CHAPTER IV. THE ADVENTURE OF THE THE HART, THE HOUND, AND THE LADY
THE lady Guenever having come to Camelot, the king was wedded to herwith great solemnity at the Church of St. Stephen there. He had causedit to be proclaimed through all the land that on the day of his marriagehe would give to any man any gift that he might ask that was within hismeans and not unreasonable. When the high feast was spread before theking and queen, and all the Knights of the Round Table were in theirplaces, there entered the hall a poor man in mean attire, and with hima young man, whose clothing also was mean, but he was tall and straight,with a comely and noble countenance. The old man went up to the king,and craved a boon at his hands; and King Arthur said he would grant himanything that did not impair his realm or his honour.
"Sir," said the old man, "I ask nothing but that you should make my sonhere a knight."
"That is a great thing which thou askest of me," said the king. "What isthy name?"
"My name is Aries the cowherd," answered the man. And when the kingquestioned him further, he said that his son's name was Tor, and thatthe lad would never labour in the field as his younger brethren would,but was always throwing darts, or watching jousts, and that it wasbecause Tor had entreated him that he had now come to ask this boonof the king. So, after some further question, King Arthur made Tor aknight, and then asked Merlin if he would prove a good knight.
"He ought to be," answered Merlin, "for he is come of as good a knightas any that now lives. He is the son of King Pellinore."
At first the cowherd would not believe this; but when inquiry was made,it was found that Merlin had spoken the truth. Even then King Pellinorecame into the hall, and when he learned that the new knight was his ownson, he was passing glad. Then Merlin led King Pellinore to one of thehighest seats at the Round Table, and said that he was more worthyto sit therein than any other that was there. At this Gawaine and hisbrothers were exceedingly angry, for they hated Pellinore, because hehad slain their father, King Lot, and they plotted together how theymight take vengeance upon him, but agreed that they could not accomplishit at that time. Then, in fulfilment of the promise he had given, KingArthur made his nephew Gawaine a knight.
Afterwards the king and queen and all the knights went to dinner; and asthey sat, a white hart came running into the hall, and close after hima white hound, and behind, thirty couples of black hounds that made agreat cry. The hart ran round the tables, and as he came near the dooragain the white hound leaped up at him and bit him sorely. Then the hartgave a great bound, and overthrew a knight that sat near the door, andso escaped out of the hall. Immediately the knight arose, took the whitehound in his arms, mounted his horse, and rode away with it. Then a ladymounted on a white palfrey came into the hall, and cried aloud to theking--
"Sir, suffer me not to have this despite, for the white hound that wastaken by that knight is mine."
"I will not meddle in the matter," said King Arthur. Then suddenly aknight well armed rode into the hall, and seized the lady, and carriedher away, albeit she made a great outcry. When she was gone, Merlinsaid that unless these adventures were taken up, it would be a greatdishonour; and at his advice Sir Gawaine was appointed to follow thehart, and bring it to the court; Sir Tor, the knight with the hound; andKing Pellinore, the knight with the lady. Each of the three knights,at the king's command, undertook the quest that was given him; and theyarmed themselves, and set forth without delay.
Sir Gawaine followed at a hard pace after the hart, and his brotherGaheris, who was not yet made knight, went with him as his squire.When they had gone some little way, they came to where two knights werefighting very stoutly on horseback. Sir Gawaine rode between them, andasked what their quarrel was.
"It is in truth a simple matter," answered one of the knights, "the moreas we are brothers bom; but it happened that as we were riding forththis morning we saw a white hart pass, with a white hound in fullcry after him. Both of us desired to go after them, to take up theadventure. I claimed it because I am the elder; but my brother said itshould belong to him, because he was the better knight; and thereupon wefought, to determine whether he or I was the better."
"That is not a quarrel on which two brothers ought to fight," saidGawaine. "But you must understand that the quest of the hart has beengiven to me by King Arthur; and if you will not yield to me, and doaccording to my ordinance, you shall have to do with me."
Then the brothers yielded to him, for they were wearied with fighting,and had lost much blood. And Gawaine bade them go and yield themselvesto King Arthur, and tell him that they had been sent by the knight whofollowed the quest of the white hart. Their names were Sir Surluse andSir Brian of the Forest.
