CHAPTER IV

How the old man brought Galahad to the siege perilous and set him therein, and how all the knights marvelled

The king was right glad of his words, and said unto the good man:  Sir, ye be right welcome, and the young knight with you.  Then the old man made the young man to unarm him, and he was in a coat of red sendel, and bare a mantle upon his shoulder that was furred with ermine, and put that upon him.  And the old knight said unto the young knight:  Sir, follow me.  And anon he led him unto the Siege Perilous, where beside sat Sir Launcelot; and the good man lift up the cloth, and found there letters that said thus:  This is the siege of Galahad, the haut prince.  Sir, said the old knight, wit ye well that place is yours.  And then he set him down surely in that siege.  And then he said to the old man:  Sir, ye may now go your way, for well have ye done that ye were commanded to do; and recommend me unto my grandsire, King Pelles, and unto my lord Petchere, and say them on my behalf, I shall come and see them as soon as ever I may.  So the good man departed; and there met him twenty noble squires, and so took their horses and went their way.  Then all the knights of the Table Round marvelled greatly of Sir Galahad, that he durst sit there in that Siege Perilous, and was so tender of age; and wist not from whence he came but all only by God; and said:  This is he by whom the Sangreal shall be achieved, for there sat never none but he, but he were mischieved.  Then Sir Launcelot beheld his son and had great joy of him.  Then Bors told his fellows:  Upon pain of my life this young knight shall come unto great worship.  This noise was great in all the court, so that it came to the queen.  Then she had marvel what knight it might be that durst adventure him to sit in the Siege Perilous.  Many said unto the queen he resembled much unto Sir Launcelot.  I may well suppose, said the queen, that Sir Launcelot begat him on King Pelles’ daughter, by the which he was made to lie by, by enchantment, and his name is Galahad.  I would fain see him, said the queen, for he must needs be a noble man, for so is his father that him begat, I report me unto all the Table Round.  So when the meat was done that the king and all were risen, the king yede unto the Siege Perilous and lift up the cloth, and found there the name of Galahad; and then he shewed it unto Sir Gawaine, and said:  Fair nephew, now have we among us Sir Galahad, the good knight that shall worship us all; and upon pain of my life he shall achieve the Sangreal, right as Sir Launcelot had done us to understand.  Then came King Arthur unto Galahad and said:  Sir, ye be welcome, for ye shall move many good knights to the quest of the Sangreal, and ye shall achieve that never knights might bring to an end.  Then the king took him by the hand, and went down from the palace to shew Galahad the adventures of the stone.