llow twigs and without arms or
equipment of any sort save only a little Scots spear. Now this is the
Queen's court and thou art not fit to be here."

"Ha," said Percival, "it seems to me that thou art very foolish--thou tall
man--to judge of me by my dress and equipment. For, even though I wear such
poor apparel as this, yet I may easily be thy superior both in birth and
station."

[Sidenote: Sir Boindegardus enters the Queen's pavilion] Then Sir Kay was
exceedingly wroth and would have made a very bitter answer to Percival, but
at that moment something of another sort befell. For, even as Percival
ceased speaking, there suddenly entered the pavilion a certain very large
and savage knight of an exceedingly terrible appearance; and his
countenance was very furious with anger. And this knight was one Sir
Boindegardus le Savage, who was held in terror by all that part of King
Arthur's realm. For Sir Boindegardus was surnamed the Savage because he
dwelt like a wild man in the forest in a lonely dismal castle of the
woodland; and because that from this castle he would issue forth at times
to rob and pillage the wayfarers who passed by along the forest byways.
Many knights had gone against Sir Boindegardus, with intent either to slay
him or else to make him prisoner; but some of these knights he had
overcome, and from others he had escaped, so that he was as yet free to
work his evil will as he chose.

So now this savage knight entered that pavilion with his helmet upon his
hip and his shield upon his shoulder, and all those ladies who were there
were terrified at his coming, for they wist that he came in anger with
intent of mischief.

As for Sir Kay (he being clad only in a silken tunic of green color and
with scarlet hosen and velvet shoes, fit for the court of a lady) he was
afraid, and he wist not how to bear himself in the presence of Sir
Boindegardus. Then Sir Boindegardus said, "Where is King Arthur?" And Sir
Kay made no reply because of fear. Then one of the Queen's damsels said,
"He is hawking out beyond here in the outskirts of the forest." Then Sir
Boindegardus said: "I am sorry for that, for I had thought to find him here
at this time and to show challenge to him and his entire court, for I fear
no one of them. But, as King Arthur is not here, I may, at least, affront
his Queen."

[Sidenote: Sir Boindegardus affronts the Queen] With that he smote the
elbow of the page who held the goblet for the Queen, and t