a thing is a knight." Sir Ewaine said, "A knight is such a
sort of man as I am."

Upon this Percival understood many things that he did not know before, and
he willed with all his soul to know more than those. Wherefore he said: "If
thou wilt answer several questions for me, I will gladly answer thine."
Upon this Sir Ewaine smiled very cheerfully (for he liked Percival
exceedingly), and he said: "Ask what thou wilt and I will answer thee in so
far as I am able."

So Percival said, "I prithee tell me what is this thing?" And he laid his
hand thereon. And Sir Ewaine said, "That is a saddle." And Percival said,
"What is this thing?" And Sir Ewaine said, "That is a sword." And Percival
said, "What is this thing?" And Sir Ewaine said, "That is a shield." And so
Percival asked him concerning all things that appertained to the
accoutrements of a knight, and Sir Ewaine answered all his questions. Then
Percival said: "Now I will answer thy question. I saw a knight ride past
this way yesterday, and he rode up yonder valley and to the westward."

Upon this Sir Ewaine gave gramercy to Percival and saluted him, and so did
the other knights, and they rode their way.

After they had gone Percival returned to his mother, and he beheld that she
sat exactly where he had left her, for she was in great travail of soul
because she perceived that Percival would not now stay with her very much
longer. And when Percival came to where she sat he said to her: "Mother,
those were not angels, but very good, excellent knights." And upon this the
lady, his mother, burst into a great passion of weeping, so that Percival
stood before her all abashed, not knowing why she wept. So by and by he
said, "Mother, why dost thou weep?" But she could not answer him for a
while, and after a while she said, "Let us return homeward." And so they
walked in silence.

Now when they had come to the tower where they dwelt, the lady turned of a
sudden unto Percival and she said to him, "Percival, what is in thy heart?"
And he said, "Mother, thou knowest very well what is there." She said, "Is
it that thou wouldst be a knight also?" And he said, "Thou sayst it." And
upon that she said, "Thou shalt have thy will; come with me."

So Percival's mother led him to the stable and to where was that poor
pack-horse that brought provisions to that place, and she said: "This is a
sorry horse but I have no other for thee. Now let us make a saddle for
him." So Percival and his