Kabanata Kabanata 327 · How Sir Launcelot rode on his adventure, and how he holp a

. How Sir Launcelot rode on his adventure, and how he holp a

dolorous lady from her pain, and how that he fought with a dragon.

Now leave we Sir Tristram de Liones, and speak we of Sir Launcelot du

Lake, and of Sir Galahad, Sir Launcelot’s son, how he was gotten, and

in what manner, as the book of French rehearseth. Afore the time that

Sir Galahad was gotten or born, there came in an hermit unto King

Arthur upon Whitsunday, as the knights sat at the Table Round. And when

the hermit saw the Siege Perilous, he asked the king and all the

knights why that siege was void. Sir Arthur and all the knights

answered: There shall never none sit in that siege but one, but if he

be destroyed. Then said the hermit: Wot ye what is he? Nay, said Arthur

and all the knights, we wot not who is he that shall sit therein. Then

wot I, said the hermit, for he that shall sit there is unborn and

ungotten, and this same year he shall be gotten that shall sit there in

that Siege Perilous, and he shall win the Sangreal. When this hermit

had made this mention he departed from the court of King Arthur.

And then after this feast Sir Launcelot rode on his adventure, till on

a time by adventure he passed over the pont of Corbin; and there he saw

the fairest tower that ever he saw, and there-under was a fair town

full of people; and all the people, men and women, cried at once:

Welcome, Sir Launcelot du Lake, the flower of all knighthood, for by

thee all we shall be holpen out of danger. What mean ye, said Sir

Launcelot, that ye cry so upon me? Ah, fair knight, said they all, here

is within this tower a dolorous lady that hath been there in pains many

winters and days, for ever she boileth in scalding water; and but late,

said all the people, Sir Gawaine was here and he might not help her,

and so he left her in pain. So may I, said Sir Launcelot, leave her in

pain as well as Sir Gawaine did. Nay, said the people, we know well

that it is Sir Launcelot that shall deliver her. Well, said Launcelot,

then shew me what I shall do.

Then they brought Sir Launcelot into the tower; and when he came to the

chamber thereas this lady was, the doors of iron unlocked and unbolted.

And so Sir Launcelot went into the chamber that was as hot as any stew.

And there Sir Launcelot took the fairest lady by the hand that ever he

saw, and she was naked as a needle; and by enchantment Queen Morgan le

Fay and the Queen of Northgalis had put her there in that pains,

because she was called the fairest lady of that country; and there she

had been five years, and never might she be delivered out of her great

pains unto the time the best knight of the world had taken her by the

hand. Then the people brought her clothes. And when she was arrayed,

Sir Launcelot thought she was the fairest lady of the world, but if it

were Queen Guenever.

Then this lady said to Sir Launcelot: Sir, if it please you will ye go

with me hereby into a chapel that we may give loving and thanking unto

God? Madam, said Sir Launcelot, come on with me, I will go with you. So

when they came there and gave thankings to God all the people, both

learned and lewd, gave thankings unto God and him, and said: Sir

knight, since ye have delivered this lady, ye shall deliver us from a

serpent there is here in a tomb. Then Sir Launcelot took his shield and

said: Bring me thither, and what I may do unto the pleasure of God and

you I will do. So when Sir Launcelot came thither he saw written upon

the tomb letters of gold that said thus: Here shall come a leopard of

king’s blood, and he shall slay this serpent, and this leopard shall

engender a lion in this foreign country, the which lion shall pass all

other knights. So then Sir Launcelot lift up the tomb, and there came

out an horrible and a fiendly dragon, spitting fire out of his mouth.

Then Sir Launcelot drew his sword and fought with the dragon long, and

at the last with great pain Sir Launcelot slew that dragon. Therewithal

came King Pelles, the good and noble knight, and saluted Sir Launcelot,

and he him again. Fair knight, said the king, what is your name? I

require you of your knighthood tell me!