_How the old man brought Galahad to the siege perilous and set him
therein, and how all the knights marvelled._
The king was right glad of his words, and said unto the good man, Sir,
ye be right welcome, and the young knight with you. Then the old man
made the young man to unarm him; and he was in a coat of red sendel,
and bare a mantle upon his shoulder that was furred with ermine, and
put that upon him. And the old knight said unto the young knight, Sir,
follow me. And anon he led him unto the siege perilous, where beside
sat Sir Launcelot, and the good man lift up the cloth, and found there
letters that said thus: This is the siege of Galahad the haut prince.
Sir, said the old knight, wit ye well that place is yours. And then he
set him down surely in that siege. And then he said to the old man,
Sir, ye may now go your way, for well have ye done that ye were
commanded to do. And recommend me unto my grandsire king Pelles, and
unto my lord Petchere, and say them on my behalf, I shall come and see
them as soon as ever I may. So the good man departed, and there met him
twenty noble squires, and so took their horses and went their way. Then
all the knights of the Table Round marvelled them greatly of Sir
Galahad, that he durst sit there in that siege perilous, and was so
tender of age, and wist not from whence he came, but all only by God,
and said, This is he by whom the Sancgreal shall be achieved, for there
sat never none but he, but he were mischieved. Then Sir Launcelot
beheld his son, and had great joy of him. Then Sir Bors told his
fellows, Upon pain of my life this young knight shall come unto great
worship. This noise was great in all the court, so that it came to the
queen. Then she had marvel what knight it might be that durst adventure
him to sit in the siege perilous. Many said unto the queen, he
resembled much unto Sir Launcelot. I may well suppose, said the queen,
that he is son of Sir Launcelot and king Pelles’ daughter, and his name
is Galahad. I would fain see him, said the queen, for he must needs be
a noble man, for so is his father; I report me unto all the Table
Round. So when the meat was done, that the king and all were risen, the
king went unto the siege perilous, and lift up the cloth, and found
there the name of Galahad, and then he shewed it unto Sir Gawaine, and
said, Fair nephew, now have we among us Sir Galahad the good knight,
that shall worship us all, and upon pain of my life he shall achieve
the Sancgreal, right so as Sir Launcelot hath done us to understand.
Then came king Arthur unto Galahad, and said, Sir, ye be welcome, for
ye shall move many good knights to the quest of the Sancgreal, and ye
shall achieve that never knights might bring to an end. Then the king
took him by the hand, and went down from the palace to shew Galahad the
adventures of the stone.