Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 20, 1909.djvu/329

 of the Rotind Table. 289

pleased with the words of the baron, and he said, — " The company of Adelfot is a pleasure and delight unto me." They both agreed to go together, and Adelfot asked Lang, — "What is thy name?" He answered, — "I am a knight errant from the kingdom of Logris, going now to the tournament at Wingestre," but his name he did not tell.

24. Lang stopped there a day longer, to provide himself with everything necessary for a knight. The daughter of the baron was of beauty unrivalled in the whole kingdom, and wise and intelligent. She fell in love with the beauty of Lane, and she pressed his armour- bearer the whole day to tell her who that knight was, and what was his name. At last he said, — " My lady, that is the most excellent, gallant knight in the world ; more I cannot tell about him." She answered, — " Blessed be thou, I am content with what thou hast told me, nor do I desire to know aught more from thee." She immediately guessed from the words of the armour-bearer that he was Messer Lancolot del Lac, as he was universally called " the most gallant knight in the world," and she could no longer repress the love kindled in her heart, so she went and knelt down before Lang and said, — " Sir knight, I ask from thee one request, wilt thou grant it to me } " Lane raised her up immediately, and said, — " My lady, I am grieved that thou didst kneel before me, and I grant thee any request, if it be only in my power to fulfil." She said, — " Promise it in the name of her whom thou lovest most." He answered, — " I promise," and she an- swered, — " I request thee to wear this sleeve on the tuft of thy helmet in this tournament, for my love."

25. When Lang heard it, his heart grew heavy. But by reason of the oath he had taken, and the solemn promise, he could not refuse it. However he grieved over it, as all his heart and love were for the Queen, and he feared she might hear of it at some time, and scorn him and hate him. The damsel took her sleeve and fastened