[Sidenote:  Sir Percival leaves Sir Lamorack] Thereafter Sir Percival went to the courtyard of the castle and he bade certain attendants to prepare his horse for him, and they did so.  And he bade certain others for to arm him, and they did so.  Thereupon he mounted his horse and left that castle and rode away.

Now after Sir Percival had left Sir Lamorack still sleeping in the castle as aforetold, he journeyed upon his way, taking great pleasure in all things that he beheld.  So he travelled all that morning, and the day was very bright and warm, so that by and by he was an-hungered and athirst.  So after a while he came to a certain road that appeared to him to be good for his purpose, so he took that way in great hopes that some adventure would befall him, or else that he would find food and drink.

Then after a while he heard a bell ringing, and after he had followed that bell for some distance, he came to where was the dwelling-place of a hermit and where was a small chapel by the wayside.  And Sir Percival beheld that the hermit, who was an old man with a long white beard, rang the bell of that chapel.

[Sidenote:  Sir Percival meets his fate at the forest chapel] So Sir Percival thought that here he might find food and drink; and so he rode forward to where the hermit was ringing the bell.  But when Sir Percival came still more nigh he perceived that behind the chapel and to one side there was a very noble knight upon horseback; and he perceived that the knight was clad all in white armor and that his horse (which was white as milk and of very noble strength and proportions) was furnished altogether with furniture of white.

This knight, when he perceived Sir Percival, immediately rode up to meet him and saluted Sir Percival very courteously.  And the knight said:  “Sir, will you not joust a fall with me ere you break your fast?  For this is a very fair and level field of green grass and well fitted for such a friendly trial at arms if you have the time for it.”

Unto this Sir Percival said:  “Messire, I will gladly try a fall with you, though I must tell you that I am a very young green knight, having been knighted only yesterday by King Arthur himself.  But though I am unskilled in arms, yet it will pleasure me a great deal to accept so gentle and courteous a challenge as that which you give me.”

[Sidenote:  Sir Percival is overthrown by the white knight] So with that each knight turned his horse and each took such stand as appeared to him to be best.  And when they were in all ways prepared, they drave their horses together with great speed, the one against the other, meeting one another, shield against spear, in the very midst of the course.  In that encounter (which was the first that he ever ran) Sir Percival bare himself very well and with great knightliness of endeavor; for he broke his spear upon the white knight into small pieces.  But the spear of the white knight held so that Sir Percival was lifted out of his saddle and over the crupper of his horse, and fell upon the ground with great violence and a cloud of dust.