at pleasure. So Chretien de Troyes maintains that one ought
always to study and strive to speak well and teach the right; and he
derives from a story of adventure a pleasing argument whereby it may be
proved and known that he is not wise who does not make liberal use of
his knowledge so long as God may give him grace. The story is about Erec
the son of Lac--a story which those who earn a living by telling stories
are accustomed to mutilate and spoil in the presence of kings and
counts. And now I shall begin the tale which will be remembered so long
as Christendom endures. This is Chretien's boast.

(Vv. 27-66.) One Easter Day in the Springtime, King Arthur held court in
his town of Cardigan. Never was there seen so rich a court; for many
a good knight was there, hardy, bold, and brave, and rich ladies and
damsels, gentle and fair daughters of kings. But before the court was
disbanded, the King told his knights that he wished to hunt the White
Stag, [12] in order to observe worthily the ancient custom. When my lord
Gawain heard this, he was sore displeased, and said: "Sire, you will
derive neither thanks nor goodwill from this hunt. We all know long
since what this custom of the White Stag is: whoever can kill the White
Stag must forsooth kiss the fairest maiden of your court, come what may.
But of this there might come great ill, for there are here five hundred
damsels of high birth, gentle and prudent daughters of kings, and there
is none of them but has a bold and valiant knight for her lover who
would be ready to contend, whether fight or wrong, that she who is his
lady is the fairest and gentlest of them all." The King replies: "That
I know well; yet will I not desist on that account; for a king's word
ought never to be gainsaid. To-morrow morning we shall all gaily go to
hunt the White Stag in the forest of adventure. And very delightful this
hunt will be."

(Vv. 67-114.) And so the affair is arranged for the next morning
at daybreak. The morrow, as soon as it is day, the King gets up and
dresses, and dons a short jacket for his forest ride. He commands the
knights to be aroused and the horses to be made ready. Already they
are ahorse, and off they go, with bows and arrows. After them the Queen
mounts her horse, taking a damsel with her. A maid she was, the daughter
of a king, and she rode a white palfrey. After them there swiftly
followed a knight, named Erec, who belonged to the Round Table, and had
great fame a