I cannot sing as ye do, but I will tell ye
a story an ye list to hear me."

[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot telleth a conte._]

At that they all cried out to tell them that story and thereupon he did
so, telling them a certain goodly conte of two knights who loved a lady,
but she loved neither of them, having set her heart upon an esquire of
low degree. So of these two knights the one became an hermit and the
other by force of his knighthood brought it to pass that the esquire was
exalted from his squirehood to become a king. But when the esquire
became a king the lady would have none of him, but turned her love to
the knight who had exalted him to his high estate. So the lady left the
esquire who was king and married the noble knight who had made him king,
and so, having made choice of the greatest and the noblest of all the
three, she dwelt happily with him to the end of her life.

To this the minstrels listed in silence and when Sir Launcelot had
finished they gave him great applause without measure.

After that the minstrels sang again and Sir Launcelot told them another
tale of chivalry; and so with good cheer the night passed pleasantly
away until the great round moon, bright and full like to a bubble of
shining silver, floated high in the sky above their heads, very bright
and as glorious as day and bathing all the world in a flood of still
white light, most wonderful to behold.

[Sidenote: _Sir Launcelot would leave the minstrels._]

Then perceiving it to be midnight, Sir Launcelot bestirred himself, and
he said: "Good fellows, I thank ye with all my heart for the
entertainment ye have given me, but now I am refreshed I must go again
upon my way."

To this he who was chief among the minstrels said: "Sir Knight, we would
fain that you would remain with us to-night and would travel with us
upon our way to-morrow, for indeed you are the pleasantest and
cheerfulest knight that ever we met in all of our lives."

[Sidenote: _He asketh of some adventure._]

At this Sir Launcelot laughed with great good will, and he said: "Good
fellows, I give you gramercy for your fair regard. Ye are indeed a merry
company and were I not a knight methinks I would rather be one of your
party than one of any other company that ever I fell in with. But it may
not be, for, lo! I am a knight and I must e'en go about my business as
becometh one who weareth spurs of gold. So here and now we part.
Ne'theless you may haply do me one service