sake say me where Sir Launcelot is."

"Yonder ye may see him," said the King.

Then she went unto Launcelot and said, "Sir Launcelot, I require you to
come along with me hereby into a forest."

"What will ye with me?" said Sir Launcelot.

"Ye shall know," said she, "when ye come thither."

"Well," said he, "I will gladly go with you."

So Sir Launcelot bade him his squire saddle his horse and bring his
arms.

Right so departed Sir Launcelot with the gentlewoman and rode until he
came into a forest, and into a great valley, where they saw an abbey of
nuns; and there was a squire ready and opened the gates, and so they
entered and descended off their horses; and there came a fair fellowship
about Sir Launcelot, and welcomed him and were passing glad of his
coming.

And they led him into the Abbess's chamber and unarmed him; and therein
came twelve nuns that brought with them Galahad, the which was passing
fair and well made, that unnethe[1] in the world men might not find his
match: and all those ladies wept.

[Footnote 1: This is an old word meaning _with difficulty_.]

"Sir," said they all, "we bring you here this child the which we have
nourished, and we pray you to make him a knight, for of a worthier man's
hand may he not receive the order of knighthood."

Then said Sir Launcelot, "Cometh this desire of himself?"

He and all they said, "Yea."

"Then shall he," said Sir Launcelot, "receive the high order of
knighthood as to-morn at the reverence of the high feast."

That night Sir Launcelot had passing good cheer; and on the morn at
Galahad's desire, he made him knight and said, "God make him a good man,
for of beauty faileth you not as any that liveth."

THE MARVELOUS SWORD

"Fair sir," said Sir Launcelot, "will ye come with me unto the court of
King Arthur?"

"Nay," said he, "I will not go with you at this time."

Then he departed from them and came to Camelot by the hour of underne[2]
on Whitsunday. By that time the King and Queen were gone to the minster
to hear their service.

[Footnote 2: _Underne_ meant, according to ancient reckoning, nine
o'clock in the morning.]

So when the King and all the knights were come from service, the barons
espied in the sieges of the Round Table all about, written with golden
letters: "Here ought to sit he, and he ought to sit here."[3] And thus
they went so long till they came to the Siege Perilous where they found
letters newly written of gold