hat is in this
land durst offend against him. Sir, one thing hath he bid me do,
whereof I am sore grieved, that and I send him not one of my daughters,
he hath sworn his oath that he will reave me of my castle."

"Lady," saith Perceval, "An oath is not always kept. To the two
damsels, please God, shall he do no shame, and right heavy am I of that
he hath done already, for they were daughters of mine uncle. Alain li
Gros was my father and Galobrutus my uncle, and many another good man
that now is dead."

XI.

When the damsels heard this, they kneeled down before him, and began to
weep for joy and kiss his hands, and pray him for God's sake have mercy
on them and on their brother. And he saith that he will not depart
from their land until he hath done all he may. He remaineth the night
in the castle and his mariner likewise. The lady made great joy of
Perceval, and did him all the honour she might. When the morrow came
they showed him the land of the King that had reft them of their land,
but the lady could not tell him where her son was in prison. He
departeth and cometh back to his ship when he hath taken leave of the
lady and the damsels, and right glad was he to know that the damsels
were so nigh to him of kin. So he prayeth God grant him that he may be
able to give them back their land and bring them out of the poverty
wherein they are. He roweth until that he is come under a rock,
wherein was a cave at top round and narrow and secure like as it were a
little house. Perceval looketh on that side, and seeth a man sitting
within. He maketh the ship draw nigh the rock, then looketh and seeth
the cutting of a way that went upwards through the rock. He is come
forth of the ship and goeth up the little path until he cometh into the
little house. He findeth within one of the comeliest knights in the
world. He had a ring at his feet and a collar on his neck with a chain
whereof the other end was fixed by a staple into a great ledge of the
rock. He rose up over against Perceval as soon as he saw him.

"Sir Knight," saith Perceval, "You are well made fast."

"Sir, that irketh me," saith the knight, "Better should I like myself
elsewhere than here."

"You would be right," saith Perceval, "For you are in right evil plight
in the midst of this sea. Have you aught within to eat or to drink?"

"Sir," saith he, "The daughter of the Sick Knight that dwelleth in the
island hard by, sendeth me every day in a bo