re, and
not by prowess of thy hands."

"Fair damsel," said he, "give me goodly language, and then my care is
past. Ye may say what ye will; what knights soever I shall meet, I
fear them not, and wheresoever ye go I will follow you."

So they rode on till even-song time, and ever she chid him and would
not cease. And then they came to a black lawn, and there was a black
hawthorn, and thereon hung a black banner, and on the other side there
hung a black shield, and by it stood a black spear great and long, and
a great black horse covered with silk, and a black stone fast by,
whereon sat a knight all armed in black harness, and his name was the
Knight of the Black Lawns.

The damsel, when she saw this knight, bade Fair-hands flee down the
valley. "Grammercy," said he, "always ye would have me a coward."

With that the Black Knight, when she came nigh him, spake and said,
"Damsel, have ye brought this knight of King Arthur to be your
champion?"

"Nay, fair knight," said she, "this is but a kitchen-knave, that was
fed in King Arthur's kitchen for alms. I cannot be rid of him, for
with me he rideth against my will. Would that ye should put him from
me, or else slay him, if ye may, for he is a troublesome knave, and
evilly he hath done this day."

"Thus much shall I grant you," said the Black Knight: "I shall put him
down upon one foot, and his horse and his harness he shall leave with
me, for it were shame to me to do him any more harm."

When Sir Fair-hands heard him say thus, he said, "Sir knight, thou art
full generous with my horse and my harness; I let thee know it cost
thee naught, and whether thou like it or not, this lawn will I pass,
and neither horse nor harness gettest thou of me, except as thou win
them with thy hands. I am no kitchen-page, as the damsel saith I am; I
am a gentleman born, and of more high lineage than thou, and that will
I prove on thy body."

Then in great wrath they drew back with their horses, and rushed
together as it had been the thunder. The Black Knight's spear brake,
and Fair-hands thrust him through both his sides, whereupon his own
spear brake also. Nevertheless the Black Knight drew his sword and
smote many eager strokes of great might, and hurt Fair-hands full sore.
But at the last he fell down off his horse in a swoon, and there he
died.

When Fair-hands saw that the Black Knight had been so well horsed and
armed, he alighted down and armed himself in the dead man'