y; else mayest thou not
pass that way." "That is an evil custom," answered Balin; "but if I
must, I must." So that night he rested, but with the dawn he arose,
and was arming himself for battle when there came to him a knight
and said: "Sir, your shield is not good; I pray you, take mine
which is larger and stouter." In an evil hour, Balin suffered
himself to be persuaded, and taking the stranger's shield, left;
behind his own on which his arms were blazoned. Then, entering a
boat, he was conveyed to the island where the unknown knight held
the ford.

No sooner was he landed, than there came riding to him a knight
armed all in red armour, his horse, too, trapped all in red; and
without word spoken, they charged upon each other, and each bore
the other from the saddle. Thus for a while they lay, stunned by
the fall. The Red Knight was the first to rise, for Balin, all
wearied by his travels and many encounters, was sore shaken by the
fall. Then they fought together right fiercely, hacking away great
pieces of armour, and dealing each other dreadful wounds. But when
they paused to take breath, Balin, looking up, saw the battlements
of the castle filled with knights and ladies watching the struggle,
and immediately, shamed that the conflict should have so long
endured, he rushed again upon the Red Knight, aiming at him blows
that might have felled a giant. So they fought together a long
while; but at the last, the Red Knight drew back a little. Then
cried Balin: "Who art thou? for till now, never have I met my
match." Then said the Red Knight: "I am Balan, brother to the noble
knight, Sir Balin"; and with the word, he fell to the ground as one
dead. "Alas!" cried Balin, "that I should have lived to see this
day!" Then, as well as he might, for his strength was almost spent,
he crept on hands and knees to his brother's side and opened the
vizor of his helmet, and when he saw his brother's face all
ghastly, as it was, he cried: "O Balan, I have slain thee, as thou
hast also slain me! Oh! woeful deed I never to be forgotten of
men!" Then Balan, being somewhat recovered, told Balin how he had
been compelled by those at the castle to keep the ford against all
comers, and might never depart; and Balin told of the grievous
chance by which he had taken another's shield.

So these two died, slain by each other's hands. In one tomb they
were buried; and Merlin, passing that way, inscribed thereon the
full story of their deaths.