Chapter Second
_How Sir Tristram got him a sword from Sir Kay and how he slew therewith a
huge knight in the forest and rescued a lady in very great distress. Also
how Sir Launcelot found Sir Tristram in the forest and brought him thence
to Tintagel again._
Now it chanced one day that Sir Kay the Seneschal came riding through those
parts of the forest where Sir Tristram abided with the swineherds, and with
Sir Kay there came a considerable court of esquires. And with him besides
there travelled Sir Dagonet, King Arthur's Fool.
[Sidenote: Sir Kay and Sir Dagonet come to the forest] Now, you are to
know that though Sir Dagonet was the King's jester, and though he was slack
of wit, yet he was also a knight of no mean prowess. For he had performed
several deeds of good repute and was well held in all courts of chivalry.
So Sir Dagonet always went armed; though he bore upon his shield the device
of a cockerel's head as a symbol of his calling.
The time that Sir Kay and his court travelled as aforesaid was in the
summer season and the day was very warm, so that Sir Kay was minded to take
rest during the midday and until the coolness of the afternoon should come.
So they all dismounted from their horses and sat them down under the shade
of the trees where it was cool and pleasant and where the breezes reached
them to breathe upon their faces.
[Sidenote: Sir Dagonet wanders in the woodland] But whilst Sir Kay and his
court thus rested themselves, Sir Dagonet must needs be gadding, for he was
of a very restless, meddlesome disposition. So, being at that time clad
only in half armor, he wandered hither and thither through the forest as
his fancy led him. For somewhiles he would whistle and somewhiles he would
gape, and otherwhiles he would cut a caper or two. So, as chance would have
it, he came by and by to that open glade of the forest where the swineherds
were gathered; and at that time they were eating their midday meal of black
bread and cheese, and were drinking beer; some talking and laughing and
others silent as they ate their food. Unto these Sir Dagonet appeared,
coming out of the forest in very gay attire, and shining in the half armor
he wore, so that he appeared like a bright bird of the woodland.
Then Sir Dagonet, seeing where those rude boors were eating their meal of
food, came to them and stood amongst them. And he said, "Who are ye
fellows?" Whereunto they replied, "We are swineherds, Messire; who be ye?"
Quoth Sir Dagonet: "I am King Arthur's Fool. And whilst there are haply
many in the world with no more wits than I possess, yet there are few so
honest as I to confess that they are fools."
At these words those swineherds laughed very loudly. "Well," quoth one, "if
King Arthur hath his fool, so have we, and yonder he is," and therewith he
pointed to where Sir Tristram lay in the shade of the trees some distance
away and beside a deep well of the forest.
Upon that Sir Dagonet must needs go to where Sir Tristram lay, nearly
naked, upon the ground. And when he had come there he said, "Arise, fool."
Whereunto Sir Tristram replied: "Why should I arise? Lo! I am weary."
Then Sir Dagonet said: "It is not fitting that thou, who art the fool of
swineherds shouldst lie upon the grass, whilst I who am the fool of a king
stand upright upon my shanks. So, fool, I bid thee bestir thyself and
arise."
But Sir Tristram said, "I will not arise." And therewith Sir Dagonet took
his sword and pricked the thigh of Sir Tristram with the point thereof with
intent to make him bestir himself.
[Sidenote: Sir Tristram souses Sir Dagonet in the well] Now when Sir
Tristram felt the prick of Sir Dagonet's sword, a certain part of his
memory of knighthood came back to him and he was seized with a sudden fury
against Sir Dagonet. So he arose and ran at Sir Dagonet and catched him in
his arms, and lifted Sir Dagonet off his feet and he soused him in the well
four or five times so that he was like to have drowned him.
As for those swineherds, when they saw what their fool did to that other
fool, they roared with laughter so that some of them rolled down upon the
ground and lay grovelling there for pure mirth. But others of them called
out to Sir Tristram, "Let be, or thou wilt drown that man"; and therewith
Sir Tristram let Sir Dagonet go, and Sir Dagonet ran away.
