الفصل الفصل 76 · How Morgan le Fay saved a knight that should have been

. How Morgan le Fay saved a knight that should have been

drowned, and how King Arthur returned home again.

Then said Morgan, Saw ye Arthur, my brother? Yea, said her knights,

right well, and that ye should have found an we might have stirred from

one stead, for by his armyvestal countenance he would have caused us to

have fled. I believe you, said Morgan. Anon after as she rode she met a

knight leading another knight on his horse before him, bound hand and

foot, blindfold, to have drowned him in a fountain. When she saw this

knight so bound, she asked him, What will ye do with that knight? Lady,

said he, I will drown him. For what cause? she asked. For I found him

with my wife, and she shall have the same death anon. That were pity,

said Morgan le Fay. Now, what say ye, knight, is it truth that he saith

of you? she said to the knight that should be drowned. Nay truly,

madam, he saith not right on me. Of whence be ye, said Morgan le Fay,

and of what country? I am of the court of King Arthur, and my name is

Manassen, cousin unto Accolon of Gaul. Ye say well, said she, and for

the love of him ye shall be delivered, and ye shall have your adversary

in the same case ye be in. So Manassen was loosed and the other knight

bound. And anon Manassen unarmed him, and armed himself in his harness,

and so mounted on horseback, and the knight afore him, and so threw him

into the fountain and drowned him. And then he rode unto Morgan again,

and asked if she would anything unto King Arthur. Tell him that I

rescued thee, not for the love of him but for the love of Accolon, and

tell him I fear him not while I can make me and them that be with me in

likeness of stones; and let him wit I can do much more when I see my

time. And so she departed into the country of Gore, and there was she

richly received, and made her castles and towns passing strong, for

always she dreaded much King Arthur.

When the king had well rested him at the abbey, he rode unto Camelot,

and found his queen and his barons right glad of his coming. And when

they heard of his strange adventures as is afore rehearsed, then all

had marvel of the falsehood of Morgan le Fay; many knights wished her

burnt. Then came Manassen to court and told the king of his adventure.

Well, said the king, she is a kind sister; I shall so be avenged on her

an I live, that all Christendom shall speak of it. So on the morn there

came a damosel from Morgan to the king, and she brought with her the

richest mantle that ever was seen in that court, for it was set as full

of precious stones as one might stand by another, and there were the

richest stones that ever the king saw. And the damosel said, Your

sister sendeth you this mantle, and desireth that ye should take this

gift of her; and in what thing she hath offended you, she will amend it

at your own pleasure. When the king beheld this mantle it pleased him

much, but he said but little.