Launcelot,
wherefore he did not dare to arise from the ground whereon he had
fallen, but lay there calling out for help in a loud voice of outcry.

Thereupon, there immediately came forth from out of the pavilion a noble
knight clad all in scarlet and wrapped in a scarlet cloak trimmed with
miniver. And that knight was Sir Blyant whose castle stood not more than
four or five leagues from that place. For at such pleasant season of the
year, Sir Blyant was wont to ride forth with his lady, and ever when he
chose he would have a pavilion set up in some such pleasant place as
this little glade. And sometimes Sir Blyant and his lady would lodge in
that pavilion over-night, as was the case at this time.

[Sidenote: _Sir Blyant pitieth the madman._]

So Sir Blyant came forth out of the pavilion as aforesaid, and he beheld
the dwarf lying upon the ground. And he beheld that Sir Launcelot had
catched up the sword again, and that he stood above the dwarf, making
play with his sword as though there were many enemies thereabouts; and
Sir Blyant wist that he whom he beheld must be the Madman of the Forest
of whom folk talked so much. Then Sir Blyant pitied that madman a very
great deal, and he spake very mildly to him, saying: "Good man, put down
that sword, for meseems thou art in greater need of food and of warm
clothes and of nourishing and comforting than of playing with a sharp
sword in that wise."

But ever Sir Launcelot waved the sword this way and that, crying out in
a great loud voice, "Keep thou away or I will slay thee."

Then Sir Blyant perceived that there was great danger in having to do
unarmed with that madman, wherefore he called upon his dwarf to arise
and come to him, and therewith he withdrew into the pavilion with intent
to arm himself and so to take away that sword from Sir Launcelot by
force.

[Sidenote: _Sir Blyant armeth himself._]

So the dwarf, who by that time had arisen from where he lay, went into
the pavilion to where Sir Blyant was, and he aided Sir Blyant to don his
armor, and so Sir Blyant armed himself from head to foot. When he was
thus armed he took sword in hand and went forth from out of the pavilion
prepared to deal with the madman in such wise as was necessary to take
that dangerous sword from him. For even if it must be that he had to
slay that madman, Sir Blyant wist that he must not leave him thus with a
sharp sword in his hand. So Sir Blyant came out of the pavilion armed at
all