Once upon a time a fairy had a lovely daughter called Cambina, and three sons who were born on the same day.
The eldest son she named Priamond, the second Diamond, and the third Triamond.
Priamond was very stout and big, but he could not strike hard. Diamond struck very hard, but he was little and thin. But Triamond was tall and stout and strong as well.
Priamond used to fight on foot. Triamond fought on horseback. But Diamond could fight equally well on a horse or off it.
Triamond fought with a spear and shield. Diamond fought with a battle-axe. But Priamond could fight just as well with an axe as he could with a spear and shield.
Their fairy mother was so fond and so proud of her gallant sons, that she could not bear to think of one of them dying.
So she went to see three witches called the Three Fates, who lived in a dark place underground, and worked at their spinning-wheels day and night. She asked the Fates to let her sons have long, long lives. That they would not promise, but they promised that if Priamond died first, all his strength should go into the other two. And if Diamond should then die, all his strength and Priamond’s were to go into their brother Triamond.
Priamond, Diamond, and Triamond loved each other very dearly. When they grew up and all fell in love with the same lady, it did not make them less good friends.
The name of this lady was Canacee. She was very beautiful, and was the cleverest lady in all that land. She knew all about birds and beasts and plants and flowers, and was as witty as she was wise.
Many knights wished to marry her, and these knights were so jealous of each other that they were constantly fighting about her.