Nor did Sir Dagonet cease to run until he came to his party under the shade
of the trees. But when Sir Kay perceived what a sorry plight it was in
which Sir Dagonet appeared, he said, "What hath befallen thee?"
To this Sir Dagonet replied as follows: "Messire, I, who am a fool, went
into the forest and met another fool. I fool would have a jest with he
fool, but he fool catched I fool and soused I fool in a well of cold water.
So it came about that while I fool had the jest, he fool had the sport of
the jest."
[Sidenote: Sir Kay seeks to avenge Sir Dagonet] Then Sir Kay understood in
some manner what had befallen, and he was very angry that Sir Dagonet
should have been so served. Wherefore he said, "Where did this befall
thee?" And Sir Dagonet said, "Over yonder ways." Then Sir Kay said: "I will
avenge thee for the affront that hath been put upon thee. For no boor shall
serve a knight of King Arthur's court in such a fashion!" So therewith Sir
Kay arose and put on his armor and mounted his horse and rode away; and
after a while he came to that place where the swineherds were.
Then Sir Kay said very sternly: "Which of ye is that boor who put so
grievous an affront upon a gentleman of my party?" The swineherds say:
"Yonder he is lying by the well; but he is slack of wit, wherefore we
beseech you to do him no harm."
[Sidenote: Sir Tristram souses Sir Kay in the water] Then Sir Kay rode to
where Sir Tristram was, and he said: "Sirrah, why did you souse Sir Dagonet
into the water?" To this Sir Tristram did not reply, but only looked at Sir
Kay and laughed, for it pleased him wonderfully to behold that knight all
in shining armor. But when Sir Kay beheld Sir Tristram laugh in that wise,
he waxed exceedingly wroth. Wherefore he drew his sword straightway, and
rode at Sir Tristram with intent to strike him with the blade thereof. But
when Sir Tristram saw the sword of Sir Kay shining like lightning in the
sunlight, somewhat of his knightly spirit arose within him and took wing
like to a bird springing up out of the marish grass into the clear air. For
beholding that bright flashing sword he cried out aloud and arose and came
very steadily toward Sir Kay, and Sir Kay rode toward Sir Tristram. Then
when Sir Kay had come near enough to strike, he arose in his stirrups and
lifted the blade on high with intent to strike Sir Tristram with it. But
therewith Sir Tristram ran very quickly in beneath the blow, so that the
stroke of Sir Kay failed of its mark. Then Sir Tristram leaped up and
catched Sir Kay around the body and dragged him down from off his horse
very violently upon the ground, and with that the sword of Sir Kay fell
down out of his hands and lay in the grass. Then Sir Tristram lifted up Sir
Kay very easily and ran with him to the well of water and soused him
therein several times until Sir Kay cried out, "Fellow, spare me or I
strangle!" Upon that Sir Tristram let go Sir Kay, and Sir Kay ran to his
horse and mounted thereon and rode away from that place with might and
main, all streaming with water like to a fountain.
And all that while those swineherds roared with great laughter, ten times
louder than they had laughed when Sir Tristram had soused Sir Dagonet into
the well.
Then Sir Tristram beheld the sword of Sir Kay where it lay in the grass and
forthwith he ran to it and picked it up. And when he held it in his hands
he loved it with a great passion of love, wherefore he hugged it to his
bosom and kissed the pommel thereof.
But when the swineherds beheld the sword in Sir Tristram's hands, they
said, "That is no fit plaything for a madman to have," and they would have
taken it from him, but Sir Tristram would not permit them, for he would not
give them the sword, and no one dared to try to take it from him.
[Sidenote: Sir Tristram keeps the sword of Sir Kay] So thereafter he kept
that sword ever by him both by night and by day, and ever he loved it and
kissed it and fondled it; for, as aforesaid, it aroused his knightly spirit
to life within him, wherefore it was he loved it.
