s the castle of King Pellam to revenge the wrongs
of knights and ladies on a treacherous knight named Garlon. He had a
fifteen days' journey thither, and the day he came unto the castle
there began a great feast. Balin was well received, and led to a
chamber, where he laid off his armour. They also brought him robes to
his pleasure, and would have had him leave his sword behind him.

"Nay," said Balin, "that do I not, for it is the custom of my country
for a knight always to have his weapon with him, and that custom will I
keep, or else I will depart as I came."

Then they gave him leave to wear his sword, and so he went unto the
hall and was set among the knights of honour.

Soon he saw the false knight Garlon, and thought to himself: "If I slay
him here I shall not escape, and if I leave him now, peradventure I
shall never meet with him again at such a good time, and much harm will
he do if he live."

Then this Garlon espied that Balin watched him, and he came and smote
Balin on the face, and said: "Knight, why watchest thou me so? Eat thy
meat, and do that thou camest for."

Then Balin said, "I will do that I came for," and rose up fiercely and
clove his head to the shoulders.

Anon all the knights arose from the table to set on Balin, and King
Pellam himself caught in his hand a grim weapon and smote eagerly at
Balin, but Balin put his sword betwixt his head and the stroke. With
that his sword was broken in sunder, and he, now weaponless, ran into
the chamber to seek some weapon, and so, from chamber to chamber, but
no weapon could he find, and alway King Pellam came after him.

At last Balin entered into a chamber that was marvellously well
furnished and richly, wherein was a bed arrayed with cloth of gold, the
richest that might be thought, and thereby a table of clean gold, and
upon the table a marvellous spear, strangely wrought. And when Balin
saw that spear he took it in his hand, and turned to King Pellam and
smote him passing hard with it so that he fell down in a swoon.
Therewith the castle roof and walls brake and fell to the earth, and
Balin also, so that he might not stir foot nor hand, for through that
dolorous stroke the most part of the castle that was fallen down lay
upon him and Pellam.

After three days Merlin came thither, and he took up Balin and gat him
a good horse, for his was dead, and bade him ride out of the country.
Merlin also told him that his stroke had turned to great do