his fist and smote Sir Kay so terrible a buffet beside the head that
Sir Kay instantly fell down as though he were dead and lay without sense of
motion upon the ground. Then Sir Percival perceived that there were two
other knights standing not far off, and therewith his thoughts of other
things came back to him again and he was aware of what he had done in his
anger, and was very sorry and ashamed that he should have been so hasty as
to have struck that blow.

Then Sir Gawaine came to Sir Percival and spake sternly to him saying. "Sir
Knight, why didst thou strike my companion so unknightly a blow as that?"

[Sidenote: Sir Gawaine chides Sir Percival] To which Sir Percival said:
"Messire, it grieves me sorely that I should have been so hasty, but I was
bethinking me of my lady, and this knight disturbed my thoughts; wherefore
I smote him in haste."

To this Sir Gawaine made reply: "Sir, I perceive that thou hadst great
excuse for thy blow. Ne'theless, I am displeased that thou shouldst have
struck that knight. Now I make demand of thee what is thy name and
condition?"

And Sir Percival said: "My name is Percival, and I am a knight of King
Arthur's making."

[Sidenote: Sir Gawaine and Sir Geraint rejoice over Sir Percival] At that,
when Sir Gawaine and Sir Geraint heard what Sir Percival said, they cried
out in great amazement; and Sir Gawaine said: "Ha, Sir Percival! this is
indeed well met, for my name is Gawaine and I am a nephew unto King Arthur
and am of his court; and this knight is Sir Geraint, and he also is of King
Arthur's court and of his Round Table. And we have been in search of thee
for this long time for to bring thee unto King Arthur at Camelot. For thy
renown is now spread all over this realm, so that they talk of thee in
every court of chivalry."

And Sir Percival said: "That is good news to me, for I wist not that I had
so soon won so much credit. But, touching the matter of returning unto King
Arthur's court with you; unto that I crave leave to give my excuses. For,
since you tell me that I now have so much credit of knighthood, it behooves
me to go immediately unto my lady and to offer my services unto her. For
when I parted from her I promised her that I would come to her as soon as I
had won me sufficient credit of knighthood. As for this knight whom I have
struck, I cannot be sorry for that buffet, even if it was given with my
fist and not with my sword as I should have given it. For I have