So it hath been told how Sir Tristram got him a sword, and now it shall be
told how well he used it.
Now there was at that time in the woodlands of that part of Cornwall a
gigantic knight hight Sir Tauleas, and he was the terror of all that
district. For not only was he a head and shoulders taller than the tallest
of Cornish men, but his strength and fierceness were great in the same
degree that he was big of frame. Many knights had undertaken to rid the
world of this Sir Tauleas, but no knight had ever yet encountered him
without meeting some mishap at his hands.
(Yet it is to be said that heretofore no such knight as Sir Launcelot or
Sir Lamorack had come against Sir Tauleas, but only the knights of Cornwall
and Wales, whose borders marched upon that district where Sir Tauleas
ranged afield.)
[Sidenote: Sir Daynant and his lady come to the forest] Now one day there
came riding through the forest a very noble, gallant young knight, hight
Sir Daynant, and with him rode his lady, a beautiful dame to whom he had
lately been wedded with a great deal of love. These wayfarers in their
travelling came to that part of the forest where the swineherds abode, and
where were the open glade of grass and the fair well of water aforespoken
of.
Hereunto coming, and the day being very warm, these two travellers
dismounted and besought refreshment of the swineherds who were there, and
those rude good fellows gladly gave them to eat and to drink of the best
they had.
[Sidenote: Sir Daynant regards Sir Tristam] Whilst they ate, Sir Tristram
came and sat nigh to Sir Daynant and his lady and smiled upon them, for he
loved them very greatly because of their nobility and beauty. Then Sir
Daynant looked upon Sir Tristram and beheld how strong and beautiful of
body and how noble of countenance he was, and he saw that beautiful shining
sword that Sir Tristram carried ever with him. And Sir Daynant said, "Fair
friend, who are you, and where gat ye that sword?"
"I know not who I am," said Sir Tristram, "nor know I whence I came nor
whither I go. As for this sword, I had it from a gentleman who came hither
to us no great while ago."
Then the chiefest of the swineherds said: "Lord, this is a poor madman whom
we found naked and starving in the forest. As for that sword, I may tell
you that he took it away from a knight who came hither to threaten his
life, and he soused that knight into the well so that he was wellnigh
drowned."
Sir Daynant said: "That is a very strange story, that a naked madman should
take the sword out of the hands of an armed knight and treat that knight as
ye tell me. Now maybe this is some famous hero or knight who hath lost his
wits through sorrow or because of some other reason, and who hath so come
to this sorry pass."
(So said Sir Daynant, and it may here be said that from that time those
rude swineherds began to look upon Sir Tristram with different eyes than
before, saying amongst themselves: "Maybe what that knight said is true,
and this is indeed no common madman.")
Now whilst Sir Daynant sat there with his lady, holding converse with the
swineherds concerning Sir Tristram in that wise, there came a great noise
in the forest, and out therefrom there came riding with great speed that
huge savage knight Sir Tauleas aforetold of. Then Sir Daynant cried out,
"Alas, here is misfortune!" And therewith he made all haste to put his
helmet upon his head.
[Sidenote: Sir Tauleas strikes down Sir Daynant] But ere he could arm
himself in any sufficient wise, Sir Tauleas drave down very fiercely upon
him. And Sir Tauleas rose up in his stirrups and lashed so terrible a blow
at Sir Daynant that it struck through Sir Daynant's helmet and into his
brain-pan, wherefore Sir Daynant immediately fell down to the ground as
though he had been struck dead.
[Sidenote: Sir Tauleas bears away the lady] Then Sir Tauleas rode
straightway to where the lady of Sir Daynant was, and he said: "Lady, thou
art a prize that it is very well worth while fighting for! And lo! I have
won thee." Therewith he catched her and lifted her up, shrieking and
screaming and struggling, and sat her upon the saddle before him and held
her there maugre all her struggles. Then straightway he rode away into the
forest, carrying her with him; and all that while Sir Tristram stood as
though in a maze, gazing with a sort of terror upon what befell and not
rightly knowing what it all meant. For there lay Sir Daynant as though dead
upon the ground, and he could yet hear the shrieks of the lady sounding out
from the forest whither Sir Tauleas had carried her.
