shield, and so he rode four days
without any adventure. After even-song of the fourth day he came to a
white abbey, and there he was received with great reverence, and led to
a chamber wherein he was ware of two knights of the Round Table, the
one King Bagdemagus and the other Sir Uwaine. They went unto him and
made of him great solace; and they told him that within this place was
a shield that no man might bear about his neck without great harm to
himself, unless he were the worthiest knight of the world.

[Illustration: Sir Galahad]

"Ah, sir," said King Bagdemagus to Galahad, "I shall to-morrow assay
this strange adventure, and if I may not achieve it ye shall take it
upon you, for I am sure ye shall not fail."

"Sir," said Galahad, "I agree right well thereto, for I have no shield."

So on the morn they arose and heard mass. Then King Bagdemagus asked
where the adventurous shield was. Anon a monk led him behind an altar,
where the shield hung as white as any snow, but in the midst was a red
cross. The monk counselled him to be well advised before taking it,
and King Bagdemagus answered:

"Well, I wot well that I am not the best knight of the world, but yet
shall I assay to bear it."

And so, bidding Sir Galahad to abide there still, till it was known how
he sped, King Bagdemagus bore the red cross shield out of the
monastery, took with him a squire, the which should bring tidings unto
Sir Galahad how he sped, and rode away.

Two miles off they came into a fair valley afore a hermitage, and there
they saw a goodly knight in white armour, horse and all. He came as
fast as his horse might run, with his spear in the rest, and King
Bagdemagus dressed his spear against him, and brake it upon the White
Knight. The other struck him so hard that he brake the mails, and
thrust him through the right shoulder, for the shield covered him not
at that time, and so he bare him from his horse.

Therewith the White Knight alighted and took the white shield from King
Bagdemagus, saying, "Knight, thou hast done thyself great folly, for
this shield ought not to be borne but by him that shall have no peer
that liveth." Then he came to the squire, and said, "Bear this shield
unto the good knight Sir Galahad, that thou left in the abbey, and
greet him well from me."

The squire first went unto Bagdemagus, and asked him whether he were
sore wounded or not. "Yea, forsooth," said he, "I shall escape hard
from death." The