"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "I would fain ask you of a King. When I
had brought him his son back dead, he made him be cooked and thereafter
made him be eaten of all the folk of his land."
"Sir," saith the priest, "Already had he leant his heart upon Jesus
Christ, and would fain make sacrifice of his flesh and blood to Our
Lord, and for this did he make all those of his land eat thereof, and
would fain that their thoughts should be even such as his own. And
therefore was all evil belief uprooted from his land, so that none
remained therein."
"Blessed be the hour," saith Messire Gawain, "that I came herewithin!"
"Mine be it!" saith the priest.
Messire Gawain lay therewithin the night, and right well lodged was he.
The morrow, when he had heard mass, he departed and went forth of the
castle when he had taken leave. And he findeth the fairest land of the
world and the fairest meadow-grounds that were ever seen, and the
fairest rivers and forests garnished of wild deer and hermitages. And
he rideth until he cometh one day as evening was about to draw on, to
the house of a hermit, and the house was so low that his horse might
not enter therein. And his chapel was scarce taller, and the good man
had never issued therefrom of forty years past. The Hermit putteth his
head out of the window when he seeth Messire Gawain and saith, "Sir,
welcome may you be," saith he.
"Sir, God give you joy, Will you give me lodging to-night?" saith
Messire Gawain.
"Sir, herewithin none harboureth save the Lord God alone, for earthly
man hath never entered herewithin but me this forty year, but see, here
in front is the castle wherein the good knights are lodged."
"What is the castle?"
"Sir, the good King Fisherman's, that is surrounded with great waters
and plenteous in all things good, so the lord were in joy. But behoveth
them harbour none there save good knights only."
"God grant," saith Messire Gawain, "that I may come therein."