. Now, fellow, said King
Arthur, canst thou bring me thereas this giant haunteth? Yea, Sir, said
the good man, look yonder whereas thou seest those two great fires,
there shalt thou find him, and more treasure than I suppose is in all
France. When the king had understood this piteous case, he returned into
his tent.

Then he called to him Sir Kay and Sir Bedivere, and commanded them
secretly to make ready horse and harness for himself and them twain; for
after evensong he would ride on pilgrimage with them two only unto Saint
Michael's mount. And then anon he made him ready, and armed him at all
points, and took his horse and his shield. And so they three departed
thence and rode forth as fast as ever they might till that they came
to the foreland of that mount. And there they alighted, and the king
commanded them to tarry there, for he would himself go up into that
mount. And so he ascended up into that hill till he came to a great
fire, and there he found a careful widow wringing her hands and making
great sorrow, sitting by a grave new made. And then King Arthur saluted
her, and demanded of her wherefore she made such lamentation, to whom
she answered and said, Sir knight, speak soft, for yonder is a devil, if
he hear thee speak he will come and destroy thee; I hold thee unhappy;
what dost thou here in this mountain? for if ye were such fifty as ye
be, ye were not able to make resistance against this devil: here lieth
a duchess dead, the which was the fairest of all the world, wife to Sir
Howell, Duke of Brittany, he hath murdered her in forcing her, and hath
slit her unto the navel.

Dame, said the king, I come from the noble conqueror King Arthur, for to
treat with that tyrant for his liege people. Fie on such treaties, said
she, he setteth not by the king nor by no man else; but an if thou have
brought Arthur's wife, dame Guenever, he shall be gladder than thou
hadst given to him half France. Beware, approach him not too nigh,
for he hath vanquished fifteen kings, and hath made him a coat full of
precious stones embroidered with their beards, which they sent him to
have his love for salvation of their people at this last Christmas. And
if thou wilt, speak with him at yonder great fire at supper. Well, said
Arthur, I will accomplish my message for all your fearful words; and
went forth by the crest of that hill, and saw where he sat at supper
gnawing on a limb of a man, baking his broad limbs by the fire, and
bre