small tricks that he has done. He will prove to be as noble a knight of prowess as are few men alive today. He will be noble and courteous with good qualities and true to his word, and he shall never commit outrage.” Because of Merlin’s words, King Arthur gave Sir Tor an earldom and lands, and here ends the quest of Sir Tor, King Pellinore’s son.
9 The Adventure of King Pellinore
Then King Pellinore armed himself and mounted his horse. He rode some distance after the lady that the knight had led away, and as he was riding through the forest he saw in a valley a damsel sitting by a well with a wounded knight in her arms.
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King Pellinore called out and greeted her, and when she was aware of him, she cried out loudly and said, “Help me, knight, for Jesus’ sake!” But King Pellinore would not stop, he was so eager to pursue his quest, even though she cried out for help a hundred times.
When she saw he would not stop, she prayed to God to put him in a position where he would need as much help as she did, so that he might feel as she felt before he died. Then, as the book tells, the wounded knight died, and the lady killed herself with his sword out of grief.
As King Pellinore was riding in that valley he met a poor man, a laborer, and asked him, “Have you seen a knight riding this way with a lady?”
“Yes, sir,” said the man. “I saw that knight with a lady who was making great dole. Yonder in the valley you shall see two pavilions; one of the knights of the pavilions challenged the knight for that lady, saying that she was his close cousin, and so he would not allow him to lead her any further. So they fought over that—one said that he would have her by force, and the other said that he had the right to oversee her, for he was her kinsman and would have brought her to her kin. So I left them fighting in this quarrel, and if you ride a short distance you will find them fighting, and the lady will be in the pavilions with two squires attending her.”
“By God, thank you!” said King Pellinore. Then he rode a distance until he had sight of the two pavilions and the two knights fighting. He rode up to the pavilions and saw that the lady who was his quest was there, and he said, “Fair lady, you must go with me to the court of King Arthur.”
“Sir knight,” said the two squires, “yonder are two knights who fight for this lady. Go out there and separate them, and if you can reach an agreement with them, then you may have her as you like.”
“You say well,” said King Pellinore. Then he rode out between them and parted them, and asked them why they fought.
“Sir knight,” said one, “I shall tell you. This lady is my close kinswoman, my aunt’s daughter, and when I heard her complain that she was with this knight against her will, I challenged him to a battle.”
“Sir knight,” said the other one, whose name was Outlake of Wentland, “I took this lady by the prowess of my hands and weapons today at Arthur’s court.”
“That is not true,” said King Pellinore, “for you entered suddenly when we were all at the high feast and took away this lady before any man could make himself ready to challenge you. It was made my quest to bring her back and you as well, or else that one of us should die contesting over her. Therefore, this lady shall go with me, or else I will die in the attempt to take her, for I have promised King Arthur to do so. Therefore, fight no more, for neither of you shall have her at this time. And if you wish to fight me for her, I will defend her.”
“Well,” said the knights, “prepare yourself, and we shall assail you with all our power.” And as King Pellinore moved to put his horse away from him, Sir Outlake ran his horse through with his sword and said, “Now you are afoot, as are we.”
When King Pellinore saw that his horse was slain, he quickly leapt off the horse, pulled out his sword, raised his shield in front of him, and said, “Knight, guard yourself well; you shall have a serious buffet for the slaying of my horse.” So King Pellinore gave him such a stroke upon the helmet that he split his head down to the chin, and the knight fell down dead to the earth.
Then he turned to the other knight, who was sorely wounded; when he saw the blow King Pellinore gave to Sir Outlake, he would not fight, but rather kneeled down and said, “Take my cousin, this lady, with you, as that is your quest; but I require you, as you are a true knight, that you put her to no shame nor villainy.”
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“What?” said King Pellinore. “Will you not fight for her?”
“No,” said the knight, “I will not fight with a knight of such prowess as you.”
“Well,” said King Pellinore, “I promise you she will have no villainy from me, as I am a true knight. But now I am lacking a horse,” said King Pellinore, “so I will take Outlake’s horse.”
“Sir, you do not need to do that,” said the knight, “for I shall give you a horse that will please you greatly if you will lodge with me tonight, for it is almost dark.”
“I will gladly,” said King Pellinore, “abide with you tonight.” And that night he had good cheer and the best food and wine, and had a good rest that night.
In the morning they heard mass and ate. A fair bay courser was brought to him, and King Pellinore’s saddle was set upon the horse. “Now what shall I call you,” said the knight, “you who have charge of my cousin in order to complete your quest?”
“Sir, I shall tell you: my name is King Pellinore, King of the Isles, and knight of the Round Table.”
“Now I am glad,” said the knight, “that such a noble man should be in charge of my cousin.”
“Now what is your name?” said King Pellinore. “I pray you, tell me.”
“Sir, my name is Meliot de Logres, and this lady, my cousin, is called Nyneve. This knight that was in the other pavilion was my sworn brother, a very good knight, and his name is Brian of the Isles; he is loath to do any wrong or fight with any man unless he is sorely pressed.”
“It is a marvel,” said King Pellinore, “that he would not have ado with me.”
“Sir, he will not have ado with any man unless it is at his own request.”
“I pray you, bring him to court one of these days,” said King Pellinore.
“Sir, we will come together.”
“You shall be welcome,” said King Pellinore, “to the court of King Arthur, and you shall be well-regarded for your coming.”
So he departed with the lady and brought her toward Camelot. But as they rode through a valley which was full of stones, the lady’s horse stumbled and threw her down. Her arm was so hurt that she almost fainted from the pain.
“Alas!” said the lady, “my arm is dislocated; I need to rest.”
“So we shall,” said King Pellinore. So he dismounted under a tree where there was some grass to which he set his horse to grazing. They rested there under a tree and slept until it was almost night.
When they awoke he would have ridden on, but the lady said, “You may as well ride backward as forward, it is so dark!” So they stayed there and settled in for the night, and King Pellinore
