nd saith that she shall praise him much thereof
to the King and Messire Gawain. She goeth her way and carrieth off the
head, and Perceval biddeth her to God. He returned back to Castle
Perilous, and the damsel made great joy thereof when she understood
that he had slain Brundans. Perceval lay there that night, and
departed on the morrow after that he had heard mass. When he came
forth of the castle he met the knight by whom he had sent the cup to
the Sick Knight's wife. Perceval asketh how it is with him.

"Sir," saith he, "I have carried out your message right well, for never
was a thing received with such good will. The Sick Knight hath forgone
his grudge against his wife. She eateth at his table, and the
household do her commandment."

"This liketh me right well," saith Perceval, "and I thank you of doing
this errand."

"Sir," saith the knight, "No thing is there I would not do for you, for
that you made my brother Knight Hardy there where you first saw him
Knight Coward."

"Sir," saith Perceval, "Good knight was your brother and a right good
end he made, but a little it forthinketh me that he might have still
been living had he abided in his cowardize."

"Sir," saith he, "Better is he dead, sith that he died with honour,
than that he should live with shame. Yet glad was I not of his death,
for a hardy knight he was, and yet more would have been, had he lived
longer."

XXVI.

Perceval departeth from the knight and commendeth him to God. He hath
wandered so far one day and another that he is returned to his own most
holy castle, and findeth therein his mother and his sister that the
Damsel of the Car had brought thither. The Widow Lady had made bear
thither the body that lay in the coffin before the castle of Camelot in
the rich chapel that she had builded there. His sister brought the
cerecloth that she took in the Waste Chapel, and presented there where
the Graal was. Perceval made bring the coffin of the other knight that
was at the entrance of his castle within the chapel likewise, and place
it beside the coffin of his uncle, nor never thereafter might it be
removed. Josephus telleth us that Perceval was in this castle long
time, nor never once moved therefrom in quest of no adventure; rather
was his courage so attorned to the Saviour of the World and His sweet
Mother, that he and his sister and the damsel that was therein led a
holy life and a religious. Therein abode they even as it pleas