"As for that," said Sir Tristram, "I care not, for I will wait upon you and be under your protection, for because ye are so good a knight ye may save me."
"The devil deliver me of thee," said Sir Dinadan, "for thou art as goodly a man of arms and of thy person as ever I saw, and the most coward that ever I saw. What wilt thou do with those great spears that thou carriest with thee?"
"I shall give them," said Sir Tristram, "to some good knight when I come to the tournament; and if I see you do best I shall give them to you."
So thus as they rode talking they saw where came an errant knight afore them dressing him for to joust.
"Lo," said Sir Tristram, "yonder is one will joust; now dress thee to him."
"Ah! shame betide thee!" said Sir Dinadan.
"Nay, not so," said Sir Tristram, "for that knight seemeth a shrew."
"Then shall I," said Sir Dinadan.
And so they dressed their shields and their spears, and they met together so hard that the other knight smote down Sir Dinadan from his horse.
"Lo," said Sir Tristram, "it had been better that ye had left."