ery wonderful
thing." She said, "What was it thou didst see?" Percival said: "I beheld
somewhat that was like a man, and he rode upon a horse, and he shone very
brightly and with exceeding splendor. Now, I prithee tell me what it was I
saw?"

Then Percival's mother knew very well what it was he had seen, and she was
greatly troubled at heart, for she wist that if Percival's knightly spirit
should be awakened he would no longer be content to dwell in those peaceful
solitudes. Wherefore she said to herself: "How is this? Is it to be that
this one lamb also shall be taken away from me and nothing left to me of
all my flock?" Then she said to Percival: "My son, that which thou didst
behold was doubtless an angel." And Percival said, "I would that I too were
an angel!" And at that speech the lady, his mother, sighed very deeply.

Now it chanced upon the next day after that that Percival and his mother
went down into the forest that lay at the foot of the mountain whereon that
tower stood, and they had intent to gather such early flowers of the
spring-time as were then abloom. And whilst they were there, lo! there came
five knights riding through the forest, and, the leaves being thin like to
a mist of green, Percival perceived them a great way off. So he cried out
in a loud voice: "Mother! Mother! Behold! Yonder is a whole company of
angels such as I saw yesterday! Now I will go and give them greeting."

But his mother said: "How now! How now! Wouldst thou make address unto
angels!" And Percival said: "Yea; for they appear to be both mild of face
and gentle of mien." So he went forward for to greet those knights.

[Sidenote: Percival holds discourse with five knights] Now the foremost of
that party of knights was Sir Ewaine, who was always both gentle and
courteous to everybody. Wherefore, when Sir Ewaine saw Percival nigh at
hand, he gave him greeting and said, "Fair youth, what is thy name?" Unto
this Percival made reply: "My name is Percival." Sir Ewaine said: "That is
a very good name, and thy face likewise is so extraordinarily comely that I
take thee to be of some very high lineage. Now tell me, I prithee, who is
thy father?" To this Percival said, "I cannot tell thee what is my lineage,
for I do not know," and at that Sir Ewaine marvelled a very great deal.
Then, after a little while, he said: "I prithee tell me, didst thou see a
knight pass this way to-day or yesterday?" And Percival said, "I know not
what sort of