Tales of King Arthur and the Round Table 4

Tales of King Arthur and the Round Table 4

"Sir, this is my petition for this feast, for the other two I will ask

after. Give me meat and drink for this one twelvemonth." "Well," said

the king, "you shall have meat and drink enough, for that I give to

every man, whether friend or foe. But tell me your name!"

 

"I cannot tell you that," answered he. "That is strange," replied the

King, "but you are the goodliest young man I ever saw," and, turning to

Sir Kay, the steward, charged him to give the young man to eat and drink

of the best, and to treat him in all ways as if he were a lord's son.

"There is little need to do that," answered Sir Kay, "for if he had come

of gentlemen and not of peasants he would have asked of you a horse and

armour. But as the birth of a man is so are his requests. And seeing he

has no name I will give him one, and it shall be Beaumains, or

Fair-hands, and he shall sit in the kitchen and eat broth, and at the

end of a year he shall be as fat as any pig that feeds on acorns." So

the young man was left in charge of Sir Kay, that scorned and mocked

him.

 

Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawaine were wroth when they heard what Sir Kay

said, and bade him leave off his mocking, for they believed the youth

would turn out to be a man of great deeds; but Sir Kay paid no heed to

them, and took him down to the great hall, and set him among the boys

and lads, where he ate sadly. After he had finished eating both Sir

Lancelot and Sir Gawaine bade him come to their room, and would have had

him eat and drink there, but he refused, saying he was bound to obey Sir

Kay, into whose charge the King had given him. So he was put into the

kitchen by Sir Kay, and slept nightly with the kitchen boys. This he

bore for a whole year, and was always mild and gentle, and gave hard

words to no one. Only, whenever the Knights played at tourney he would

steal out and watch them. And Sir Lancelot gave him gold to spend, and

clothes to wear, and so did Gawaine. Also, if there were any games held

whereat he might be, none could throw a bar nor cast a stone as far as

he by two good yards.

 

Thus the year passed by till the feast of Whitsuntide came again, and

this time the king held it at Carlion. But King Arthur would eat no meat

at Whitsuntide till some adventures were told him, and glad was he when

a squire came and said to him, "Sir you may go to your food, for here is

a damsel with some strange tales." At this the damsel was led into the

hall, and bowed low before the King, and begged he would give her help.

"For whom?" asked the King, "and what is the adventure?" "Sir," answered

she, "my sister is a noble lady of great fame, who is besieged by a

tyrant, and may not get out of her castle. And it is because your

Knights are said to be the noblest in all the world that I came to you

for aid." "What is your sister's name, and where does she dwell? And who

is the man that besieges her, and where does he come from?" "Sir King,"

answered she, "as for my sister's name, I cannot tell it you now, but

she is a lady of great beauty and goodness, and of many lands. As for

the tyrant who besieges her, he is called the Red Knight of the Red

Lawns." "I know nothing of him," said the King. "But I know him," cried

Sir Gawaine, "and he is one of the most dangerous Knights in the world.

Men say he has the strength of seven, and once when we had crossed

swords I hardly escaped from him with my life." "Fair damsel," then said

the King, "there are many Knights here who would go gladly to the rescue

of your lady, but none of them shall do so with my consent unless you

will tell us her name, and the place of her castle." "Then I must speak

further," said the damsel. But before she had made answer to the King up

came Beaumains, and spoke to Arthur, saying, "Sir King, I thank you that

for this whole year I have lived in your kitchen, and had meat and

drink, and now I will ask you for the two gifts that you promised me on

this day." "Ask them," answered the King. "Sir, these shall be my two

gifts. First grant me the adventure of this damsel, for it is mine by

right." "You shall have it," said the King. "Then, Sir, you shall bid

Sir Lancelot du Lake to make me Knight, for I will receive Knighthood at

the hands of no other." "All this shall be done," said the King. "Fie on

you," cried the damsel, "will you give me none but a kitchen boy to

rescue my lady?" and she went away in a rage, and mounted her horse.

 

No sooner had she left the hall than a page came to Beaumains and told

him that a horse and fair armour had been brought for him, also there

had arrived a dwarf carrying all things that a Knight needed. And when

he was armed there were few men that were handsomer than he, and the

Court wondered greatly whence these splendid trappings had come. Then

Beaumains came into the hall, and took farewell of the King, and Sir

Gawaine and Sir Lancelot, and prayed Sir Lancelot that he would follow

after him. So he departed, and rode after the damsel. Many looked upon

him and marvelled at the strength of his horse, and its golden

trappings, and envied Beaumains his shining coat of mail; but they noted

that he had neither shield nor spear. "I will ride after him," laughed

Sir Kay, "and see if my kitchen boy will own me for his better." "Leave

him and stay at home," said Sir Gawaine and Sir Lancelot, but Sir Kay

would not listen and sprang upon his horse. Just as Beaumains came up

with the damsel, Sir Kay reached Beaumains, and said, "Beaumains, do you

not know me?"