Sir Gawaine and Gaheris went on their way, and presently they camewithin sight of the white hart, that ran but slowly, because the houndhad wounded him; and the black hounds were still following him in fullcry. In front there was a great river, and the hart sprang into it, andswam across. Gawaine was preparing to follow; but on the other side ofthe river there stood an armed knight, who called out to Sir Gawainethat if he came over the river after the hart, he must needs joust withhim.
"As for that," answered Gawaine, "I will not fail to undertake whatevermay befall in the quest I am in."
So he and Gaheris swam their horses over the river, and on the fartherside the knight and Gawaine met in full course, and Gawaine smote theother off his horse. Then he bade him yield; but the knight drew hissword, and dared him to fight on foot. Gawaine got off his horse, andboth fought together furiously; but Gawaine struck the stranger so hardon the helm that the sword edge pierced even to his brain, and he felldown dead.
"Ah!" said Gaheris, "that was a mighty stroke for a young knight."
So Gawaine and his brother left the knight, whose name was Allardin ofthe Isles, lying there dead on the sward, and followed after the whitehart; and presently they saw it take refuge in the court of a castle, ofwhich the gate stood wide open. They rode in after the hart, and Gaherislet slip at it three couples of greyhounds that they had brought withthem, and these dogs pulled down the hart, and slew it. Straightwaythere came a knight out of a chamber, with a sword in his hand, and hekilled two of the hounds in sight of Sir Gawaine, and chased the othersout of the castle. Then he took up the hart, and lamented over it, forhis lady had given it to him, and he swore that he would avenge itsdeath. So he went in and armed himself, and came forth fiercely toGawaine.
"Why have you slain my hounds?" said Gawaine. "They only did after theirkind. I had rather you had wreaked your wrath on me than on the dumbbeasts."
"Well," answered the knight, "I have avenged me on your hounds, and so Iwill on you ere long."
Down sprang Sir Gawaine from his horse, nothing loath, and they foughttogether with their swords a great while, and both had many wounds.But at last Gawaine struck down the other knight, whose name was SirAblemore of the Morass, and then he yielded, and cried for mercy, andbegged Sir Gawaine, as he was a knight and a gentleman, to save hislife. But Gawaine answered him, "Thou shalt die for slaying my hounds."
The knight again entreated him, offering to make ample amends. SirGawaine would not listen, and unlaced Ablemore's helmet, with intentto strike off his head. Suddenly Sir Ablemore's lady came out of herchamber, and threw herself over her lord to shield him, and Gawaine,who had not seen her, struck off her head by misadventure instead of theknight's.
"Alas!" said Gaheris, "that was foully and shamefully done. The shameof that blow will not soon quit you. Moreover, you should give mercy tothose who ask it; for a knight without mercy is without worship."
Sir Gawaine was so bewildered at his unhappy deed that he could not forthe moment either speak or move; but then he said to Ablemore, "Arise; Iwill give thee mercy."
"I care not for mercy now," answered the conquered knight, "for thouhast slain her whom I loved more than all else on earth."
"I repent it," said Gawaine; "but I struck not at her but at thee."
Then he charged the kni
ght to go to King Arthur, and confess how it wasthat he was sent. Sir Ablemore said that he cared not whether he livedor died; nevertheless, for dread of death he swore to do according toSir Gawaines will, and to bear one of the dead greyhounds before him onhis horse, and the other behind him.
Gawaine and Gaheris went into the castle and prepared to rest there, butall at once four well-armed knights came in and assailed them fiercely,giving Gawaine many bitter reproaches for having slain the lady. Gawaineand Gaheris withstood them as well as they could; but the knights weredangerous fighters on foot, and one of them with a bow gave Gawaine awound through the arm, so that at last the two were in great peril oftheir lives. Then four ladies came, and begged the four knights to spareGawaine and Gaheris; and to this the knights assented, only the brotherswere obliged to yield themselves prisoners. Afterwards, when the knightsknew that Gawaine was nephew to King Arthur, they permitted him to gofree, out of love for the king, and gave him the head of the white hart,because that was in his quest. But they made him swear also to bear thedead lady with him, her head hanging at his neck, and her body beforehim on his horse. In this guise Gawaine returned to Camelot, and Gaheriswith him. When he arrived he was sworn to tell all his adventurestruthfully, and this he did. King Arthur and Queen Guenever were greatlydispleased that he had refused mercy to the knight Sir Ablemore, andthrough that had killed the lady; and the queen gave sentence that everwhile he lived Gawaine should be an especial champion of ladies, andundertake their quarrels, and also that he should never refuse mercy tohim that asked it. This Gawaine swore to perform, on the books of theFour Evangelists.
