Tales of King Arthur and the Round Table 6

Tales of King Arthur and the Round Table 6

So the Lady Lyonesse did as Sir Gareth had counselled her, and answered

King Arthur that where Sir Gareth was she could not tell, but that if

the King would call a tourney he might be sure that Sir Gareth would

come to it. "It is well thought of," said Arthur, and the Lady Lyonesse

departed unto Castle Perilous, and summoned all her Knights around her,

and told them what she had done, and how they were to make ready to

fight in the tournament. She began at once to set her castle in order,

and to think what she should do with the great array of Knights that

would ride hither from the furthest parts--from Scotland and Wales and

Cornwall--and to lodge fitly the Kings, Dukes, Earls, and Barons that

should come with Arthur. Queen Guenevere also she awaited, and the Queen

of Orkney, Sir Gareth's mother. But Sir Gareth entreated the Lady

Lyonesse and those Knights that were in the castle with him not to let

his name be known, and this they agreed to.

 

"Sir Gareth," said dame Lyonesse, "I will lend you a ring, which I

beseech you for the love you bear me to give me back when the tournament

is done, for without it I have but little beauty. This ring is like no

other ring, it will turn green red, and blue white, and the bearer shall

lose no blood, however sore he may be wounded."

 

"Truly, my own lady," answered Sir Gareth, "this ring will serve me

well, and by its help I shall not fear that any man shall know me." And

Sir Gringamore, brother to the Lady Lyonesse, gave him a bay horse, and

strong armour, and a sharp sword that had once belonged to his father.

On the morning of the fifteenth of August, when the Feast of the

Assumption was kept, the King commanded his heralds to blow loudly their

trumpets, so that every Knight might know that he must enter the lists.

It was a noble sight to see them flocking clad in shining armour, each

man with his device upon his shield. And the heralds marked who bare

them best, and who were overthrown. All marvelled as to who the Knight

could be whose armour sometimes seemed green, and sometimes white, but

no man knew it was Sir Gareth. And whosoever Sir Gareth tilted with was

straightway overthrown. "Of a truth," cried King Arthur, "that Knight

with the many colours is a good Knight," and he called Sir Lancelot and

bade him to challenge that Knight to combat. But Sir Lancelot said that

though the Knight had come off victor in every fight, yet his limbs must

be weary, for he had fought as a man fights under the eyes of his lady,

"and for this day," said Sir Lancelot, "he shall have the honour. Though

it lay in my power to put it from him, I would not."

 

Then they paused for a while to rest, and afterwards the tournament

began again more fiercely than before, and Sir Lancelot was set upon by

two Knights at once. When Sir Gareth saw that, he rode in between them,

but no stroke would he deal Sir Lancelot, which Sir Lancelot noted, and

guessed that it was the good Knight Sir Gareth. Sir Gareth went hither

and thither, smiting any one that came in his way, and by fortune he met

with his brother Sir Gawaine, and knocked off his helmet. Now it

happened that while he was fighting a Knight dealt Sir Gareth a fierce

blow on his helm, and he rode off the field to mend it. Then his dwarf

who had been watching eagerly, cried out to Sir Gareth to leave the ring

with him, lest he should lose it while he was drinking, which Sir Gareth

did; and when he had drunk and mended his helm he forgot the ring, at

which the dwarf was glad, for he knew his name could no longer be hid.

And when Sir Gareth returned to the field, his armour shone yellow like

gold, and King Arthur marvelled what Knight he was, for he saw by his

hair that he was the same Knight who had worn the many colours. "Go," he

said to his heralds, "ride near him and see what manner of Knight he is,

for none can tell me his name." So a herald drew close to him, and saw

that on his helm was written in golden letters "This helm belongs to Sir

Gareth of Orkney"; and the herald cried out and made proclamation, and

the Kings and Knights pressed to behold him. And when Sir Gareth saw he

was discovered, he struck more fiercely than before, and smote down Sir

Sagramore, and his brother Sir Gawaine. "O brother," said Sir Gawaine,

"I did not think you would have smitten me!" When Sir Gareth heard him

say that he rode out of the press, and cried to his dwarf, "Boy, you

have played me foul, for you have kept my ring. Give it to me now, that

I may hide myself," and he galloped swiftly into the forest, and no one

knew where he had gone. "What shall I do next?" asked he of the dwarf.

"Sir," answered the dwarf, "send the Lady Lyonesse back her ring." "Your

counsel is good," said Gareth; "take it to her, and commend me to her

grace, and say I will come when I may, and bid her to be faithful to me,

as I am to her." After that Sir Gareth rode deeper into the forest.

