hamed, and this
shall be the quittance for my passing. Then will I seek the Damsel of
the Car and so shall I go in safer through the forest."

With that the hermit had begun the mass and Messire Gawain and the
damsel heard it. When mass was sung, Messire Gawain took leave of the
hermit and the damsel also. And Messire Gawain goeth one way and the
damsel the other, and either biddeth other to God.

IV.

Hereupon the story is now silent of the damsel, and saith that Messire
Gawain goeth through the high forest and rideth a great pace, and
prayeth God right sweetly that He will set him in such way as that
thereby he may go to the land of the rich King Fisherman. And he
rideth until the hour of noon, and cometh into the fulness of the
forest and seeth under a tree a squire alighted of a horse of the
chase. Messire Gawain saluteth him, and the squire saith: "Sir, right
welcome may you be!"

"Fair sweet friend," saith Messire Gawain, "Whither go you?"

"Sir, I go to seek the lord of this forest."

"Whose is the forest?" saith Messire Gawain. "Sir, it belongeth to the
best knight in the world."

"Can you tell me tidings of him?"

"He ought to bear a shield banded azure and argent with a red cross
thereon and a boss of gold. I say that he is good knight, but little
call have I to praise him, for he slew my father in this forest with a
javelin. The Good Knight was squire what time he slew him, and fain
would I avenge my father upon him and I may find him, for he reft me of
the best knight that was in the realm of Logres when he slew my father.
Well did he bereave me of him what time he slew him with his javelin
without defiance, nor shall I never be at ease nor at rest until I
shall have avenged him."

"Fair sweet friend," saith Messire Gawain, "Sith that he is knight so
good take heed you increase not your wrong of your own act, and I would
fain that you had found him, so as that no evil had befallen him
thereof."

V.

"So would not I," saith the squire, "for never shall I see him in this
place but I shall run upon him as my mortal enemy!"

"Fair sweet friend," saith Messire Gawain, "you may say your pleasure,
but tell me is there no hold in this forest wherein I may harbour me
the night?"

"Sir," saith the squire, "No hold know I within twenty league of your
way in any quarter. Wherefore no leisure have you to tarry, for it is
high noon already."

So Messire Gawain saluteth the squire and goeth