at as much meat as I may
eat, for she hath great pity of me. The King that hath imprisoned me
here hath reft her castles like as he hath those of my lady my mother."

"May none remove you hence?"

"Sir, in no wise, save he that set me here, for he keepeth with him the
key of the lock, and he told me when he departed hence that never more
should I issue forth."

"By my head," saith Perceval, "but you shall! And you were the son of
Galobrutus, you were the son of mine uncle," saith Perceval, "and I of
yours, so that it would be a reproach to me for evermore and I left you
in this prison."

XII.

When Galobruns heareth that he is his uncle's son, great joy hath he
thereof. He would have fallen at his feet, but Perceval would not, and
said to him, "Now be well assured, for I will seek your deliverance."

He cometh down from the rock, and so entereth the ship and roweth of a
long space. He looketh before him and seeth a right rich island and a
right plenteous, and on the other side he seeth in a little islet a
knight that is mounted up in a tall tree that was right broad with many
boughs. There was a damsel with him, that had climbed up also for
dread of a serpent, great and evil-favoured that had issued from a hole
in a mountain. The damsel seeth Perceval's ship coming, and crieth out
to him.

"Ha, Sir," saith she, "Come to help this King that is up above, and me
that am a damsel!"

"Whereof are you afeard, damsel?" saith Perceval.

"Of a great serpent, Sir," saith she, "that hath made us climb up,
whereof ought I not to be sorry, for this King hath carried me off from
my father's house, and would have done me shame of my body and this
serpent had not run upon him."

"And what is the King's name, damsel?" saith Perceval.

"Sir, he is called Gohaz of the Castle of the Whale. This great land
is his own that is so plenteous, and other lands enow that he hath reft
of my father and of other."

The King had great shame of this that the damsel told him, and made
answer never a word. Perceval understandeth that it was he that held
his cousin in prison, and is issued from the ship forthwith, sword
drawn. The serpent seeth him, and cometh toward him, jaws yawning, and
casteth forth fire and flame in great plenty. Perceval thrusteth his
sword right through the gullet.

"Now may you come down," saith he to the King.

"Sir," saith he, "The key of a chain wherewith a certain knight is
bound hath fallen, and