Perceval hath rowed until that he is come nigh a castle that was
burning fiercely with a great flame, and seeth a hermitage upon the sea
hard by. He seeth the hermit at the door of the chapel, and asketh him
what the castle is that hath caught fire thus.
"Sir," saith the hermit, "I will tell you. Joseus, the son of King
Pelles, slew his mother there. Never sithence hath the castle stinted
of burning, and I tell you that of this castle and one other will be
kindled the fire that shall burn up the world and put it to an end."
Perceval marvelleth much, and knew well that it was the castle of King
Hermit his uncle. He departeth thence in great haste, and passeth
three kingdoms and saileth by the wastes and deserts on one side and
the other of the sea, for the ship ran somewhat a-nigh the land. He
looketh and seeth on an island twelve hermits sitting on the seashore.
The sea was calm and untroubled, and he made cast the anchor so as to
keep the ship steady. Then he saluteth the hermits, and they all bow
down to him in answer. He asketh them where have they their repair,
and they tell him that they have not far away twelve chapels and twelve
houses that surround a grave-yard wherein lie twelve dead knights that
we keep watch over. They were all brothers-german, and right
worshipful men, and none thereof lived more than twelve years knight
save one only, and none of them was there but won much land and broad
kingdoms from the misbelievers, and they all died in arms; and the name
of the eldest was Alain li Gros, and he came into this country from the
Valleys of Camelot to avenge his brother Alibans of the Waste City that
the Giant King had slain, and he took vengeance on him thereof, but he
died thereafter of a wound that the Giant had given him.
"Sir," saith one of the hermits, "I was at his death, but nought was
there he so longed after as a son of his, and he said that his name was
Perceval. He was the last of the brothers that died."