r him, and so departed and rode after the damsel.

Many people followed after Fair-hands to behold how well he was horsed
and trapped in cloth of gold, but he had neither shield nor spear.
Then Sir Kay said all openly in the hall, "I will ride after my boy of
the kitchen, to see whether he will know me for his better."

Sir Launcelot and Sir Gawaine counselled him to abide at home;
nevertheless he made ready and took his horse and his spear and rode
off. Just as Fair-hands overtook the damsel, Sir Kay came up, and
said, "Fair-hands, what sir, know ye not me?"

Then he turned his horse, and knew it was Sir Kay, that had done him
all the despite, as we have heard afore. "Yea," said Fair-hands, "I
know you for an ungentle knight of the court and therefore beware of
me."

Therewith Sir Kay put his spear in its rest, and ran straight upon him,
and Fair-hands came on just as fast with his sword in his hand. And so
he put away his spear with his sword, and with a foin[1] thrust him
through the side, so that Sir Kay fell down as if he were dead. Then
Fair-hands alighted down and took Sir Kay's shield and his spear, had
his dwarf mount upon Sir Kay's horse, and started upon his own horse
and rode his way. All this Sir Launcelot saw, and so did the damsel.

By this time Sir Launcelot had come up, and Fair-hands offered to joust
with him. So they rushed together like boars, and for upwards of an
hour they had a hard fight, wherein Sir Launcelot had so much ado with
Fair-hands that he feared himself to be shamed. At length he said,
"Fair-hands, fight not so sore; your quarrel and mine is not so great
but we may leave off."

"That is truth," said Fair-hands, "but it doth me good to feel your
might, and yet, my lord, I showed not my uttermost."

"Well," said Sir Launcelot, "I promise you I had as much to do as I
might to save myself from you unashamed; therefore ye need have no fear
of any earthly knight."

"Hope ye then," said Fair-hands, "that I may anywhere stand as a proved
knight?"

"Yea," said Launcelot, "do as ye have done, and I shall be your
warrant."

"Then I pray you give me the order of knighthood," said Fair-hands.

"Then must ye tell me your name," said Launcelot, "and of what kin ye
be born."

"Sir, if ye will not make me known, I will," said Fair-hands.

"That I promise you by the faith of my body, until it be openly known,"
said Sir Launcelot.

"Then, sir," he said, "my name is Gareth; I am o