ther, Sir Launcelot?" And Sir Ector said: "Nay, I have no news of
him, but I had hoped that you might have news."

Sir Percival said, "I have no news," and he said, "Do you still go in
quest of that noble and gentle knight your brother?" And Sir Ector said,
"Yea." Sir Percival said: "So do I go upon that quest, and I would fain
that we might travel somewhile together for the sake of companionship."
And Sir Ector said: "So also would I wish it to be."

Now as they thus talked there came the hermit of that chapel to them
where they sat, and he said to them: "Messires, will ye not break bread
with me ere ye depart from this place?" Whereunto they said: "Yea;
gladly will we do so."

So they all went together to the hermit's cell, and therewith he
prepared for them such food as he had at his dwelling-place; to wit,
sweet brown bread, with honey of the forest and berries freshly gathered
from the thickets. So those two noble knights ate with great appetite
and were fully refreshed and their hunger stayed.

[Sidenote: _Sir Percival and Sir Ector ride together._]

Then, after they had thus eaten their fill, they gave many thanks to the
good man for their refreshment and so departed from that pleasant place,
riding side by side together, talking in pleasant discourse, and now and
then chanting a bit of song, either one alone or both together. Meantime
the warm sun shone very brightly, flickering ever and anon through the
leaves and blazing of a sudden with a quick and wonderful glory as it
catched upon the polished plates of their armor.

[Sidenote: _Sir Percival and Sir Ector behold a fair valley._]

In this wise Sir Percival and Sir Ector travelled and by and by they
came out of that forest. And they travelled for several days, until at
last they one day came to a certain place whence they overlooked a
valley. Here they drew rein upon the heights and looked down into that
valley, and they beheld that it was a very fair place. And in the midst
thereof they beheld that there was a lake of water, wonderfully clear
and very blue and tranquil, as it were a part of the bright shining sky
that lay within the cup of that valley. And they beheld that in the
midst of the lake there was an island, and that upon the island there
stood a castle, very tall and stately, and with many tall roofs of tile
that shone all red like to several separate flames of fire against the
mild blue sky behind. And they beheld that there was a little to