The forest was strange and gloomy. He rode
until nightfall but might not find neither hold nor hermitage. He
looketh right amidst the forest before him and seeth a damsel sitting
that bemoaneth herself full sore. The moon was dark and the place
right foul of seeming and the forest gloomy of shadow.

"Ha, damsel, and what do you here at this hour?"

"Sir," saith she, "I may not amend it, the more is my sorrow. For the
place is more perilous than you think. Look," saith she, "up above,
and you will see the occasion wherefore I am here."

Meliot looketh and seeth two knights all armed hanging up above the
damsel's head. Thereof much marvelleth he.

"Ha, damsel," saith he, "Who slew these knights so foully?"

"Sir," saith she, "The Knight of the Galley that singeth in the sea."

"And wherefore hath he hanged them in such wise?"

"For this," saith she, "that they believed in God and His sweet Mother.
And so behoveth me to watch them here for forty days, that none take
them down of hanging, for and they were taken hence he would lose his
castle, he saith, and would cut off my head."

"By my head," saith Meliot, "Such watch is foul shame to damsel, and no
longer shall you remain here."

"Ha, Sir," saith the damsel, "Then shall I be a dead woman, for he is
of so great cruelty that none scarce might protect me against him."

II.

"Damsel," saith Meliot, "Foul shame would it be and I left here these
knights in such wise for the reproach of other knights."

Meliot made them graves with his sword, and so buried them the best he
might.

"Sir," saith the damsel, "And you take not thought to protect me, the
knight will slay me. To-morrow, when he findeth not the knights, he
will search all the forest to look for me."

Meliot and the damsel together go their way through the forest until
they come to a chapel where was wont to be a hermit that the Knight of
the Galley had destroyed. He helpeth down the damsel of his horse, and
afterward they entered into the chapel, where was a great brightness of
light, and a damsel was there that kept watch over a dead knight.
Meliot marvelleth him much.

"Damsel," said Meliot, "When was this knight killed?"

"Sir, yesterday the Knight of the Galley slew him on the seashore,
wherefore behoveth me thus keep watch, and in the morning will he come
hither or ever he go to the castle where Messire Gawain hath to-morrow
to fight with a lion, all unarmed, and my Lady, that is mis