guised, but they knew him not. Whither ride you? said Merlin. We have
little to do, said the two knights, to tell thee. But what is thy name?
said Balin. At this time, said Merlin, I will not tell it thee. It is
evil seen, said the knights, that thou art a true man that thou wilt not
tell thy name. As for that, said Merlin, be it as it be may, I can tell
you wherefore ye ride this way, for to meet King Rience; but it will not
avail you without ye have my counsel. Ah! said Balin, ye are Merlin; we
will be ruled by your counsel. Come on, said Merlin, ye shall have great
worship, and look that ye do knightly, for ye shall have great need. As
for that, said Balin, dread you not, we will do what we may.

CHAPTER IX. How Balin and his brother, by the counsel of Merlin, took
King Rience and brought him to King Arthur.

THEN Merlin lodged them in a wood among leaves beside the highway, and
took off the bridles of their horses and put them to grass and laid them
down to rest them till it was nigh midnight. Then Merlin bade them rise,
and make them ready, for the king was nigh them, that was stolen away
from his host with a three score horses of his best knights, and twenty
of them rode to-fore to warn the Lady de Vance that the king was coming;
for that night King Rience should have lain with her. Which is the king?
said Balin. Abide, said Merlin, here in a strait way ye shall meet with
him; and therewith he showed Balin and his brother where he rode.

Anon Balin and his brother met with the king, and smote him down, and
wounded him fiercely, and laid him to the ground; and there they slew on
the right hand and the left hand, and slew more than forty of his men,
and the remnant fled. Then went they again to King Rience and would have
slain him had he not yielded him unto their grace. Then said he thus:
Knights full of prowess, slay me not, for by my life ye may win, and by
my death ye shall win nothing. Then said these two knights, Ye say
sooth and truth, and so laid him on a horse-litter. With that Merlin was
vanished, and came to King Arthur aforehand, and told him how his most
enemy was taken and discomfited. By whom? said King Arthur. By two
knights, said Merlin, that would please your lordship, and to-morrow ye
shall know what knights they are. Anon after came the Knight with the
Two Swords and Balan his brother, and brought with them King Rience of
North Wales, and there delivered him to the porters, and charged them