ted, in great sorrow.

Then Balin sent for his horse and his armor, and made ready to depart,
though Arthur begged him to remain.

"I knew not your worth," he said, "or you should not have been so
unkindly treated. I was misinformed concerning you."

"My heartfelt thanks are yours," said Balin. "But asking your good
grace, I must needs depart."

"Then tarry not long, fair knight; you shall always be welcome to my
court."

So Balin donned his armor and made ready to depart. But while he still
tarried there came to the court a lady richly attired, and riding on a
handsome horse.

She saluted King Arthur, and presented herself as the Lady of the Lake,
from whom he had received the sword, saying that she had now come to
demand the gift which he had promised her whenever she should ask for
it.

"A gift I promised you, indeed," said Arthur, "and you do well to ask
it. But first I would know the name of the sword you gave me."

"The name of it," said the lady, "is Excalibur, which signifies
cut-steel."

"Then well is it named," said the king. "Now ask what gift you will. If
it is in my power to present you shall have it."

"What I ask," said the Lady of the Lake, "is the head of the knight who
has just won the sword, or of the damsel who brought it; or both their
heads, if you will. He slew my brother, and she caused my father's
death."

"Truly," said the king, in pain and wonder, "you ask what I cannot in
honor grant. Ask what you will else and you shall not be denied, but
even a king cannot pay his debts with murder."

"I shall ask nothing else," said the lady. "Little deemed I that King
Arthur would be recreant to his word."

When Balin was told of the demand of the Lady of the Lake, he went
straight to her, where she stood before the king, and said, "Evil you
are in heart and voice, and evil have ever been. Vile enchantress, you
would have my head, and therefore, shall lose yours." And with a light
stroke of his sword he smote off her head before the king, so that it
fell bleeding at his feet.

"What shame is this?" cried Arthur, in hot wrath. "Why have you dared
treat thus a lady to whom I was beholden, and who came here under my
safe-conduct?"

"Your displeasure grieves me," said Balin. "But you know not this lady,
or you would not blame me for her death, for she was of all women the
vilest that ever breathed. By enchantment and sorcery she has slain many
good knights, and I have sought her during th