الفصل الفصل 379 · Of the great danger that Sir Percivale was in by his horse,

. Of the great danger that Sir Percivale was in by his horse,

and how he saw a serpent and a lion fight.

And when Sir Percivale came nigh the brim, and saw the water so

boistous, he doubted to overpass it. And then he made a sign of the

cross in his forehead. When the fiend felt him so charged he shook off

Sir Percivale, and he went into the water crying and roaring, making

great sorrow, and it seemed unto him that the water brent. Then Sir

Percivale perceived it was a fiend, the which would have brought him

unto his perdition. Then he commended himself unto God, and prayed Our

Lord to keep him from all such temptations; and so he prayed all that

night till on the morn that it was day; then he saw that he was in a

wild mountain the which was closed with the sea nigh all about, that he

might see no land about him which might relieve him, but wild beasts.

And then he went into a valley, and there he saw a young serpent bring

a young lion by the neck, and so he came by Sir Percivale. With that

came a great lion crying and roaring after the serpent. And as fast as

Sir Percivale saw this he marvelled, and hied him thither, but anon the

lion had overtaken the serpent and began battle with him. And then Sir

Percivale thought to help the lion, for he was the more natural beast

of the two; and therewith he drew his sword, and set his shield afore

him, and there he gave the serpent such a buffet that he had a deadly

wound. When the lion saw that, he made no resemblaunt to fight with

him, but made him all the cheer that a beast might make a man. Then

Percivale perceived that, and cast down his shield which was broken;

and then he did off his helm for to gather wind, for he was greatly

enchafed with the serpent: and the lion went alway about him fawning as

a spaniel. And then he stroked him on the neck and on the shoulders.

And then he thanked God of the fellowship of that beast. And about noon

the lion took his little whelp and trussed him and bare him there he

came from.

Then was Sir Percivale alone. And as the tale telleth, he was one of

the men of the world at that time which most believed in Our Lord Jesu

Christ, for in those days there were but few folks that believed in God

perfectly. For in those days the son spared not the father no more than

a stranger. And so Sir Percivale comforted himself in our Lord Jesu,

and besought God no temptation should bring him out of God’s service,

but to endure as his true champion. Thus when Sir Percivale had prayed

he saw the lion come toward him, and then he couched down at his feet.

And so all that night the lion and he slept together; and when Sir

Percivale slept he dreamed a marvellous dream, that there two ladies

met with him, and that one sat upon a lion, and that other sat upon a

serpent, and that one of them was young, and the other was old; and the

youngest him thought said: Sir Percivale, my lord saluteth thee, and

sendeth thee word that thou array thee and make thee ready, for to-morn

thou must fight with the strongest champion of the world. And if thou

be overcome thou shall not be quit for losing of any of thy members,

but thou shalt be shamed for ever to the world’s end. And then he asked

her what was her lord. And she said the greatest lord of all the world:

and so she departed suddenly that he wist not where.