Then the chief of the swineherds came to Sir Tristram, and said: "Fellow,
as thou hast a sword, let us see if thou canst use it. If thou art a hero
as that knight said of thee a while since, and not a pure madman, then
follow after that knight and bring that lady back hither again."
[Sidenote: Sir Tristram follows Sir Tauleas] Then Sir Tristram awoke from
that maze and said, "I will do so." And therewith he ran away very rapidly
into the forest, pursuing the direction that Sir Tauleas had taken. And he
ran for a great distance, and by and by, after a while, he beheld Sir
Tauleas before him where he rode. And by that time the lady was in a deep
swoon and lay as though dead across the saddle of Sir Tauleas. Then Sir
Tristram cried out in a great voice: "Stay, Sir Knight, and turn this way,
for I come to take that lady away from thee and to bring her back unto her
friend again!"
[Sidenote: Sir Tristram slays Sir Tauleas] Then Sir Tauleas turned him and
beheld a naked man running after him with a sword in his hand, whereupon he
was seized with a great rage of anger, so that he put that lady he carried
down to the ground. And he drew his sword and rushed at Sir Tristram very
violently with intent to slay him. And when he came nigh to Sir Tristram he
arose up on his stirrups and lashed so terrible a blow at him that, had it
met its mark, it would have cloven Sir Tristram in twain. But Sir Tristram
leaped aside and turned the blow very skilfully; and therewith a memory of
his knightly prowess came upon him and he, upon his part, lashed a blow at
Sir Tauleas that Sir Tauleas received very unexpectedly. And that blow
struck Sir Tauleas so terrible a buffet upon the head that the brain of Sir
Tauleas swam, and he swayed about and then fell down from off his horse.
Therewith Sir Tristram ran to him and rushed his helmet from off his head.
And when he beheld the naked head of Sir Tauleas he catched it by the hair
and drew the neck of Sir Tauleas forward. Then Sir Tauleas cried out,
"Spare me, fellow!" But Sir Tristram said, "I will not spare thee for thou
art a wicked man!" And therewith he lifted his sword on high and smote off
the head of Sir Tauleas so that it rolled down upon the ground.
After that, Sir Tristram went to the Lady and he chafed her hands and her
face so that she revived from her swoon. And when she was revived, he said:
"Lady, take cheer; for look yonder and thou wilt see thy enemy is dead, and
so now I may take thee back again unto thy friend." And therewith the lady
smiled upon Sir Tristram and catched his hand in hers and kissed it.
Then Sir Tristram lifted the lady upon the horse of Sir Tauleas, and after
that he went back again to where he had left Sir Daynant and the
swineherds; and he led the horse of Sir Tauleas by the bridle with the lady
upon the back thereof and he bore the head of Sir Tauleas in his hand by
the hair.
But when those swineherds saw Sir Tristram come forth thus out of the
forest bringing that lady and bearing the head of Sir Tauleas, they were
amazed beyond measure, and they said to one another: "Of a certainty what
this young knight hath just said is sooth and this madman is indeed some
great champion in distress. But who he is no one may know, since he himself
doth not know."
And when Sir Daynant had recovered from that blow that Sir Tauleas had
given him, he also gave Sir Tristram great praise for what he had done. And
Sir Tristram was abashed at all the praise that was bestowed upon him.
Then Sir Daynant and his lady besought Sir Tristram that he would go with
them to their castle so that they might care for him, but Sir Tristram
would not, for he said: "I wist very well that I am mad, and so this forest
is a fit place for me to dwell and these kind rude fellows are fit
companions for me at this time whilst my wits are wandering."
