“Sir Lionel,” he cried, “will ye slay your brother, one of the best knights of all the world?  That ought no man to suffer.”

“Why,” said Sir Lionel, “will ye hinder me and meddle in this strife? beware, lest I shall slay both thee and him.”

And when Sir Colgrevance refused to let them be, Sir Lionel defied him, and gave him a great stroke through the helmet, whereat Sir Colgrevance drew his sword, and smote again right manfully.  And so long they fought together that Sir Bors awoke from his swoon, and tried to rise and part them, but had no strength to stand upon his feet.

Anon Sir Colgrevance saw him, and cried out to him for help, for now Sir Lionel had nigh defeated him.  When Sir Bors heard that, he struggled to his feet, and put his helmet on, and took his sword.  But before he could come to him, Sir Lionel had smitten off Sir Colgrevance’s helm, and thrown him to the earth and slain him.  Then turned he to his brother as a man possessed by fiends, and gave him such a stroke as bent him nearly double.

But still Sir Bors prayed him for God’s sake to quit that battle, “For if it befell us that we either slew the other we should die for care of that sin.”

“Never will I spare thee if I master thee,” cried out Sir Lionel.

Then Sir Bors drew his sword all weeping, and said, “Now, God have mercy on me, though I defend my life against my brother;” with that he lifted up his sword to strike, but suddenly he heard a mighty voice, “Put up thy sword, Sir Bors, and flee, or thou shalt surely slay him.”  And then there fell upon them both a fiery cloud, which flamed and burned their shields, and they fell to the earth in sore dread.

Anon Sir Bors rose to his feet, and saw that Sir Lionel had taken no harm.  Then came the voice again, and said, “Sir Bors, go hence and leave thy brother, and ride thou forward to the sea, for there Sir Percival abideth thee.”

Then he said to his brother, “Brother, forgive me all my trespass against thee.”

And Sir Lionel answered, “God forgive it thee, as I do.”

Then he departed and rode to the sea, and on the strand he found a ship all covered with white samite, and as soon as he had entered thereinto, it put forth from the shore.  And in the midst of the ship there stood an armed knight, whom he knew to be Sir Percival.  Then they rejoiced greatly over each other, and said, “We lack nothing now but the good knight Sir Galahad.”

Now when Sir Galahad had rescued Sir Percival from the twenty knights he rode into a vast forest.  And after many days it befell that he came to a castle whereat was a tournament.  And the knights of the castle were put to the worse; which when he saw, he set his spear in rest and ran to help them, and smote down many of their adversaries.  And as it chanced, Sir Gawain was amongst the stranger knights, and when he saw the white shield with the red cross, he knew it was Sir Galahad, and proffered to joust with him.  So they encountered, and having broken their spears, they drew their swords, and Sir Galahad smote Sir Gawain so sorely on the helm that he clove it through, and struck on slanting to the earth, carving the horse’s shoulder in twain, and Sir Gawain fell to the earth.  Then Sir Galahad beat back all who warred against the castle, yet would he not wait for thanks, but rode away that no man might know him.