Kabanata Kabanata 46 · How Balin met with his brother Balan, and how each of

. How Balin met with his brother Balan, and how each of

them slew other unknown, till they were wounded to death.

Then afore him he saw come riding out of a castle a knight, and his

horse trapped all red, and himself in the same colour. When this knight

in the red beheld Balin, him thought it should be his brother Balin by

cause of his two swords, but by cause he knew not his shield he deemed

it was not he. And so they aventryd their spears and came marvellously

fast together, and they smote each other in the shields, but their

spears and their course were so big that it bare down horse and man,

that they lay both in a swoon. But Balin was bruised sore with the fall

of his horse, for he was weary of travel. And Balan was the first that

rose on foot and drew his sword, and went toward Balin, and he arose

and went against him; but Balan smote Balin first, and he put up his

shield and smote him through the shield and tamed his helm. Then Balin

smote him again with that unhappy sword, and well-nigh had felled his

brother Balan, and so they fought there together till their breaths

failed. Then Balin looked up to the castle and saw the towers stand

full of ladies. So they went unto battle again, and wounded everych

other dolefully, and then they breathed ofttimes, and so went unto

battle that all the place there as they fought was blood red. And at

that time there was none of them both but they had either smitten other

seven great wounds, so that the least of them might have been the death

of the mightiest giant in this world.

Then they went to battle again so marvellously that doubt it was to

hear of that battle for the great blood-shedding, and their hauberks

unnailed that naked they were on every side. At last Balan the younger

brother withdrew him a little and laid him down. Then said Balin le

Savage, What knight art thou? for or now I found never no knight that

matched me. My name is, said he, Balan, brother unto the good knight,

Balin. Alas, said Balin, that ever I should see this day, and therewith

he fell backward in a swoon. Then Balan yede on all four feet and

hands, and put off the helm off his brother, and might not know him by

the visage it was so ful hewn and bled; but when he awoke he said, O

Balan, my brother, thou hast slain me and I thee, wherefore all the

wide world shall speak of us both. Alas, said Balan, that ever I saw

this day, that through mishap I might not know you, for I espied well

your two swords, but by cause ye had another shield I deemed ye had

been another knight. Alas, said Balin, all that made an unhappy knight

in the castle, for he caused me to leave my own shield to our both’s

destruction, and if I might live I would destroy that castle for ill

customs. That were well done, said Balan, for I had never grace to

depart from them since that I came hither, for here it happed me to

slay a knight that kept this island, and since might I never depart,

and no more should ye, brother, an ye might have slain me as ye have,

and escaped yourself with the life.

Right so came the lady of the tower with four knights and six ladies

and six yeomen unto them, and there she heard how they made their moan

either to other, and said, We came both out of one tomb, that is to say

one mother’s belly, and so shall we lie both in one pit. So Balan

prayed the lady of her gentleness, for his true service, that she would

bury them both in that same place there the battle was done. And she

granted them, with weeping, it should be done richly in the best

manner. Now, will ye send for a priest, that we may receive our

sacrament, and receive the blessed body of our Lord Jesus Christ? Yea,

said the lady, it shall be done; and so she sent for a priest and gave

them their rights. Now, said Balin, when we are buried in one tomb, and

the mention made over us how two brethren slew each other, there will

never good knight, nor good man, see our tomb but they will pray for

our souls. And so all the ladies and gentlewomen wept for pity. Then

anon Balan died, but Balin died not till the midnight after, and so

were they buried both, and the lady let make a mention of Balan how he

was there slain by his brother’s hands, but she knew not Balin’s name.