Stories of the Days of King Arthur

by Charles Henry Hanson

At this Sir Lancelot was well pleased. Now the old knight had a daughter that was exceedingly beautiful, so that she was called the Fair Maid of Astolat; and when she saw Sir Lancelot she loved him exceedingly; but his heart was ever set on Queen Guenever, and he returned not the maiden’s love. Still, being courteous to all ladies, he was ever gentle with her; and she was so emboldened that she entreated him to wear her token at the tournament.

“Fair damsel,” said he, “if I grant you that, I shall have done more for you than I did ever for any lady before.” Then he bethought him that he did not wish to be known at the tournament, and that if he bore the damsel’s token none would think it was he; so he granted her request. And she brought him a sleeve of red cloth embroidered with pearls; and he put it on his helm, and gave her his shield to keep for him till he came again for it.

So Lancelot departed to the tournament, and there he did great deeds against King Arthur’s knights, and he put back all the fellowship of the Round Table; and Sir Lavaine supported him mightily. But by mischance Sir Bors hurt Sir Lancelot sore with a spear, which went into his side and broke, and the spearhead remained in the wound. Then the tournament ended for the day; and because Sir Lancelot’s name was not known, the prize was adjudicated to the knight who wore the red sleeve. But Sir Lancelot suffered so sorely from his wound that he withdrew secretly from the crowd with Sir Lavaine; and when they were come to a quiet place he bade Sir Lavaine draw out the spear-head When that was done, he bled so much that he swooned away; but at last he recovered so far as to be able to ride to a hermitage near by, where the hermit tended him carefully, and having in old days been himself a knight, he knew him for Sir Lancelot. In the meantime, there was great grief with King Arthur and the knights at Camelot that they could not find the knight with the red sleeve, and all of them dispersed to seek for him. Now it chanced that in the search Sir Gawaine lodged with Sir Bernard at Astolat, and the damsel Elaine asked him how the tournament had gone. Then he told her of the great exploits that had been achieved by the knight with the red sleeve.

“Right thankful am I,” quoth Elaine, “that the good knight sped so well; for he is the man that I first loved, and the only man that ever I shall love.”

“Fair lady,” said Gawaine, “is that knight your love?”

“Certainly,” she answered, “he is my love.”

“Do you know his name?” asked Gawaine.

“I know not his name,” said Elaine, “for he would never tell it; but he left here his shield in my keeping, and took my brother’s in its stead, so that he might not be known.”

Then Gawaine asked to look at the shield; and when he saw it, he knew it for Sir Lancelot’s. Then he marvelled, because before that time he had never known Lancelot bear any lady’s token; and he told Elaine who the knight was, and that he had been sore wounded. Thereupon she asked leave of her father to go forth and seek him and her brother Sir Lavaine. But Sir Gawaine went to London, and there openly he declared all that he had learned concerning Lancelot and the maid of Astolat. Thereat was Queen Guenever greatly angered, and she declared to Sir Bors that Lancelot was a false traitor. But Sir Bors set forth to seek him.

In the meanwhile the damsel Elaine rode to Camelot, and there she saw her brother Sir Lavaine that had come out to exercise his horse. So she caused him to bring her to the hermitage where Sir Lancelot lay; and when she saw him lying all pale and wasted on his bed, she swooned for sorrow. When she came to herself, he comforted her, and asked her how she came to know his name. And she told him how Sir Gawaine had seen his shield. “Alas!” said Lancelot, “I repent sorely that my name is known, for that will lead to trouble.” Then Elaine never left Lancelot, but nursed him night and day. After a long while he was whole of his wound, and made ready to depart. So Elaine said to him, “My lord Sir Lancelot, as you are a fair and courteous knight, have mercy on me, and suffer me not to die for your love.”