After that, Sir Tristram and Sir Lamoracke parted; and as Sir Tristram rode he fell in with Sir Kay, who asked him of what country he was come. Sir Tristram answered that he was a knight of Cornwall. “It may well be,” said Sir Kay, “for I never yet heard that any good knight came out of Cornwall.”
“That is evil said,” quoth Tristram; “but if it please you to tell me your name, I require it.”
“Sir, wit you well that I am Sir Kay the seneschal.”
“Is that your name?” said Tristram. “You are called the shamefullest knight of your tongue that is now living; howbeit it is said that you are a good knight.”
In a while there joined fellowship with them Sir Tor, the half-brother of Sir Lamorâcke, and Sir Brandiles. These two and Sir Kay spoke much shame of Cornish knights; and Sir Tristram sat by and said nothing, but he thought the more. In a while Sir Brandiles asked him to joust; and Sir Tristram smote him down, and afterwards served Sir Tor in the same manner. Then he rode on his way, and the three knights followed till they overtook him. He proffered them to joust; but they said they had had enough of that, and they required him to tell them his name. This he did, and they were right glad, and said that he ought to be a Knight of the Round Table, all the fellowship of which desired his company. Sir Tristram said he was not worthy to be of that fellowship; but they all said he was the knight of most power alive, except Sir Lancelot. After much conversation they parted.
Now King Arthur had at this time fallen into the crafts of an enchantress named the Lady Annowre, that had brought him into a place called the Forest Perilous with intent to have his love; and when she could not get that, she sought to destroy him. But the Lady of the Lake, called Nimue, that was ever friendly, to King Arthur, came into the forest where Sir Tristram was, to seek him or Sir Lancelot, to rescue the king; for she knew that unless she got the aid of one or other of them he would be slain. As she rode she met Sir Tristram, and cried, “Oh, my lord Sir Tristram, well be we met, for within these two hours, unless you prevent it, will be done the foulest deed that ever was wrought in this land.”
“Fair damsel,” said Tristram, “can I amend it?”
“Come with me,” quoth she, “and make what haste you may; for you shall see the man of most worship in the world sorely bestead. It is none other than King Arthur himself.”
“God forbid that he should be in such peril,” said Sir Tristram. And they rode together at a great pace till they came to a castle, and at its base there was a knight fighting on foot against two others. Even as Sir Tristram came up, the two had smitten down the one knight, which was King Arthur, and were unlacing his helm to slay him, while the enchantress Annowre had got the king’s sword in her hand to have stricken off his head. Then Tristram cried out, “Traitress! traitress! leave that!” and he smote first one of the knights and then the other, so that they both fell dead. In the meanwhile the damsel of the Lake cried out to King Arthur, “Let not that untrue lady escape.” So King Arthur overtook her, and, having got his sword again, he smote off her head with it, and the damsel took it up, and hung it on her saddle-bow.
Then Sir Tristram horsed King Arthur again and rode with him. The king thanked him most heartily, and begged for his name; but Sir Tristram would not give it, saying only that he was a poor knight adventurer, and would bear the king company till he came to some of his own knights. In a little they met Sir Ector de Maris, and he, not knowing King Arthur or Sir Tristram, desired to joust with one of them. Sir Tristram rode to him and smote him off his horse. When he had done that, he said to King Arthur: “My lord, yonder is one of your own knights, so I will depart; but I trust you will believe that I shall always be ready to do you service.”