For Sir Launcelot purposed either to slay him or
else to bring him captive to King Arthur.

So it came to pass that Sir Launcelot came to that place where Sir Tristram
and the swineherds abode.

There Sir Launcelot made pause for to rest and to refresh himself, and
whilst he sat with his helmet lying beside him so that the breezes might
cool his face, all those rude swineherds gathered about and stared at him.
And Sir Launcelot smiled upon them, and he said: "Good fellows, I pray you
tell me; do you know where, hereabouts, I shall find a knight whom men call
Sir Tauleas?"

Unto this the chief swineherd made reply, saying: "Lord, if you come hither
seeking Sir Tauleas, you shall seek him in vain. For yesterday he was
slain, and if you look yonder way you may see his head hanging from a
branch of a tree at the edge of the glade."

Upon this Sir Launcelot cried out in great amazement, "How hath that come
to pass?" and therewith he immediately arose from where he sat and went to
that tree where the head hung. And he looked into the face of the head, and
therewith he saw that it was indeed the head of Sir Tauleas that hung
there. Then Sir Launcelot said: "This is very wonderful. Now I pray you,
tell me what knight was it who slew this wicked wretch, and how his head
came to be left hanging here?"

To this the chief of the swineherds made reply: "Messire, he who slew Sir
Tauleas was no knight, but a poor madman whom we found in the forest and
who has dwelt with us now for a year past. Yonder you may see him, lying
half naked, sleeping beside that well of water."

Sir Launcelot said, "Was it he who did indeed slay Sir Tauleas?" And the
swineherd said, "Yea, lord, it was he."

Sir Launcelot said, "Do ye not then know who he is?" The swineherd replied:
"No, lord, we only know that one day we found him lying in the forest naked
and nigh to death from hunger and that we fed him and clothed him, and that
since then he hath dwelt ever with us, showing great love for us all."

Then Sir Launcelot went to where Sir Tristram lay, and he looked upon him
as he slept and he knew him not; for the beard and the hair of Sir Tristram
had grown down all over his breast and shoulders and he was very ragged and
beaten by the weather. But though Sir Launcelot knew him not, yet he beheld
that the body of Sir Tristram was very beautiful and strong, for he saw how
all the muscles and thews thereof were cut very smooth and clean as you
might