ahad chased them till
they entered into the castle, and then passed through the castle and
out at another gate.

Now there met Sir Galahad an old man, who said, "Sir, have here the
keys of this castle."

Then Sir Galahad opened the gates, and saw so many people in the
passages that he might not number them, and all said, "Sir, ye be
welcome, for long have we awaited here our deliverance."

Then came to him a gentlewoman, and said, "These knights are fled, but
they will come again this night, and here begin again their evil
practices."

"What will ye that I shall do?" said Galahad.

"Sir," said the gentlewoman, "that ye send after all the knights hither
that hold their lands of this castle, and make them to swear to use the
customs that were used heretofore of old time."

"I will well," said Galahad.

She brought him a horn of ivory, richly bound with gold, and said,
"Sir, blow this horn, which will be heard two miles about this castle."

When Sir Galahad had blown the horn he set himself down upon a bed.
Then a priest came and told him of the evil practices of the castle,
and why it was called the Castle of Maidens. "It chanced in this
wise," said he: "More than seven years agone the seven brethren came,
and lodged with the lord of this castle and of all the country round
about. When they espied the duke's daughter, a full fair woman, they
plotted falsely betwixt themselves and slew the duke and his eldest
son. Then they took the maiden and the treasure of the castle, and by
great force they held all the knights of this castle against their will
under their power in great slavery, and robbed and pillaged the poor
common people of all that they had. Then it happened on a day the
duke's daughter said, 'Ye have done unto me great wrong to slay my own
father and my brother, and thus to hold our lands. But ye shall not
hold this castle many years, for by one knight ye shall be overcome.'
Thus she had prophesied seven years agone.

"'Well,' said the seven knights, 'if that be so, there shall never lady
nor knight pass by this castle but they shall abide here, whether they
will or not, or die for it, till that knight be come by whom we shall
lose this castle.' Therefore it is called the Maidens' Castle, for
many maidens have here been destroyed."

By the time the priest had finished, the knights of the country were
come at the call from the ivory horn. Then Sir Galahad made them do
homage and fealty to the