of
the household of Aristor overtook him at the corner of the forest, and
knew his lord's horse and had heard tell that Aristor was dead,
wherefore he went into the forest to bury him. He smote the knight
through the body with his spear and so slew him, then took the horse
and went away forthwith. But, had Perceval known thereof, he would
have been little glad, for that he asked the knight to go for the
horse, but he did it only for the best, and for that he rode in great
misease.

VII.

Perceval goeth toward the Deep Forest, that is full broad and long and
evil seeming, and when he was entered in he had scarce ridden a space
when he espied the lion that lay in the midst of a launde under a tree
and was waiting for his master, that was gone afar into the forest, and
the lion well knew that just there was the way whereby knights had to
pass, and therefore had abided there. The damsel draweth her back for
fear, and Perceval goeth toward the lion that had espied him already,
and came toward him, eyes on fire and jaws yawning wide. Perceval
aimeth his spear and thinketh to smite him in his open mouth, but the
lion swerved aside and he caught him in the fore-leg and so dealt him a
great wound, but the lion seizeth the horse with his claws on the
croup, and rendeth the skin and the flesh above the tail. The horse,
that feeleth himself wounded, catcheth him with his two hinder feet or
ever he could get away, so passing strongly that he breaketh the
master-teeth in his jaw. The lion gave out a roar so loud that all the
forest resounded thereof. The Red Knight heareth his lion roar, and so
cometh thither a great gallop, but, or ever he was come thither,
Perceval had slain the lion. When the knight saw his lion dead, right
sorry was he thereof.

"By my head," saith he to Perceval, "When you slew my lion you did it
as a traitor!"

"And you," saith Perceval, "adjudged your own death when you slew my
uncle's son, whose head this damsel beareth."

Perceval cometh against him without more words, and the knight in like
manner with a great rushing, and breaketh his spear upon his shield.
Perceval smiteth him with such force that he thrusteth his spear right
through his body and beareth him to the ground dead beside his horse.
Perceval alighteth of his own when he hath slain the knight, and then
mounteth him on the Red Knight's horse for that his own might carry him
no longer.

VIII.

"Sir," saith the damsel, "My c