 

Though Sir Gareth had left the tournament he found that there were as

many fights awaiting him as if he had remained there. He overcame all

his foes, and sent them and their followers to do homage to King Arthur,

but he himself stayed behind. He was standing alone after they had gone,

when he beheld an armed Knight coming towards him. Sir Gareth sprang on

his horse, and without a word the two crashed together like thunder, and

strove hard for two hours, till the ground was wet with blood. At that

time the damsel Linet came riding by, and saw what was doing, and knew

who were the fighters. And she cried "Sir Gawaine, Sir Gawaine, leave

fighting with your brother Sir Gareth." Then he threw down his shield

and sword, and ran to Sir Gareth, and first took him in his arms and

next kneeled down and asked mercy of him. "Why do you, who were but now

so strong and mighty, so suddenly yield to me?" asked Sir Gareth, who

had not perceived the damsel. "O Gareth, I am your brother, and have had

much sorrow for your sake." At this Sir Gareth unlaced his helm and

knelt before Sir Gawaine, and they rose and embraced each other. "Ah, my

fair brother," said Sir Gawaine, "I ought rightly to do you homage, even

if you were not my brother, for in this twelvemonth you have sent King

Arthur more Knights than any six of the best men of the Round Table."

While he was speaking there came the Lady Linet, and healed the wounds

of Sir Gareth and of Sir Gawaine. "What are you going to do now?" asked

she. "It is time that King Arthur had tidings of you both, and your

horses are not fit to bear you."

 

"Ride, I pray you," said Sir Gawaine, "to my uncle King Arthur, who is

but two miles away, and tell him what adventure has befallen me." So she

mounted her mule, and when she had told her tale to King Arthur, he bade

them saddle him a palfrey and invited all the Knights and ladies of his

Court to ride with him. When they reached the place they saw Sir Gareth

and Sir Gawaine sitting on the hill-side. The King jumped off his horse,

and would have greeted them, but he swooned away for gladness, and they

ran and comforted him, and also their mother.

 

The two Knights stayed in King Arthur's Court for eight days, and rested

themselves and grew strong. Then said the King to Linet, "I wonder that

your sister, dame Lyonesse, does not come here to visit me, or more

truly to visit my nephew, Sir Gareth, who has worked so hard to win her

love."

 

"My lord," answered Linet, "you must, by your grace, hold her excused,

for she does not know that Sir Gareth is here."

 

"Go and fetch her, then," said Arthur.

 

"That I will do quickly," replied Linet, and by the next morning she had

brought dame Lyonesse, and her brother Sir Gringamore, and forty

Knights, but among the ladies dame Lyonesse was the fairest, save only

Queen Guenevere. They were all welcomed of King Arthur, who turned to

his nephew Sir Gareth and asked him whether he would have that lady to

his wife.

 

"My lord," replied Sir Gareth, "you know well that I love her above all

the ladies in the world."

 

"And what say you, fair lady?" asked the King.

 

"Most noble King," said dame Lyonesse, "I would sooner have Sir Gareth

as my husband than any King or Prince that may be christened, and if I

may not have him I promise you I will have none. For he is my first

love, and shall be my last. And if you will suffer him to have his will

and choice, I dare say he will have me."

 

"That is truth," said Sir Gareth.

 

"What, nephew," cried the King, "sits the wind in that door? Then you

shall have all the help that is in my power," and so said Gareth's

mother. And it was fixed that the marriage should be at Michaelmas, at

Kin-Kenadon by the seashore, and thus it was proclaimed in all places of

the realm. Then Sir Gareth sent his summons to all the Knights and

ladies that he had won in battle that they should be present, and he

gave a rich ring to the Lady Lyonesse, and she gave him one likewise.

And before she departed she had from King Arthur a shining golden bee,

as a token. After that Sir Gareth set her on her way towards her castle,

and returned unto the King. But he would ever be in Sir Lancelot's

company, for there was no Knight that Sir Gareth loved so well as Sir

Lancelot. The days drew fast to Michaelmas, and there came the Lady

Lyonesse with her sister Linet and her brother Sir Gringamore to

Kin-Kenadon by the sea, and there were they lodged by order of King

Arthur. And upon Michaelmas Day the Bishop of Canterbury wedded Sir

Gareth and the Lady Lyonesse with great ceremonies, and King Arthur

commanded that Sir Gawaine should be joined to the damsel Linet, and Sir

Agrawaine to the niece of dame Lyonesse, whose name was Laurel. Then the

Knights whom Sir Gareth had won in battle came with their followings and

did homage to him, and the Green Knight besought him that he might act

as chamberlain at the feast, and the Red Knight that he might be his

steward. As soon as the feast was ended, they had all manner of

minstrelsy and games and a great tournament that lasted three days, but

at the prayer of dame Lyonesse the King would not suffer that any man

who was wedded should fight at that feast.

 

 

 

 

HOW MORGAN LE FAY TRIED TO KILL KING ARTHUR.

 

 

King Arthur had a sister called Morgan le Fay, who was skilled in magic

of all sorts, and hated her brother because he had slain in battle a

Knight whom she loved. The better to gain her own ends, and to revenge

herself upon the King, she kept a smiling face, and let none guess the

passion in her heart.

 

One day Morgan le Fay went to Queen Guenevere, and asked her leave to go

into the country. The Queen wished her to wait till Arthur returned, but

Morgan le Fay said she had had bad news and could not wait. Then the

Queen let her depart without delay.

 

Early next morning at break of day Morgan le Fay mounted her horse and

rode all day and all night, and at noon next day reached the Abbey of

nuns where King Arthur had gone to rest, for he had fought a hard

battle, and for three nights had slept but little. "Do not wake him,"

said Morgan le Fay, who had come there knowing she would find him, "I

will rouse him myself when I think he has had enough sleep," for she

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