Sir Pelleas came to his pavilions, he told his knights and squires what had happened, and said to them, “For the good and true service you have done for me, I shall give you all my goods, for I am going to my bed and will never arise again until I am dead. When I am dead, I charge you to take the heart out of my body and bear it between two silver dishes to the Lady Ettard; tell her I saw her lie with that false knight Sir Gawain.” Then Pelleas unarmed and went to his bed, making great dole and sorrow.
Then Sir Gawain and Ettard awoke from their sleep and found the naked sword across their throats. She recognized it as the sword of Sir Pelleas.
“Alas!” she said. “Sir Gawain, you have betrayed Pelleas and me; if he had been as discourteous to you as you have been to him, you would be a dead knight. You have deceived me, and all ladies and damsels should beware and learn a lesson from what has happened with you and me.” At this, Sir Gawain made himself ready and went into the forest.
It so happened that the Damsel of the Lake, Nyneve, met a knight of Sir Pelleas who was traveling on foot in the forest, making great dole. She asked him why, and the woeful knight told her all about how his master and lord was betrayed by a knight and a lady, and how he had taken to his bed, intending to die.
“Take me to him,” she said immediately, “and I will save his life. He shall not die for love, and she who has caused him to love to the point of death will be put in the same evil situation as he before long. It is not right that such a proud lady would have no mercy on such a valiant knight.”
Then that knight brought her to Sir Pelleas, and when she saw him lying there she thought that she had never seen such a handsome man. She threw an enchantment on him so that he fell asleep. Then she rode to see the Lady Ettard, ordering that no man should awaken him until she returned. Within two hours, she brought the Lady Ettard thither, and both ladies found Pelleas asleep.
“Lo,” said the Damsel of the Lake, “you ought to be ashamed for murdering such a knight.” At that, she threw an enchantment on Ettard so that she loved him so much she was almost out of her mind.
“Ah, Lord Jesus!” said the Lady Ettard. “How has it happened that I now love him whom I hated most of any man alive?”
“That is the righteous judgment of God,” said the damsel.
Then Sir Pelleas awoke and looked on Ettard; when he saw her, he recognized her, and he hated her more than any woman living, saying, “Away, traitoress, and come never in my sight!” When she heard him say this, she wept and made great sorrow as if she were out of her mind.
“Sir knight, Pelleas,” said the Damsel of the Lake, “take your horse and go immediately out of this country, and you shall love a lady who will love you in return.”
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“I will gladly,” said Sir Pelleas, “for this lady Ettard has done me great wrong and shame.” Then he told her everything from beginning to end, and how he had intended never to rise from his bed again until he was dead. “And now God has sent me such grace that I hate her as much as I have loved her.”
“You have me to thank for that,” said Nyneve.
Then Sir Pelleas armed himself and got his horse, commanding his men to follow, bringing his pavilions and his goods in such manner as the Damsel of the Lake assigned them. So this lady Ettard died of sorrow, and the Damsel of the Lake rejoiced in Sir Pelleas’ company, and they loved each other all their lives.
14 The Adventure of Sir Marhalt
Now we turn to Sir Marhalt, who rode south with the thirty-year-old damsel. They came to a deep forest, and by fortune they were still traveling when it became night, and they rode far along a dark path. Finally they came to a yard, and there they asked for lodging. But the man of the yard would not lodge them for any sum; instead, he said, “If you will undertake the adventure of your lodging, I will bring you someplace where you may stay tonight.”
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“What adventure is that which I must do for my lodging?” said Sir Marhalt.
“You shall find out when you come there,” said the good man.
“Sir, whatever the adventure may be, please bring me there, for I, my damsel, and my horse are all weary.”
So the good man led them all down a lane, and within an hour he brought them to a fair castle. Then the poor man called to the porter, who let them into the castle. He told the lord that he had brought with him a knight-errant and damsel who wished to be lodged with him.
“Let him in,” said the lord, “but it may happen that he shall repent that they took their lodging here.” So Sir Marhalt was let in by torchlight, and there a great number of goodly men welcomed him. His horse was taken to the stable, and he and the damsel were brought into the hall, where stood a duke and many noblemen. The duke asked him his name, and from whence he came, and with whom he dwelled.
“Sir,” he said, “I am a knight of King Arthur, and a knight of the Round Table. My name is Sir Marhalt, and I was born in Ireland.”
“I am sorry to hear that,” said the duke, “for I do not love your lord nor any of your fellows at the Round Table. Therefore, enjoy yourself as you would like tonight, for tomorrow I and my six sons will all challenge you.”
“Is there no other option,” said Sir Marhalt, “except that I fight with you and your six sons at once?”
“No,” said the duke, “and for this reason. I made a vow when Sir Gawain slew my seventh son in an encounter; I vowed that I would never let a knight of King Arthur stay with me unless I would be able to avenge my son’s death.”
“What is your name?” said Sir Marhalt. “I ask that you tell me, if you please.”
“Know that I am the Duke of the South Marches.”
“Ah!” said Sir Marhalt. “I have heard it said that you have long been a foe to my lord King Arthur and his knights.”
“That you shall experience tomorrow,” said the duke, “if you live so long.”
“Shall I have ado with you?”
“Yes,” said the duke, “you do not get to choose. Therefore, take him to his chamber and let him have whatever he wishes.” So Sir Marhalt departed and was led to his chamber, and his damsel was led to her chamber.
In the morning the duke sent word to Marhalt to make himself ready. So Sir Marhalt rose and armed himself. Then he attended mass, broke his fast, and then mounted on horseback in the court of the castle where they would do battle.
The duke was already there on horseback, fully armed, and his six sons were with him, each with a spear in his hand. So they met in battle, and the duke and his sons broke their spears upon him, but Sir Marhalt held his spear aloft and did not touch any of them. Then the other four sons came at him in pairs, and two of them broke their spears, and then the other two did so. And all this while, Sir Marhalt did not touch them.
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Then Sir Marhalt ran at the duke and smote him down with his spear so that horse and man fell to the earth; he did the same to the sons. Then Sir Marhalt dismounted and bade the duke yield to him, or else he would slay him. Some of his sons then recovered, and
