The daughter of the lord knew these tidings and was right sorrowful
thereof, for she thinketh never more to have joy at heart and he shall
be slain in such manner. She sendeth him greeting by her own privy
messenger, as she that loveth him better than aught else living in the
world, and so biddeth and prayeth him be garnished of his arms, and
ready to protect his life, for that her father is fain to smite off his
head.
"Sir," saith the messenger, "Your force would avail you nought as
against my lord, for to-morrow there will be a dozen knights all armed
at the issue of the gate whereby you entered to-night, and he saith
that he purposeth to cut off your head there where he cut the heads off
the other knights. Without the gate there will likewise be another
dozen knights all armed. No knight is there in the world so good as
that he might issue forth of this castle through the midst of these
four and twenty knights, but my lady sendeth you word that there is a
cavern under this castle that goeth therefrom underground as far as the
forest, so that a knight may well pass thereby all armed, but there is
therein a lion, the fiercest and most horrible in the world, and two
serpents that are called griffons, that have the face of a man and the
beaks of birds and eyes of an owl and teeth of a dog and ears of an ass
and feet of a lion and tail of a serpent, and they have couched them
therewithin, but never saw no man beasts so fell and felonous.
Wherefore the damsel biddeth you go by that way, by everything that you
have ever loved, and that you fail her not, for she would fain speak
with you at the issue of the cavern in an orchard that is nigh a right
broad river not far from this castle, and will make your destrier be
brought after you underground."
"By my head," saith Lancelot, "And she had not conjured me in such
sort, and were it not for love of herself, I would have rather set
myself in hazard with the knights than with the wild beasts, for far
father would I have delivered myself from them, and so I might, than go
forth in such-wise."
"She sendeth you word," saith the messenger, "that so you do not thus,
no further trouble will she take concerning you. She doth it of dread
lest she lose your love; and here behold a brachet that she sendeth you
by me that you will carry with you into the cavern. So soon as you
shalt see the serpent griffons that have couched them therein, you
shall show them this and cast her down before them. The griffons love
her as much as one beast may love another, and shall have such joy and
such desire to play with the brachet that they will leave you alone,
and have such good will toward you that they will not look at you after
to do you any hurt. But no man is there in the world, no matter how
well soever he were armed, nor how puissant soever he were in himself,
might never pass them otherwise, but he should be devoured of them.
But no safeguard may you have as against the lion but of God only and
your own hardiment."
"Tell my damsel," saith Lancelot, "that all her commandment will I do,
but this cowardize resembleth none other, that I shall go fight with
beasts and leave to do battle with knights."
This was then repeated to the damsel, that marvelled her much thereat,
and said that he was the hardiest knight in the world.