he earth
began to tremble and to shake, and the skies began, as it were, to
thunder, and all over the sky there spread a cloud of very great
blackness and density so that whilst it was still midday, it began to
grow dark like night-time. Then there came a great wind of such strength
that I thought it would blow me away, and after that there fell a rain
in such quantities and with such deluge that methought I would be
drowned by that rain. And the rain roared down in torrents everywhere
through that valley as it were a deluge. And, as the rain fell and the
thunder burst forth from the sky and the lightning flamed like living
fire, I heard, as from a very great distance, the sound of many voices
raised in lamentation.

"Then, by and by, the storm passed and the clouds disappeared and the
sun came forth with extraordinary brightness. Then lo! there happened
another singular thing, for presently there came a great multitude of
birds flying through the air, and they lodged in that tree above the
fountain, and they sang with such exquisite melody that methought that
my heart would break with the joy of their singing.

"Now whilst I sat there listening to those birds, I beheld where, a
great way off, there came a horseman riding with extraordinary rapidity
across the plain, and as he drew nigh I beheld that he was a knight
seated upon a black horse and clad all in black armor. This knight came
riding very violently toward where I was, and he called out in a very
fierce loud voice: 'Sir Knight, wherefore did you meddle with my
fountain. Know that you have brought a great deluge upon this land, and
for that I am come hither to punish you. Now defend yourself from my
anger, for it is very great.'

[Sidenote: _Sir Sagramore is overthrown by the Knight of the Fountain._]

"Therewith he made ready to assail me, and I upon my part immediately
put myself into a posture of defence, and dressed my shield and my
spear, and took post upon the meadow close to the fountain. After that I
ran a tilt against that knight and he ran against me, and he cast me out
of my saddle with such violence that methinks I have never before felt a
buffet like to that which I then received.

"Having thus cast me down, he paid no more heed to me than if I had been
a billet of wood, but he took from me my shield and he laid it upon the
saddle of my horse and he took my horse by the rein and rode away from
that place, leaving me still lying upon the ground.