The Story of King Arthur and his Knights

by Howard Pyle

Then Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine gave Sir Marhaus great joy that his penance was completed, and they were very well satisfied each party with the others. So Sir Gawaine and Sir Ewaine abided that night in the pavilion of Sir Marhaus and the next morning they arose and, having laved themselves in a forest stream, they departed from that place where they were.

So they entered the forest land once more and made their way by certain paths, they knew not whitherward; and they travelled all that morning and until the afternoon was come.

The three knights enter the Forest of Adventure.

Now, as they travelled thus Sir Marhaus said of a sudden, “Messires, know ye where we are come to?” “Nay,” they said, “we know not.” Then Sir Marhaus said, “This part of the forest is called Arroy and it is further called ‘The Forest of Adventure.’ For it is very well known that when a knight, or a party of knights enter this forest, they will assuredly meet with an adventure of some sort, from which some come forth with credit while others fail therein.” And Sir Ewaine said, “I am glad that we have come hither. Now let us go forward into this forest.”

So those three knights and their esquires continued onward in that woodland where was silence so deep that even the tread of their horses upon the earth was scarcely to be heard. And there was no note of bird and no sound of voice and hardly did any light penetrate into the gloom of that woodland. Wherefore those knights said unto one another, “This is soothly a very strange place and one, maybe, of enchantment.”

They behold a white fawn in the forest.

They behold a beautiful lady in the forest.

Now when they had come into the very midst of these dark woodlands, they perceived of a sudden, in the pathway before them, a fawn as white as milk. And round the neck of the fawn was a collar of pure gold. And the fawn stood and looked at them, but when they had come nigh to it, it turned and ran along a very narrow path. Then Sir Gawaine said, “Let us follow that fawn and see where it goeth.” And the others said, “We are content.” So they followed that narrow path until of a sudden they came to where was a little open lawn very bright with sunlight. In the midst of the lawn was a fountain of water, and there was no fawn to be seen, but, lo! beside the fountain there sat a wonderfully beautiful lady, clad all in garments of green. And the lady combed her hair with a golden comb, and her hair was like to the wing of a raven for blackness. And upon her arms she wore very wonderful bracelets of emeralds and of opal stones inset into cunningly wrought gold. Moreover, the face of the lady was like ivory for whiteness and her eyes were bright like jewels set in ivory. Now, when this lady perceived the knights she arose and laid aside her golden comb and bound up the locks of her hair with ribbons of scarlet silk, and thereupon, she came to those knights and gave them greeting.

Then those three knights gat them down straightway from off their horses, and Sir Gawaine said, “Lady, I believe that thou art not of mortal sort, but that thou art of faërie.” Unto this the lady said, “Sir Gawaine, thou art right,” and Sir Gawaine marvelled that she should know his name so well. Then he said to her, “Lady, who art thou?” and she made answer, “My name is Nymue and I am the chiefest of those Ladies of the Lake of whom thou mayst have heard. For it was I who gave unto King Arthur his sword Excalibur; for I am very friendly unto King Arthur and to all the noble Knights of his Court. So it is that I know ye all. And I know that thou, Sir Marhaus, shall become one of the most famous Knights of the Round Table.” And all they three marvelled at the lady’s words. Then she said, “I prithee tell me what it is that ye seek in these parts?” And they say, “We seek adventure.” “Well,” said she, “I will bring you unto adventure, but it is Sir Gawaine who must undertake it.” And Sir Gawaine said, “That is very glad news.” Then the lady said, “Take me behind you upon your saddle, Sir Gawaine, and I will show unto you that adventure.” So Sir Gawaine took the lady up behind him upon the saddle, and lo! she brought with her a fragrance such as he had never known before; for that fragrance was so subtle that it seemed to Sir Gawaine that the forest gave forth that perfume which the Lady of the Lake brought with her.

So the Lady of the Lake brought them by many devious ways out from that part of the forest; and she brought them by sundry roads and paths until they came out into an open country, very fruitful and pleasant to behold; and she brought them up a very high hill, and from the top of the hill they looked down upon a fruitful and level plain as upon a table spread out before them. And they beheld that in the midst of the plain was a noble castle built all of red stone and of red bricks; and they beheld that there was a small town built also of red bricks.