ide from her, "for," said she,
"thou smellest all of the kitchen; thinkest thou that I have joy of
thee? All this deed thou hast done is but mishapped thee, but thou
shalt see a sight that shall make thee turn again, and that lightly."

Then the same knight who was rescued from the thieves rode after that
damsel, and prayed her to lodge with him that night. And because it
was near night the damsel rode with him to the castle, and there they
had great cheer. At supper the knight set Sir Fair-hands afore the
damsel.

"Fie, fie," said she, "sir knight, ye are uncourteous to set a
kitchen-page afore me; him beseemeth better to stick a swine than to
sit afore a damsel of high parentage."

Then the knight was ashamed at her words, and took Fair-hands up and
set him at a sideboard, and seated himself afore him. So all that
night they had good cheer and merry rest.

On the morn the damsel and Fair-hands thanked the knight and took their
leave, and rode on their way until they came to a great forest.
Therein was a great river with but one passage, and there were ready
two knights on the farther side, to prevent their crossing. Fair-hands
would not have turned back had there been six more, and he rushed into
the water. One of the two encountered with him in the midst of the
stream, and both spears were broken. Then they drew their swords and
smote eagerly at one another. At the last Sir Fair-hands smote the
other upon the helm so that he fell down stunned in the water, and
there was he drowned. Then Sir Fair-hands spurred his horse upon the
land, where the other fell upon him, and they fought long together. At
the last Sir Fair-hands clove his helm and his head, and so rode unto
the damsel and bade her ride forth on her way.

"Alas," she said, "that ever a kitchen-page should have that fortune to
destroy two such doughty knights. Thou thinkest thou hast done
doughtily, but that is not so, for the first knight's horse stumbled,
and so he was drowned in the water; it was never by thy force or by thy
might. And as for the second knight, by mishap thou camest behind him
and slewest him."

"Damsel," said Fair-hands, "ye may say what ye will, but whomsoever I
have ado with I trust to God to serve him ere he depart, and therefore
I reck not what ye say, provided I may win your lady."

"Fie, fie, foul kitchen-knave, thou shalt see knights that shall abate
thy boast. I see all that ever thou doest is but by misadventu