Bab Bab 394 · Of the good counsel that the hermit gave to them.

. Of the good counsel that the hermit gave to them.

Certes, said Gawaine, soothly have ye said, that I see it openly. Now,

I pray you, good man and holy father, tell me why we met not with so

many adventures as we were wont to do, and commonly have the better. I

shall tell you gladly, said the good man; the adventure of the Sangreal

which ye and many other have undertaken the quest of it and find it

not, the cause is for it appeareth not to sinners. Wherefore marvel not

though ye fail thereof, and many other. For ye be an untrue knight and

a great murderer, and to good men signifieth other things than murder.

For I dare say, as sinful as Sir Launcelot hath been, sith that he went

into the quest of the Sangreal he slew never man, nor nought shall,

till that he come unto Camelot again, for he hath taken upon him for to

forsake sin. And nere that he nis not stable, but by his thought he is

likely to turn again, he should be next to enchieve it save Galahad,

his son. But God knoweth his thought and his unstableness, and yet

shall he die right an holy man, and no doubt he hath no fellow of no

earthly sinful man. Sir, said Gawaine, it seemeth me by your words that

for our sins it will not avail us to travel in this quest. Truly, said

the good man, there be an hundred such as ye be that never shall

prevail, but to have shame. And when they had heard these voices they

commended him unto God.

Then the good man called Gawaine, and said: It is long time passed sith

that ye were made knight, and never sithen thou servedst thy Maker, and

now thou art so old a tree that in thee is neither life nor fruit;

wherefore bethink thee that thou yield to Our Lord the bare rind, sith

the fiend hath the leaves and the fruit. Sir, said Gawaine an I had

leisure I would speak with you, but my fellow here, Sir Ector, is gone,

and abideth me yonder beneath the hill. Well, said the good man, thou

were better to be counselled. Then departed Gawaine and came to Ector,

and so took their horses and rode till they came to a forester’s house,

which harboured them right well. And on the morn they departed from

their host, and rode long or they could find any adventure.