When he had passed the boundary of those countries, he was somewhat comforted, and rode eight days without adventure.  Anon he came to a cross, whereon was written in letters of gold, “It is not for a knight alone to ride towards this castle.”  Looking up, he saw a hoary ancient man come towards him, who said, “Sir Balin le Savage, thou passest thy bounds this way; therefore turn back again, it will be best for thee;” and with these words he vanished.

Then did he hear a horn blow as it were the deathnote of some hunted beast.  “That blast,” said Balin, “is blown for me, for I am the prey; though yet I be not dead.”  But as he spoke he saw a hundred ladies with a great troop of knights come forth to meet him, with bright faces and great welcome, who led him to the castle and made a great feast, with dancing and minstrelsy and all manner of joy.

Then the chief lady of the castle said, “Knight with the two swords, thou must encounter and fight with a knight hard by, who dwelleth on an island, for no man may pass this way without encountering him.”

“It is a grievous custom,” answered Sir Balin.

“There is but one knight to defeat,” replied the lady.

“Well,” said Sir Balin, “be it as thou wilt.  I am ready and quite willing, and though my horse and my body be full weary, yet is my heart not weary, save of life.  And truly I were glad if I might meet my death.”

“Sir,” said one standing by, “methinketh your shield is not good; I will lend you a bigger.”

“I thank thee, sir,” said Balin, and took the unknown shield and left his own, and so rode forth, and put himself and horse into a boat and came to the island.

As soon as he had landed, he saw come riding towards him, a knight dressed all in red, upon a horse trapped in the same colour.  When the red knight saw Sir Balin, and the two swords he wore, he thought it must have been his brother (for the red knight was Sir Balan), but when he saw the strange arms on his shield, he forgot the thought, and came against him fiercely.  At the first course they overthrew each other, and both lay swooning on the ground; but Sir Balin was the most hurt and bruised, for he was weary and spent with travelling.  So Sir Balan rose up first to his feet and drew his sword, and Sir Balin painfully rose against him and raised his shield.

Then Sir Balan smote him through the shield and brake his helmet; and Sir Balin, in return, smote at him with his fated sword, and had wellnigh slain his brother.  So they fought till their breaths failed.

Then Sir Balin, looking up, saw all the castle towers stand full of ladies.  So they went again to battle, and wounded each other full sore, and paused, and breathed again, and then again began the fight; and this for many times they did, till all the ground was red with blood.  And by now, each had full grievously wounded the other with seven great wounds, the least of which might have destroyed the mightiest giant in the world.  But still they rose against each other, although their hauberks now were all unnailed, and they smiting at each other’s naked bodies with their sharp swords.  At the last, Sir Balan, the younger brother, withdrew a little space and laid him down.