d I see your ship
so marked as you say."

"Yea, be you faithful to the end herein, and you shall have the crown
of gold upon your head so soon as you return, and so shall you be
seated in the throne, and shall be king of an island that is near to
this, right plenteous of all things good, for nought is there in the
world that is there lacking that is needful for man's body. King
Hermit was the king thereof that thus hath garnished it, and for that
he approved himself so well in this kingdom, and that they who are in
the island consented thereto, is he chosen to be king of a greater
realm. Now they desire that another worshipful man be sent them for
king, that shall do for them as much good as did he, but take you good
heed, sith that you will be king therein, that the island be well
garnished; for, and you garnish it not well, you will be put into the
Poverty-stricken Island, the crying whereof you have but now since
heard, and the crown thereof will again be reft from you. For they
that have been kings of the Plenteous Island and have not well approved
them, are among the folk that you saw in the Poverty-stricken Island,
lacking in all things good. And so I tell you that King Hermit, whom
you will succeed, hath sent thither a great part of his folk. There
are the heads sealed in silver, and the heads sealed in lead, and the
bodies whereunto these heads belonged; I tell you that you must make
come thither the head both of the King and of the Queen. But of the
other I tell you that they are in the Poverty-stricken Island. But we
know not whether they shall ever issue forth thence."

VII.

"Sir," saith Perceval, "Tell me of the knight that is all armed in the
ivory vessel, who he is, and what is the name of this castle?"

"You may not know," saith the Master, "until your return. But tell me
tidings of the most Holy Graal, that you reconquered, is it still in
the holy chapel that was King Fisherman's?"

"Yea, Sir," saith Perceval, "And the sword wherewith S. John was
beheaded, and other hallows in great plenty."

"I saw the Graal," saith the Master, "or ever Joseph, that was uncle to
King Fisherman, collected therein the blood or Jesus Christ. Know that
well am I acquainted with all your lineage, and of what folk you were
born. For your good knighthood and for your good cleanness and for
your good valour came you in hither, for such was Our Lord's will, and
take heed that you be ready when place shall be,