med that he should now find Sir
Lamorack. So he said: "I pray thee tell me, is Sir Lamorack of Gales with
the court of the King, for I come hither seeking that good worthy knight?"

Then the page laughed a very great deal, and said: "Who art thou to seek
Sir Lamorack? Art thou then a jester?" And Percival said, "What sort of a
thing is a jester?" And the page said, "Certes, thou art a silly fool." And
Percival said, "What is a fool?"

Upon this the page fell alaughing as though he would never stint his mirth
so that Percival began to wax angry for he said to himself: "These people
laugh too much and their mirth maketh me weary." So, without more ado, he
descended from his horse with intent to enter the Queen's pavilion and to
make inquiry there for Sir Lamorack.

Now when that page saw what Percival had a mind to do, he thrust in to
prevent him, saying, "Thou shalt not go in!" Upon that Percival said, "Ha!
shall I not so?" And thereupon he smote the page such a buffet that the
youth fell down without any motion, as though he had gone dead.

Then Percival straightway entered the Queen's pavilion.

[Sidenote: Percival beholdeth Queen Guinevere] And the first thing he saw
was a very beautiful lady surrounded by a court of ladies. And the Queen
was eating a mid-day repast whilst a page waited upon her for to serve her,
bearing for her refreshment pure wine in a cup of entire gold. And he saw
that a noble lord (and the lord was Sir Kay the Seneschal), stood in the
midst of that beautiful rosy pavilion directing the Queen's repast; for Sir
Kay of all the court had been left in charge of the Queen and her ladies.

Now when Percival entered the tent Sir Kay looked up, and when he perceived
what sort of a figure was there, he frowned with great displeasure. "Ha!"
he said, "what mad fool is this who cometh hitherward?"

Unto him Percival made reply: "Thou tall man, I prithee tell me, which of
these ladies present here is the Queen?" Sir Kay said, "What wouldst thou
have with the Queen?" To this Percival said: "I have come hither for to lay
my case before King Arthur, and my case is this: I would fain obtain
knighthood, and meseems that King Arthur may best help me thereunto."

[Sidenote: Sir Kay chides Percival] When the Queen heard the words of
Percival she laughed with great merriment. But Sir Kay was still very
wroth, and he said: "Sirrah, thou certainly art some silly fool who hath
come hither dressed all in armor of wi