When the damsels heard this, they kneeled down before him, and began to
weep for joy and kiss his hands, and pray him for God's sake have mercy
on them and on their brother. And he saith that he will not depart
from their land until he hath done all he may. He remaineth the night
in the castle and his mariner likewise. The lady made great joy of
Perceval, and did him all the honour she might. When the morrow came
they showed him the land of the King that had reft them of their land,
but the lady could not tell him where her son was in prison. He
departeth and cometh back to his ship when he hath taken leave of the
lady and the damsels, and right glad was he to know that the damsels
were so nigh to him of kin. So he prayeth God grant him that he may be
able to give them back their land and bring them out of the poverty
wherein they are. He roweth until that he is come under a rock,
wherein was a cave at top round and narrow and secure like as it were a
little house. Perceval looketh on that side, and seeth a man sitting
within. He maketh the ship draw nigh the rock, then looketh and seeth
the cutting of a way that went upwards through the rock. He is come
forth of the ship and goeth up the little path until he cometh into the
little house. He findeth within one of the comeliest knights in the
world. He had a ring at his feet and a collar on his neck with a chain
whereof the other end was fixed by a staple into a great ledge of the
rock. He rose up over against Perceval as soon as he saw him.
"Sir Knight," saith Perceval, "You are well made fast."
"Sir, that irketh me," saith the knight, "Better should I like myself
elsewhere than here."
"You would be right," saith Perceval, "For you are in right evil plight
in the midst of this sea. Have you aught within to eat or to drink?"
"Sir," saith he, "The daughter of the Sick Knight that dwelleth in the
island hard by, sendeth me every day in a boat as much meat as I may
eat, for she hath great pity of me. The King that hath imprisoned me
here hath reft her castles like as he hath those of my lady my mother."
"May none remove you hence?"
"Sir, in no wise, save he that set me here, for he keepeth with him the
key of the lock, and he told me when he departed hence that never more
should I issue forth."
"By my head," saith Perceval, "but you shall! And you were the son of
Galobrutus, you were the son of mine uncle," saith Perceval, "and I of
yours, so that it would be a reproach to me for evermore and I left you
in this prison."