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13 - Part 2 Story 5 The Adventure Of Sir Percivale · Tales Of King Arthur And The Round Table

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  Speaker 1: Part two, Story five of Tales of King Arthur and
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  Speaker 1: the Round Table by Andrew Lang. This LibriVox recording is
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  Speaker 1: in the public domain. Part two, story five, the Adventure
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  Speaker 1: of Sir Percival. All this while Sir Percivale had pursued
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  Speaker 1: adventures of his own and came nigh into losing his life,
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  Speaker 1: but he was saved from his enemies by the good
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  Speaker 1: knight Sir Galahad, whom he did not know although he
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  Speaker 1: was seeking him, for Sir Galahad now bore a red
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  Speaker 1: shield and not a white one. And at last the
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  Speaker 1: foes fled deep into the forest, and Sir Galahad followed,
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  Speaker 1: but Sir Percival had no horse and was forced to
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  Speaker 1: stay behind. Then his eyes were opened and he knew
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  Speaker 1: it was Sir Galahad who had come to his help,
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  Speaker 1: And he sat down under a tree and grieved sore.
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  Speaker 1: While he was sitting there, a knight passed by, riding
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  Speaker 1: a black horse, and when he was out of sight,
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  Speaker 1: a yeoman came pricking after as fast as he could,
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  Speaker 1: and seeing Sir Percivale, asked if he had seen a
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  Speaker 1: knight mounted on a black horse. Yes, Sir Forsooth, answered
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  Speaker 1: Sir Percivale, why do you want to know? Ah, Sir,
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  Speaker 1: that is my steed which he has taken from me,
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  Speaker 1: And wherever my Lord shall find me, he is sure
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  Speaker 1: to slay me. Well, said Sir Percivale. Thou seest that
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  Speaker 1: I am on foot, but had I a good horse,
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  Speaker 1: I would soon come up with him. Take my hackney,
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  Speaker 1: said the yeoman, and do the best you can, and
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  Speaker 1: I shall follow you on foot to watch how you speed.
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  Speaker 1: So Sir Percival rode as fast as he might, and
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  Speaker 1: at last he saw that knight, and he hailed him.
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  Speaker 1: The knight turned and set his spear against Sir Percivale
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  Speaker 1: and smote the hackney in the breast, so that he
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  Speaker 1: fell dead to the earth, and Sir Percival fell with him.
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  Speaker 1: Then the Knight rode away, But Sir Percival was mad
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  Speaker 1: with wrath and cried to the Knight to return and
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  Speaker 1: fight with him on foot. But the Knight answered not
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  Speaker 1: and went on his way. When Sir Percivale saw that
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  Speaker 1: he would not turn, he threw himself on the ground
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  Speaker 1: and cast away his helm and sword, and bemoaned himself,
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  Speaker 1: for the most unhappy of all knights and there he
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  Speaker 1: abode the whole day, and, being faint and weary, slept
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  Speaker 1: till it was midnight. At midnight he waked and saw
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  Speaker 1: before him a woman, who said to him right fiercely,
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  Speaker 1: Sir Percival, what doest thou hear? Neither good nor great? Ill,
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  Speaker 1: answered he, if thou wilt promise to do my will
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  Speaker 1: when I call upon thee, said she, I will lend
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  Speaker 1: thee my own horse, and he shall bear thee whither
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  Speaker 1: thou shalt choose This, Sir Percival promised gladly, and the
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  Speaker 1: woman went and returned with a black horse, so large
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  Speaker 1: and well apparelled that Sir Percival marveled. But he mounted
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  Speaker 1: him gladly and drove in his spurs, and within an
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  Speaker 1: hour and less the horse bare him four days journey thence,
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  Speaker 1: and would have borne him into a rough water, had
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  Speaker 1: not Sir Percival pulled at his bridle. The knight stood doubting,
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  Speaker 1: for the water made a great noise, and he feared
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  Speaker 1: lest his horse could not get through it. Still wishing
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  Speaker 1: greatly to pass over, he made himself ready and signed
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  Speaker 1: the sign of the Cross upon his forehead. At that
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  Speaker 1: the fiend which had taken the shape of a horse,
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  Speaker 1: shook off Sir Percival, and dashed into the water, crying
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  Speaker 1: and making great sorrow, and it seemed to him that
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  Speaker 1: the water burned. Then Sir Percival knew that it was
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  Speaker 1: not a horse, but a fiend, which would have brought
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  Speaker 1: him to perdition, and he gave thanks and prayed all
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  Speaker 1: that night long. As soon as it was day, he
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  Speaker 1: looked about him and saw he was in a wild mountain,
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  Speaker 1: gird round with the sea, and filled with wild beasts.
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  Speaker 1: Then he rose and went into a valley, and there
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  Speaker 1: he saw a young serpent bring a young lion by
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  Speaker 1: the neck. And after that there passed a great lion,
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  Speaker 1: crying and roaring after the serpent, and a fierce battle
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  Speaker 1: began between them. Sir Percival thought to help the lion,
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  Speaker 1: as he was the more natural beast of the twain,
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  Speaker 1: and he drew his sword and set his shield before him,
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  Speaker 1: and gave the serpent a deadly buffet. When the lion
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  Speaker 1: saw that, he made him all the cheer that a
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  Speaker 1: beast might make a man, and fawned about him like
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  Speaker 1: a spaniel, and stroked him with his paws. And about
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  Speaker 1: noon the lion took his little whelp and placed him
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  Speaker 1: on his back, and bare him home again, and Sir Percivale,
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  Speaker 1: being left alone, prayed till he was comforted. But at
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  Speaker 1: eventide the lion returned and couched down at his feet,
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  Speaker 1: and all night long he and the lion slept together.
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  Speaker 1: End of Part two, Story five