new him not, nor Lancelot him,
Sir Lancelot was his father.

"Sir," said the nuns, "we bring thee here this child whom we have
nourished from his youth, and pray thee to make him a knight, for from no
worthier hand can he receive that order."

Then Sir Lancelot, looking on the youth, saw that he was seemly and demure
as a dove, with every feature good and noble, and thought he never had
beheld a better fashioned man of his years. "Cometh this desire from
himself?" said he.

"Yea," answered Galahad and all the nuns.

"To-morrow, then, in reverence for the feast, he shall have his wish,"
said Sir Lancelot.

And the next day at the hour of prime, he knighted him, and said, "God
make of thee as good a man as He hath made thee beautiful."

Then with Sir Lionel and Sir Bors he returned to the court, and found all
gone to the minster to hear service. When they came into the banquet-hall
each knight and baron found his name written in some seat in letters of
gold, as "here ought to sit Sir Lionel," "here ought to sit Sir
Gawain,"--and so forth. And in the Perilous Seat, at the high centre of
the table, a name was also written, whereat they marvelled greatly, for no
living man had ever yet dared sit upon that seat, save one, and him a
flame leaped forth and drew down under earth, so that he was no more seen.

Then came Sir Lancelot and read the letters in that seat, and said, "My
counsel is that this inscription be now covered up until the knight be
come who shall achieve this great adventure." So they made a veil of silk
and put it over the letters.

In the meanwhile came Sir Gawain to the court and told the king he had a
message to him from beyond the sea, from Merlin.

"For," said he, "as I rode through the forest of Broceliande but five days
since, I heard the voice of Merlin speaking to me from the midst of an
oak-tree, whereat, in great amazement, I besought him to come forth. But
he, with many groans, replied he never more might do so, for that none
could free him, save the damsel of the Lake, who had enclosed him there by
his own spells which he had taught her. 'But go,' said he, 'to King
Arthur, and tell him, that he now prepare his knights and all his Table
Round to seek the Sangreal, for the time is come when it shall be
achieved.'"

When Sir Gawain had spoken thus, King Arthur sat pensive in spirit, and
mused deeply of the Holy Grale an what saintly knight should come who
might achieve it.

Anon he bade