He now rode away, without heeding Percivale's angry demand that he should stop and fight it out on foot. When the dismounted knight found that his antagonist would not turn, he was so filled with chagrin that he threw away his helm and sword, and raved like one out of his wits. Thus he continued till night came on, when he lay down exhausted and fell into a deep slumber.
Near the midnight hour he suddenly awakened, and saw in the road before him a woman, who said,—
"Sir Percivale, what do you here?"
"I do neither good nor ill," he replied.
"You need a horse," she said. "If you will promise to do my will when I shall summon you, I will lend you mine. You will find him no common one."
"I promise that," cried Percivale. "I would do much for a horse just now."
"Wait, then; I shall fetch you the noblest animal you ever bestrode."
She departed, but quickly came again, leading a horse of midnight blackness, and richly apparelled for knightly service.
Percivale looked at it with admiration. He had not hoped for so great and noble a steed as this. Thanking her warmly, he sprang to his feet, leaped to the saddle, and put spurs to the horse, from whose nostrils fire seemed to glare.
Away went the black horse under the moonlight, making such marvellous strides that it seemed to leave the earth behind it in its magical progress. With such wondrous speed did it go that in an hour it had made a four days' journey. Then it came to the brink of a great body of water, whose waves foamed and leaped boisterously against the shore.