d, striking the ground with a roar of falling armor, he
lay there like one who had been struck dead.

Now Sir Percival was greatly astonished to see so potent a knight as Sir
Sagramore thus overthrown, wherefore he hurried forward with all speed
to where his companion lay upon the ground. And Sir Percival leaped from
his horse and went to his friend and found that he was not dead but only
stunned by the violence of the fall he had suffered. For anon Sir
Sagramore began to move and to bestir himself and so, after another
while, Sir Percival was able to raise him up and set him upon his feet
again, albeit Sir Sagramore's head was as light as a feather and swam
like to running water.

Now all this while that other knight had been sitting very steadfastly
observing Sir Percival what he was about. So when he beheld that no
great harm had befallen that knight whom he had overthrown, he spake to
Sir Percival, saying: "Sir Knight, are you satisfied upon your part, or
will you also have to do with me in disputing the pass of this bridge?"

"Sir," quoth Sir Percival, "I would fain have had you go in peace, but
since you have thus offered me the chance of battle or no battle, lo! I
have no such choice, but must needs take this knight's quarrel upon
myself. So make you ready that I may avenge his fall upon you."

Therewith Sir Percival gat Sir Sagramore to horse and cleared the bridge
of him. Then he mounted upon his own horse and made him ready for that
assault which he had undertaken.

So when he was in all wise prepared and perceiving that his enemy was
also ready, he shouted to the charge and therewith drave forward in the
assault.

[Sidenote: _Sir Percival and the strange knight do battle together._]

Then again those two knights-contestant met in the centre of the bridge
with such a violence of meeting that the spear of each was broken into
splinters to the very truncheon thereof. And each would have fallen
before the assault of the other except that, with spur and bridle-rein,
each uplifted his charger to foot again. Thereupon, having no spear
wherewith to do further battle, each knight voided his saddle and each
drew his sword and made him ready for further battle. So they came
together to assault afoot, and presently each fell to lashing at the
other such violent buffets that the sound thereof could be heard in echo
both far and near.

So they fought for a long time and in that while neither gained any
advantage w