribbon of silver. And the lady was mounted upon a
cream-white jennet, and the saddle of the jennet was of crimson Spanish
leather, embossed and studded with plates and buttons of silver.
When the door was opened, the lady said to the recluse, “Sir, I pray you
tell me, is there here within a knight hight Galahad?”
This heard Sir Galahad, and hearing it he arose and came forward, and he
said, “Lady, I am Galahad. What would you have of me?”
She said, “Sir, I pray you to come and ride with me and I will lead you
to such an adventure as you have never had in all of your life before.”
Quoth he, “Where is that adventure?” She said to him, “It is not very
far distant from here. But I cannot tell you more than that.” Sir
Galahad said, “Whither would you lead me?” She said, “Come and I will
show you.”
So Sir Galahad went back into the chapel and armed himself, and the
recluse brought forth his horse out of the stable. And anon Sir Galahad,
being in all ways armed, came forth out of the hermitage and mounted his
horse.
Immediately he was mounted the lady drew rein and turned, and rode away
from that place, and Sir Galahad followed her.
[Sidenote: _The lady and Sir Galahad ride together._]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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