Page:The Garden of Romance - 1897.djvu/86

74 avail thee." And he vanished away anon; and so he heard an horn blow as it had been the death of a beast. "That blast," said Balin, "is blown for me, for I am the prize, yet am I not dead." Anon withal he saw an hundred ladies and many knights, that welcomed him with fair semblance, and made him passing good cheer unto his sight, and led him into the castle, and there was dancing and minstrelsy, and all manner of joy. Then the chief lady of the castle said, "Knight with the two swords, ye must have ado with a knight hereby that keepeth an island, for there may no man pass this way but he must joust or he pass." "That is an unhappy custom," said Balin, "that a knight may not pass this way but if he joust." "Ye shall not have ado but with one knight," said the lady. "Well," said Balin, "since I shall, thereto am I ready, but travelling men are oft weary, and their horses also; but though my horse be weary my heart is not weary. I would be fain there my death should be." "Sir," said a knight to Balin, "methinketh your shield is not good, I will lend you a bigger: therefore I pray you;" and so he took the shield that was unknown, and left his own, and so rode unto the island, and put him and his horse in a great boat, and when he came on the other side he met with a damsel, and she said, "O knight Balin, why have ye left your own shield? alas! ye have put yourself in great danger, for by your shield ye should have been known: it is great pity of you as ever was of knight, for of thy prowess and hardiness thou hast no fellow living." "Me repenteth," said Balin, "that ever I came within this country, but I may not turn now again for shame, and what adventure shall fall to me, be it life or death, I will take the adventure that shall come to