And Percival said:  “I will do as thou dost advise.”

[Sidenote:  The Lady of the Lake giveth Sir Percival a charm] Then the lady said:  “Wait a little, I have something for thee.”  Therewith she took from her neck a small golden amulet pendant from a silken cord very fine and thin.  And she said:  “Wear this for it will protect thee from all evil enchantments.”  Therewith saying, she hung the amulet about the neck of Sir Percival, and Sir Percival gave her thanks beyond measure for it.

Then the knight and the lady saluted him and he saluted them, and they each went their separate ways.

[Sidenote:  How Percival followed the golden bird] So Sir Percival travelled that path for some distance as the lady had advised him to do, and by and by he beheld the bird of which she had spoken.  And he saw that the plumage of the bird glistered as though it was of gold so that he marvelled at it.  And as he drew nigh the bird flew a little distance down the path and then lit upon the ground and he followed it.  And when he had come nigh to it again it flew a distance farther and still he followed it.  So it flew and he followed for a very great way until by and by the forest grew thin and Sir Percival beheld that there was an open country lying beyond the skirts thereof.  And when the bird had brought him thus far it suddenly flew back into the forest again whence it had come, chirping very keenly and shrilly as it flew.

[Sidenote:  Sir Percival beholds a wonderful castle] So Percival came out of the forest into the open country, the like of which he had never before seen, for it was a very desolate barren waste of land.  And in the midst of this desolate plain there stood a castle of a very wonderful appearance; for in some parts it was the color of ultramarine and in other parts it was of crimson; and the ultramarine and the crimson were embellished with very extraordinary devices painted in gold.  So because of all those extraordinary colors, that castle shone like a bright rainbow against the sky, wherefore Sir Percival sat his horse for some while and marvelled very greatly thereat.

Then, by and by Sir Percival perceived that the road that led to the castle crossed a bridge of stone, and when he looked at the bridge he saw that midway upon it was a pillar of stone and that a knight clad all in full armor stood chained with iron chains to that stone pillar, and at that sight Sir Percival was very greatly astonished.  So he rode very rapidly along that way and so to the bridge and upon the bridge to where the knight was.  And when Sir Percival came thus upon the bridge he perceived that the knight who was bound with chains was very noble and haughty of appearance, but that he seemed to be in great pain and suffering because of his being thus bound to that pillar.  For the captive knight made continual moan so that it moved the heart of Sir Percival to hear him.

So Sir Percival said:  “Sir Knight, this is a sorrowful condition thou art in.”  And the knight said:  “Yea, and I am sorrowful; for I have stood here now for three days and I am in great torment of mind and body.”