Thus it was with this adventure. And now you shall hear how Sir Launcelot
found Sir Tristram in the forest and how he brought him out thence and
likewise what befell thereafter.
[Sidenote: Sir Launcelot enters the forest] For only the next day after
all these things had happened, Sir Launcelot came riding through the forest
that way, seeking for Sir Tauleas with intent to do battle with him because
of his many evil deeds. For Sir Launcelot purposed either to slay him or
else to bring him captive to King Arthur.
So it came to pass that Sir Launcelot came to that place where Sir Tristram
and the swineherds abode.
There Sir Launcelot made pause for to rest and to refresh himself, and
whilst he sat with his helmet lying beside him so that the breezes might
cool his face, all those rude swineherds gathered about and stared at him.
And Sir Launcelot smiled upon them, and he said: "Good fellows, I pray you
tell me; do you know where, hereabouts, I shall find a knight whom men call
Sir Tauleas?"
Unto this the chief swineherd made reply, saying: "Lord, if you come hither
seeking Sir Tauleas, you shall seek him in vain. For yesterday he was
slain, and if you look yonder way you may see his head hanging from a
branch of a tree at the edge of the glade."
Upon this Sir Launcelot cried out in great amazement, "How hath that come
to pass?" and therewith he immediately arose from where he sat and went to
that tree where the head hung. And he looked into the face of the head, and
therewith he saw that it was indeed the head of Sir Tauleas that hung
there. Then Sir Launcelot said: "This is very wonderful. Now I pray you,
tell me what knight was it who slew this wicked wretch, and how his head
came to be left hanging here?"
To this the chief of the swineherds made reply: "Messire, he who slew Sir
Tauleas was no knight, but a poor madman whom we found in the forest and
who has dwelt with us now for a year past. Yonder you may see him, lying
half naked, sleeping beside that well of water."
Sir Launcelot said, "Was it he who did indeed slay Sir Tauleas?" And the
swineherd said, "Yea, lord, it was he."
Sir Launcelot said, "Do ye not then know who he is?" The swineherd replied:
"No, lord, we only know that one day we found him lying in the forest naked
and nigh to death from hunger and that we fed him and clothed him, and that
since then he hath dwelt ever with us, showing great love for us all."
Then Sir Launcelot went to where Sir Tristram lay, and he looked upon him
as he slept and he knew him not; for the beard and the hair of Sir Tristram
had grown down all over his breast and shoulders and he was very ragged and
beaten by the weather. But though Sir Launcelot knew him not, yet he beheld
that the body of Sir Tristram was very beautiful and strong, for he saw how
all the muscles and thews thereof were cut very smooth and clean as you
might cut them out of wax, wherefore Sir Launcelot gazed for a long while
and felt great admiration for his appearance.
[Sidenote: Sir Launcelot regards Sir Tristam] Then Sir Launcelot beheld
how the sleeping man held a naked sword in his arms very caressingly, as
though he loved it, and thereat he was very much surprised to find such a
sword as that in the hands of this forest madman. Wherefore he said to
those swineherds, "Where got this man that sword?"
"Messire," said the swineherd who had afore spoken, "some while since there
came a knight hitherward who ill-treated him. Thereupon this poor man ran
at the knight and overthrew him and took the sword away from him and soused
him several times in the well. After that he hath ever held fast to this
sword and would not give it up to any of us."
"Ha!" said Sir Launcelot, "that is a very wonderful story, that a naked man
should overthrow an armed knight and take his sword away from him. Now I
deem that this is no mere madman, but some noble knight in misfortune."
[Sidenote: Sir Launcelot awakens Sir Tristram] Therewith he reached
forward and touched Sir Tristram very gently on the shoulder, and at that
Sir Tristram awoke and opened his eyes and sat up. And Sir Tristram looked
upon Sir Launcelot, but knew him not, albeit some small memory moved very
deeply within him. Nevertheless, though he knew not Sir Launcelot, yet he
felt great tenderness for that noble knight in arms, and he smiled very
lovingly upon him. And Sir Launcelot felt in return a very great deal of
regard for Sir Tristram, but wist not why that was; yet it seemed to Sir
Launcelot that he should know the face of Sir Tristram, and that it was not
altogether strange to him.
