Lancelot taketh leave of the hermit, and is mounted forthwith and
departeth from the hermitage. And evening draweth on, and he seeth
that it is time to lodge him. And he espieth before him the castle of
the rich King Fisherman. He seeth the bridges, broad and long, but
they seem not to him the same as they had seemed to Messire Gawain. He
beholdeth the rich entrance of the gateway there where Our Lord God was
figured as He was set upon the rood, and seeth two lions that guard the
entrance of the gate. Lancelot thinketh that sith Messire Gawain had
passed through amidst the lions, he would do likewise. He goeth toward
the gateway, and the lions that were unchained prick up their ears and
look at him. Howbeit Lancelot goeth his way between them without
heeding them, and neither of them was fain to do him any hurt. He
alighteth before the master-palace, and mounteth upward all armed. Two
other knights come to meet him and receive him with right great joy,
then they make him be seated on a couch in the midst of the hall and be
disarmed of two servants. Two damsels bring him a right rich robe and
make him be apparelled therewithal. Lancelot beholdeth the richness of
the hall and seeth nought figured there save images of saints, men or
women, and he seeth the hall hung about with cloths of silk in many
places. The knights lead him before King Fisherman in a chamber where
he lay right richly. He findeth the King, that lieth on a bed so rich
and so fair apparelled as never was seen a better, and one damsel was
at his head and another at his feet. Lancelot saluteth him right
nobly, and the King answereth him full fairly as one that is a right
worshipful man. And such a brightness of light was there in the
chamber as that it seemed the sun were beaming on all sides, and albeit
the night was dark, no candles, so far as Lancelot might espy, were
lighted therewithin.
"Sir," saith King Fisherman, "Can you tell me tidings of my sister's
son, that was son of Alain li Gros of the Valleys of Camelot, whom they
call Perceval?"
"Sir," saith Lancelot, "I saw him not long time sithence in the house
of King Hermit, his uncle."
"Sir," saith the King, "They tell me he is a right good knight?"
"Sir," saith Lancelot, "He is the best knight of the world. I myself
have felt the goodness of his knighthood and his valour, for right
sorely did he wound me or ever I knew him or he me."
"And what is your name?" saith the King.
"Sir, I am called Lancelot of the Lake, King Ban's son of Benoic."
"Ha," saith the King, "you are nigh of our lineage, you ought to be
good knight of right, and so are you as I have heard witness,
Lancelot," saith the King. "Behold there the chapel where the most
Holy Graal taketh his rest, that appeared to two knights that have been
herewithin. I know not what was the name of the first, but never saw I
any so gentle and quiet, nor had better likelihood to be good knight.
It was through him that I have fallen into languishment. The second
was Messire Gawain."
"Sir," saith Lancelot, "the first was Perceval your nephew."
"Ha!" saith King Fisherman, "take heed that you speak true!"
"Sir," saith Lancelot, "I ought to know him well!"
"Ha, God!" saith the King, "Wherefore then did I know him not? Through
him have I fallen into this languishment, and had I only known then
that it was he, should I now be all whole of my limbs and of my body,
and right instantly do I pray you, when you shall see him, that he come
to see me or ever I die, and that he be fain to succour and help his
mother, whose men have been slain, and whose land hath been reaved in
such sort that never may she have it again save by him alone. And his
sister hath gone in quest of him throughout all kingdoms."
"Sir," saith Lancelot, "This will I tell him gladly, if ever I may find
him in any place, but it is great adventure of finding him, for
oft-times will he change his cognizance in divers fashion and conceal
his name in many places."