Stories of the Days of King Arthur

by Charles Henry Hanson

“I dare lay my head,” said the third brother, that was called Sir Reynold, “he has slain Sir Kay, and taken his horse and harness.”

“Whether it be so or not,” said Sir Gilmere, “it behoves us to take our horses and rescue our brother Sir Gaunter, though methinks we shall all have enough to do to match that knight.” So they rode to the place as hard as they could; and first Sir Gilmere put forth his spear, and Sir Lancelot smote him down, so that he lay in a swoon. Then came Sir Reynold, and he and Sir Lancelot broke their spears on one another, and then began a hard battle with their swords. The other two brothers rose, and recovered themselves a little, and came to help Sir Reynold. When Lancelot saw that, he first smote Sir Reynold so sorely that he fell from his saddle, and then he served the other two in like manner. So the three knights had to yield; but they asked him to tell them his name, for they were sure he was not Sir Kay.

“Let that be as it may,” said Lancelot, “I charge ye to come to King Arthur’s court on Whitsunday and yield ye to Queen Guenever, and say that Sir Kay sent you.”

This they swore to perform, and then Lancelot rode away from them. In a while he came to a forest, where he saw four Knights of the Round Table sitting on their horses under an oak tree. There were his own brother Sir Ector de Maris, Sir Sagramour le Desirous that was a good knight, Sir Gawaine, and Sir Ewaine. As Sir Lancelot passed, they thought by the device on his shield that it was Sir Kay, and Sir Sagramour said he would prove Sir Kay’s might. Thereupon he rode against Sir Lancelot, who met him, and smote him to the ground, horse and man.

“Lo, my fellows!” quoth Sir Ector, “yonder you may see what a buffet he has got. That knight is much bigger than ever was Sir Kay.” Then he got his spear in his hand, and rode toward Sir Lancelot, who served him as he had done the other, and still his spear held.

“By my faith,” said Ewaine, “that is a strong knight. I am sure he has slain Sir Kay, and I see by his great strength it will be hard to match him.” So in his turn he rode against Sir Lancelot, but fared no better than those who had gone before. “Now,” said Gawaine, “I see that I must needs encounter with that knight.” So he took his spear in his hand, and rode hard against Sir Lancelot, and each smote the other in the middle of the shield; but Gawaine’s spear broke, and Sir Lancelot’s thrust was so strong that Gawaine’s horse reared up and fell over with him. Sir Lancelot passed on smiling, and said, “God give him joy that made this spear; for a better held I never in my hand.”

Then the four knights went to one another, and helped each other as best they might. “What say ye to this jest,” said Gawaine, “that one spear hath felled us four?”

“We would he had been elsewhere,” answered the others; “for he is a man of great might.”

“You may well say that,” quoth Gawaine, “for I dare lay my life it is Sir Lancelot. I know him by his riding. Howbeit we shall know when we come to the court.”

Sir Lancelot still rode on his way, and encountered many strange adventures. At last he came to a castle, and there he saw a falcon that was caught by the legs, and hung to the bough of a great tree in peril of its life. Then came a lady out of the castle, and said, “O Lancelot, as thou art the flower of all the knights in the world, help me to get my hawk; for if it be lost, my lord will slay me.”