Then Sir Launcelot said, "Fair friend, was it thou who slew Sir Tauleas?"
And Sir Tristram said, "Ay." Sir Launcelot said, "Who art thou?" Whereunto
Sir Tristram made reply: "I know not who I am, nor whence I come, nor how I
came hither."
Then Sir Launcelot felt great pity and tenderness for Sir Tristram, and he
said: "Friend, wilt thou go with me away from this place and into the
habitations of men? There I believe thy mind maybe made whole again, and
that it may be with thee as it was beforetime. And verily, I believe that
when that shall come to pass, the world shall find in thee some great
knight it hath lost."
Sir Tristram said: "Sir Knight, though I know not who I am, yet I know that
I am not sound in my mind; wherefore I am ashamed to go out in the world
and amongst mankind, but would fain hide myself away in this forest. Yet I
love thee so much that, if thou wert to bid me go with thee to the ends of
the world, I believe I would go with thee."
Then Sir Launcelot smiled upon Sir Tristram very kindly and said, "I do bid
thee come with me away from here," and Sir Tristram said, "I will go."
[Sidenote: Sir Tristram quits the forest with Sir Launcelot] So Sir
Launcelot bade the swineherds clothe Sir Tristram in such a wise that his
nakedness might be covered, and he bade them give Sir Tristram hosen and
shoon, and when Sir Tristram was thus decently clad, Sir Launcelot made
ready to take his departure from that place.
But ere the two left, all those good fellows crowded around Sir Tristram,
and embraced him and kissed him upon the cheek; for they had come to love
him a very great deal.
Then the two went away through the forest, Sir Launcelot proudly riding
upon his great horse and Sir Tristram running very lightly beside him.
But Sir Launcelot had other business at that time than to seek out Sir
Tauleas as aforetold. For at that time there were three knights of very
ill-repute who harried the west coast of that land that overlooked the sea
toward the Kingdom of Ireland, and Sir Launcelot was minded to seek them
out after he had finished with Sir Tauleas. So ere he returned to the court
of King Arthur he had first of all to go thitherward.
Now you are to know that the castle of Tintagel lay upon the way that he
was to take upon that adventure, and so it was that he brought Sir Tristram
to the castle of Tintagel, where King Mark of Cornwall was then holding
court. For Sir Launcelot was minded to leave Sir Tristram there whilst he
went upon that adventure aforetold of.
[Sidenote: Sir Tristram comes to Tintagel] And Sir Launcelot was received
in Tintagel with very great honor and acclaim, for it was the first time he
had ever been there. And King Mark besought Sir Launcelot for to abide a
while in Tintagel; but Sir Launcelot refused this hospitality, saying: "I
have an adventure to do for the sake of my master, King Arthur, and I may
not abide here at this present. But I pray you to grant me a favor, and it
is this: that you cherish this poor madman whom I found in the forest, and
that you keep him here, treating him kindly until I shall return from the
quest I am upon. For I have great love for this poor fellow and I would not
have any harm befall him whilst I am away."
Then King Mark said: "I am sorry you will not remain with us, but as to
this thing it shall be done as you desire, for we will cherish and care for
this man while you are away." So said King Mark, speaking with great
cheerfulness and courtesy; for neither he nor any of his court at that time
wist who Sir Tristram was.
So Sir Launcelot went upon his way, and King Mark gave orders that Sir
Tristram should be well-clothed and fed, and it was done as he commanded.
* * * * *
Thus it was that Sir Tristram was brought back to the castle of Tintagel
again. And now it shall be told how it befell with him thereat.
[Illustration: Sir Tristram leaps into ye Sea]
