hining red.

[Sidenote: _The knights of Corbin do honor to Sir Launcelot._]

So as he stood there, there came a party of knights riding into that
place. These thrust their way through the multitude to where Sir
Launcelot was in the midst of the crowd as aforesaid. When they had come
to Sir Launcelot the chief of those knights said, "Sir, art thou he who
hath slain the Worm?" Sir Launcelot said, "Thou seest that I am he."
Then he who spoke to Sir Launcelot said, "Messire, I fear me you are
sorely hurt in this battle." Quoth Sir Launcelot: "I am hurt indeed, but
not more hurt than I have been several times before and yet live as you
behold me."

Then those knights went and looked upon the Worm where it lay and they
gazed upon it with wonder and with loathing. And they gave great praise
beyond measure to the knight who had slain it.

After that they sent for a litter and they laid Sir Launcelot upon the
litter and bare him away into the Castle of Corbin where King Pelles of
Corbin was then holding his court in royal pomp of circumstance. And
they brought Sir Launcelot to a fair chamber of the castle where a
number of attendants came to him and eased him of his armor and led him
to a bath of tepid water steeped with healing herbs. And there came a
skilful leech and searched the wounds of Sir Launcelot and spread
soothing unguents upon them and bound them up with swathings of linen.
And after that they bare Sir Launcelot to a fair soft couch spread with
snow-white linen and laid him thereon, and he was greatly at ease and
much comforted in body.

[Sidenote: _King Pelles of Corbin doeth honor to Sir Launcelot._]

Then after all this was done in that wise, there came King Pelles of
Corbin to that place for to visit Sir Launcelot, and with him came his
son, Sir Lavaine, and his daughter, the Lady Elaine the Fair. And Sir
Launcelot beheld that King Pelles was a very noble haughty lord, for his
beard and his hair were long and amplelike to the mane of a lion, and
resembled threads of gold sprinkled with threads of silver. And he was
clad all in a robe of purple studded over with shining jewels and he
wore a fillet of gold about his head set with several gems of great
price. Upon the right hand of King Pelles there came his son, Sir
Lavaine--a very noble young knight, newly created by the bath--and upon
his left hand there came his daughter, the Lady Elaine the Fair.

[Sidenote: _Of the Lady Elaine the Fair._]

Then Sir L