Percival helped him to descend a narrow path that led to a stream of water
that flowed beneath the bridge; and there the knight stooped and slaked his
thirst. And when he had drunk his fill, his strength came altogether back
to him again, and he said: "Messire, I have to give thee all thanks that it
is possible for me to do, for hadst thou not come unto mine aid, I would
else have perished very miserably and at no very distant time from this."

Then Sir Percival said: "I beseech you, Messire, to tell me how you came
into that sad plight in which I found you."

[Sidenote: The knight telleth his story] To this the knight said: "I will
tell you; it was thus: Two days ago I came thitherward and past yonder
castle, and with me were two excellent esquires--for I am a knight of royal
blood. Now as we went past that castle there came forth a lady clad all in
red and so exceedingly beautiful that she entirely enchanted my heart. And
with this lady there came a number of esquires and pages, all of them very
beautiful of face, and all clad, as she was, in red. Now when this lady had
come nigh to me she spoke me very fair and tempted me with kind words so
that I thought I had never fallen upon anyone so courteous as she. But when
she had come real close to me, she smote me of a sudden across the
shoulders with an ebony staff that she carried in her hand, and at the same
time she cried out certain words that I remember not. For immediately a
great darkness like to a deep swoon fell upon me and I knew nothing. And
when I awakened from that swoon lo! I found myself here, chained fast to
this stone pillar. And hadst thou not come hither I would else certainly
have died in my torment. And as to what hath become of my esquires, I know
not; but as for that lady, methinks she can be none other than a certain
enchantress, hight Vivien, who hath wrought such powerful spells upon
Merlin as to have removed him from the eyes of all mankind."

Unto all this Sir Percival listened in great wonder, and when the knight
had ended his tale he said: "What is thy name?" And the knight said: "My
name is Percydes and I am the son of King Pecheur--so called because he is
the king of all the fisher-folk who dwell upon the West coast. And now I
prithee tell me also thy name and condition, for I find I love thee a very
great deal."

And Sir Percival said: "My name is Percival, but I may not at this present
tell thee my condition and of whom I am born; for t