man, "God reward the father that
brought you up so nobly; doubtless he is a baron, rich and strong."

Now Tristan knew both speech and silence, and he answered:

"No, lord; my father is a burgess. I left his home unbeknownst upon a
ship that trafficked to a far place, for I wished to learn how men
lived in foreign lands. But if you will accept me of the hunt I will
follow you gladly and teach you other crafts of venery."

"Fair Tristan, I marvel there should be a land where a burgess's son
can know what a knight's son knows not elsewhere, but come with us
since you will it; and welcome: we will bring you to King Mark, our
lord."

Tristan completed his task; to the dogs he gave the heart, the head,
offal and ears; and he taught the hunt how the skinning and the
ordering should be done. Then he thrust the pieces upon pikes and gave
them to this huntsman and to that to carry, to one the snout to
another the haunch to another the flank to another the chine; and he
taught them how to ride by twos in rank, according to the dignity of
the pieces each might bear.

So they took the road and spoke together, till they came on a great
castle and round it fields and orchards, and living waters and fish
ponds and plough lands, and many ships were in its haven, for that
castle stood above the sea. It was well fenced against all assault or
engines of war, and its keep, which the giants had built long ago, was
compact of great stones, like a chess board of vert and azure.

And when Tristan asked its name:

"Good liege," they said, "we call it Tintagel."

And Tristan cried:

"Tintagel! Blessed be thou of God, and blessed be they that dwell
within thee."

(Therein, my lords, therein had Rivalen taken Blanchefleur to wife,
though their son knew it not.)

When they came before the keep the horns brought the barons to the
gates and King Mark himself. And when the Master Huntsman had told him
all the story, and King Mark had marvelled at the good order of the
cavalcade, and the cutting of the stag, and the high art of venery in
all, yet most he wondered at the stranger boy, and still gazed at him,
troubled and wondering whence came his tenderness, and his heart would
answer him nothing; but, my lords, it was blood that spoke, and the
love he had long since borne his sister Blanchefleur.

That evening, when the boards were cleared, a singer out of Wales, a
master, came forward among the barons in Hall and sang a harper's
song,