As the strange light faded away, King Arthur heard his knights vowing that they would go in search of the Holy Grail, and never give up the quest till they had found it.
And the boy-knight knew that he too would go over land and sea, till he saw again the wonderful vision.
That night the King could not sleep, for his sorrow was great. His knights would wander into far-off countries, and many of them would forget that they were in search of the Holy Grail. Would they not have found the Sacred Cup one day if they had stayed with their King and helped to clear the country of its enemies?
In the morning the streets of Camelot were crowded with rich and poor. And the people wept as they watched the knights ride away on their strange quest. And the King wept too, for he knew that now there would be many empty chairs at the Round Table.
The knights rode together to a strange city and stayed there all night. The next day they separated, each going a different way.
Sir Galahad rode on for four days without adventure. At last he came to a white abbey, where he was received very kindly. And he found two knights there, and one was a king.
"What adventure has brought you here?" asked the boy-knight.
Then they told him that in this abbey there was a shield. And if any man tried to carry it, he was either wounded or dead within three days.
"But to-morrow I shall try to bear it," said the king.
"In the name of God, let me take the shield," said Sir Galahad gravely.