oved himself a
noble and gentle-hearted youth, loyal and kind to all he met, and with a
heart free from evil thoughts or selfish desires.

He had learned the use of arms, and knew well how to wield the shield
and sword, though as yet he had not sought knighthood by deeds of
battle; but events were preparing that would bring him soon from youth
to manhood. For it so happened that King Anguish of Ireland sent to King
Mark of Cornwall, demanding from him tribute which he said was due, but
had not been paid for many years. King Mark sent word back that he owed
and would pay no tribute; and that if the King of Ireland wished to
prove his claim, he must send a knight who could overcome King Mark's
champion.

King Anguish was very angry at this answer, but accepted the challenge,
and sent as his champion Sir Marhaus, brother to his wife, that valiant
knight who had gone with Gawaine and Uwaine to the country of strange
adventures, and had afterwards been made a Knight of the Round Table.

Marhaus accepted the championship, and hastened to Cornwall, where he
sent his challenge to King Mark; but the latter had taken no steps to
provide himself with a worthy champion. Marhaus thereupon encamped near
the castle of Tintagil, whither he daily sent a demand to King Mark
either to pay the tribute or to find a knight to fight his battle.

Anxious efforts were now made by the Cornish monarch to find a champion,
some of the barons advising him to send to King Arthur's court for
Lancelot du Lake. But others dissuaded the king from this, saying that
neither Lancelot nor any Knight of the Round Table would fight against
their fellow-knight Marhaus. Thus the King of Cornwall was sore put to
it to find a champion fit to hold the field against such a knight as
Marhaus.

Word of this soon spread over the country and quickly reached the castle
of Meliodas, to which young Tristram had long before returned. The heart
of the ardent youth filled with anger when he learned that not a knight
could be found in all Cornwall able and willing to do battle with the
Irish champion.

In fervent haste he sought his father, and asked him what was to be
done to save Cornwall from this disgrace.

"I know not," answered the king. "Marhaus is one of the best knights of
the Round Table, and there is no knight in this country fit to cope with
him."

"I wish heartily that I were a knight," cried Tristram hotly. "If I
were, Sir Marhaus should never depart to