your bounty and highness
may no man praise half to the value; but at this time I must needs
depart, beseeching you alway of your good grace. Truly, said the king,
I am right wroth for your departing; I pray you, fair knight, that ye
tarry not long, and ye shall be right welcome to me, and to my barons,
and I shall amend all miss that I have done against you; God thank your
great lordship, said Balin, and therewith made him ready to depart. Then
the most part of the knights of the Round Table said that Balin did not
this adventure all only by might, but by witchcraft.

CHAPTER III. How the Lady of the Lake demanded the knight's head that
had won the sword, or the maiden's head.

THE meanwhile, that this knight was making him ready to depart, there
came into the court a lady that hight the Lady of the Lake. And she came
on horseback, richly beseen, and saluted King Arthur, and there asked
him a gift that he promised her when she gave him the sword. That is
sooth, said Arthur, a gift I promised you, but I have forgotten the
name of my sword that ye gave me. The name of it, said the lady, is
Excalibur, that is as much to say as Cut-steel. Ye say well, said the
king; ask what ye will and ye shall have it, an it lie in my power to
give it. Well, said the lady, I ask the head of the knight that hath won
the sword, or else the damosel's head that brought it; I take no force
though I have both their heads, for he slew my brother, a good knight
and a true, and that gentlewoman was causer of my father's death.
Truly, said King Arthur, I may not grant neither of their heads with
my worship, therefore ask what ye will else, and I shall fulfil your
desire. I will ask none other thing, said the lady. When Balin was ready
to depart, he saw the Lady of the Lake, that by her means had slain
Balin's mother, and he had sought her three years; and when it was told
him that she asked his head of King Arthur, he went to her straight and
said, Evil be you found; ye would have my head, and therefore ye shall
lose yours, and with his sword lightly he smote off her head before
King Arthur. Alas, for shame! said Arthur, why have ye done so? ye have
shamed me and all my court, for this was a lady that I was beholden to,
and hither she came under my safe-conduct; I shall never forgive you
that trespass. Sir, said Balin, me forthinketh of your displeasure,
for this same lady was the untruest lady living, and by enchantment and
sorcery she hath