Then he charged the knight to go to King Arthur, and confess how it was that he was sent. Sir Ablemore said that he cared not whether he lived or died; nevertheless, for dread of death he swore to do according to Sir Gawaines will, and to bear one of the dead greyhounds before him on his horse, and the other behind him.
Gawaine and Gaheris went into the castle and prepared to rest there, but all at once four well-armed knights came in and assailed them fiercely, giving Gawaine many bitter reproaches for having slain the lady. Gawaine and Gaheris withstood them as well as they could; but the knights were dangerous fighters on foot, and one of them with a bow gave Gawaine a wound through the arm, so that at last the two were in great peril of their lives. Then four ladies came, and begged the four knights to spare Gawaine and Gaheris; and to this the knights assented, only the brothers were obliged to yield themselves prisoners. Afterwards, when the knights knew that Gawaine was nephew to King Arthur, they permitted him to go free, out of love for the king, and gave him the head of the white hart, because that was in his quest. But they made him swear also to bear the dead lady with him, her head hanging at his neck, and her body before him on his horse. In this guise Gawaine returned to Camelot, and Gaheris with him. When he arrived he was sworn to tell all his adventures truthfully, and this he did. King Arthur and Queen Guenever were greatly displeased that he had refused mercy to the knight Sir Ablemore, and through that had killed the lady; and the queen gave sentence that ever while he lived Gawaine should be an especial champion of ladies, and undertake their quarrels, and also that he should never refuse mercy to him that asked it. This Gawaine swore to perform, on the books of the Four Evangelists.
The second of the three knights to whom a quest had been assigned was Sir Tor, who was appointed to follow the knight with the hound After he had ridden fast till he was a long way from Camelot, he came to a place where there were two pavilions set up by the road-side, and two great spears leaning against the pavilions. Sir Tor was riding on, intent only to follow his quest, when suddenly a dwarf started up from underneath a tree, and smote his horse on the head with a staff, so that it reared up and went backward a full spear’s length.
“Why dost thou smite my horse?” asked Tor.
“Because thou must not pass this way before jousting with the two knights that are in these pavilions.”
“I have no time for jousting,” said Sir Tor. “I am in a quest which I must follow.”
“Thou shalt not pass otherwise,” answered the dwarf, and then he blew loudly on a horn. Forthwith an armed knight came, and got on his horse that was standing near, took a spear, and rode at Sir Tor, who met him with such force that he smote him from his horse. Then the knight yielded, but said,—
“Sir, I have a companion in yon pavilion who will assuredly have to do with you.”
“He shall be welcome,” answered Tor. And when this knight came, he overthrew him also, as he had done the other. And he made both of them swear to go to King Arthur at Camelot, and say they were sent by the knight that went after the hound. Their names were Sir Felot of Languedoc and Sir Petipace of Winchelsea. But the dwarf said he would serve no more recreant knights, and begged Sir Tor to let him go with him.
“I know,” he said, “that you are seeking the knight that took the white hound, and I can bring you where he is.”