hamed to go out in the world
and amongst mankind, but would fain hide myself away in this forest. Yet I
love thee so much that, if thou wert to bid me go with thee to the ends of
the world, I believe I would go with thee."

Then Sir Launcelot smiled upon Sir Tristram very kindly and said, "I do bid
thee come with me away from here," and Sir Tristram said, "I will go."

[Sidenote: Sir Tristram quits the forest with Sir Launcelot] So Sir
Launcelot bade the swineherds clothe Sir Tristram in such a wise that his
nakedness might be covered, and he bade them give Sir Tristram hosen and
shoon, and when Sir Tristram was thus decently clad, Sir Launcelot made
ready to take his departure from that place.

But ere the two left, all those good fellows crowded around Sir Tristram,
and embraced him and kissed him upon the cheek; for they had come to love
him a very great deal.

Then the two went away through the forest, Sir Launcelot proudly riding
upon his great horse and Sir Tristram running very lightly beside him.

But Sir Launcelot had other business at that time than to seek out Sir
Tauleas as aforetold. For at that time there were three knights of very
ill-repute who harried the west coast of that land that overlooked the sea
toward the Kingdom of Ireland, and Sir Launcelot was minded to seek them
out after he had finished with Sir Tauleas. So ere he returned to the court
of King Arthur he had first of all to go thitherward.

Now you are to know that the castle of Tintagel lay upon the way that he
was to take upon that adventure, and so it was that he brought Sir Tristram
to the castle of Tintagel, where King Mark of Cornwall was then holding
court. For Sir Launcelot was minded to leave Sir Tristram there whilst he
went upon that adventure aforetold of.

[Sidenote: Sir Tristram comes to Tintagel] And Sir Launcelot was received
in Tintagel with very great honor and acclaim, for it was the first time he
had ever been there. And King Mark besought Sir Launcelot for to abide a
while in Tintagel; but Sir Launcelot refused this hospitality, saying: "I
have an adventure to do for the sake of my master, King Arthur, and I may
not abide here at this present. But I pray you to grant me a favor, and it
is this: that you cherish this poor madman whom I found in the forest, and
that you keep him here, treating him kindly until I shall return from the
quest I am upon. For I have great love for this poor fellow and I would not
have any