_How king Arthur was brought into the forest perilous, and how Sir
Tristram saved his life._
Now shall ye hear what was the cause that king Arthur came into the
forest perilous, that was in North Wales, by the means of a lady. Her
name was Annowre, and this lady came to king Arthur at Cardiff, and
she, by fair promise and fair behests, made king Arthur to ride with
her into that forest perilous; and she was a great sorceress, and many
days she had loved king Arthur, and therefore she came into that
country. So when the king was gone with her, many of his knights
followed after king Arthur when they missed him, as Sir Launcelot,
Brandiles, and many other. And when she had brought him to her tower,
she desired him to love her. And then the king remembered him of his
lady, and would not love her for no craft that she could do. Then every
day she would make him ride into that forest with his own knights, to
the intent to have had king Arthur slain. For when this lady Annowre
saw that she might not have him at her will, then she laboured by false
means to have destroyed king Arthur and slain. Then the Lady of the
lake, that was alway friendly to king Arthur, she understood by her
subtle crafts that king Arthur was like to be destroyed. And therefore
this Lady of the lake, that hight Nimue, came into that forest to seek
after Sir Launcelot du Lake, or Sir Tristram, for to help king Arthur;
for as that same day this Lady of the lake knew well that king Arthur
should be slain, unless that he had help of one of these two knights.
And thus she rode up and down till she met with Sir Tristram, and anon
as she saw him she knew him. O my lord Sir Tristram, she said, well be
ye met, and blessed be the time that I have met with you; for this same
day, and within these two hours, shall be done the foulest deed that
ever was done in this land. O fair damsel, said Sir Tristram, may I
amend it? Come on with me, she said, and that in all the haste ye may,
for ye shall see the most worshipfullest knight of the world hard
bested. Then said Sir Tristram, I am ready to help such a noble man. He
is neither better nor worse, said the Lady of the lake, but the noble
king Arthur himself. God defend, said Sir Tristram, that ever he should
be in such distress. Then they rode together a great pace, until they
came to a little turret or castle, and underneath that castle they saw
a knight standing upon foot fighting with two knights; and so Sir
Tristram beheld them, and at the last the two knights smote down the
one knight, and that one of them unlaced his helm to have slain him.
And the lady Annowre gat king Arthur’s sword in her hand to have
stricken off his head. And therewithal came Sir Tristram with all his
might, crying, Traitress, traitress, leave that. And anon there Sir
Tristram smote one of the knights through the body, that he fell dead;
and then he rashed to the other and smote his back in sunder, and in
the mean while the Lady of the lake cried to king Arthur, Let not that
false lady escape. Then king Arthur overtook her, and with the same
sword he smote off her head; and the Lady of the lake took up her head,
and hung it up by the hair on her saddle bow. And then Sir Tristram
horsed king Arthur, and rode forth with him, but he charged the Lady of
the lake not to discover his name as at that time. When the king was
horsed he thanked heartily Sir Tristram, and desired to wit his name;
but he would not tell him, but that he was a poor knight adventurous.
And so he bare king Arthur fellowship till he met with some of his
knights. And within a mile he met with Sir Ector de Maris, and he knew
not king Arthur nor Sir Tristram, and he desired to just with one of
them. Then Sir Tristram rode unto Sir Ector, and smote him from his
horse. And when he had done so he came again to the king, and said: My
lord, yonder is one of your knights, he may bear you fellowship; and
another day by that deed that I have done for you, I trust ye shall
understand that I would do you service. Alas, said king Arthur, let me
wit what ye are. Not at this time, said Sir Tristram. So he departed,
and left king Arthur and Sir Ector together.