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Chapter XI
ButanonSirTristramcametoaidthemandbarebackthebattle,andfoughtsomightilythatnonecouldstandagainsthim,forhesmotedownontherightandontheleft,sothatalltheknightsandcommonpeopleshoutedhispraise.
“SinceIbarearms,”saidKingArthur,“neversawIaknightdomoremarvellousdeeds.”
ThentheKingoftheHundredKnightsandthoseofNorthWales,setupontwentyknightswhowereofSirLancelot’skin,whofoughtalltogether,nonefailingtheothers.WhenSirTristrambeheldtheirnoblenessandvalour,hemarvelledmuch.“Wellmayhebevaliantandfullofprowess,”saidhe,“whohathsuchnobleknightsforkindred.”So,whenhehadlookedonthemawhile,hethoughtitshametoseetwohundredmenassailingtwenty,andridingtotheKingofaHundredKnights,hesaid,“Ipraythee,Sirking,leaveyourfightingwiththosetwentyknights,foryebetoomanyandtheybetoofew.Foryeshallgainnohonourifyewin,andthatIseeverilyyewillnotdounlessyeslaythem;butifyewillnotstay,Iwillridewiththemandhelpthem.”
“Nay,”saidtheking,“yeshallnotdoso;forfullgladlyIwilldoyoucourtesy,”andwiththathewithdrewhisknights.
ThenSirTristramrodehiswayintotheforest,thatnomanmightknowhim.AndKingArthurcausedtheheraldstoblowthatthetourneyshouldendthatday,andhegavetheKingofNorthWalestheprize,becauseSirTristramwasonhisside.Andinallthefieldtherewassuchacrythatthesoundthereofwasheardtwomilesaway—“Theknightwiththeblackshieldhathwonthefield.
