for any knight to
undertake. Go a little distance from this upon the way thou art following
and by and by thou wilt behold a bird whose feathers shall shine like to
gold for brightness. Follow that bird and it will bring thee to a place
where thou shalt find a knight in sore need of thy aid."

And Percival said: "I will do as thou dost advise."

[Sidenote: The Lady of the Lake giveth Sir Percival a charm] Then the lady
said: "Wait a little, I have something for thee." Therewith she took from
her neck a small golden amulet pendant from a silken cord very fine and
thin. And she said: "Wear this for it will protect thee from all evil
enchantments." Therewith saying, she hung the amulet about the neck of Sir
Percival, and Sir Percival gave her thanks beyond measure for it.

Then the knight and the lady saluted him and he saluted them, and they each
went their separate ways.

[Sidenote: How Percival followed the golden bird] So Sir Percival
travelled that path for some distance as the lady had advised him to do,
and by and by he beheld the bird of which she had spoken. And he saw that
the plumage of the bird glistered as though it was of gold so that he
marvelled at it. And as he drew nigh the bird flew a little distance down
the path and then lit upon the ground and he followed it. And when he had
come nigh to it again it flew a distance farther and still he followed it.
So it flew and he followed for a very great way until by and by the forest
grew thin and Sir Percival beheld that there was an open country lying
beyond the skirts thereof. And when the bird had brought him thus far it
suddenly flew back into the forest again whence it had come, chirping very
keenly and shrilly as it flew.

[Sidenote: Sir Percival beholds a wonderful castle] So Percival came out
of the forest into the open country, the like of which he had never before
seen, for it was a very desolate barren waste of land. And in the midst of
this desolate plain there stood a castle of a very wonderful appearance;
for in some parts it was the color of ultramarine and in other parts it was
of crimson; and the ultramarine and the crimson were embellished with very
extraordinary devices painted in gold. So because of all those
extraordinary colors, that castle shone like a bright rainbow against the
sky, wherefore Sir Percival sat his horse for some while and marvelled very
greatly thereat.

Then, by and by Sir Percival perceived that the road that led to