Percival had slain him,
he was amazed beyond measure; and he said to Percival: "Surely God is with
thee, fair youth, to help thee to perform such a worthy feat of arms as
this that thou hast done, for no knight yet hath been able to perform that
service." Then he said: "Tell me what it is that thou hast most desire to
have, and if it is in my power to give it to thee thou shalt have it."

Then Percival kneeled down before King Arthur, and he said: "Lord, that
which I most desire of all things else is to be made knight. So if it is in
thy power to do so, I pray thee to make me a knight-royal with thine own
hands."

Then King Arthur smiled upon Percival very kindly, and he said: "Percival,
it shall be as thou dost desire, and to-morrow I will make thee a knight."

[Sidenote: King Arthur makes Percival a knight-royal] So that night
Percival watched his armor in the chapel of a hermit of the forest, and the
armor that he watched was the armor that had belonged to Sir Boindegardus
(for Percival besought King Arthur that he might wear that armor for his
own because it was what he himself had won in battle). And when the next
morning had come, Sir Launcelot and Sir Lamorack brought Percival before
King Arthur, and King Arthur made him a knight.

After that Sir Percival besought King Arthur that he would give him leave
to depart from court so that he might do some worthy deed of arms that
might win him worship; and King Arthur gave him that leave he asked for.

[Sidenote: Sir Percival threatens Sir Kay] Then Sir Percival went to where
Sir Kay was sitting, and he said: "Messire, I have not forgot that blow you
gave that fair damsel yesterday when she spake so kindly to me. As yet I am
too young a knight to handle you; but by and by the time will come when I
shall return and repay you that blow tenfold and twentyfold what you gave!"
And at these words Sir Kay was in no wise pleased, for he wist that Sir
Percival would one day become a very strong and worthy knight.

Now all this while the heart of Sir Lamorack yearned very greatly toward
Sir Percival, though Sir Lamorack knew not why that should be; so when Sir
Percival had obtained permission to go errant, Sir Lamorack asked King
Arthur for leave to ride forth so as to be with him; and King Arthur gave
Sir Lamorack that leave.

[Sidenote: Sir Percival and Sir Lamorack ride together] Thus it befell
that Sir Lamorack and Sir Percival rode forth together very lovingly and
ch