Then Croisette said to Sir Launcelot:  “Yonder is the castle of that evil-minded knight of whom I spake to thee yesterday, and his name is Sir Peris of the Forest Sauvage.  Below that castle, where the road leads into that woodland, there doth he lurk to seize upon wayfarers who come thitherward.  And indeed he is a very catiff knight, for, though he is strong and powerful, he doth not often attack other knights, but only ladies and demoiselles who come hither.  For these he may take captive without danger to himself.  For I believe that though he is so big of frame yet is he a coward in his heart.”

[Sidenote:  Sir Launcelot advises Croisette what to do] Then Sir Launcelot sat for a while and regarded that castle, and fell into thought; and he said, “Damsel, if so be this knight is such a coward as thou sayest, meseems that if I travel with thee I shall have some ado to come upon him; because, if he sees me with thee, he may keep himself hidden in the thicket of the forest from my sight.  Now I will have it this way; do thou ride along the highway in plain sight of the castle, and I will keep within the woodland skirts, where I may have thee in sight and still be hidden from the sight of others.  Then if this knight assail thee, as I think it likely he may do, I will come out and do battle with him ere he escapes.”

So it was arranged as Sir Launcelot said and they rode in that wise:  Croisette rode along the highway, and Sir Launcelot rode under the trees in the outskirts of the forest, where he was hidden from the eyes of anyone who might be looking that way.  So they went on for a long pass until they came pretty nigh to where the castle was.

[Sidenote:  Sir Peris attacks Croisette] Then, as they came to a certain part of the road that dipped down toward a small valley, they were suddenly aware of a great noise, and immediately there issued out from the forest a knight, large and strong of frame, and followed close behind by a squire dressed altogether in scarlet from head to foot.  This knight bore down with great speed upon where Croisette was, and the esquire followed close behind him.  When these two had come near to Croisette, the esquire leaped from off his horse and caught her palfrey by the bridle, and the knight came close to her and catched her as though to drag her off from her horse.

With that Croisette shrieked very loud, and immediately Sir Launcelot broke out from the woods and rode down upon where all this was toward with a noise like to thunder.  As he came he cried aloud in a great and terrible voice:  “Sir Knight, let go that lady, and turn thou to me and defend thyself!”