Sir Tor was glad to hear this, and bade the dwarf take a horse and follow him. The dwarf led him to an open glade in the forest, close by a priory; and in the glade were standing two pavilions, at one of which hung a white and at the other a red shield. In one of the pavilions three damsels were lying asleep; in the other was a fair lady, also sleeping, with the white hound at her feet. When the hound saw Sir Tor it bayed so lustily that the lady awoke; but the knight took it in his arms, and gave it in charge of the dwarf.
“Sir Knight,” said the lady, “you will not take my hound from me?’
“That must I do,” answered Tor. “For no other cause am I come from King Arthur’s court to this place.”
“Well,” said she, “take her if you will; but you will not go far ere you are overtaken by one that will give you evil handling.”
“I shall abide whatever adventure cometh,” replied Sir Tor; and he rode away.
It was now even-song, and he and the dwarf abode for the night in a hermitage, where they had but rough lodging. On the morrow they rode toward Camelot, but soon they heard one calling loudly on them:—
“Knight, yield me the hound which you took from my lady.” Sir Tor turned his horse, and saw a seemly knight riding to him, well armed, with his spear in rest. The two came together so fiercely that they went to the ground, man and horse. Then they drew their swords, and rushed on each other like lions; and they smote many heavy strokes, till the armour of both was cut in many places, and both were wounded. But at the last the strange knight began to weary, and so Tor pressed him still harder, and at last smote him to the earth.
“Yield thee to my mercy, Sir Knight,” quoth Tor.
“That will I never do while life lasteth and the soul is in my body,” said the other, “unless thou give me up my lady’s hound.”
“That I will not grant thee,” answered Sir Tor; “for I am sworn to bring to King Arthur the hound and thee, or else slay thee.”