, and all was for thou shouldst not
find the blessed adventure of the Sangreal. And the third fowl
betokeneth the strong battle against the fair ladies which were all
devils. Also the dry tree and the white lily: the dry tree betokeneth
thy brother Lionel, which is dry without virtue, and therefore many
men ought to call him the rotten tree, and the wormeaten tree, for he
is a murderer and doth contrary to the order of knighthood. And the
two white flowers signify two maidens, the one is a knight which was
wounded the other day, and the other is the gentlewoman which ye
rescued; and why the other flower drew nigh the other, that was the
knight which would have befouled her and himself both. And Sir Bors,
ye had been a great fool and in great peril for to have seen those two
flowers perish for to succour the rotten tree, for and they had sinned
together they had been damned; and for that ye rescued them both, men
might call you a very knight and servant of Jesu Christ.

CHAPTER XIV

HOW SIR BORS MET WITH HIS BROTHER SIR LIONEL, AND HOW SIR LIONEL WOULD
HAVE SLAIN SIR BORS

Then went Sir Bors from thence and commended the abbot unto God. And
then he rode all that day, and harboured with an old lady. And on the
morn he rode to a castle in a valley, and there he met with a yeoman
going a great pace toward a forest. Say me, said Sir Bors, canst thou
tell me of any adventure? Sir, said he, here shall be under this
castle a great and a marvellous tournament. Of what folks shall it be?
said Sir Bors. The Earl of Plains shall be in the one party, and the
lady's nephew of Hervin on the other party. Then Bors thought to be
there if he might meet with his brother Sir Lionel, or any other of
his fellowship, which were in the quest of the Sangreal. And then he
turned to an hermitage that was in the entry of the forest. And when
he was come thither he found there Sir Lionel, his brother, which sat
all armed at the entry of the chapel door for to abide there harbour
till on the morn that the tournament shall be. And when Sir Bors saw
him he had great joy of him, that it were marvel to tell of his joy.
And then he alit off his horse, and said: Fair sweet brother, when
came ye hither? Anon as Lionel saw him he said: Ah Bors, ye may not
make none avaunt, but as for you I might have been slain; when ye saw
two knights leading me away beating me, ye left me for to succour a
gentlewoman, and suffered me in peril of death; for neve