Thus as they rode they heard by them a great horse grimly neigh.  Then they were aware of a sleeping knight, that lay all armed under an apple-tree; and as the queens looked on his face, they knew it was Sir Launcelot.  Then they began to strive for that knight, and each one said she would have him for her love.  “We will not strive,” said Morgane le Fay, that was King Arthur’s sister, “for I will put an enchantment upon him, that he shall not wake for six hours, and we will take him away to my castle; and then when he is surely within my hold, I will take the enchantment from him, and then let him choose which of us he will have for his love.”  So the enchantment was cast upon Sir Launcelot.  And then they laid him upon his shield, and bare him so on horseback between two knights, and brought him unto the castle and laid him in a chamber, and at night they sent him his supper.  And on the morning came early those four queens, richly dight, and bade him good morning, and he them again.  “Sir knight,” they said, “thou must understand thou art our prisoner; and we know thee well, that thou art Sir Launcelot of the Lake, King Ban’s son, and that thou art the noblest knight living.  And we know well that there can no lady have thy love but one, and that is Queen Guenever; and now thou shalt lose her for ever, and she thee; and therefore it behooveth thee now to choose one of us.  I am the Queen Morgane le Fay, and here is the Queen of North Wales, and the Queen of Eastland, and the Queen of the Isles.  Now choose one of us which thou wilt have, for if thou choose not, in this prison thou shalt die.”  “This is a hard case,” said Sir Launcelot, “that either I must die, or else choose one of you; yet had I liever to die in this prison with worship, than to have one of you for my paramour, for ye be false enchantresses.”  “Well,” said the queens, “is this your answer, that ye will refuse us.”  “Yea, on my life it is,” said Sir Launcelot.  Then they departed, making great sorrow.

Then at noon came a damsel unto him with his dinner, and asked him, “What cheer?” “Truly, fair damsel,” said Sir Launcelot, “never so ill.”  “Sir,” said she, “if you will be ruled by me, I will help you out of this distress.  If ye will promise me to help my father on Tuesday next, who hath made a tournament betwixt him and the king of North Wales; for last Tuesday my father lost the field.”  “Fair maiden,” said Sir Launcelot, “tell me what is your father’s name, and then will I give you an answer.”  “Sir knight,” she said, “my father is King Bagdemagus.”  “I know him well,” said Sir Launcelot, “for a noble king and a good knight; and, by the faith of my body, I will be ready to do your father and you service at that day.”

So she departed, and came on the next morning early and found him ready, and brought him out of twelve locks, and brought him to his own horse, and lightly he saddled him, and so rode forth.