Ulfin; and the three had supper together, and made great cheer one
of the other, and spoke of the adventures each would desire to have.

'There is within this abbey, as men tell me, a shield,' said King
Bagdemagus, 'which no man may bear about his neck, but he is injured or
slain within three days. Yet to-morrow I will adventure to win it.'

In the morning, therefore, after they had heard mass, King Bagdemagus
asked the abbot to show him where was the shield. Then was he led to
the high altar in the church, and behind it was hung a shield which
glowed with shining whiteness, and in the middle thereof was a red
cross which seemed to quiver as if it were living.

'Sir,' said the abbot, 'this shield ought not to hang about any
knight's neck unless he be one of the three best knights of the world,
and I counsel you to beware.'

'No matter,' said King Bagdemagus, 'I will essay it, for though I am
not Sir Lancelot, yet I am a good knight enough.'

This he said in his pride, and took the shield and put the strap about
his neck, and bade good-bye to the other twain, and so went forth with
his squire.

They had not ridden but two miles or more, when at the opening to a
wood Sir Bagdemagus saw a knight in white armour on a horse, riding up
and down as if to do battle with any that should venture to go into the
forest drive.

When the white knight saw him he called out:

'Who art thou? Thou bearest the shield of a knight peerless, but not
the armour.'

'Who am I?' replied King Bagdemagus scornfully. 'I am he that shall
give a good account of myself with thee.'

With that he levelled his lance and ran furiously upon the knight. But
the other stood still, and when the spear-head was nigh his shield, he
lightly turned it aside, and as Sir Bagdemagus swept by, the knight,
with a quick fierce stroke of his sword, smote him so hard that the
blade bit through the mail even to the shoulder-bone; whereby Sir
Bagdemagus fell to the ground in a swoon.

The white knight called the squire to him and said:

'Bear ye this shield to the young knight, Sir Galahad, who is at the
white abbey. Greet him from me, and say that it is for him to wear this
shield, and none other. And tell him that I shall meet him erelong, if
God wills, and that we shall fare together to that which is appointed
for us.'

The squire did as he was bidden, and told Sir Galahad of the white
knight's words. Sir Galahad asked him what was the device upon the
s