s no man living whom I would rather
help. If you desire, I will make one of ten knights who will go in
search of him, and not rest two nights in the same place for a year
until we find him."

This offer pleased the king, who quickly chose nine other knights for
the quest, and made them all swear upon the Scriptures to do as Lancelot
had proposed.

With dawn of the next day these ten knights armed themselves, and rode
from the Castle of Maidens, continuing in company until they came to a
roadside cross, from which ran out four highways. Here they separated
into four parties, each of which followed one of the highways. And far
and wide they rode through field and forest for many days in quest of
the brave knight of Cornwall.

Of them all, Sir Lucan, the butler, came nearest to good fortune, for
chance brought him to the castle of the old knight, Sir Darras. Here he
asked harbor, sending in his name by the porter.

"He shall not rest here unless he first joust with me," cried Sir
Daname, the old knight's nephew. "Bid him make ready, for he must earn
his lodging."

But better had Daname held his peace, for Lucan smote him over his
horse's croup, and followed him hotly when he fled into the castle.

"This is a shame to our host," said Dinadan. "Let me try conclusions
with our doughty butler. It will not do to let him take our castle by
storm."

He thereupon rode against Lucan, and fared still worse, for he got for
his pains a spear thrust through the thigh. Then Tristram, in anger,
armed and followed Lucan, who had ridden on, in search of a more
peaceful place of shelter. Within a mile he overtook him and bade him
turn and joust. Nothing loth, Lucan did so, and in his turn got a sore
fall, though he little dreamed that he had been overthrown by the knight
of his quest. At this juncture another of the ten knights, Sir Uwaine,
came up, and seeing Sir Lucan's misfortune, rode furiously against the
victor. His luck was no better, for he was hurled to the ground with a
sorely wounded side. Having thus revenged his comrades, Tristram
returned to the castle.

Meanwhile a damsel from the Castle of Maidens had come thither, and told
Sir Darras a woeful story. Of his five sons, three had been slain at the
tournament, and the other two were dangerously wounded, all this having
been done by the knight of the black shield. Deep grief filled the old
knight's heart at this sad tale. But his sorrow turned to rage when the
damsel