Right glad is Perceval when he seeth the people of the castle turn them
to the holy faith of the Saviour, and the damsel saith to him, "Sir,
right well have you speeded thus far on your way; nought is there now
to be done save to finish that which remaineth. For never may they
that are within issue forth so long as the Knight of the Dragon is on
live. Here may you not tarry, for the longer you tarry, the more lands
will be desolate and the more folk will he slay. Perceval taketh leave
of them of the castle, that make much joy of him, but sore misgiving
have they of him on account of the knight with whom he goeth to do
battle, and they say that if he shall conquer him, never yet befell
knight so fair adventure. They have heard mass before that he
departeth, and made rich offerings for him in honour of the Saviour and
His sweet Mother. The damsel goeth before, for that she knew the place
where the evil knight had his repair. They ride until they come into
the Island of Elephants. The Knight was alighted under an olive tree,
and had but now since slain four knights that were of the castle of the
Queen of the Golden Circlet. She was at the windows of her castle and
saw her Knights dead, whereof made she great dole.
"Ha, God," saith she, "Shall I never see none that may avenge me of
this evildoer that slayeth my men and destroyeth my land on this wise?"
She looketh up and seeth Perceval come and the damsel.
"Sir Knight, and you have not force and help and valour in you more
than is in four knights, come not nigh this devil! Howbeit, and you
feel that you may so do battle as to overcome and vanquish him, I will
give you the Golden Circlet that is within, and will hold with the New
Law that hath been of late established. For I see well by your shield
that you are a Christian, and, so you may conquer him, then ought I at
last to be assured that your law availeth more than doth ours, and that
God was born of the Virgin."