Then said Sir Balin le Savage, “What knight art thou? for never before have I found a knight to match me thus.”

“My name,” said he, all faintly, “is Balan, brother to the good knight Sir Balin.”

“Ah, God!” cried Balin, “that ever I should see this day!” and therewith fell down backwards in a swoon.

Then Sir Balan crept with pain upon his feet and hands, and put his brother’s helmet off his head, but could not know him by his face, it was so hewed and bloody.  But presently, when Sir Balin came to, he said, “Oh!  Balan, mine own brother, thou hast slain me, and I thee!  All the wide world saw never greater grief!”

“Alas!” said Sir Balan, “that I ever saw this day; and through mishap alone I knew thee not, for when I saw thy two swords, if it had not been for thy strange shield, I should have known thee for my brother.”

“Alas!” said Balin, “all this sorrow lieth at the door of one unhappy knight within the castle, who made me change my shield.  If I might live, I would destroy that castle and its evil customs.”

“It were well done,” said Balan, “for since I first came hither I have never been able to depart, for here they made me fight with one who kept this island, whom I slew, and by enchantment I might never quit it more; nor couldst thou, brother, hadst thou slain me, and escaped with thine own life.”

Anon came the lady of the castle, and when she heard their talk, and saw their evil case, she wrung her hands and wept bitterly.  So Sir Balan prayed the lady of her gentleness that, for his true service, she would bury them both together in that place.  This she granted, weeping full sore, and said it should be done right solemnly and richly, and in the noblest manner possible.  Then did they send for a priest, and received the holy sacrament at his hands.  And Balin said, “Write over us upon our tomb, that here two brethren slew each other; then shall never good knight or pilgrim pass this way but he will pray for both our souls.”  And anon Sir Balan died, but Sir Balin died not till the midnight after; and then they both were buried.

On the morrow of their death came Merlin, and took Sir Balin’s sword and fixed on it a new pommel, and set it in a mighty stone, which then, by magic, he made float upon the water.  And so, for many years, it floated to and fro around the island, till it swam down the river to Camelot, where young Sir Galahad achieved it, as shall be told hereafter.

CHAPTER VI

The Marriage of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, and the Founding of the Round Table—­The Adventure of the Hart and Hound

It befell upon a certain day, that King Arthur said to Merlin, “My lords and knights do daily pray me now to take a wife; but I will have none without thy counsel, for thou hast ever helped me since I came first to this crown.”

“It is well,” said Merlin, “that thou shouldst take a wife, for no man of bounteous and noble nature should live without one; but is there any lady whom thou lovest better than another?”