 

Beaumains turned and looked at him, and answered, "Yes, I know you for

an ill-mannered Knight, therefore beware of me." At this Sir Kay put his

spear in rest and charged him, and Beaumains drew his sword and charged

Sir Kay, and dashed aside the spear, and thrust him through the side,

till Sir Kay fell down as if he had been dead, and Beaumains took his

shield and spear for himself. Then he sprang on his own horse, bidding

first his dwarf take Sir Kay's horse, and rode away. All this was seen

by Sir Lancelot, who had followed him, and also by the damsel. In a

little while Beaumains stopped, and asked Sir Lancelot if he would tilt

with him, and they came together with such a shock that both the horses

and their riders fell to the earth and were bruised sorely. Sir Lancelot

was the first to rise, and he helped Beaumains from his horse, and

Beaumains threw his shield from him, and offered to fight on foot. And

they rushed together like wild boars, turning and thrusting and parrying

for the space of an hour, and Sir Lancelot marvelled at the young man's

strength, and thought he was more like a giant than a Knight, and

dreading lest he himself should be put to shame, he said: "Beaumains, do

not fight so hard, we have no quarrel that forbids us to leave off."

"That is true," answered Beaumains, laying down his arms, "but it does

me good, my lord, to feel your might." "Well," said Sir Lancelot, "I

promise you I had much ado to save myself from you unshamed, therefore

have no fear of any other Knight." "Do you think I could really stand

against a proved Knight?" asked Beaumains. "Yes," said Lancelot, "if you

fight as you have fought to-day I will be your warrant against any one."

"Then I pray you," cried Beaumains, "give me the order of knighthood."

"You must first tell me your name," replied Lancelot, "and who are your

kindred." "You will not betray me if I do?" asked Beaumains. "No, that I

will never do, till it is openly known," said Lancelot. "Then, Sir, my

name is Gareth, and Sir Gawaine is my brother." "Ah, Sir," cried

Lancelot, "I am more pleased with you than ever. I was sure you came of

good blood, and that you did not come to the Court for meat and drink

only." And he bade him kneel, and gave him the order of knighthood.

After that Sir Gareth wished to go his own ways, and departed. When he

was gone, Sir Lancelot went back to Sir Kay and ordered some men that

were by to bear him home on a shield, and in time his wounds were

healed; but he was scorned of all men, and especially of Sir Gawaine and

Sir Lancelot, who told him it was no good deed to treat any young man

so, and no one could tell what his birth might be, or what had brought

him to the Court.

 

[Illustration: Faugh Sir! You Smell of Y^e Kitchen / Gareth & Linet]

 

Then Beaumains rode after the damsel, who stopped when she saw him

coming. "What are you doing here?" said she. "Your clothes smell of the

grease and tallow of the kitchen! Do you think to change my heart

towards you because of yonder Knight whom you slew? No, truly! I know

well who you are, you turner of spits! Go back to King Arthur's kitchen,

which is your proper place." "Damsel," replied Beaumains, "you may say

to me what you will, but I shall not quit you whatever you may do, for I

have vowed to King Arthur to relieve the lady in the castle, and I shall

set her free or die fighting for her." "Fie on you, Scullion," answered

she. "You will meet with one who will make you such a welcome that you

would give all the broth you ever cooked never to have seen his face."

"I shall do my best to fight him," said Beaumains, and held his peace.

 

Soon they entered the wood, and there came a man flying towards them,

galloping with all his might. "Oh, help! help! lord," cried he, "for my

master lies in a thicket, bound by six thieves, and I greatly fear they

will slay him." "Show me the way," said Sir Beaumains, and they rode

together till they reached the place where the Knight lay bound. Then

Sir Beaumains charged the six thieves, and struck one dead, and another,

and another still, and the other three fled, not liking the battle. Sir

Beaumains pursued them till they turned at bay, and fought hard for

their lives; but in the end Sir Beaumains slew them, and returned to the

Knight and unbound him. The Knight thanked Beaumains heartily for his

deliverance, and prayed him to come to his castle, where he would reward

him. "Sir," said Beaumains, "I was this day made Knight by noble Sir

Lancelot, and that is reward enough for anything I may do. Besides, I

must follow this damsel." But when he came near her she reviled him as

before, and bade him ride far from her. "Do you think I set store by

what you have done? You will soon see a sight that will make you tell a

very different tale." At this the Knight whom Beaumains had rescued rode

up to the damsel, and begged that she would rest in his castle that

night, as the sun was now setting. The damsel agreed, and the Knight

ordered a great supper, and gave Sir Beaumains a seat above the seat of

the damsel, who rose up in anger. "Fie! fie! Sir Knight," cried she,

"you are uncourteous to set a mere kitchen page before me; he is not fit

to be in the company of highborn people." Her words struck shame into

the Knight, and he took Beaumains and set him at a side table, and

seated himself before him.

 

In the early morning Sir Beaumains and the damsel bade farewell to the

Knight, and rode through the forest till they came to a great river,

where stood two Knights on the further side, guarding the passage.

"Well, what do you say now?" asked the damsel. "Will you fight them or

turn back?" "I would not turn if there were six more of them," answered

Sir Beaumains, and he rushed into the water and so did one of the

Knights. They came together in the middle of the stream, and their

spears broke in two with the force of the charge, and they drew their

swords, hitting hard at each other. At length Sir Beaumains dealt the

other Knight such a blow that he fell from his horse, and was drowned in

the river. Then Beaumains put his horse at the bank, where the second

Knight was waiting for him, and they fought long together, till Sir

Beaumains clave his helmet in two. So he left him dead, and rode after

the damsel.

 

[Illustration: LINET AND THE BLACK KNIGHT]