one could
find as far as Dombes [413] or Pampelune; and on each tomb there were
letters cut, telling the names of those who were destined to be buried
there. And he began in order to read the names, and came upon some which
said: "Here Gawain is to lie, here Louis, and here Yvain." After
these three, he read the names of many others among the most famed and
cherished knights of this or any other land. Among the others, he finds
one of marble, which appears to be new, and is more rich and handsome
than all the rest. Calling the monk, the knight inquired: "Of what use
are these tombs here?" And the monk replied: "You have already read the
inscriptions; if you have understood, you must know what they say, and
what is the meaning of the tombs." "Now tell me, what is this large one
for?" And the hermit answered: "I will tell you. That is a very large
sarcophagus, larger than any that ever was made; one so rich and
well-carved was never seen. It is magnificent without, and still more so
within. But you need not be concerned with that, for it can never do you
any good; you will never see inside of it; for it would require seven
strong men to raise the lid of stone, if any one wished to open it. And
you may be sure that to raise it would require seven men stronger than
you and I. There is an inscription on it which says that any one who can
lift this stone of his own unaided strength will set free all the men
and women who are captives in the land, whence no slave or noble can
issue forth, unless he is a native of that land. No one has ever come
back from there, but they are detained in foreign prisons; whereas
they of the country go and come in and out as they please." At once
the knight goes to grasp the stone, and raises it without the slightest
trouble, more easily than ten men would do who exerted all their
strength. And the monk was amazed, and nearly fell down at the sight of
this marvellous thing; for he thought he would never see the like again,
and said: "Sire, I am very anxious to know your name. Will you tell me
what it is?" "Not I," says the knight, "upon my word." "I am certainly
sorry, for that," he says; "but if you would tell me, you would do me a
great favour, and might benefit yourself. Who are you, and where do
you come from?" "I am a knight, as you may see, and I was born in the
kingdom of Logre. After so much information, I should prefer to be
excused. Now please tell me, for your part, who is to lie within