The Story of the Champions of the Round Table | Page 9

command that they should bend
their ways toward Camelot once more.
[Sidenote: King Arthur and his companions find a strange damsel and a
dwarf] Now this time, being the Eve of Saint John, fairies and those
folk who are fay come forth, as is very well known, into the world from
which they dwell apart at other times. So when King Arthur and those
two knights and their several foresters and huntsmen came to a certain
outlying part of the forest, they were suddenly aware of a damsel and a
dwarf waiting where the road upon which they were travelling crossed

another road, and they perceived, from her very remarkable appearance,
that the damsel was very likely Fay. For both she and her dwarf sat
each upon a milk-white horse, very strangely still, close to where was a
shrine by a hedge of hawthorne; and the damsel was so wonderfully
fair of face that it was a marvel to behold her. Moreover, she was clad
all in white samite from top to toe and her garments were embroidered
with silver; and the trappings and garniture of her horse were of white
samite studded with bright silver bosses, wherefore, because of this
silver, she glistered with a sudden lustre whensoever she moved a little.
When King Arthur and the two knights who were with him drew nigh
this damsel, much marvelling at her appearance, she hailed him in a
voice that was both high and clear, crying: "Welcome, King Arthur!
Welcome, King Arthur! Welcome, King Arthur!" saying three words
three times; and "Welcome, Sir Ewain!" "Welcome, Sir Ector de
Maris!" addressing each of those lords by his name.
"Damsel," quoth King Arthur, "it is very singular that you should know
who we are and that we should not know you. Now, will you not tell us
your name and whence you come and whither you go? For of a surety I
believe you are Fay."
"Lord," said the damsel, "it matters not who I am, saving that I am of
the court of a wonderful lady who is your very good friend. She hath
sent me here to meet you and to beseech you to come with me whither I
shall lead you, and I shall lead you unto her."
"Damsel," said King Arthur, "I shall be right glad to go with you as you
desire me to do. So, if you will lead me to your lady, I and my knights
will gladly follow you thitherway to pay our court unto her."
[Sidenote: King Arthur and his knights follow the damsel] Upon this
the damsel waved her hand, and drawing her bridle-rein she led the way,
accompanied by the dwarf, and King Arthur and the two knights
followed her, and all their party of foresters and huntsmen and hounds
and beagles followed them.
By this time the sun had set and the moon had risen very fair and round
and as yellow as gold, making a great light above the silent tree-tops.

Everything now was embalmed in the twilight, and all the world was
enshrouded in the mystery of the midsummer eve. Yet though the sun
had gone the light was wonderfully bright, wherefore all that the eye
could see stood sharp-cut and very clear to the vision.
So the damsel and the dwarf led the way for somewhat of a distance,
though not for so very far, until they came of a sudden to where was an
open meadow in the forest, hedged all around with the trees of the
woodland. And here the King and his knights were aware of a great
bustle of many people, some working very busily in setting up several
pavilions of white samite, and others preparing a table as for a feast,
and others upon this business and others upon that; and there were
various sumpter-mules and pack-horses and palfreys all about, as
though belonging to a party of considerable estate.
Then King Arthur and those who were with him beheld that, at some
distance away upon the other side of the meadow, there were three
people sitting under a crab-apple tree upon a couch especially prepared
for them, and they were aware that these people were the chief of all
that company.
[Sidenote: King Arthur and his companions are brought to speak with
strange folk] The first party of the three was a knight of very haughty
and noble appearance, clad all in armor as white as silver; and his jupon
was white embroidered with silver, and the scabbard of the sword and
the sword-belt were white, and his shield hung in the crab-tree above
him and that, too, was all white as of silver. This knight still wore his
helmet, so that his countenance was not to be seen. The second party of