do not help a woman who has called you her enemy in
your own hall."

"Sir Kay," replied Arthur, "I am here to help all those who need
help in my land. This woman loved her lord, and I killed him
because he rebelled against me. Let her kinsman go and do battle
against the man who has wronged her. Bring him here, and I shall
judge him. If he is guilty he shall suffer."

While Gareth was still listening to the king's words, a messenger
entered from Mark, the king of Cornwall. He carried a wonderful
gold cloth which he laid at Arthur's feet, saying:

"My lord, King Mark sends you this as a sign that he is your true
friend."

But Arthur said:

"Take back the cloth. When I fight with kings who are worthy men,
after I have conquered them I give them back their lands, and
make them my subject-kings and Knights of the Round Table. But
Mark is not fit to be a king. He is cruel and false. I will not
call him friend."

The messenger stepped back in alarm. Arthur said to him kindly:

"It is not your fault that Mark is unworthy. Stay in this city
until you are refreshed and then go back home in safety."

While the king judged other cases, Gareth looked around the great
hall. Underneath the fourteen windows he saw three rows of stone
shields, and under each shield was the name of a knight. If a
knight had done one great deed, there was carving on his shield;
if he had done two or more, there were gold markings. If he had
done none, the shield was blank. Gareth saw that Sir Lancelot's
shield and Sir Kay's glittered with gold. He looked for the
shields of his brothers, Sir Gawain and Sir Modred. Sir Gawain's
was marked with gold, but Sir Modred's was blank.

Meanwhile, Arthur had judged all the cases. Then Gareth came
forward timidly and said:

"Lord King, you see my poor clothes; give me leave to serve for
twelve months in your kitchen without telling my name. After that
I will fight."

"You are a fair youth," Arthur replied, "and you deserve a better
gift. However, since this is all you ask, I will put you under
the care of Sir Kay, who is master of the kitchen."

Sir Kay looked at Gareth with scorn.

"This youth has come from some place where he did not get enough
to eat," he said, "and so he thinks of nothing but food. Yet if
he wants food, he shall have it, provided he does his work well."

Sir Lancelot, who stood near by, said:

"Sir Kay, you understand dogs and horses well, but not men. Look
at this youth's