The second of the three knights to whom a quest had been assigned wasSir Tor, who was appointed to follow the knight with the hound After hehad ridden fast till he was a long way from Camelot, he came to a placewhere there were two pavilions set up by the road-side, and two greatspears leaning against the pavilions. Sir Tor was riding on, intent onlyto follow his quest, when suddenly a dwarf started up from underneath atree, and smote his horse on the head with a staff, so that it reared upand went backward a full spear's length.
"Why dost thou smite my horse?" asked Tor.
"Because thou must not pass this way before jousting with the twoknights that are in these pavilions."
"I have no time for jousting," said Sir Tor. "I am in a quest which Imust follow."
"Thou shalt not pass otherwise," answered the dwarf, and then he blewloudly on a horn. Forthwith an armed knight came, and got on his horsethat was standing near, took a spear, and rode at Sir Tor, who methim with such force that he smote him from his horse. Then the knightyielded, but said,--
"Sir, I have a companion in yon pavilion who will assuredly have to dowith you."
"He shall be welcome," answered Tor. And when this knight came, heoverthrew him also, as he had done the other. And he made both of themswear to go to King Arthur at Camelot, and say they were sent bythe knight that went after the hound. Their names were Sir Felot ofLanguedoc and Sir Petipace of Winchelsea. But the dwarf said he wouldserve no more recreant knights, and begged Sir Tor to let him go withhim.
"I know," he said, "that you are seeking the knight that took the whitehound, and I can bring you where he is."
Sir Tor was glad to hear this, and bade the dwarf take a horse andfollow him. The dwarf led him to an open glade in the forest, close bya priory; and in the glade were standing two pavilions, at one of whichhung a white and at the other a red shield. In one of the pavilionsthree damsels were lying asleep; in the other was a fair lady, alsosleeping, with the white hound at her feet. When the hound saw Sir Torit bayed so lustily that the lady awoke; but the knight took it in hisarms, and gave it in charge of the dwarf.
"Sir Knight," said the lady, "you will not take my hound from me?'
"That must I do," answered Tor. "For no other cause am I come from KingArthur's court to this place."
"Well," said she, "take her if you will; but you will not go far ere youare overtaken by one that will give you evil handling."
"I shall abide whatever adventure cometh," replied Sir Tor; and he rodeaway.
It was now even-song, and he and the dwarf abode for the night in ahermitage, where they had but rough lodging. On the morrow they rodetoward Camelot, but soon they heard one calling loudly on them:--
"Knight, yield me the hound which you took from my lady." Sir Tor turnedhis horse, and saw a seemly knight riding to him, well armed, with hisspear in rest. The two came together so fiercely that they went to theground, man and horse. Then they drew their swords, and rushed on eachother like lions; and they smote many heavy strokes, till the armour ofboth was cut in many places, and both were wounded. But at the last thestrange knight began to weary, and so Tor pressed him still harder, andat last smote him to the earth.
"Yield thee to my mercy, Sir Knight," quoth Tor.
"That will I never do while life lasteth and the soul is in my body,"said the other, "unless thou give me up my lady's hound."
"That I will not grant thee," answered Sir Tor; "for I am sworn to bringto King Arthur the hound and thee, or else slay thee."
Even as he spoke there came a damsel riding hard on a palfrey, and shecried with a loud voice on Sir Tor to grant her a boon. He answered thathe would.
"Then," said the damsel, "I ask the head of this false knight Abellius,for he is the worst knight that liveth, and the greatest murderer."
"That is a gift that I should be loath to grant," replied Tor. "If thisknight has committed any trespass against you, let him make amends."
"Alas!" she said, "he cannot make amends, even if he would. Lately hefought with my brother, who was a good knight and a gentle, and got thebetter of him; and though I kneeled half an hour in the mire, entreatinghim to spare my brother's life, he would have no mercy, but struck offhis head. Therefore, as thou art a true knight, I require thee to giveme my gift, for he is the man of most cruelty living, and a destroyer ofgood knights."
