_How Griflet was made knight, and justed with a knight._
Thou art full young and tender of age, said Arthur, for to take so high
an order on thee. Sir, said Griflet, I beseech you make me knight. Sir,
said Merlin, it were great pity to lose Griflet, for he will be a
passing good man when he is of age, abiding with you the term of his
life. And if he adventure his body with yonder knight at the fountain
it is in great peril if ever he come again, for he is one of the best
knights of the world, and the strongest man of arms. Well, said king
Arthur. So at the desire of Griflet the king made him knight. Now, said
Arthur unto Sir Griflet, since I have made you knight, thou must give
me a gift. What ye will, said Griflet. Thou shalt promise me by the
faith of thy body, when thou hast justed with the knight at the
fountain, whether it fall ye be on foot or on horseback, that right so
ye shall come again unto me without making any more debate. I will
promise you, said Griflet, as you desire. Then took Griflet his horse
in great haste, and dressed his shield, and took a spear in his hand,
and so he rode a great wallop till he came to the fountain, and thereby
he saw a rich pavilion, and thereby under a cloth stood a fair horse
well saddled and bridled, and on a tree a shield of divers colours, and
a great spear. Then Griflet smote on the shield with the butt of his
spear that the shield fell down to the ground. With that the knight
came out of the pavilion and said, Fair knight, why smote ye down my
shield? For I will just with you, said Griflet. It is better ye do not,
said the knight, for ye are but young, and late made knight, and your
might is nothing to mine. As for that, said Griflet, I will just with
you. That is me loth, said the knight, but since I must needs I will
dress me thereto: of whence be ye? said the knight. Sir, I am of
Arthur’s court. So the two knights ran together, that Griflet’s spear
all to-shivered, and therewithal he smote Griflet through the shield
and the left side, and brake the spear, that the truncheon stack in his
body, that horse and knight fell down.