"And that long wood thou holdest? Tell me, and hide it not from me."
"Dost wish to know?"
"Yea, of a truth."
"'Tis a lance, this that I bear with me. Now have I told thee the truth of all thou hast required of me."
"Sir," quoth Tyolet, "I thank thee, and I would to God that I had also such vesture as thou hast, so fair and so comely; a coat and a coif and mantle even as thou wearest. Tell me, Knight-Beast, for the love of God and His fair Feast, if there be other beasts such as thou and as fair to look upon?"
"Of a truth," spake the knight, "I will shew thee more than a hundred such."
For as the tale telleth in a little space there came through the meadow two hundred armed knights, all of the king's court; they had even taken a stronghold at his command, and set it in fire and flames, and now they went their way homeward riding in three ranged squadrons.
The Knight-Beast spake to Tyolet and bade him come forward a little step and look beyond the river; and the lad did as he bade him, and saw the knights ride armed on their chargers; and cried aloud, "Now see the beasts who all bear coifs on their heads! Ne'er have I seen such a sight! If it please God and His fair Feast I too will be a Knight-Beast!"
Then the knight who stood on the bank of the river spake again and said: "Wilt thou be brave and valiant?"
"Yea, of a truth, I swear it to thee."