After they had gone Percival returned to his mother, and he beheld that she sat exactly where he had left her, for she was in great travail of soul because she perceived that Percival would not now stay with her very much longer.  And when Percival came to where she sat he said to her:  “Mother, those were not angels, but very good, excellent knights.”  And upon this the lady, his mother, burst into a great passion of weeping, so that Percival stood before her all abashed, not knowing why she wept.  So by and by he said, “Mother, why dost thou weep?” But she could not answer him for a while, and after a while she said, “Let us return homeward.”  And so they walked in silence.

Now when they had come to the tower where they dwelt, the lady turned of a sudden unto Percival and she said to him, “Percival, what is in thy heart?” And he said, “Mother, thou knowest very well what is there.”  She said, “Is it that thou wouldst be a knight also?” And he said, “Thou sayst it.”  And upon that she said, “Thou shalt have thy will; come with me.”

So Percival’s mother led him to the stable and to where was that poor pack-horse that brought provisions to that place, and she said:  “This is a sorry horse but I have no other for thee.  Now let us make a saddle for him.”  So Percival and his mother twisted sundry cloths and wisps of hay and made a sort of a saddle thereof.  And Percival’s mother brought him a scrip with bread and cheese for his refreshment and she hung it about his shoulder.  And she brought him his javelin which he took in his hand.  And then she gave him the ring of King Pellinore with that precious ruby jewel inset into it, and she said:  “Take thou this, Percival, and put it upon thy finger, for it is a royal ring.  Now when thou leavest me, go unto the court of King Arthur and make diligent inquiry for Sir Lamorack of Gales.  And when thou hast found him, show him that ring, and he will see that thou art made a very worthy knight; for, Percival, Sir Lamorack is thy brother.  One time thou hadst a father alive, and thou hadst two other brothers.  But all they were slain by treachery of our enemies, and only thou and Lamorack are left; so look to it that thou guard thyself when thou art in the world and in the midst of those enemies; for if thou shouldst perish at their hands, I believe my heart would break.”

[Sidenote:  Percival’s mother giveth him advice] Then she gave Percival advice concerning the duty of one who would make himself worthy of knighthood, and that advice was as follows:  “In thy journeying thou art to observe these sundry things:  When thou comest to a church or a shrine say a pater-noster unto the glory of God; and if thou hearest a cry of anyone in trouble, hasten to lend thine aid—­especially if it be a woman or a child who hath need of it; and if thou meet a lady or a damosel, salute her in seemly fashion; and if thou have to do with a man, be both civil and courageous unto him; and if thou art an-hungered