bethought him that this must surely be some forest of magic. So he entered
into that forest with intent to discover if he might find any worthy
adventure therein.

[Sidenote: Sir Percival enters the Forest of Arroy] (And that forest was a
forest of magic; for you are to know that it was the Forest of Arroy,
sometimes called the Forest of Adventure, which was several times spoken of
in the book of King Arthur. For no one ever entered into that forest but
some singular adventure befell him.)

So Sir Percival rode through this wonderful woodland for a long time very
greatly wondering, for everywhere about him was perfect silence, with not
so much as a single note of a bird of the woodlands to lighten that
stillness. Now, as Sir Percival rode through that silence, he presently
became aware of the sound of voices talking together, and shortly
thereafter he perceived a knight with a lady riding amid the thin trees
that grew there. And the knight rode upon a great white horse, and the lady
rode upon a red roan palfrey.

[Sidenote: Sir Percival meets two strange people] These, when they beheld
Sir Percival, waited for him, and as Sir Percival drew nigh to them he
perceived that they were of a very singular appearance. For both of them
were clad altogether in green, and both of them wore about their necks very
wonderful collars of wrought gold inset with opal stones and emeralds. And
the face of each was like clear wax for whiteness; and the eyes of each
were very bright, like jewels set in ivory. And these two neither laughed
nor frowned, but only smiled continually. And that knight whom Sir Percival
beheld was Sir Pellias, and the lady was the Lady Nymue of the Lake.

Now when Sir Percival beheld these two, he wist that they were fay,
wherefore he dismounted very quickly, and kneeled down upon the ground and
set his palms together. Then the Lady of the Lake smiled very kindly upon
Sir Percival, and she said: "Sir Percival, arise, and tell me what you do
in these parts?"

Then Sir Percival arose and he stood before that knight and lady, and he
said: "Lady, I wist not how you know who I am, but I believe you are fay
and know many things. Touching my purpose in coming here, it is that I am
in search of adventure. So if you know of any that I may undertake for your
sake, I pray you to tell me of it."

The lady said: "If so be thy desire is of that sort, I may, perchance be
able to bring thee unto an adventure that is worthy