your eyes shall come
again, and thou shalt see openly, and thy wounds shall be healed, and
erst shall they never close. And this befell of King Evelake, and this
same king hath lived this three hundred winters this holy life, and men
say the knight is in the court that shall heal him. Sir, said the good
man, I pray you tell me what knight that ye be, and if ye be of King
Arthur's court and of the Table Round. Yea forsooth, said he, and my
name is Sir Percivale de Galis. And when the good man understood his
name he made great joy of him.

And then Sir Percivale departed and rode till the hour of noon. And
he met in a valley about a twenty men of arms, which bare in a bier a
knight deadly slain. And when they saw Sir Percivale they asked him of
whence he was. And he answered: Of the court of King Arthur. Then they
cried all at once: Slay him. Then Sir Percivale smote the first to the
earth and his horse upon him. And then seven of the knights smote upon
his shield all at once, and the remnant slew his horse so that he
fell to the earth. So had they slain him or taken him had not the good
knight, Sir Galahad, with the red arms come there by adventure into
those parts. And when he saw all those knights upon one knight he cried:
Save me that knight's life. And then he dressed him toward the twenty
men of arms as fast as his horse might drive, with his spear in the
rest, and smote the foremost horse and man to the earth. And when his
spear was broken he set his hand to his sword, and smote on the right
hand and on the left hand that it was marvel to see, and at every stroke
he smote one down or put him to a rebuke, so that they would fight no
more but fled to a thick forest, and Sir Galahad followed them.

And when Sir Percivale saw him chase them so, he made great sorrow that
his horse was away. And then he wist well it was Sir Galahad. And then
he cried aloud: Ah fair knight, abide and suffer me to do thankings unto
thee, for much have ye done for me. But ever Sir Galahad rode so
fast that at the last he passed out of his sight. And as fast as Sir
Percivale might he went after him on foot, crying. And then he met with
a yeoman riding upon an hackney, the which led in his hand a great steed
blacker than any bear. Ah, fair friend, said Sir Percivale, as ever I
may do for you, and to be your true knight in the first place ye will
require me, that ye will lend me that black steed, that I might overtake
a knight the which ride