the castle
crossed a bridge of stone, and when he looked at the bridge he saw that
midway upon it was a pillar of stone and that a knight clad all in full
armor stood chained with iron chains to that stone pillar, and at that
sight Sir Percival was very greatly astonished. So he rode very rapidly
along that way and so to the bridge and upon the bridge to where the knight
was. And when Sir Percival came thus upon the bridge he perceived that the
knight who was bound with chains was very noble and haughty of appearance,
but that he seemed to be in great pain and suffering because of his being
thus bound to that pillar. For the captive knight made continual moan so
that it moved the heart of Sir Percival to hear him.

So Sir Percival said: "Sir Knight, this is a sorrowful condition thou art
in." And the knight said: "Yea, and I am sorrowful; for I have stood here
now for three days and I am in great torment of mind and body."

Sir Percival said, "Maybe I can aid thee," and thereupon he got down from
off his horse's back and approached the knight. And he drew his sword so
that it flashed in the sun very brightly.

Upon this the knight said: "Messire, what would you be at?" And Sir
Percival said: "I would cut the chains that bind thee."

To this the knight said: "How could you do that? For who could cut through
chains of iron such as these?"

But Sir Percival said: "I will try what I may do."

[Sidenote: Sir Percival sets free the captive knight] Thereupon he lifted
up his sword and smote so terribly powerful a blow that the like of it had
hardly ever been seen before. For that blow cut through the iron chains and
smote the hauberk of the knight so smart a buffet that he fell down to the
ground altogether deprived of breath.

But when Sir Percival saw the knight fall down in that wise, he cried out:
"Woe is me! Have I slain this good, gentle knight when I would but do him
service?" Thereupon he lifted the knight up upon his knee and eased the
armor about his throat. But the knight was not dead, and by and by the
breath came back to him again, and he said: "By my faith, that was the most
wonderful stroke that ever I beheld any man strike in all of my life."

Thereafter, when the knight had sufficiently recovered, Sir Percival helped
him to stand upon his feet; and when he stood thus his strength presently
came back to him again in great measure.

And the knight was athirst and craved very vehemently to drink. So Sir