When the damsel had spoken thus, Abellius was afraid, and he yielded,and began to beg for mercy. But Tor said that he could not now grant it,after his pledge to the damsel, more especially as Abellius had refusedmercy before when he might have had it. So he unlaced his helmet andtook it off; and then Abellius rose up suddenly and fled. But Sir Torran after him quickly, and struck off his head from behind. After that,the damsel made much of Sir Tor, and took him to her husband's castlehard by, where he had good entertainment till the next day. Then herode to Camelot, where he was joyfully received; and when he told hisadventures, the king and all the court gave him great praise. But saidMerlin--
"These things are nothing to what he shall do; he will prove as noblea knight as any now living, and gentle, and courteous, and full ofgood parts, and passing true of his promise, and he shall never do anyoutrage."
When King Arthur heard this, he gave Sir Tor an earldom of lands thathad fallen to him. And so ended the quest of the hound.
In the meanwhile, King Pellinore had followed the knight that carriedaway the lady. As he was passing through a forest, he saw a damselsitting by a well, and a wounded knight lying in her arms. When she sawPellinore, she cried to him, "Help me, Knight, for Christ's sake!" Buthe was so eager in his quest that he would not stay. And when the ladysaw that, she prayed that God might yet send him as much need of helpas she had. Presently the wounded knight died, and the lady, for puresorrow, slew herself with his sword.
King Pellinore rode on, and presently he came to a valley where weretwo pavilions. One of the knights of the pavilions was fighting with himthat had carried off the lady; for he said she was his kinswoman, andshe should not be carried off against her will The lady was standing thewhile in charge of two squires. Pellinore went to her and said,--
"Fair lady, you must come with me to King Arthur's court."
"Sir Knight," said one of the squires, "those two knights are fightingfor this lady. I pray you go to them and tell your errand, and you mayhave the lady if they be agreed."
King Pellinore a
ssented, and he went between the two knights, and askedthem why they fought.
"Sir Knight," said one of them, "I will tell you. Even now this knight,that is called Sir Ontzlake of Westland, was passing by, carrying awaythe lady you see yonder. She is my near kinswoman; and when I heard hercomplain that she was with him against her will, I fought with him torelease her."
"Well," said the other, "the lady is mine, for I won her this day byforce of arms in King Arthur's court."
"Fie, Knight!" answered Pellinore, "that is untruly said. You came inall suddenly as we were at the feast, and took away the lady before anyman could make him ready. But it is my quest to take her back again, andyou also, unless one of us abide in the field. If, therefore, you chooseto fight for her, you must fight with me, and I will defend her."
"Well," said the knight, "make you ready, and I shall strive with you tothe uttermost."
Now Sir Ontzlake was on foot; so King Pellinore was getting off hishorse to meet him evenly in the field, when Ontzlake came up craftilyand ran the horse through with his sword, saying,--
"Now thou art on foot as well as we."
King Pellinore was exceedingly angry at this, for the horse was a goodone. He drew his sword, put his shield before him, and cried,--
"Knight, keep well thy head, for thou shalt have a buffet for slaying myhorse."
The other was ready, and they fought; but it was not for long, forPellinore gave Sir Ontzlake so stern a stroke on the helmet that heclove his head to the chin, and he fell dead to the earth. When theother knight saw that, he would not fight, but yielded to Pellinore'smercy, only asking that his kinswoman should be put to no shame. ThisPellinore promised, and the knight entertained him in his pavilion tillthe next day, and then gave him a good horse in place of that whichOntzlake had killed. So Pellinore and the lady rode toward Camelot. Whenthey passed by the place where the wounded knight and the lady had been,both their bodies had been eaten by wild beasts, all save the lady'shead. At this Pellinore mourned, for he knew that he might have savedthem if he would. When they came to the court, they were heartilywelcomed, and King Pellinore told his adventures, as the other twoknights had done. Then Pellinore was greatly blamed because he had notstayed to help the wounded knight and the lady, and he confessed thathe repented sorely that he had been too eager in his quest to do so.Thereupon Merlin told him that he had good reason to repent, forthe lady that had called to him was his own daughter; and he warnedPellinore that even as he had failed that knight and lady, his ownnearest friend should fail him in the hour of his greatest need.
And thus ended the three quests of the hart, and the hound, and thelady, which were the first adventures that befell in King Arthur's courtafter he was married to the Lady Guenever.