At last Sir Tristram said, “In all my life I never met a knight so strong and well-breathed as ye be.  It were a pity we should further hurt each other.  Hold thy hand, fair knight, and tell me thy name.”

“That will I,” answered he, “if thou wilt tell me thine.”

“My name,” said he, “is Sir Tristram of Lyonesse.”

“And mine, Sir Lamoracke of Gaul.”

Then both cried out together, “Well met;” and Sir Lamoracke said, “Sir, for your great renown, I will that ye have all the worship of this battle, and therefore will I yield me unto you.”  And therewith he took his sword by the point to yield him.

“Nay,” said Sir Tristram, “ye shall not do so, for well I know ye do it of courtesy, and not of dread.”  And therewith he offered his sword to Sir Lamoracke, saying, “Sir, as an overcome knight, I yield me unto you as unto the man of noblest powers I have ever met with.”

“Hold,” said Sir Lamoracke, “let us now swear together nevermore to fight against each other.”

Then did they swear as he said.

Then Sir Tristram returned to Sir Kay Hedius, and when he was whole of his wounds, they departed together in a ship, and landed on the coast of Cornwall.  And when they came ashore, Sir Tristram eagerly sought news of La Belle Isault.  And one told him in mistake that she was dead.  Whereat, for sore and grievous sorrow, he fell down in a swoon, and so lay for three days and nights.

When he awoke therefrom he was crazed, and ran into the forest and abode there like a wild man many days; whereby he waxed lean and weak of body, and would have died, but that a hermit laid some meat beside him as he slept.  Now in that forest was a giant named Tauleas, who, for fear of Tristram, had hid himself within a castle, but when they told him he was mad, came forth and went at large again.  And on a certain day he saw a knight of Cornwall, named Sir Dinaunt, pass by with a lady, and when he had alighted by a well to rest, the giant leaped out from his ambush, and took him by the throat to slay him.  But Sir Tristram, as he wandered through the forest, came upon them as they struggled; and when the knight cried out for help, he rushed upon the giant, and taking up Sir Dinaunt’s sword, struck off therewith the giant’s head, and straightway disappeared among the trees.

Anon, Sir Dinaunt took the head of Tauleas, and bare it with him to the court of King Mark, whither he was bound, and told of his adventures.  “Where had ye this adventure?” said King Mark.

“At a fair fountain in thy forest,” answered he.

“I would fain see that wild man,” said the king.

So within a day or two he commanded his knights to a great hunting in the forest.  And when the king came to the well, he saw a wild man lying there asleep, having a sword beside him; but he knew not that it was Sir Tristram.  Then he blew his horn, and summoned all his knights to take him gently up and bear him to the court.