The damsel that was weeping right tenderly, saith to him: "Sir, I will
answer you not."

She cometh toward the dead knight, thinking that his wounds should have
begun to bleed afresh, but they did not.

"Sir," saith she to Messire Gawain, "Welcome may you be!"

"Damsel," saith he. "God grant you greater joy than you have!"

And the damsel saith to the brachet: "It was not this one I sent you
back to fetch, but him that slew this knight."

"Know you then, damsel, who hath slain him?" saith Messire Gawain.

"Yea," saith she, "well! Lancelot of the Lake slew him in this forest,
on whom God grant me vengeance, and on all them of King Arthur's court,
for sore mischief and great hurt have they wrought us! But, please
God, right well shall this knight yet be avenged, for a right fair son
hath he whose sister am I, and so hath he many good friends withal."

"Damsel, to God I commend you!" saith Messire Gawain. With that, he
issueth forth of the Waste Manor and betaketh him back to the way he
had abandoned, and prayeth God grant he may find Lancelot of the Lake.

BRANCH V.

INCIPIT.

Here beginneth again another branch of the Graal in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

TITLE I.

Messire Gawain goeth his way and evening draweth on; and on his right
hand was there a narrow pathway that seemed him to be haunted of folk.
Thitherward goeth he, for that he seeth the sun waxeth low, and findeth
in the thick of the forest a great chapel, and without was a right fair
manor. Before the chapel was an orchard enclosed of a wooden fence
that was scarce so high as a tall man. A hermit that seemed him a
right worshipful man was leaning against the fence, and looked into the
orchard and made great cheer from time to time. He seeth Messire
Gawain, and cometh to meet him, and Messire Gawain alighteth.

"Sir," saith the hermit, "Welcome may you be."

"God grant you the joy of Paradise," saith Messire Gawain. The hermit
maketh his horse be stabled of a squire, and then taketh him by the
hand and maketh him sit beside him to look on the orchard.

"Sir," saith the hermit, "Now may you see that whereof I was making
cheer."

Messire Gawain looketh therewithin and seeth two damsels and a squire
and a child that were guarding a lion.

"Sir," saith the hermit, "Here see my joy, which is this child. Saw you
ever so fair a child his age?"

"Never," saith Messire Gawain. They go into the orc