m. And now began a fierce
and terrible affray, for they stood and hewed at each other with might
and main, till blood burst in many places through the joints of their
armor.

But Gawaine had a gift that a holy man had given him, that every day in
the year, from nine o'clock till noon, his strength should increase till
it became threefold. And he took good care to fight all his battles
during these hours, whereby he gained great honor.

None knew of this gift but King Arthur, and as Lancelot felt the
strength of his antagonist constantly increasing, he wondered greatly,
and began to fear that he would be overcome. It seemed to him that he
had a fiend, and no earthly man, before him, and for three hours he
traced and traversed, and covered himself with his shield, scarcely able
to stand against the brunt of Gawaine's mighty blows. At this all men
marvelled, for never before had they beheld Lancelot so sorely driven to
defence.

But when the hour of noon had passed, the magic might of Gawaine
suddenly left him, and he had now only his own strength. This Lancelot
felt, and he drew himself up and pressed on his foe, saying,--

"You have had your day, Gawaine; now it is my turn. Defend yourself, for
I have many a grievous buffet to repay."

Then he redoubled his strokes, and at length gave Gawaine such a blow on
the helmet that he fell to the earth. Lancelot now withdrew a step.

"Why do you withdraw?" cried Gawaine, bitterly. "Turn, thou traitor, and
slay me; for if I recover you shall fight with me again."

"It is not my way, Sir Gawaine, to strike a fallen knight. When you
want to fight again you shall not find me lacking."

Then he turned and went with his knights into the city, while Gawaine
was borne from the field to one of the king's pavilions, where leeches
were brought to attend him.

"Alas!" said the king, "that ever this unhappy war began, for Sir
Lancelot ever forbeareth me, and my kin also, and that is well seen in
his sparing my nephew Gawaine this day."

Then Arthur fell sick from sorrow for the hurt of his nephew and regret
for the war. The siege was kept up, but with little energy, and both
sides rested from their toils.

Three weeks passed before Gawaine regained his strength; but as soon as
he was able to ride he armed again, mounted his horse, and rode to the
gate of Benwick, where he loudly repeated his challenge to Lancelot as a
traitor and recreant knight.

"You got the best of me by mis