Thus piteously died Balin le Savage, who was as good a knight as any that lived in his days, and a man of great nobleness, but who ever brought sorrow to others and to himself after he had kept the sword which he achieved before King Arthur.
CHAPTER IV. THE ADVENTURE OF THE THE HART, THE HOUND, AND THE LADY
THE lady Guenever having come to Camelot, the king was wedded to her with great solemnity at the Church of St. Stephen there. He had caused it to be proclaimed through all the land that on the day of his marriage he would give to any man any gift that he might ask that was within his means and not unreasonable. When the high feast was spread before the king and queen, and all the Knights of the Round Table were in their places, there entered the hall a poor man in mean attire, and with him a young man, whose clothing also was mean, but he was tall and straight, with a comely and noble countenance. The old man went up to the king, and craved a boon at his hands; and King Arthur said he would grant him anything that did not impair his realm or his honour.
“Sir,” said the old man, “I ask nothing but that you should make my son here a knight.”
“That is a great thing which thou askest of me,” said the king. “What is thy name?”
“My name is Aries the cowherd,” answered the man. And when the king questioned him further, he said that his son’s name was Tor, and that the lad would never labour in the field as his younger brethren would, but was always throwing darts, or watching jousts, and that it was because Tor had entreated him that he had now come to ask this boon of the king. So, after some further question, King Arthur made Tor a knight, and then asked Merlin if he would prove a good knight.
“He ought to be,” answered Merlin, “for he is come of as good a knight as any that now lives. He is the son of King Pellinore.”
At first the cowherd would not believe this; but when inquiry was made, it was found that Merlin had spoken the truth. Even then King Pellinore came into the hall, and when he learned that the new knight was his own son, he was passing glad. Then Merlin led King Pellinore to one of the highest seats at the Round Table, and said that he was more worthy to sit therein than any other that was there. At this Gawaine and his brothers were exceedingly angry, for they hated Pellinore, because he had slain their father, King Lot, and they plotted together how they might take vengeance upon him, but agreed that they could not accomplish it at that time. Then, in fulfilment of the promise he had given, King Arthur made his nephew Gawaine a knight.