gged her and all who knew him in no manner to make known
his name, but to deal with him as if he were the least of their company,
as he wished to fight in secret and bide his own time to declare
himself.

"Sir," said Dame Lioness to him, "if such be your desire, I will lend
you a ring, whose virtue is such that it will turn that which is green
to red, and that which is red to green; and also turn blue to white, and
white to blue, and so with all colors. And he who wears it will lose no
blood, however desperately he fights. For the great love I bear you I
lend you this ring; but as you love me heartily in return, let me have
it again when the tournament is done, for this ring increases my beauty
more than it is of itself."

"My own dear lady," cried Gareth, "now indeed you prove your love for
me. Gladly shall I wear that ring, for I much desire not to be known."

Then Sir Gringamore gave Gareth a powerful bay courser, and a suit of
the best of armor; and with them a noble sword which his father had long
before won from a heathen tyrant. And so the lover made ready for the
tournament, of which his lady-love was to be the prize.

Two days before the Assumption of our Lady, King Arthur reached the
castle, and for those two days rich feasting was held, while royal
minstrelsy and merry-making of all kinds filled every soul with joy. But
when came the morning of the Assumption all was restless bustle and
warlike confusion. At an early hour the heralds were commanded to blow
to the field, and soon from every side a throng of knights was to be
seen riding gayly to the lists, while a goodly host of spectators made
haste to take their seats, all eager to behold that noble
passage-at-arms.

Valorous and worthy were the deeds that followed, for hosts of the best
knights in the world had gathered in the lists, and there was wondrous
breaking of spears and unhorsing of knights, while many who boasted of
their firm seat in the saddle went headlong to the earth.

At length there rode into the lists Sir Gareth and Sir Ironside from the
castle, each of whom smote to the ground the first knights that
encountered them, and before long time had passed Gareth had with one
spear unhorsed seven knights of renown.

When King Agwisance of Ireland saw this new-comer fare so nobly, he
marvelled much who he might be, for at one time he seemed green and at
another blue, his color appearing to change at every course as he rode
to and fro, so t