Stories of the Days of King Arthur

by Charles Henry Hanson

So they devised means to find him, and the king sent a messenger to Dame Lyons to summon her to court. She sent word back that she would come as soon as might be; and Sir Gareth advised her not to reveal where he was, but to give her advice that the best way to find him would be to appoint a tournament, at which the knight who was proved the best should take her and her lands. Then Dame Lyons went to King Arthur, and was full royally received. But always she would not tell where Sir Gareth was, but said that she would hold a tournament at her castle, where her knights should be against King Arthur’s, and then she was sure they should hear of Sir Gareth.

So great preparations were made for the tournament, and Sir Gareth summoned to Dame Lyons’ castle Sir Ironside and Sir Persaunt, and the green and red knights with their following. Also many other noble knights came to take part against King Arthur’s. Among them were Sir Epinogris, son of the King of Northumberland, Sir Palomides the Saracen, and his brothers Sir Safre and Sir Legwarides that were christened, Sir Brian of the Isles, a noble knight, and Sir Grummore Grummorsum, a good knight of Scotland. There came also Sir Tristram de Lyons—who by this time was reckoned the best knight of the world after Sir Lancelot, but was not yet a Knight of the Round Table—and many more. But there came with King Arthur to the tournament most of the Knights of the Round Table. There were Sir Gawaine and his brethren Sir Agravaine and Sir Gaheris; Sir Tor, Sir Percivale de Galis and Sir Lamoracke de Galis, sons of King Pellinore, and all of them, especially the last, passing good knights; Sir Lancelot, with all his kin; Sir Sagramour, Sir Dinadan, King Anguisance of Ireland, King Carados of Scotland, King Urience of Gore, King Bagdemagus and his son Sir Meleagans; and Sir Galahaut the high prince, with other good knights whose names need not be here given. And great provision was made in and about the castle for the lodging of all the knights.

Now Sir Gareth begged all the knights that were on his side that they should not make him known; and his lady, Dame Lyons, gave him a magical ring, that had the virtue of changing the colours of him who wore it every time he chose, and also the knight who wore it could lose no blood. Of this ring Sir Gareth was very glad, because it would prevent him from being known.

When the tournament began on the first day, there came from the castle Sir Epinogris, and Sir Sagramour met him on King Arthur’s part, and both broke their spears. Then Sir Palomides, a knight of the castle, encountered Sir Gawaine, and both were overthrown. Then the knights on either part rescued their fellows, and remounted them. And soon there was a great concourse of knights. Sir Aglovale and Sir Tor, Knights of the Round Table, smote down Sir Brian and Sir Grummore. Sir Tristram, Sir Sadocke, and Sir Dinas, knights of the castle, encountered Sir Bedivere, Sir Petipace, and Sir Ewaine. Sir Tristram overthrew Sir Bedivere, but Sir Sadocke and Sir Dinas had the worse. Then came in Sir Persaunt of Ind; but with him met Sir Lancelot, and smote him down, horse and man. Sir Pertolope the green knight encountered Sir Lionel, and smote him out of his saddle; and Sir Perimones the red knight ran against Sir Ector de Maris in such wise that both were unhorsed. Then came in Sir Ironside and Sir Gareth from the castle, and against them were Sir Bors and Sir Bleoberis, cousins to Sir Lancelot. Sir Bors and Sir Ironside struck each other so hard that both their spears broke and their horses fell to the earth; but Sir Gareth overturned Sir Bleoberis, and with the same spear he smote down Sir Galihodin, Sir Galihud, Sir Dinadan, Sir Brewnor, and Sir Sagramour. When King Anguisance saw Sir Gareth do this, he marvelled who it might be, for at every course Sir Gareth changed his colours, and at one time he was in green, at another in red, and again in blue. Then King Anguisance encountered Sir Gareth, who smote him down, horse and man; and in the same wise he served King Carados, King Urience, King Bagdemagus and his son Sir Meleagans. Thereafter came in Sir Galahaut the high prince, who cried,—

“Knight of the many colours, well hast thou jousted; now make thee ready, that I may joust with thee.”

When Sir Gareth heard that, he took a new spear, and the two ran together. The prince broke his spear, but Sir Gareth smote him on the left side so that he reeled in his saddle, and would have fallen had not his men come round him and recovered him.

“So God me help,” said King Arthur, “that knight with the many colours is a good knight;” and he prayed Sir Lancelot to joust with him. But Sir Lancelot, who was ever courteous and noble, said that the knight had had travail enough for that day, and ought to have the honour. “Though it lay in my power to put him from it,” he said, “yet would I not do so.”

Then followed a great tournament with swords, wherein Sir Lancelot did marvellously. Between Sir Lamoracke de Galis and Sir Ironside there was a strong battle, and also between Sir Palomides and Sir Bleoberis. Sir Gawaine encountered with Sir Tristram; but there he had the worse, for Sir Tristram pulled him off his horse. Sir Lancelot encountered with two strong knights of the castle at once, and fought right worshipfully with both; but Sir Gareth came between and put them asunder, and would strike no blow against Sir Lancelot, wherefore Sir Lancelot suspected who he was. Shortly after, Sir Gareth met his brother Sir Gawaine, and unhorsed him; and so he did to five or six other knights, so that all who beheld said that he did better than any. Then Sir Tristram, who had seen how well he had done, went to Sir Ironside and Sir Persaunt and asked them who that knight was that went in so many different colours. So they told him, and related the great deeds he had done when he rode with the damsel Lynette.

“By my head,” said Sir Tristram, “he is a good knight and a big man of arms; and if he be young, he will yet prove a full noble knight.”

So Sir Tristram, Sir Ironside, Sir Persaunt, and Sir Perimones rode together to help Sir Gareth, who went on one side to repair his helm and drink water. And he gave his dwarf his ring to hold while he drank, and then forgot to get it again; of which the dwarf was glad, because he desired that Sir Gareth should be known. So then Sir Gareth went always in yellow colours, and King Arthur sent a herald to espy who he was. The herald went close to him, and saw written round his helm, in letters of gold, “This is Sir Gareth of Orkney.” So at King Arthur’s command all the heralds proclaimed aloud that the knight in yellow colours was Sir Gareth of Orkney. When Sir Gareth saw that he was known, he was wroth, and redoubled his strokes, and he smote down his brother Sir Gawaine.