Chapter 6 - Page 2

resorted unto him, and made him many jousts and
tournaments. And in especial Sir Launcelot of the Lake, in all
tournaments and jousts and deeds of arms, both for life and death,
passed all other knights, and was never overcome, except it were by
treason or enchantment; and he increased marvellously in worship,
wherefore Queen Guenever had him in great favor, above all other
knights. And for certain he loved the queen again above all other
ladies; and for her he did many deeds of arms, and saved her from
peril through his noble chivalry. Thus Sir Launcelot rested him long
with play and game, and then he thought to prove himself in strange
adventures; so he bade his nephew, Sir Lionel, to make him ready,-
"for we two will seek adventures." So they mounted on their horses,
armed at all sights, and rode into a forest, and so into a deep plain.
And the weather was hot about noon, and Sir Launcelot had great desire
to sleep. Then Sir Lionel espied a great apple-tree that stood by a
hedge, and he said: "Brother, yonder is a fair shadow,- there may we
rest us and our horses." "It is well said," replied Sir Launcelot.
So they there alighted, and Sir Launcelot laid him down, and his
helm under his head, and soon was asleep passing fast. And Sir
Lionel waked while he slept. And presently there came three knights
riding as fast as ever they might ride, and there followed them but
one knight. And Sir Lionel thought he never saw so great a knight
before. So within a while this great knight overtook one of those
knights, and smote him so that he fell to the earth. Then he rode to
the second knight and smote him, and so he did to the third knight.
Then he alighted down, and bound all the three knights fast with their
own bridles. When Sir Lionel saw him do thus he thought to assay
him, and made him ready, silently, not to awake Sir Launcelot, and
rode after the strong knight, and bade him turn. And the other smote
Sir Lionel so hard that horse and man fell to the earth; and then he
alighted down, and bound Sir Lionel, and threw him across his own
horse; and so he served them all four, and rode with them away to
his own castle. And when he came there, he put them in a deep
prison, in which were many more knights in great distress.
Now while Sir Launcelot lay under the apple-tree sleeping there came
by him four queens of great estate. And that the heat should not
grieve them, there rode four knights about them, and bare a cloth of
green silk, on four spears, betwixt them and the sun. And the queens
rode on four white mules.
Thus as they rode they heard by them a great horse grimly neigh.
Then they were aware of a sleeping knight, that lay all armed under an
apple-tree; and as the queens looked on his face they knew it was