Then the King took him by the hand, and went down from the palace to
shew Galahad the adventures of the stone.
"Sir," said the King unto Sir Galahad, "here is a great marvel as I ever
saw, and right good knights have assayed and failed."
"Sir," said Galahad, "that is no marvel, for this adventure is not
theirs but mine; and for the surety of this sword I brought none with
me, for here by my side hangeth the scabbard."
And anon he laid his hand on the sword, and lightly drew it out of the
stone, and put it in the sheath, and said unto the King, "Now it goeth
better than it did aforehand."
"Sir," said the King, "a shield God shall send you."
"Now have I that sword that was sometime the good knight's, Balin le
Savage, and he was a passing good man of his hands; and with this sword
he slew his brother Balan, and that was great pity, for he was a good
knight, and either slew other through a dolorous stroke."
* * * * *